World News for Students of English

06-10-2025 15:00

In Finland, blueberries are more than a healthy snack; they are part of the national culture. Thanks to the so-called everyman’s right, people can freely enter forests and collect berries if they don’t disturb others.

Each summer, families head out together, and knowledge about the best blueberry spots often passes from one generation to the next. Blogger Varpu Rusila explains that picking blueberries is both a tradition and a way to appreciate nature. Blueberries appear everywhere in Finnish life. They are in breakfast porridge, smoothies, ice cream, and the famous mustikkapiirakka, or blueberry pie. Families prepare simple recipes at home, often using wild blueberries because they are smaller, tastier, and richer in nutrients than farmed ones. Blueberries are also part of daily life in Helsinki, where people enjoy blueberry products in markets, cafés, and restaurants.

The fruit is seen as both food and a cultural symbol. For Finns, blueberry picking connects health, family, and their close relationship with forests.

Difficult words: spot (a place or location), appreciate (to be thankful for something or to see its value), nutrient (a substance that helps the body grow and stay healthy).

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