Ever since Abba burst their way onto our charts in the 1970s, Britain's love affair with all things Swedish has continued to grow. And while the Scandinavian country's music, TV and literature has captivated us, Swedish food is now also starting to trend here.

Apart from Christmas, midsummer - 'midsommar' - which always falls on a Friday in June (and will be celebrated this year on June 19th) is the most important holiday in the Swedish calendar and a great excuse to celebrate the UK's love affair with the nation.  

The successful midsummer party formula involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking flavoured schnapps and eating a smorgasbord of delights. And with longer days and lighter evenings topping the list of our favourite things about summer, according to new research by Scan Original Swedish Meatballs, it suggests most of us would very much enjoy the midsummer celebrations, where the sun almost doesn't set.

It took a while for Scandinavian food to make its way to our kitchens, but following the international success of 'New Nordic Cuisine' the Swedish food market is now estimated to be worth around £300m in the UK. But how many of us have eaten Sweden's favourite delicacies? According to the research by Sweden's number on meatball brand, the Swedish delicacies we are most likely to have tried are meatballs (64%) and Pea Soup (42%) but most of us haven't even seen Raggmunk (89%) or Jansson's temptation (87%)!

To mark the iconic Swedish Midsummer celebration, Scan Original Swedish Meatballs (www.scanmeatballs.com), the number one in Sweden and the UK, has been given a makeover with a new improved recipe. They've also been cooked up into a series of delicious recipes for celebrations this June.

Whilst in Britain sausages are our national culinary treasure - the fail-safe meal solution that never lets us down - for Swedish families it's their beloved meatballs. And now their favourite, ready-made meatball from Scan is fast becoming a regular feature on UK dinner tables too.

Savvy Swedish Mums regularly turn to Scan meatballs for cooking up quick, tasty and nutritious meals - now with 12.5% less salt and no artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives. With a huge following across the two countries, they've been nicknamed the kitchen 'cheat' by mums who love their authentic, homemade taste, fresh herbs and spices. Because they are ready-made, busy mums can spend less time in the kitchen and enjoy more 'me' time – as well as tucking into a plate of delicious tasting food.

With meatballs a must-have on the Swedish Midsummer party menu and popularity for the tradition-steeped Summer Solstice celebrations growing in the UK too, Scan has created a series of quick, easy and delicious recipes designed to encourage families to get behind their own Midsummer's Eve parties – or any other occasion.  Mingling Swedish and British tradition and ingredients, the recipes are perfect for revamping family mealtimes, embracing Scandinavian culture and tempting taste buds with something new. Easy to make and tasty too, they're sure to end up as family favourites for UK mums:

Spicy BBQ Meatballs with Mango Salsa
Mediterranean Meatball Tart
Meatball Kebabs with Pressed Cucumber Salad and Flatbreads
Mixed Meatball Smörgåsbord
Spicy Meatball and Noodle Salad
Bahn Mi - Thai open sandwich with meatballs
Teriyaki Meatball Stir Fry
Meatballs in Lingonberry Sauce with Jansson's Frestelse

Scan Original Swedish Meatballs come ready-cooked, can be eaten hot or cold and make the ultimate, convenient and versatile ingredient for lots of recipes.  Heating them through takes just minutes in the oven, on the hob or in the microwave.  

• Eat cold in salads, pasta and rice dishes

• Ideal pick-up food for parties and picnics

• Delicious eaten in the traditional Swedish style with potatoes, cream sauce and lingonberry

• Perfect for adding into a whole host of recipes, from pizza and casserole, to stir fry, curry and sandwiches, or for coming up with your own ideas.                                                                                                             

Throwing your own Swedish Midsummer Eve celebration?  Here's Scan's guide on what not to forget:

• The Smörgåsbord – try pickled herring, meatballs, mini sausages and gravad lax

• The drinks – plenty of cold beers and snaps, preferably a spiced snaps (cumin, rosemary and star anise are popular)

• A variety of breads and crisp breads, a Swedish favourite

• Pick 7 different kinds of flowers and put them under your pillow so you'll dream of the person you are going to marry

• The Maypole – great if you can build one but, if not, just make sure there's plenty of music and dancing

• Flower headbands for the girls – use artificial flowers if you can't find fresh or dried versions

Lots of family and group games including tug of war, egg and spoon race and 'kubb' which is a very popular game originally from Gotland which involves knocking down bricks of wood with other bricks of wood - lots of fun!

The new lower salt Scan Original Meatballs are available in Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda and Ocado in two convenient pack sizes: 230g, RRP £2.00 (serves 2) and 395g, RRP £3.00 (serves 4).   

ENDS

For more information, recipes and high resolution photos, please contact Intelligent Profile:

Louise Barnett: 07713 742685 / louise@intelligentprofile.com

Lisa Balliache: 07768 264132 / lisa@intelligentprofile.com

View our interactive recipe book here (hard copies also available upon request): SCAN Interactive Recipe Book

Notes to editors

Follow Scan Meatballs on Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook:    Scan Meatballs

Twitter:       @ScanMeatballs

Pinterest:    Scan Meatballs

Website:      www.scanmeatballs.com

We're in Love with all things Scandinavian

Scandinavian food has been a hot culinary trend since 2011 and shows no sign of waning. Tipped to go even further in 2015 as we embrace Nordic cuisine, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment, Scandinavian food coupled with its clean living lifestyle is predicted to be the next big cultural explosion in Britain. Retailers including Ocado, Waitrose and John Lewis are dipping their toe in the water of Scandinavian speciality produce, from meatballs and crisp breads to speciality cheeses and lingonberry jam. 

Swedish cuisine is spreading out beyond Britain's supermarkets and into restaurants too and it's not just Swedish food we're in love with; our TV screens are awash with Nordic Noir dramas such as The Killing and Borgen, we're reading novels from Nordic lands by Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum and Swedish fashion by designers like Ann-Sofie Back and Carin Wester is making a big noise on Britain's high streets too.

Scan Original Swedish Meatballs are made by HKScan, the leading Nordic meat expert making and selling ethically sourced and responsibly made pork, beef, poultry and lamb products.  Fully involved in every aspect of the food they produce from farm to fork. Their customers include retail, food service, industrial and export sectors, exporting to close to 50 countries. The company's home markets are Sweden, Finland, Denmark and The Baltics.  The UK is its fastest-growing, emerging market as consumers embrace Nordic lifestyle and cuisine.