Discovering The Netherlands

Food Ingredients

Dishes commonly include meat and potatoes or noodles. Pork, beef, Fish and poultry are the most popular varieties of meat, with seasonal vegetables. For lunch and breakfast the Dutch like bread with toppings including cheese, meat or chocolate sprinkles. Most people prefer to buy their bread at the local bakery since Dutch pastries and bread are some of the best in the world. The Netherlands is also known for its famous beers. Heineken is the most famous, other Dutch beer brands are Amstel, Grolsch, Bavaria and Hertog Jan. Typical Dishes A sample of traditional food and dishes in The Netherlands: + Stamppot – vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy and sausage “Rookworst” + Erwtensoep , also called Snert – pea soup + Bitterballen – meatballs + Haring – herring + Patat or Vlaamse frieten with mayonnaise – French fries + Hagelslag – chocolate sprinkle on their sandwich and of course, stroopwafels, a delicious caramel cookie! Dining Customs Traditionally, the largest meal of the day is eaten at dinner, with breakfast and lunch as smaller affairs. Breakfast is typically eaten by 7 a.m., lunch is eaten at midday, and dinner is eaten around 6 p.m. Tipping In The Netherlands, a tip is already included in the bill. Nevertheless, giving a tip is common and expected. Approximately 5-10% of the bill amount is usually given, even after only purchasing one item. Alcohol and Smoking You must be over the age of 18 to be allowed to purchase alcohol. Smoking is allowed from the age of 18; however, it is not allowed in restaurants, pubs, bars, etc. In some locations, there might be separated smoking areas. In public buildings or areas, smoking is often not allowed including subways and railway stations. Please watch out for special smoking signs. Regulations may differ in certain areas of The Netherlands. Grocery Most shopping for food is done at grocery stores. There are numerous chains around the country as well as small specialty or ethnic grocers. Albert Heijn (AH) is one of the premium supermarket chains in The Netherlands. They are reasonably priced and focus on quality products. Most stores, especially in the bigger cities, are open daily.

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Discovering The Netherlands