Taste of food in Poland vs other countries

Yes, especially in downmarket ones, because the tins last forever.


Some people used to give things like that to kids quite often.

They're getting more and more popular in Poland now with plenty in the supermarkets there.

Mind you fish finger sales are huge in PL and have been for years. Must be a retro 70s thing.

Nah, don't think they were widely available in Poland in the 70's.

I'm sure they weren't thought they were a thing in the U.K. in the days of supermarkets like Fine Fair and Kwiksave and far far less now than then. Popular in Poland now though along with a few other processed food products from the 70s; I remember being amazed the first time I saw fish fingers being sold loose by weight.

I see more and more ready meals there too which suggests a changing demographic.

They're a cheap and quick source of protein. As Jon says they're for kids - or students. They're actually an American invention. I think a lot of adults continue to eat them as a kind of comfort food/nostalgia thing remembered from childhood. They're no worse than the tins of paprykasz or rather revolting pasztet you find by the thousand on Polish supermarket shelves.

Same in the U.S. where we call them "fish sticks".
Poor people's food that you put tarter sauce, onion or ketchup on to flavor them.
All they are is cheap minced fish of God only knows what kind pressed and shaped into fingers covered with bread crumbs,
They come frozen in a bag or box here. ($5 a kilo)
Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes on a cookie sheet and Walla, a child's delight.
Very easy meal to make by a worn-out father who has worked all day at his day job.

They're a good way to get kids to eat fish and I secretly like them. Good with malt vinegar on.


Basicallly fish paste and potted meat. It's a shame they use the word pasztet for both that and good pate. A bit like using Pałac for any big house, szlachta for the tenth son of the tenth son of the tenth son of someone not especially 'noble' in the first place, translating 'księgowa' (bookkeeper) as accountant or describing a school canteen or a greasy spoon as 'gastronomia''