IKEA is well-known for two things: economical furnishings and Swedish meatballs.
And chances are good that if you've ever been to IKEA, you've done two things: purchased
way too many things you don't need, and been lured to the food court by the heavenly smell
of meatballs.
Here are a few facts you may not know about the store's iconic Swedish favorite.
How the balls got rolling
According to IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad,
"It's difficult to do business with someone on an empty stomach."
With that in mind, Kamprad decided that IKEA needed to offer food to their shoppers.
But he didn't want just any food, he wanted quintessential Swedish food, and he would
want to keep the food prices in line with their budget-friendly furniture prices.
The IKEA Swedish meatballs debuted in stores in the 1980s, and have become one of the most
popular items on the menu.
Today they sell for just $5.99 per plate, and come loaded with mashed potatoes, lingonberry
jam, and a gravy-like cream sauce.
An astounding two million meatballs are eaten in IKEA's 340 stores worldwide every day,
and company bigwigs say satisfying a shopper's hunger is good for sales.
After all ...
"A hungry customer is a very non-focused customer."
Sustainable options
If you're not a fan of traditional Swedish meatballs, IKEA has recently added a couple
of variations.
In 2015, the retail giant made efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by introducing
more sustainable food choices, including veggie and chicken balls.
According to a IKEA press release,
"The new veggie ball is one example of the steps IKEA is taking to offer a wider variety
of more nutritious and sustainably produced food.
The veggie balls are made only from vegetables, are high in nutrition, fiber, protein and
their carbon footprint is 30 times less than that of the traditional meatballs."
How the sausage is made
So you've ended you epic shopping journey with a delicious plate of IKEA meatballs.
Here's what you're digging into:
The classic meat version, which is served with lingonberry jam, is made up of beef,
pork, onions, bread crumbs, eggs, water, salt, and pepper.
The vegan and gluten-free vegetable ball recipe changes throughout the year depending on what's
in season, but includes ingredient such as chickpeas, carrots, corn, kale, red peppers,
peas, and pea protein.
The poultry choice is made up of chicken, onion, potato starch, salt, and spices.
Furniture-free feast?
A whopping 30 percent of IKEA visitors are there just for the food.
Because of this, IKEA has been testing pop-up stand-alone restaurants in major cities like
Paris, London, and Oslo, affording diners the opportunity to get their hands on their
beloved meatballs without having to wade through a maze of Detolfs, Vedbos, and Vallentunas.
What's a lingonberry?
It's the Swedish meatball's favorite condiment, but you probably don't see lingonberry jam
too often outside the IKEA bistro.
So what is it?
A lingonberry is a wild berry that grows in Sweden and is harvested in August and September.
Because of their bitter taste, the berries are typically not eaten raw, but when turned
into jam with more than a little sugar, it becomes a perfect combination of bitter and
sweet.
Lingonberry jam is often served with other savory Swedish dishes like cabbage rolls and
potato pancakes.
Holiday bonus
For a few months before the holiday, you can experience Swedish meatballs in a whole new
way.
The limited Christmas plate comes with stone ground mustard sauce, sweet and sour cabbage
with apples, sautéed carrots, and creamy potatoes.
For IKEA FAMILY members, it's a dollar off, at just $4.99 a plate.
If you time it right, you can also score free meatballs for your kids throughout the year.
Just make sure you do your shopping on a Tuesday, and when you buy your meatball plate, you'll
get up to two free kids' plates, too.
IKEA anytime
IKEA knows that shoppers love their meatballs.
So it's no big surprise that you can buy everything you need to enjoy them at home in their marketplace.
Just pick up the lingonberry jam, cream sauce, and frozen meatballs next time you're shopping,
and you've got a super-easy family meal ready to go.
The best news is, it will only set you back about $15 for the whole shebang.
Throw it all in your brand new Nutid and you'll be meatballing year round.
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