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Increased cost isn’t the only reason fish consumption has gone down in the Republic of Iceland; another factor is the perception that preparing fish is time consuming. Sigridur Eysteinsdottir is a dietitian in two hospitals, where she addresses this issue by promoting fish as a fast food.
'People aren’t spending as much time in the kitchen as before.'
Eysteinsdottir explains that in addition to the misperception that cooking fish takes too long, young people also admit they simply don’t know how to prepare it. Part of Eysteinsdottir’s job is showing them cooking fish isn’t as hard as it seems.
People used to buy whole fresh fish, which they boiled and served with sheep lard and potatoes. Eysteinsdottir shows patients how to divide their meals between potatoes, vegetables, and fish or meat, while stressing simpler methods of fish preparation, such as buying frozen fish fillets from the supermarket and cooking them in the microwave with curry sauces or low-fat gravy.
The promotion of a more fish-based diet is also evident in the University of Iceland hospital kitchen, which produces 6,000 meals a day, the majority of which are sent to other hospitals. Some form of seafood is served almost every day, far more often than most patients eat at home. The fish may be poached, oven-fried or baked, and lightly fried fish balls are also common.
Frida Thordardottir, a nutritionist in the foodservice department, oversees a five-week rotating menu. In addition to updating food recommendations and writing guidelines for computer records, Thordardottir creates menus for patients with a range of health problems, which becomes more challenging as the population evolves.
Health trends that didn’t previously exist, such as vegetarianism or gluten and dairy intolerances, can make the task of forming menus that much trickier.
Additionally, the hospital is treating a broader spectrum of patients, including immigrant groups and both younger and older patients.
'We try to listen to patients and of course use our own taste buds,'
Explained Thordardottir, who works with other dietitians, cooks, and food preparers.
Shifts in demographics are also evident in the kitchen staff itself. Iceland’s historically homogeneous population of Norse and Celtic descent has seen a sudden influx of immigrants and temporary workers from Asia and Eastern Europe. Therefore, patients have been receiving some tasty and unusual additions, like curry fish and shrimp with spicy sauce.
'Food habits are changing ... We’re getting more creative with fish recipes so people are more open to eating it.'
Changing the direction of unhealthy habits has proven possible among the small, well educated population. Anti-tobacco legislation, for example, is old news in Iceland, and the decline of smoking began decades ago. And despite the decline in fish consumption, the nutritional value of food in Iceland has improved significantly during the last century. Overall, fat consumption and calories from fat have decreased, mainly due to less consumption of margarine and non-skimmed milk. In addition, fruit and vegetable consumption, formerly limited by geography, has increased – and a popular Icelandic export is a children’s television show called Lazy Town, which promotes nutrition and exercise!
The government of Iceland recently launched a campaign to promote the consumption of more seafood, fruits and vegetables, along with other healthy habits, so the solution may not be far away.
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