A quick guide to eating in the Netherlands
If you travel to another country, it means you encounter new food cultures. People moving to the Netherlands have to get used to Dutch food and the etiquette at the dinner table, as it is a bit different from surrounding countries. Dutch food culture is heavily based on meat, bread and potatoes. It is not unusual for the Dutch to eat bread in the morning and afternoon, and end the day with potatoes, vegetables and meat. Although it does not sound so spectacular, Dutch food culture is known for its long traditions and influence from other cultures.
To know the origins of Dutch food culture is to know the history of the Netherlands. Since the 16th century, the Calvinist way of life has been dominant in the Netherlands, meaning that life should be centred around work and that food is not to be enjoyed but to fill you up as quickly as possible, so that everyone can get back to work. You still see this way of life in the Dutch office, where lunches are not communal and long, but are meant to be eaten as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon to eat while working. Bread and potatoes are both products that contain a lot of starch, which acts as fuel for the body, giving you energy to be active. This helps to put the Netherlands in the top division of labour productivity per hour in Europe.
Bread has always been an important part of Dutch food culture. In the 17th century, bread was the dividing food between the working class, who mostly ate brown bread made of rye or wheat, and the aristocrats, who ate white bread. Ingredients for bread were readily available and were made by peasants, so bread became the staple food. The strong presence of bread in the Dutch diet is still visible.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
A typical Dutch breakfast consists of a few slices of bread, with butter and cheese, ham, sausage or 'hagelslag' (chocolate sprinkles). The Dutch also spread peanut butter, strawberry jam or honey on their bread. With that, you can have a 'beschuit' (light, round, rather crumbly rusk) with butter and cheese or sprinkles on it, or 'ontbijtkoek' (honey cake) with butter. Drinks are milk, hot tea or coffee in the morning.
The Dutch start their lunch around noon, usually around 12:30 p.m. The only hot meal the Dutch eat in the afternoon is soup, and the rest is still sandwiches and some kind of breakfast. A very common soup in the Netherlands is 'erwtensoep' or 'snert'. It is a split pea soup with vegetables and meat and should be thick enough to stand a spoon up in. Snert is usually served in winter and late autumn, served with rye bread and bacon, and is especially popular with ice skaters. In other seasons, tomato soup is more common.
Dinner is the one time when the Dutch always eat hot food. The classic Dutch food is called AVG, which stands for 'aardappelen, groente en vlees' or potatoes, vegetables and meat, the main ingredients for a classic Dutch meal. Especially in winter, stamppot is a very popular dish. It is potatoes mixed with vegetables, gravy and a piece of meat to go with it. The vegetables can include sauerkraut, carrots (also served with apple and onion) or spinach (served with egg). These dishes are usually eaten in winter. For dessert, people often eat yoghurt, porridge, pudding or custard, all made from dairy products.
Dutch food culture is really based on meat and dairy, so if you are vegan, you have to look for alternatives. Fortunately, vegan alternatives are becoming more common in the Netherlands. In every shop, it is normal to have vegan versions of many non-vegan products.
FAQs
Five Principles
- Culture. The dish reflects where we are and which season we are in. Dutch Cuisine is here to promote the Netherlands' gastronomic culture. ...
- Health. Good for us and our world. ...
- Nature. Honest, multi-faceted food from what nature offers us. ...
- Quality. We purchase, cook and eat with high awareness. ...
- Value.
Dutch food culture is heavily based on meat, bread and potatoes. It is not unusual for the Dutch to eat bread in the morning and afternoon, and end the day with potatoes, vegetables and meat.
What is the Dutch food etiquette? ›
It is polite to keep one's hands above the table until all have finished eating. It is recommended to take a small portion as your first helping, so you're able to accept a second helping. The Dutch tend to avoid wasting food. Thus, many appreciate it when their guests finish everything on their plate.
What are the eating habits of the Dutch? ›
The Dutch eat relatively early starting from 5 to 7 p.m., families mostly eat together around the dinner table. A typical Dutch dinner meal consists of potatoes, meat and vegetables, served with gravy. Dinner is often followed by a dessert in the form of yogurt or coffee.
What are the food taboos in the Netherlands? ›
In the Netherlands there are only a few things that you can eat with your hands publicly without it being frowned upon: chips, pizza, bread and meat with a lot of bones, like chicken or spare-ribs. Using your hands and fingers to eat rice, vegetables, potatoes or meat without bones isn't on!
What is Dutch main dish? ›
Dutch Main Dishes
Stampot is a stew made from mashed potatoes and a variety of vegetables such as carrot, kale, spinach, onion or endive and commonly served with bacon or sausage.
What is a typical Dutch lunch? ›
Most Dutch people still take a packed lunch to work, typically consisting of a sandwich with brown bread and cheese (known as a bruine boterham met kaas) and half a pint of buttermilk, with a piece of fruit. Dutch office workers often eat a similar meal in their office canteens.
What are 3 popular foods in the Netherlands? ›
What are the most popular Dutch foods?
- Stamppot. Stamppot is a quintessential Dutch dish that embodies the simplicity and heartiness of the Netherlands' culinary traditions. ...
- Bitterballen. ...
- Haring. ...
- Poffertjes. ...
- Erwtensoep. ...
- Rookworst. ...
- Kroket. ...
- Patat.
Dining etiquette
If you want to say "Enjoy your meal" say "Eat smakelijk" and if you want to make a toast say "proost".
What do the Dutch eat for good luck? ›
Like many other cultures, the Pennsylvania Dutch believe eating pork on New Year's Day brings good luck because pigs root around with their snouts in a forward motion. After all, we want to move forward, not backward, in the new year. Sauerkraut is made from cabbage — a symbol of money because it's leafy and green.
Traditional Dutch breakfast and brunch meals are pretty low-key in the Netherlands. You'll typically find plenty of bread, dairy, and fruit, along with breakfast favorites such as ontbijtkoek and beschuit (rusk-like rounds).
What is Dutch food culture? ›
Dutch cuisine is characterized by its simplicity and robust flavors, which is reflected in their restaurant menus. Traditional Dutch menus often feature hearty dishes like stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables), erwtensoep (split pea soup), and haring (raw herring fish).
What is the Netherlands food strategy? ›
More plant-based foods
It is our ambition to increase the share of plant-based protein in our diet from 40 to 60 percent in 2030. We are joining the Animal Agenda (Agenda Dieren) and will work together toward reducing the consumption of meat and, with it, the market for intensive livestock farming.
What is the most iconic Dutch food? ›
1. Poffertjes. Probably one of the most famous Dutch dishes, Poffertjes are small pancakes, baked in an iron skillet, and traditionally served with melted butter and dusted with icing sugar.
What are the food guidelines for the Netherlands? ›
Recommendations
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
- Consume mainly wholegrain products such as wholegrain bread, wholegrain pasta and brown rice.
- Eat less meat and more plant-based foods, and vary with fish, pulses, nuts, eggs and vegetarian products.
- Consume daily sufficient dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese.
Dutch culture values industriousness, social responsibility, democratic principles, education, and tolerance. They believe everyone has a voice—and they will share their opinion. (They will expect you to do the same.) The Dutch have a universally powerful sense of community and the environment.
