Norway 🖨️ Print / Save PDF Food, Alcohol and Water

Food

Provisioning

Groceries, like most things in Norway, are expensive. So, if you are coming from another country you may wish to stock up prior to leaving. However, note that strict personal importing limits are in place, e.g. for importing meat from EU/EEA. And it is not allowed to import any meat, milk or other dairy products from countries outside the EU/EEA. Maybe more relevant are the strict regulations on importing alcohol into the country: 1 litre strong liquor, 1.5 litre of wine and 2 litres of beer per person. 1 more litre of wine if you skip the hard liquor. 

For topping up with fresh provisions once you are in Norway, you won’t have any problems getting what you need in the larger centres. Even most villages will have a small shop with a good supply of basic groceries.

Hunting And Gathering

If you like hunting and gathering you will have a great time in Norway since there are berries galore and the fishing is easy.

Berries

Blåbær (blueberries) are plentiful in August.

Multebær (cloudberries / bakeapples) look like pale orange raspberries and are a Norwegian delicacy that is also available in August. We suggest you do not pick multebær without asking. Some places, like Tamsøya in Porsangerfjorden, are privately owned, and the berries are an important source of income for the locals. 

Tyttebær (lingonberries / partridgeberries) are small cranberry-like berries that grow on shiny green leaves. They are plentiful in the fall.

Mushrooms

In autumn mushrooms are omnipresent in the woods. Of course you have to know how to identify edible species but Brunskrubb (birch bolete),  Steinsopp (porcini mushroom) and Kantareller (chanterelles) are very common and the locals keep the best spots a family secret.

Fishing

No license is required to fish in salt water for personal consumption, but there are a few things to know. The further north you head the richer the sea is in fish. Torsk (cod), sei (saithe, pollock), makrell (mackerell) and kveite (halibut) are abundant. In the right place you rarely wait more than 10 minutes for a bite…

To fish in lakes and rivers a freshwater fishing license is required. It is possible also for non-residents to obtain one.

Alcohol

Alcohol can be purchased from the government liquor store chain Vinmonopolet (to find a store, click on Butikker on the top menu).

Norwegian law mandates that you are not allowed to handle a boat of up to 15 m LOA with a blood alcohol level greater than 0.08 %. The limit for handling boats greater than 15 m LOA is 0.02 %. We have heard of fellow sailors who were given a breathalyser test while underway in a pleasure boat, the law is enforced and fines will be levied.

Water

Drinking water is usually available on pontoons, quays and at fuel stations throughout Norway. Note that particularly on the southeast coast and in the far north the water supply to pontoons will be shut off during the winter months due to freezing. Some places, particularly those with winter fishing activity may be equipped with a frost protected water supply. We do not recommend that you fill with water from streams or lakes as giardia and other parasites may be present in untreated water. In places like Spitsbergen you may have no choice.