The Best Food at Ikea (Really!)

Fans of St. Germain, the sweet, floral liqueur flavored with elderflowers, will love this concentrated syrup. It’s a great cocktail mixer (try a splash in your gin and tonic, or mixed with Champagne), or you can use it to sweeten iced tea or make elderflower soda with fizzy water. Best of all, it’s only $4.99 for 16 ounces.

Buy It: $4.99; ikea.com

Ikea sells these sweet-smelling spiced buns in their stores. Topped with coarse sugar, these are Swedish-style cinnamon rolls, not the ooey-gooey kind. But you can buy a bag of six frozen buns for just $3.99. They reheat in the oven in 15 minutes.

Buy It: $3.99; ikea.com

Ikea sells several types of jam and preserves, but the Lingonberry Jam is the perennial favorite among the store’s devotees. The bright red jam ($3.99) has a tart flavor that’s similar to cranberries.

Buy It: $3.99; ikea.com

Not surprisingly, Ikea is most associated with its Swedish meatballs. The store offers piping hot plates of them in its restaurants, and also sells frozen bags of meatballs ($8.99 for 2.2 pounds). Made simply with meat, onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasonings, these are a blank slate for sauces—ideally lingonberry jam or gravy.

Buy It: $8.99; ikea.com

High-quality dark chocolate that’s made from sustainably farmed cocoa beans, under $1? It’s true. Ikea’s Choklad Mörk bars are not only creamy and rich, they are dirt cheap. Stock up!

Buy It: $.99; ikea.com

These coconut-covered chocolate treats ($2.49 for a pack of six) are great with a cup of tea or coffee. Underneath the layer of chocolate is a soft, oat pastry. Serve at a tea party or on a dessert plate.

Buy It: $2.49; ikea.com

Swedish licorice is an acquired taste—not for everyone. Think: sweet, sticky black licorice, but salty. Ikea sells bags of the candy for $1.99 so it’s not a big investment if you decide this delicacy isn’t for you.

Buy It: $1.99; ikea.com

Serve these thin, crunchy crackers alongside a cheese plate, or as the Swedes do, topped with smoked salmon. Topped with dill, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt, they are a nice alternative to crackers.

Buy It: $2.49; ikea.com