When I traveled to Denmark this summer to plan our upcoming whole grain focused Copenhagen Culinaria, I expected to find a culinary scene overflowing with whole grain callouts and nutrition-forward messaging – all the telltale signs of a successfully implemented public health campaign. I imagined a food culture where whole grains had elbowed their way past all the other health trends and landed proudly on top. 

Instead, I found something much more interesting: a food tradition so deeply rooted – so fully engrained, you might say – it hardly announced itself at all. 

I have come to think of Denmark as something of a whole grain Mecca. With average whole grain consumption around 82g per day (among the highest levels of whole grain consumption globally), it seemed reasonable to assume that every Dane I met would be eager to talk with me about their favorite whole grain recipes. I pictured a nation of whole grain nerds much like myself, but it didn’t quite pan out that way. 

When I mentioned that I was in Copenhagen to plan a culinary adventure centered on Danish whole grain culture, I was often met with a thoughtful pause. After a moment of reflection, the lightbulb would click and they would say, “Oh! You mean you’re here to learn about our rye bread!” 

What I came to understand is that whole grains are not necessarily top-of-mind for the average Danish consumer. But rye bread is! And rye bread is about as thoroughly woven into Danish food culture as a food can possibly be. 

Display of smørrebrød

Perhaps nowhere is this cultural love affair more deliciously displayed than in smørrebrød, the iconic Danish open-faced sandwiches. A seemingly ubiquitous lunch choice, smørrebrød also happens to be a major contributor of whole grains to the Danish diet. The base of these sandwiches is a thick, hearty slice of dark rye bread. It’s dense, chewy, tangy, and filling – not to mention deeply satisfying. Then comes the artwork of it all. Smoked fish, sliced meats, creamy spreads, pickled vegetables, layer upon layer of contrasting flavors, textures, and colors. Everything is finished with an elegant flourish of herbs, flowers, and microgreens. This is a different species of sandwich than the ones we find in our American lunchrooms. They are visual works of art, and pungent, vinegary symphonies of flavors. 

It seems to me that there’s a big lesson here for all of us who love whole grains and wish people would eat more of them. Denmark’s love affair with rye bread is enduring in a way that health trends aren’t. It isn’t built on years of carefully delivered, particularly persuasive nutrition advice. Rye bread is not cherished because someone convinced generations of Danes that it was the right thing to eat for the sake of their health. It holds such beloved status because people want to eat it – and they honestly miss it and crave it when they’ve gone a day without it.

When a whole grain becomes part of a culture’s identity and its flavor and texture become intertwined with food memories and everyday life, nutrition is almost beside the point. The healthy choice is just lunch. 

Open-faced sandwich with pickled herring, pickled rhubarb, sour cream, capers, and radicchio.

For me, that’s the magic of Nordic rye bread. It offers a glimpse of what it can look like when whole grains move beyond the nutrition conversation and become something richer. How inspiring to experience whole grains as a source of pleasure, pride, and tradition. 

This is exactly the kind of food culture we want to explore more deeply on our Copenhagen Culinaria, September 12-19, 2027. Registration is open now and spots are filling up. Join us as we explore the foundations of New Nordic Cuisine, tour a rye bread facility and test kitchen, and visit a historic mill. We will bake alongside local experts, enjoy a special demonstration with Chef Ana Sortun, sample craft beer and Scandinavian aquavit, stroll through Copenhagen’s renowned bakery scene, and finish the week with a memorable Nordic dinner beside the canal. 

We invite you to come for the rye bread and stay for everything it teaches us about the culture that loves it so much. 

- Caroline Sluyter, Senior Director of Operations for Oldways & Program Director of the Whole Grains Council