One of the first things that strikes most expats in the Netherlands is the apparent lack of a food culture. The Dutch are not, by reputation, a nation obsessed with cuisine. There is no Dutch equivalent of the Italian culinary identity, the French gastronomic tradition, or the Spanish obsession with meal time as a social institution. My first Dutch lunch was bread with cheese. My second Dutch lunch was also bread with cheese. My third Dutch lunch, I was starting to worry.
Years later, I understand Dutch food culture much better — and I genuinely appreciate a lot of it. It is practical rather than flashy. It prioritises function, speed, and a certain no-nonsense approach to eating. It is deeply tied to the Dutch value of not making life more complicated than it needs to be. And hidden within the daily broodjes and boterhammen, there is actually a lot of good stuff.
Here is an honest guide to what expats need to know.
The Dutch Relationship with Food
The Netherlands is not a country that historically had the agricultural conditions for a varied cuisine. The climate is wet and cold. The land is flat and was historically given over to dairy, grain, and root vegetables. The Dutch cooking tradition reflects this: lots of potatoes, preserved meats, hearty winter stews, and dairy products.
What the Netherlands does have is an extraordinary cheese-making tradition, some of the world’s best fish, excellent bakeries, and — through its colonial history and modern immigration — a food culture that has absorbed Indonesian, Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan, and dozens of other food traditions into its everyday fabric. The rijsttafel (Indonesian rice table) is as Dutch as stamppot, in the sense that both are normal things people eat regularly.
Modern Dutch cities have excellent restaurant scenes. Amsterdam in particular has a genuinely international food landscape. But understanding day-to-day Dutch eating habits — what people actually eat at home, at work, and at social gatherings — requires understanding a few specific things.
Breakfast: Brood, Brood, More Brood
Dutch breakfast is bread. Almost invariably. A typical Dutch breakfast consists of slices of bread (wit brood, volkoren, or roggebrood/dark rye) with one or more of the following toppings:
- Hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles, the icon of Dutch breakfasts. Seriously. See the FAQ.
- Vlokken — chocolate flakes, similar to hagelslag but coarser
- Pindakaas — peanut butter, typically the smooth Dutch variety (often slightly sweeter than American peanut butter)
- Kaas — cheese slices, most commonly young Gouda (jong Gouda)
- Vleeswaren — cold cuts: ham, salami, filet americain (raw minced beef with seasoning, served cold on bread — not for everyone)
- Jam or marmalade — fruit preserves, widely available in Dutch supermarkets
- Appelstroop — a thick dark apple syrup, particularly popular in the south of the Netherlands
Coffee is essential and usually good — the Dutch are serious coffee drinkers, and even basic office coffee is often better than many European equivalents. Yoghurt with muesli or granola has become increasingly standard for younger Dutch people and is widely available in supermarkets.
Lunch: The Broodje at Your Desk
Lunch in the Netherlands is functionally an extension of breakfast. The Dutch lunch is quick, unpretentious, and eaten without much ceremony. The classic form: a boterham (slice of bread) or broodje (bread roll), typically with cheese, ham, or peanut butter, eaten at your desk or in a canteen.
This is not a stereotype. The Dutch genuinely eat this. Walk through any Dutch office between 12:00 and 13:00 and you will see rows of people at desks with a slice of bread, a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, and sometimes a piece of fruit. Lunch meetings with a proper cooked meal do happen, but they are exceptions.
The lunchbox (brooddoos or broodtrommel) is taken seriously. Dutch parents pack elaborate lunchboxes for their children — and many adults pack their own. Buying lunch every day is considered relatively expensive and not particularly normal.
For expats used to a cooked lunch, this adjustment can take time. Some practical options:
- Albert Heijn, Jumbo, and Marqt all have deli sections with freshly made sandwiches and wraps
- Broodjes bars — small sandwich shops — are common in city centres
- Warmly recommended: once you have adjusted, the packed lunch culture is actually quite freeing — fast, cheap, and your lunch is never a problem to organise
Traditional Dutch Dishes Worth Knowing
Stamppot
Stamppot is the most quintessentially Dutch dish. It is mashed potatoes combined with one or more vegetables, served with rookworst (smoked sausage) or other meat. The vegetables vary:
- Boerenkool (kale) — the most classic combination, especially in winter
- Zuurkool (sauerkraut) — with bacon or pork belly
- Hutspot (carrots and onions) — traditionally eaten on October 3 to commemorate the relief of Leiden in 1574
- Andijviestamppot (curly endive) — served cold or slightly wilted into the potato
Stamppot is winter food — heavy, filling, warming. It is not elegant but it is genuinely good when made properly with good-quality rookworst. Albert Heijn typically stocks ready-made stamppot kits; making it from scratch is not difficult.
Erwtensoep (Snert)
A thick pea soup made with split green peas, smoked sausage (worst), celery, and leek. It is served very thick — the traditional test is that a spoon should stand upright in a good erwtensoep. Often eaten in winter, typically with rye bread and spek (bacon). This is proper peasant food in the best sense: cheap, filling, and surprisingly good.
Haring (Herring)
Dutch raw herring is, for many expats, the quintessential “I’ll try anything once” Dutch food experience. The fish is cured in its own enzymes (not smoked, not cooked), typically served with diced raw onion and pickles, eaten by lifting the fish by the tail and lowering it into your mouth — a practice that looks theatrical but is normal in the Netherlands.
The season matters: Hollandse Nieuwe is the first catch of the year, typically arriving in late May or June. Connoisseurs insist this is the only correct time to eat haring. The rest of the year, herring is still available at street stalls (haringkraampjes) but the Nieuwe is widely considered superior.
Haringkraampjes — small fish stalls — are a fixture of Dutch city centres and markets. They typically also serve kibbeling (deep-fried chunks of white fish, usually cod) and lekkerbekje (deep-fried fish in batter).
Kaas (Cheese)
The Netherlands is one of the world’s great cheese-producing nations, and Dutch cheese is varied, high-quality, and genuinely delicious. The main varieties:
- Gouda — the most exported Dutch cheese; available young (jong), semi-mature (belegen), mature (oud), and extra mature (extra oud). The aged varieties have a crystalline texture and deep flavour; jong Gouda is mild and rubbery
- Edam — round, coated in red wax for export; milder and lower-fat than Gouda
- Leerdammer / Maasdam — Swiss-style with holes, mild and slightly sweet
- Noord-Hollandse Gouda — PDO-protected; made in North Holland, typically superior to standard Gouda
- Boerenkaas — farmhouse cheese, made from raw milk; sold at markets and speciality shops; a significant step above the supermarket equivalents
The kaasmarkt (cheese market) tradition continues in Alkmaar, Edam, and Gouda — weekly markets where cheese is carried on wooden stretchers by men in traditional costumes. This is primarily for tourists now, but it is a genuine cultural institution.
Stroopwafels
Two thin waffles sandwiched around a caramel syrup filling. Best eaten warm, placed on top of a hot cup of coffee so the steam softens the caramel. Originally from Gouda (19th century). Available everywhere in the Netherlands, from supermarkets to Albert Heijn’s checkout queues to the snack tray on KLM flights. Expats frequently cite stroopwafels as the food they miss most when they leave the Netherlands.
Bitterballen and Kroketten
The borrel snack above all others. Bitterballen are small, round, deep-fried balls with a crispy breadcrumb coating and a soft, savoury beef ragout filling. They are served hot with mustard for dipping and are a fixture of every Dutch borrel, birthday party, and Friday afternoon gathering. The exterior is always hotter than you expect. Wait.
Kroketten are the larger, elongated version — served in a bread roll as a broodje kroket, famously dispensed from automatic vending machines (FEBO) on Dutch streets.
Drop
Dutch liquorice (drop) is famous for being challenging for non-Dutch palates. Unlike Italian or British liquorice, Dutch drop comes in many varieties, and a significant proportion are salty (zoute drop) — the taste is briny, slightly medicinal, and intensely divisive. Sweet varieties (zoete drop) are more approachable. The Dutch consume more liquorice per capita than any other nation. Tasting it is obligatory; liking it is optional.
Dinner: The AVG Model
The traditional Dutch dinner follows the AVG model: Aardappelen (potatoes), Vlees (meat), and Groente (vegetables). It is efficient and filling — and it is still the pattern for many Dutch families, particularly older generations and those with young children.
The modern Dutch dinner is considerably more varied than the AVG formula suggests. Pasta, stir-fries, rice dishes, wraps, and Indonesian-influenced meals (nasi goreng, bami, satay) are all extremely common weeknight dinners in Dutch households. The influence of Indonesian cuisine through Dutch colonial history is significant — the Netherlands has the highest per-capita consumption of Indonesian food in Europe outside Indonesia itself.
Dinner time: As noted in the FAQ, dinner is typically eaten at 5:30-6:30pm. This is not negotiable for most Dutch families. Expats who arrive at a Dutch friend’s house at 8pm expecting dinner to be starting should not be surprised to find it already done.
The Borrel: A Cultural Institution
The borrel deserves its own section because it is genuinely central to Dutch social life in a way that has no direct equivalent in most other cultures.
A borrel is an informal gathering, typically in the early evening (5-7pm), centred on drinks (usually beer, wine, or jenever) and snacks. It happens:
- After work on Fridays (the vrijmibo — vrijdagmiddagborrel — is a Dutch institution; many offices have a fridge and a supply of beer for the purpose)
- After meetings — a short meeting might end with a borrel if it is late afternoon
- At birthdays — Dutch birthdays typically involve the birthday person providing drinks and food (not the guests), a custom that surprises many expats
- At any informal occasion that calls for a social drink
The food at a borrel is called borrelhapjes (borrel snacks). Standard borrelhapjes include:
- Bitterballen (always)
- Kaasblokjes — cubes of aged cheese
- Nootjes — mixed nuts
- Ossenworst — a raw or semi-raw beef sausage served sliced
- Toast met garnalencocktail — toast with prawn cocktail, particularly at more traditional gatherings
- Chips / crisps
Understanding the borrel is understanding a significant portion of Dutch social interaction. Much workplace bonding happens over a vrijmibo rather than a formal team dinner. Being available for occasional Friday borrels is a cultural expectation in many Dutch workplaces.
Dutch Supermarkets: The Practical Guide
Albert Heijn (AH)
The market leader in Dutch grocery retail, with over 1,000 stores. Albert Heijn is ubiquitous in Dutch cities and is typically the most convenient option for expats. Key strengths:
- AH own brands cover every budget: AH Huismerk (standard), AH Biologisch (organic), AH Excellent (premium)
- Deli and prepared foods — hot food counters, fresh soups, prepared meals
- Ah.nl for online ordering — delivery within hours is available in most cities
- The Bonus card (loyalty card) provides weekly discounts on specific products; worth having from day one
Jumbo
Jumbo positions itself as a value-friendly family supermarket. Slightly cheaper than Albert Heijn on most categories. Larger stores, often with a better selection of fresh fish, bakery, and meat. The Jumbo “seven guarantees” (cheapest prices, best value, widest range, etc.) are marketing, but the store does deliver genuine value. Well suited to families buying in larger quantities.
Lidl and Aldi
Both operate extensive Dutch networks and offer significantly lower prices on staples than Albert Heijn or Jumbo. The range is smaller and the shopping experience is no-frills. For budget-conscious expats, doing a large shop at Lidl or Aldi and topping up at AH for specific items is a common and sensible strategy.
Specialty and International Food Stores
- Marqt — organic and sustainable focus; excellent quality, higher prices; found in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, and Rotterdam
- Ekoplaza — organic specialist with a wide range; broader geographic coverage than Marqt
- Ethnic supermarkets — Turkish, Moroccan, Asian, Surinamese, and other specialty stores are common in Dutch cities and offer much better prices (and selection) than AH for international ingredients
- Toko — Indonesian/Asian grocery stores; an essential resource for Asian cooking supplies, often cheaper and better stocked than supermarket Asian sections
For a detailed comparison, see our Dutch supermarkets guide for expats.
Food Delivery in the Netherlands
The Dutch delivery market is well-developed:
- Thuisbezorgd.nl (Just Eat) — the market leader; covers virtually all Dutch cities and towns; wide range of cuisines
- Uber Eats — strong in major cities; integration with existing Uber app
- Deliveroo — present in major cities; often strong for restaurant-quality options
For grocery delivery:
- Albert Heijn (ah.nl) — same-day delivery widely available; morning order, afternoon delivery
- Picnic — subscription-model grocery delivery; very competitive pricing; available in a growing number of areas
See our grocery delivery guide for the Netherlands for a full comparison.
Eating Out: What to Expect
Dutch restaurant culture has improved enormously over the past decade, particularly in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. A few things to know:
Dinner reservations are important. Good Dutch restaurants fill up quickly, particularly Thursday-Saturday. Making reservations a week in advance is advisable for popular places.
The bread question. Some Dutch restaurants charge for bread brought to the table. This is unusual by international standards but accepted practice in the Netherlands. The charge is typically EUR 1.50-3.50 per person.
Splitting the bill. The Dutch practice of going Dutch (note: this is not an ironic expression — it is literally a Dutch cultural characteristic) means splitting restaurant bills is entirely normal and expected. No one will think twice about dividing the bill precisely.
Tipping. As noted in the FAQ — appreciated, not obligatory. Round up or leave 10% for good service.
Indonesian restaurants (Indonesian) are found in virtually every Dutch city of any size. The rijsttafel (rice table) — a shared spread of 10-20 small Indonesian dishes — is the most famous version, and it is excellent. Indonesian food in the Netherlands is typically better than in most other European countries due to the long historical connection.
Dutch Cafés, Coffee, and the Eetcafé
A Dutch café (bruine kroeg or bruin café — “brown café”) is a pub, not a coffee shop. The name comes from the tobacco-stained walls of older establishments. These are neighbourhood bars serving beer (mostly lager), jenever (Dutch gin), and often simple bar food. They are warm, unpretentious, and excellent for an afternoon beer.
A koffiehuis or koffiezaak is what English-speakers would call a café — a coffee shop. Note that this is different from a coffeeshop, which is where cannabis is sold legally in the Netherlands. The distinction is important.
An eetcafé is a Dutch pub-restaurant hybrid: more relaxed than a restaurant, serving proper meals alongside the beer. These are reliable, affordable options for dinner without the formality of a full restaurant.
Useful Links
- Dutch supermarkets guide for expats
- Best grocery delivery Netherlands
- OV-chipkaart guide — getting around to markets and shops
- Cycling in the Netherlands
- Making friends in the Netherlands as an expat
- Dutch language courses
- Moving to Amsterdam guide
- Cost of living in the Netherlands
Dutch food culture is, ultimately, exactly what Dutch culture is more broadly: practical, unpretentious, not given to showing off, and quietly harbouring more depth than the surface suggests. The hagelslag on bread is not laziness — it is centuries of a people who needed fuel to build a country out of the sea. The borrel on Friday afternoon is not a drink — it is the mechanism through which Dutch professional relationships actually form. The cheese is not just cheese — it is a genuine world-class tradition that deserves more international respect than it gets.
Once you get past the first few bewildering broodje lunches, Dutch food culture becomes something to appreciate on its own terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is typical Dutch food?
Dutch cuisine is practical rather than elaborate. The traditional staples are stamppot (mashed potato mixed with vegetables like kale or sauerkraut, served with rookworst sausage), erwtensoep (thick pea soup), broodje (bread-based lunches), herring (haring), cheese (especially Gouda and Edam), and a wide variety of baked goods including stroopwafels and speculaas. The traditional Dutch dinner follows the AVG formula — aardappelen (potatoes), vlees (meat), and groente (vegetables). Modern Dutch cooking has become significantly more varied, and cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam have excellent international restaurant scenes.
What time do Dutch people eat dinner?
Early. Dutch dinner is typically eaten between 5:30pm and 6:30pm. This surprises many expats who are accustomed to later meal times — in Southern Europe, dinner before 9pm is unusual. The early dinner tradition is deeply embedded in Dutch culture and linked to the historical structure of the working day, with workers returning home on bicycles in the late afternoon. Children’s school days often end at 3pm, and the family dinner at 6pm is very common. Restaurants in the Netherlands typically open for dinner from 5:30pm or 6pm and may stop taking orders by 9pm in smaller cities.
Is hagelslag really sprinkles on bread?
Yes, completely seriously. Hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles applied to a layer of butter on bread — is a genuine Dutch breakfast and lunch staple that has been eaten since the 1930s. It is not considered a treat or something unusual. Dutch children grow up eating hagelslag on bread, and many adults continue eating it well into their forties and beyond. There are many varieties: pure (dark chocolate), melk (milk chocolate), wit (white chocolate), and fruit flavours. It is also available in flaked chocolate (vlokken) varieties. Expats typically either find it charming or bewildering, but it is entirely worth trying.
What is a borrel?
A borrel is a Dutch social gathering centred around drinks and snacks, usually in the late afternoon or early evening (roughly 5-7pm). The word itself refers to both the gathering and a glass of Dutch gin (jenever) — though borrels now typically involve beer, wine, or soft drinks. The borrel is a fundamental Dutch social institution: it happens after work on Fridays, after meetings, at birthdays, and at any occasion where people want to socialise informally. The snacks served at a borrel — collectively called borrelhapjes — are the main event for many people. Bitterballen (deep-fried crispy balls filled with beef ragout) are the quintessential borrel snack.
Albert Heijn or Jumbo — which supermarket is better?
Albert Heijn (AH) and Jumbo are the two dominant Dutch supermarkets, together accounting for roughly 60% of the market. Albert Heijn generally has more locations (especially in cities), a wider premium own-brand range (AH Excellent), better prepared foods and hot food counters, and a more urban-focused feel. Jumbo is typically slightly cheaper, has larger stores with more variety, and has a generally family-friendly reputation. Most expats shop primarily at Albert Heijn for convenience, particularly in cities. Lidl and Aldi offer significantly lower prices on basics. For specialty and international food, Marqt, Dirk, and ethnic supermarkets fill gaps that AH and Jumbo do not.
Is tipping expected in the Netherlands?
Tipping in the Netherlands is appreciated but not obligatory or expected to the same degree as in the US or UK. The standard approach: round up to a convenient number (e.g., if the bill is EUR 43, leave EUR 47 or EUR 50). For good service at a restaurant, 10% is a generous tip. For bad service, tipping is not expected. At cafés and bars, tipping is uncommon for drinks. Delivery drivers and hairdressers are typically tipped a small amount. The Netherlands does not have the tipping culture that makes service industry wages dependent on gratuities — staff are paid decent wages and tips are genuinely a bonus rather than a necessity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is typical Dutch food?
Dutch cuisine is practical rather than elaborate. The traditional staples are stamppot (mashed potato mixed with vegetables like kale or sauerkraut, served with rookworst sausage), erwtensoep (thick pea soup), broodje (bread-based lunches), herring (haring), cheese (especially Gouda and Edam), and a wide variety of baked goods including stroopwafels and speculaas. The traditional Dutch dinner follows the AVG formula — aardappelen (potatoes), vlees (meat), and groente (vegetables). Modern Dutch cooking has become significantly more varied, and cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam have excellent international restaurant scenes.
What time do Dutch people eat dinner?
Early. Dutch dinner is typically eaten between 5:30pm and 6:30pm. This surprises many expats who are accustomed to later meal times — in Southern Europe, dinner before 9pm is unusual. The early dinner tradition is deeply embedded in Dutch culture and linked to the historical structure of the working day, with workers returning home on bicycles in the late afternoon. Children's school days often end at 3pm, and the family dinner at 6pm is very common. Restaurants in the Netherlands typically open for dinner from 5:30pm or 6pm and may stop taking orders by 9pm in smaller cities.
Is hagelslag really sprinkles on bread?
Yes, completely seriously. Hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles applied to a layer of butter on bread — is a genuine Dutch breakfast and lunch staple that has been eaten since the 1930s. It is not considered a treat or something unusual. Dutch children grow up eating hagelslag on bread, and many adults continue eating it well into their forties and beyond. There are many varieties: pure (dark chocolate), melk (milk chocolate), wit (white chocolate), and fruit flavours. It is also available in flaked chocolate (vlokken) varieties. Expats typically either find it charming or bewildering, but it is entirely worth trying.
What is a borrel?
A borrel is a Dutch social gathering centred around drinks and snacks, usually in the late afternoon or early evening (roughly 5-7pm). The word itself refers to both the gathering and a glass of Dutch gin (jenever) — though borrels now typically involve beer, wine, or soft drinks. The borrel is a fundamental Dutch social institution: it happens after work on Fridays, after meetings, at birthdays, and at any occasion where people want to socialise informally. The snacks served at a borrel — collectively called borrelhapjes — are the main event for many people. Bitterballen (deep-fried crispy balls filled with beef ragout) are the quintessential borrel snack.
Albert Heijn or Jumbo — which supermarket is better?
Albert Heijn (AH) and Jumbo are the two dominant Dutch supermarkets, together accounting for roughly 60% of the market. Albert Heijn generally has more locations (especially in cities), a wider premium own-brand range (AH Excellent), better prepared foods and hot food counters, and a more urban-focused feel. Jumbo is typically slightly cheaper, has larger stores with more variety, and has a generally family-friendly reputation. Most expats shop primarily at Albert Heijn for convenience, particularly in cities. Lidl and Aldi offer significantly lower prices on basics. For specialty and international food, Marqt, Dirk, and ethnic supermarkets fill gaps that AH and Jumbo do not.
Is tipping expected in the Netherlands?
Tipping in the Netherlands is appreciated but not obligatory or expected to the same degree as in the US or UK. The standard approach: round up to a convenient number (e.g., if the bill is EUR 43, leave EUR 47 or EUR 50). For good service at a restaurant, 10% is a generous tip. For bad service, tipping is not expected. At cafés and bars, tipping is uncommon for drinks. Delivery drivers and hairdressers are typically tipped a small amount. The Netherlands does not have the tipping culture that makes service industry wages dependent on gratuities — staff are paid decent wages and tips are genuinely a bonus rather than a necessity.
