During the Middle Ages mush food was the most common type of dish. The main ingredients were grains and vegetables and when available meats or fish. This type of dish could be easily cooked in a pot on an open air fire and filled efficiently the stomach of many hard working people. The much popular potato was introduced in the Netherlands around the end of the eighteenth century. From then on this vegetable became part of the typical Dutch dish. The traditional Dutch cuisine is very basic, mainly consisting of vegetables and potatoes, most of it cooked in butter. These kind of dishes existed till the Second World War, when food was very scarce and people relied on products from the land. However traditional dishes remained popular due to the fact that the Netherlands is one of the major exporters of vegetables and dairy products.
A typical Dutch breakfast consists of dark-grain breads served with cheese and sliced cold meats, fruit juice and coffee or tea. Jams, chocolate sprinkles ‘hagelslag’ and peanut butter are children’s favourites while eggs are Sunday’s treat.      

Lunch is mostly a copy of breakfast where most of the people eat open-faced sandwiches.

Dinner is the main meal of the day, normally served around 6 o’clock. Most of the hot dishes are a combination of vegetables and potatoes with a little portion of meat, for instance the very typical Boerenkool met rookworst. 

► Cakes and cookies
► Soups
► Meats and casseroles
► Puddings
► Books - Dutch food and cooking