Are you in need of some deliberate relaxation and scheduled rest on the homestead as you move throughout the work of the year? I know I am! Fika is the Scandinavian practice of taking a “coffee break” with friends and family every day, sometimes multiple times a day. This is something us homesteaders need to adopt in our busy lives. Here are four seasons of homestead fika ideas, plus our own recipe for elderberry fizz! 
Four Seasons of Homestead Fika Ideas
The concept of pausing the work of the day to enjoy the fruit of your labors is so important on the homestead of all places. However, sometimes it can feel like we just don’t have the time.
To make homestead fika so much easier for your family and mine, I wanted to create some simple seasonal menus. Like meal planning, having these seasonal fika ideas in place will mean you and I can get started this week.
But first, here’s a little more fika information, if the concept is new to you.
What is Fika?
Fika (pronounced fee-ka) is simply a coffee break. Lynda Balslev, in her The Little Book of Fika explains:
“Swedes are good at many things, but if there’s on thing they do exceptionally well it’s enjoy their coffee. Not only do they imbibe the brew, they insist upon at least one if not two coffee breaks a day, which they call fika. This ritual is at the core of Swedish culture, and while fika literally means “coffee”…it also represents a happy moment, a time to slow down and focus on simple pleasures – in the form of a coffee, cake, and chat.”
When I was first learning about hygge, I didn’t pay much attention to fika simply because I don’t drink coffee. I made the mistake of thinking that meant fika didn’t apply to me.
Then, I started to realize what Ms. Balslev explains; fika is about taking a happy moment out of your day. Everyone and anyone can spare a moment or two for joy, especially if it involves slowing down a bit.
Though Scandis love their snacks, fika doesn’t have to include food if eating isn’t hygge for you. Especially during the summer, I’d rather have a tall glass of switchel and chat with one of my kids. This is fika, too!
Don’t be constrained by the perceived parameters of anything hygge because it’s all a state of being – mind, heart, body, soul.
At the heart of fika is simply taking the time once or twice a day to stop what you’re doing, connect with someone, and nourish yourself in some way or other.
More Homestead Hygge Ideas:
10 Ways to Create a Community of Homesteaders
Hyggesnak with Fika
Ms. Balslev also defines hyggesnak for us, which is “chitchat or cozy conversation that doesn’t touch on controversial issues.” This is an important part so don’t skip over it!
So much of the hygge lifestyle is about creating relationship – with your personal space, your home, and your friends and family. Communication is how we build loving ties with the people around us; including new friends waiting to be met and invited to fika!
Conversation doesn’t flow easily for everyone, especially those of us who are phone-saturated. Have you ever heard someone use texting slang as shorthand in actual conversation?
- Needless to say, sometimes we need help coming up with fun things to talk about and that’s where Mindful Mazing can help us with 120 conversation starters for the whole family.
- You can also try the Hygge Game, which is an actual hyyge board game for starting meaninful conversations. (Look for that online.)
Honestly, the best fika moments with my kids have been when we sit down for family devotions. We take time out of our busy morning to sip some morning dandelion and talk about whatever we’re currently studying in scripture.
- Faithful Moms can help Get You Started with Family Devotions, if you’ve never done it before.
The bottomline is, don’t overthink this but also don’t neglect the conversation part of fika. If conversation doesn’t come easily for you, practice!
Homestead Fika & Seasonal Menus
Homesteaders are accustomed to eating seasonally because of the garden and orchard harvests that come into the kitchen throughout the year. Even if you’re not growing your own food right now, the farmers market is a great place to find seasonal ingredients.
Fika is mostly focused on special drinks, but sweet snacks and homemade morsels certainy have their place.
If you have a seasonal favorite, please share it in the comments section for other readers – and for me! I love to try new recipes for some hygge food love.
Spring
As the earth wakes up after winter, the first flowers to arrive are so meaningful – they seem extra beautiful! Make foraged flower cookies as the spring blooms come on. Cookies are an easy treat to make and flowers integrate easily into them.
If you want to embrace the kid in you or please your actual children, try your hand at homemade gelatin.
Even if you only celebrate fika once a week, that’s one time when you sat and enjoyed life with family and friends.
- For more floral treat recipes, grab your copy of Herbal Flower Recipes from our shop.
Try These Spring Fika Drinks
One caveat as we start going through seasonal fika foods and drinks: I don’t drink coffee, as I said, and so I don’t feel qualified to share coffee recipes with you. Here are my favorite drinks besides that popular morning beverage!
Dandelion Kombucha from Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Mint Lemonade from Texanerin Baking
Homemade Ginger Ale from Feast and West
Beet Juice with Ginger and Apple from Clean Eating Kitchen
Maple Lemonade from Sugar and Soul
Rhubarb Shrub from Nourished Kitchen
Summer
If one must endure the heat of summer, we should at least enjoy it with schedule fika breaks with our friends and family. To get started, try this super easy elderberry fizz (natural soda).
Natural Soda: Elderberry Fizz Recipe
Though you’re probably more likely to encounter a 100% elderflower fizz recipe in Scandi country, this non-alcoholic berry version is just as delicious.
(By the way, our upcoming book Homestead Hygge features an elderflower fizz recipe in the summer section, so you can compare the differences when you grab your copy once it’s released.)
Elderberry Fizz Recipe
Equipment
- 1/2 Gallon Flip-Top Bottle* or 1/2 Gallone Canning Jar
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spurtle
Ingredients
- 1/2 Gallon Filtered Water
- 1/2 Cup Raw Sugar Organic can sugar will also work.
- 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Dehydrated Elderberries
- 1/4 Cup Elder Flowers Optional
- 1/2 Cup Ginger Bug Starter or Water Kefir
- 2 Tbsp. Molasses, Maple Syrup, or Raw Honey Optional
- 3 Tbsp. Lime or Lemon Juice Optional, but traditional
Instructions
- Combine the1/2 gallon filtered water, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/4-1/2 cup of dehydrated elderberries in a medium pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain out the herbs and set aside to cool.
- Once cool, add the ginger bug starter (or water kefir) and stir with to mix. Place the entire mixture into a flip-top bottle* or a half gallon jar and add filtered water to bring the amount back up to 8 cups (1/2 gallon).
- Cap and set aside for 3-5 days away from direct sunlight for the ginger bug (or kefir) to ferment the elderberry syrup you made by consuming the sugars and leaving behind healthy probiotics.
- Burp your flip-top bottles after 24 hours and then close the lid again. (There's no need to burp canning jars.)The fizz is done if it no longer tastes very sweet and is fizzy.
- Add the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 3 tablespoons citrus juice to flavor the finished elderberry fizz to taste. Serve on ice!
Notes
- Dehydrated fruit, like apple slices - 1/2 cup
- Dried passionflower or hibiscus flowers - 1/2 cup
- Dehydrated turmeric - 1/3 cup
How to Start Water Kefir or a Ginger Bug
Both water kefir and ginger bugs are super easy ferments to have on hand to create natural sodas all summer long. Or all year long, which is what my family prefers!
Both create a carbonated base that is full of probiotics with which to make healthy drinks from fruits, juices, and even veggies.
- Visit my friend Colleen at Grow, Forage, Cook, Ferment to learn to make a simple ginger bug. Made from ginger root, water, and sugar – I promise, this is not too hard to do!
To Start Water Kefir:
- Pour 1/2 cup sugar into a jar and ad 1 cup of hot water. Stir the water until the sugar dissolves.
- Add 2 cups of cold water – filtered is always best when dealing with kefir. Any water without chlorine will do.
- Stick a clean finger in the jar to be sure the water is cool to the touch. Add the water kefir grains and cover the jar. Place it out of direct sunlight in a warm spot for 1-2 days.
- Pour off the now cultured water while reserving the kefir grains at the bottom. You can use a fine mesh sieve for this but I usually just pour carefully and keep the grains in the bottom. If some grains escape into your kefir water, you can drink them as they will not harm you any.
- Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of sugar to the grains and fill the jar back up with water so they can eat again. Repeat this process, using your kefir water each day in your water bottle, smoothies, ice cream, and more.
To learn more or to order water kefir grains, please visit Cultures for Health.
Other Summer Time Fika Drinks
Learn to made a wide variety of fizz and switchel-type drinks with summer berries and fruits and natural probiotics.
Peach Leaf Switchel from Homestead Lady (Perfect for beating the heat!)
Cherry Water Kefir from Nourished Kitchen
Fermented Root Beer from Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Lilac Blueberry Kombucha from Souly Rested
Wildflower Kombucha from Homestead Honey
Herbal Limeade from Feast and West
Watermelon Lemonade from Good Life Eats
Best Summer Fika Desserts
I don’t like turning the oven on in the summertime, so homemade marshmallows are my favorite summer indulgence. They can be eaten plain or with cookies, or toasted over a outdoor fire for a special fika break.
Here are some homemade marshmallow recipes (with no corn syrup) to try:
Honey Homemade Marshmallows from us here at Homestead Lady
Hibiscus Rose Hip Marshmallows from Recipes to Nourish
Maple Vanilla Marshmallows from Crave the Good
Blackberry Marshmallows from Melangery
Autumnal Fika
Autumn is my favorite season by far and it’s a lot more natural for me to slow down and start enjoying my fika times. The harvest does take a good bit of the season to bring in, so I’m still busy, but I don’t feel as rushed and am ready to relax a bit.
This is also pumpkin and apple season in the U.S. and so everything and everywhere you go starts to smell absolutely delcious.
Easy Creamy Apple Cider
One of my favorite fall fika drinks is an easy creamy apple cider. To make it:
- Brew a cup or two of apple tea from dried apples.
- Add 2-4 tablespoons of fresh cream.
- Sweeten with a few drops of stevia, or a teaspoon of maple syrup.
Our favorite fall family treat is ginger molasses cookies. We don’t even like them that sweet – we just want that rich molasses flavor!
- Here’s our family’s own recipe for molasses and spice cookies as well as a few more fantastic fall drinks for your fika planning.
- If you’d like something with fruit, try these delicious sourdough grape scones.
Autumnal Fika Drinks
Finally, summer’s heat has passed and we can move on to warm drinks! (Although, some of these can be served warm or cold.)
Though some of these are sweetned, they’re certainly healthier than their commercial counterparts, so try these recipes with confidence.
Cinnamon Spice Kombucha from Nourished Kitchen
Pumpkin Smoothie & Hot Chocolate from Homestead Lady
Vegan Mayan Hot Chocoloate from Minimalist Baker
Coffee-Free Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee from Learning and Yearning
Apple Orange Hot Cider from The Forked Spoon
Herbal Hot Chocolate from Homespun Seasonal Living
Simple Golden Milk from Farm Girl in the Making
Cinnamon Tea from Schisandra & Bergamot
Pumpkin Apple Cider from The Crumby Kitchen
Non-Alcoholic Butterbeer (Vegan, no soda) from All the Nourishing Things
Caramel Apple Milkshake from Simple Joy
Fika in Winter
Winter holidays are usually so full of sweets that I like to keep the fika hour pretty plain, though still rich and tasty.
I recommend either our holiday shortbread cookie or cranberry sauce sourdough bread with honey butter for something to munch. Wash it down with the following delicious winer drinks – oh, I love every one of these!
Easy Cranberry Punch from Homestead Lady
Herbal Hot Chocolate from Homespun Seasonal Living
Winter Herb Kvass from Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Vegan Hot Chocolate from Whole New Mom
Cranberry Orange Water Kefir from Nourished Kitchen
Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider from Good Life Eats
Chaga Chai from Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Warm Maple Vanilla Almond Milk from The Honour System
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