Hafragrautur, or oatmeal, has been a staple in the diet of Icelandic families for decades, if not centuries. Oats and some water or milk were mixed in a pot and left to simmer while the parents made coffee so thick it would have to be stirred with a cement trowel. Hafragrautur would then be served with a sprinkle of brown sugar, or occasionally a handful of raisins or a pat of butter.
Meanwhile, the children would take a swig of lýsi (cod liver oil), a vital source of omega-3 acids and vitamin D, which in winter would be the only way to prevent deficiency of said vitamin due to extended periods of near total darkness. The brave ones in the family would drink lýsi straight from the bottle; the sensible ones would pour themselves a tablespoon of this liquid gold, thus preventing the unpleasant side effect of lýsi breath. Those who have had a small animal die in their mouth might be familiar with how disagreeable the taste is.