The $3.49 Trader Joe's Find That Tastes Like I'm Back in Norway

I’m not usually a breakfast person, but I changed my tune while visiting my husband’s relatives in Norway. The first few days, I had severe jet lag, so my stomach thought it was dinner time at 9 a.m. Thus, I was all in for the beautiful breakfasts they presented us with each morning. There was muesli with cloudberries, delicious sliced cheeses, and best of all, gravlax piled on top of thin slices of nutty rye bread called rugbrød.

I have missed that dense rye bread dearly since we returned, figuring that Scandi-style breakfasts were destined to be a fond memory. That is, until I spied Trader Joe's European Grains and Seeds Bread in the bread section on a recent grocery trip. It’s very similar to the delicious breakfast bread we were served in Espevar, and it’s now a breakfast staple for us here at home. 

Why I Love Trader Joe’s European Grains and Seed Bread

First, let’s set the record straight: This is not the fluffy, chewy bread you use to make a Reuben sandwiches. Rugbrød is dense, dark, and comes in much smaller loaves.

The bread is made with a high percentage of rye flour, so it tends to be very close-crumbed, and would probably crumble if you tried to sandwich ingredients between two slices. It’s also often packed with whole grains, seeds, and nuts.  

But that’s a-okay because it’s not made for closed sandwiches, it’s made for smorgasbord-style open-face sandwiches that the region is known for. Basically, the bread is a raft for an array of toppings that are laid on top artfully (we do eat with our eyes), and it’s never picked up but rather consumed with a fork and knife. 

Just like the rye bread I fell for in Scandinavia, TJ’s bread is made with sourdough starter, whole grain rye flour, flaxseeds, and lots of sunflower seeds. It packs four grams of fiber into a slice, plus four grams of protein—in other words, it’s super hearty and satisfying. 

The flavor of rugbrød varies by bakery in the Nordic countries, ranging from super tangy and almost black to milder rye loaves with more seeds and flecks of whole grains. Trader Joe’s European Grains and Seeds Bread is more of the latter, mild enough to serve with butter and jam, but earthy enough to support more assertive flavors like seafood and meat. 

How I Enjoy Trader Joe’s European Grains and Seeds Bread

I like to eat this bread just like I had it in Norway—at breakfast time topped with whipped herb cheese, cured or smoked salmon, thinly sliced cucumber, and broccoli sprouts. But that’s just one way to top this yummy rye.

When lunchtime swings around, I spread the bread with truffle mustard, pile on some rare roast beef, and add pickled red onions for a lunch that is reminiscent of British pub fare. My husband, forever the egg guy, prefers it toasted lightly in the toaster oven and mounded with egg salad and chopped cornichons. Tuna with capers is another no-brainer. 

You could also cut the thinly sliced bread into little triangles and serve it on a tinned fish grazing board; rye bread is always a good pairing for seafood. And next time I make Nordic fare, I am going to warm up some of my new favorite bread, slather it with butter, and serve it with Swedish meatballs, pork chops with braised red cabbage, or the maties (pickled herring) I’ve been eyeing at Costco. 

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