Dutch Breakfast and Brunch Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional Dutch breakfast? ›

Dutch breakfast can vary. Most common are bread slices with sweet or savoury spreads, as well as muesli and yogurt. Dairies such as cheeses, milk and eggs often play a role in the first meal of the day in the Netherlands.

Typically Dutch people's breakfast is bread (cheese, chocolate sprinkles being stand-outs for Dutchness), yoghurt, or some oats/porridge. A croissant or boiled egg if you are feeling fancy. Accompanied by coffee, tea, orange juice.

A typical Dutch breakfast consists of bread, whether or not toasted, with cheesemeat butter and sweet toppingslike chocolate spread, sprinkles and flakes. In addition to a sandwich, Dutch people also often eat rusks, gingerbread, currant bread or a plate of porridge.

For breakfast the Dutch also like to eat yogurt or milk with muesli or oatmeal or Brinta. Oatmeal or Brinta combined with milk is a more traditional Dutch breakfast, which for a long time was unpopular as a breakfast, but gained popularity due to the health benefits. It's combined with fruits and/or nuts.

The term stems from restaurant dining etiquette in the Western world, where each person pays for their meal. It is also called Dutch date, Dutch treat (the oldest form, a pejorative), and doing Dutch.

From whole wheat breads to sweet filled breads, the Dutch are very fond of their many varieties of breads. Until the potato was introduced to the Netherlands, traditional meals of bread and herring were staple foods in the Dutch diet.

You can think of sprinkles, flakes, mashed mice, speculoos and peanut butter. You can easily find all favorite Dutch brands, including Hero, de Ruijter, Calvé and Nutella.

Hagelslag is a traditional Dutch breakfast, reminiscent of a chocolate sprinkled donut. Simply put, Hagelslag is buttered bread topped with chocolate sprinkles. It's the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth, but with less sugar and calories.

Dutch people are eating more plant products, like fruit and vegetables, unsalted nuts and legumes. They are eating less red and processed meat. They are also drinking fewer sugary drinks. Both children and adults are eating and drinking more healthily.

Do the Dutch eat a lot of cheese? ›

Did you know that the Dutch eat an average of 17 kilos of cheese per person per year? They really do love their cheese!

Dutchies like to start early, usually between 5 PM and 6 PM. There is a historical explanation for this early time for dinner, and it was influenced by the socio-economic circ*mstances of the 19th century. Lower social classes would eat a warm meal around midday, while the higher classes would eat at 3 PM.

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!

Each country has its signature pancake. Well, almost every country. America has its famous fluffy and stacked pancakes, and the Dutch have pannenkoeken and poffertjes. Germany and Austria have Kaiserschmarrn and the French have their crêpes.

Some Dutch still-life painters specialized in the type of still life called “breakfast pieces,” in which the focus was on objects that would be consumed at an informal meal. Van Es was one of those artists. Often his paintings depicted cheese, fruit, and exotic tableware.

Stamppot (Dutch National Dish)