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As someone with an affinity for all things IKEA, I wanted to put a Swedish twist on my usual Christmas dinner this year. Instead of the traditional turkey and potatoes, I decided to embrace the festive spirit of Sweden by creating a Julbord, a classic Swedish Christmas buffet.
Now, what does this Malaysian woman know about Swedish holiday cuisine? Other than being able to pronounce “köttbullar”, my Swedish culinary vocab is sorely limited. So, I needed a little help crafting a Swedish Julbord menu and I turned to the dark side — AI — for assistance.
I prompted ChatGPT to “Create a Swedish Julbord Menu using items from the IKEA Swedish Food Market. It should include entrées, main meals, hot foods, dessert and drinks.” With just a click of the submit button, it generated a mouth-watering menu in mere seconds.
The AI-crafted Julbord menu features an array of classic Swedish dishes, with suggested items from the IKEA Swedish Food Market. From the classic herring appetizers to the beloved Swedish meatballs and the warming Glögg (mulled wine), this menu promises to bring the flavors of a Swedish Christmas to my table.
But wait…
AI is notorious for making mistakes. So, I turn to you, my Swedish friends for your expert opinion. Is this AI-generated Julbord menu up to par with your cherished holiday menu? I await your verdict.
Without further ado, here’s the Swedish Julbord menu, courtesy of ChatGPT and IKEA:
Swedish Julbord Menu
STARTERS
MAINS
1. Meatballs
2. Grilled Salmon
- Prepared with SJÖRAPPORT salmon fillet and a drizzle of dill-infused oil.
3. Pork Ribs
- Oven-roasted ribs with a glaze of honey and mustard.
HOT FOODS
1. Janssons Frestelse (Jansson’s Temptation)
- A creamy potato casserole with anchovies prepared with IKEA’s ANSJOVIS FILÉ.
2. Prinskorv (Cocktail Sausages)
- Grilled and served with mustard.
3. ROSTI
DESSERTS
1. VINTERSAGA (Ginger Thins)
- Served with warm GLÖGG (Mulled Wine).
2. Almond Cake
- ALMONDY with a layer of cream and roasted almond flakes.
3. Swedish Sweets
- A variety of GODIS (Scandinavian candies) and DAIM chocolates.
DRINKS
For a first try, I think it is an outstanding menu that captures the essence of a traditional Swedish Julbord, showcasing a diverse array of flavors. Except the pork ribs. It seems a little out of place in the menu. A selection of festive ham would probably fit the theme better?
Another area that could be improved is the lack of vegetables in the menu. A traditional Julbord often features dishes like stewed red cabbage or roasted root vegetables, which add vibrant colors, varied textures, and a healthy balance to the feast. But my prompt limited ChatGPT to using ingredients from the IKEA Swedish Food Market, and admittedly its vegetable section is sorely lacking.
ChatGPT did make some mistakes with the names, which I corrected in the list above. It also included some items that are no longer available at the IKEA Swedish Food Market. The most notable example is the Daim chocolates, which were pulled from IKEA shelves in 2023.
Despite these small hiccups, the majority of the suggested items are still available and can be easily sourced from IKEA. This means that with a few tweaks and substitutions, I may just be able to pull off my plan to host a Swedish-inspired Julbord for my Christmas celebration.
What other items are a must-have on a Swedish Julbord? Let me know in the comments below. And have you tried using AI to help you plan your festive menu?
And check out this video from IKEA for more ideas on creating a Swedish Julbord.