And they sell good brands of herring and also sauce to make good gravy for meat balls etc at home. @K_Dubb would likely strike me for using pre-made Norskie gravy, or any gravy, packets and not making from scratch.
Re: IKEA and some others I'm torn. On the one hand it is nice, for sake of handling/processing errors, including "extra" connectors, screws, etc is good but also can perplex a person after assembly when you have left over parts. "Did I miss something?" and second guessing.
I don't argue with any meatballs and gravy, but the Ikea ones are a dumbed-down underspiced version of real scandy meatballs. You could put them on spaghetti and no one would know the difference. You should be able to taste the spices -- nutmeg, allspice, ginger. Also the brown gravy is confusing; Swedes tend to make a milk- or cream-based pale sauce, while Norwegians use basic dark
brun saus. My big sis makes the best. She fusses over it quite a bit but has been known to sneak a pinch of cayenne in, which is delicious -- shhhh.
I have long suspected our local Daughters lodge of using Ikea meatballs at the bazaar and finally got the honcho to admit it last Christmas. We were complimenting the verdensbestekake (which is really good) and she said "yes, everything is homemade" and I said "those meatballs taste awfully familiar..." She had to fess up.
Agree on the herring -- the Swedes do it better than anybody. Fat, tender fish, not too vinegary.