The Dutch diet

Wat de boer niet kent eet hij niet (What the farmer doesn’t know, he doesn’t eat) is a well-known Dutch expression and may provide a clue to the simplicity - some would argue monotony - of the typical Dutch daily diet: bread, bread, cheese, more bread, milk, and so on. As you may have witnessed at lunch time, many foreigners combat the “a-quick-boterham-at-my-desk” culture by bringing their own food from home.

Why do the Dutch eat the way they eat? Like with any cultural habit, it’s difficult to pinpoint one clear source for the customs and manners practiced in any given country. However, you might want to begin by looking back to theologian John Calvin - a 16^th century French Protestant reformer whose religious ideas took hold in this country more strongly than in any other place. Calvin’s ideas about living a sober and modest lifestyle are still firmly entrenched in the Dutch psyche, even though today almost half of all Dutch people identify as non-religious.

Societal changes in the 1960s and times of historical poverty have also played a role in shaping eating habits. “I always say that the Dutch only eat for survival and we eat to enjoy,” says Ellaheh Barzegar, continuing, “I said this to my supervisor and he said in Brabant they used to be very poor and that they were happy to just have potatoes.”

Our international foodies

“Food is very important in China. But it’s not only about filling your stomach. It’s also about social life. When we go to a restaurant, we never order separately. We share common dishes.” Xiangzhen Kong (25), is working on his PhD in the Innovations Sciences Department and arrived in Eindhoven last August. He’s slowly but surely adapting bits of his daily dietary routine to life in Eindhoven. “When I first came here, I insisted on cooking my own breakfast but later I got lazy and bought some bread. Another important thing in China is a heavy lunch. That’s why we have a nap after lunch. But here, there’s no time for that. Now I have a light lunch that I bring with me almost every day.”

Akarsh Sinha (24), is a master’s student in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He’s from India and succinctly describes what good food means to him: “There are two words - mom’s love. Food is a pretty strong bond between me and my mom. Her food is the best.” Though he does love the many flavorful dishes native to his country, Sinha appreciates the practicality of Dutch food. “What I don’t like about Indian food is that we tend to make lots of curries and if you put it in a box, most of them will leak. It’s a good practice to take sandwiches to work. But for dinners, I always take the time to prepare Indian food.” 

“For most Iranians, food is one of the most important aspects of life. If they talk about a party, they think about what to eat. If they think about traveling, they think about what to eat. If it’s New Year’s, they think about what to eat,” explains Ellaheh Barzegar about her own culture’s approach to food. She arrived in 2008 and remembers her initial reaction to being served the traditional Dutch lunch. “It was really strange to me, especially for a conference or an event - it’s always bread and cheese and again bread and cheese. In Iran, lunch is the most important meal of the day.”

Xiangzhen Kong elaborates more on the Chinese culinary character, “With Chinese food, we also value the colors and shapes of the dishes. You have to have a very beautiful display. But Dutch food, they mash everything together. It doesn’t look good but it tastes nice. I went to a Dutch friend’s home and they cooked three times for me. Every time it looked almost the same but it tasted different. I never can really tell what the ingredients are.”

Mmmmm… lekker!

Though traditional Dutch cuisine might leave you wanting, don’t get too discouraged. Things have been rapidly changing in the food scene here and more and more diverse products have found a home on Dutch grocery shelves. And don’t forget a few of the native gastronomic gems. There are some nibbles here that are sure to make your taste buds do a happy dance - apple pie, Gouda cheeses, French fries with mayonnaise, itty bitty Dutch shrimp, bitterballen and the perennial favorite of just about every international, stroopwafels!

Akarsh Sinha isn’t only adapting for practical reasons, he’s actively finding the joys of eating in the lowlands. “I like Dutch food. It’s quite handy. If you’re rushing in the morning you can grab bread and some cheese. I especially like the one that has cumin. In India, we mostly get cheddar. We don’t have this much of a variety of cheeses so it was like dreamland when I arrived here.” Sinha has also discovered the delights of a more recent addition to Dutch fare, the kapsalon (hair salon). Concocted in 2003 by a hairdresser in Rotterdam, a kapsalon is made from fries, topped with döner or shawarma meat, melted Gouda cheese, lettuce and finished off with garlic sauce and sambal, a hot sauce from the former colony of Indonesia. Want to eat all of your daily calories in one sitting? Look no further.

Xiangzhen Kong has also found a few favorites: “I think hutspot is very delicious and convenient to cook. It’s really fast and you can throw all kinds of things in there. I also really love cheese and milk. I drink about 4 liters every week. And if I don’t bring my own lunch, sometimes I grab some bread and a croquette for lunch.”

Feeling inspired to venture out of your culinary cubbyhole and try something new? While Dutch food can be found right around the corner, you may need to go further afield to try the cuisines of the folks interviewed here. Ellaheh says that she and her family head to Cologne for authentic and delicious Persian cuisine. Closer to home, Xiangzhen recommends Lung Hing as the place for real (read: not Indonesian) Chinese delights. As for the best Indian food in Holland? Most of TU/e’s Indians have told me time and again that The Hague is the place to go. Time for a field trip?