Elderly lose desserts in meal deliveries

The latest Østfold news from the past 48 hours has been marked by the removal of dessert from Indre Østfold’s home-delivery meal service, volunteer mobilization in Askim and several store openings in Moss and Fredrikstad. Emergency services have also intervened in Moss and near the stadium in Sarpsborg (NRK Østfold).

Østfold news: In Indre Østfold, the end of desserts causes an uproar

The municipality of Indre Østfold has removed dessert from the “middag til hjemmeboende” service, which delivers meals to elderly people. According to NRK Østfold, no sweet treats are now included, not even on 24 December. Anette Mandfloen Strøm, whose mother lives in assisted housing on Kirkegata in Askim, considers the decision “sad” and “indignifying.” She emphasizes that this is a service residents pay for themselves.

The newspaper Smaalenenes Avis first revealed the story, and the publication prompted numerous reactions on social media, reports NRK Østfold. Anette Mandfloen Strøm’s mother is among those who have lost the opportunity to receive dessert through this arrangement.

The response came from civil society. Susann N. Johannessen, who runs the company Susann’s kransekaker, turns her kitchen into a baking workshop. Volunteers prepare 30 kilos of riskrem, the traditional rice pudding served during Norwegian Christmas holidays (NRK Østfold).

Business: openings and projects in Fredrikstad and Moss

In Fredrikstad, a couple is taking over a café in the city centre. The local newspaper highlights the location, describing it as “fantastic” (Fredriksstad Blad, 4 November). In the same city, 30-year-old Iselin is opening a pop-up shop in the Torvbyen shopping centre after failing to find what she was looking for locally (Fredriksstad Blad, 4 November).

In Moss, a new burger restaurant is due to open in the city centre (Moss Avis, 4 November). Also in Moss, Stian and Linda have created a park for their own dogs; the facility has since prompted requests from other pet owners (Moss Avis, 4 November). These projects round out the picture of current business news in Østfold.

Local debate: criticism of Viken Park and questions about Hvaler

Fredriksstad Blad is publishing a 400-page book containing a severe critique of the Viken Park project, described as “a scandal from beginning to end” (Fredriksstad Blad, 4 November). Viken Park is a site in Fredrikstad; it should not be confused with the former Viken county, which was dissolved on 1 January 2024, when Østfold became a county in its own right again.

The same newspaper publishes on Wednesday a warning presented as very firm regarding Hvaler’s future, asking the question: “what is going to happen in Hvaler now?” (Fredriksstad Blad, 4 November).

📌 Local briefs

A man in his late twenties was airlifted to Ullevål Hospital after falling on an electric scooter in a car park in Moss; he was placed in an induced coma, the vehicle was confiscated, and police are seeking witnesses, as a collision cannot be ruled out (NRK Østfold).

A small amount of ammonia leaked near the Sarpsborg stadium in the early morning, with no injuries; firefighters stopped the leak and recommend keeping ventilation turned off (NRK Østfold).

Amin Chiakha rejects the idea of a linguistic misunderstanding in the case of alleged racist remarks aimed at a Fredrikstad player, whose club says he received death threats (NRK Østfold).

A man from Fredrikstad is being prosecuted for aggravated rape of a child under 14, for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, and for sexual acts with a child under 16; he admitted the first two charges and was placed in pretrial detention (NRK Østfold).

Sources: NRK Østfold, Fredriksstad Blad, Moss Avis, The Local Norway — Period: 03 November 2026 and 04 November 2026