Dutch people eat more healthy foods: more plant products, less red and processed meat (2024)

FAQs

Dutch people eat more healthy foods: more plant products, less red and processed meat? ›

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.

Typical Dutch dishes are stamppot boerenkool (mashed kale), Hutspot (stew of potatoes and carrots), erwtensoep (split pea soup) and bruine bonensoep (brown bean soup). Food which isn't typically Dutch, but which is 'seen' as Dutch are dishes like nasi (Indonesian dish) and bami (Chinese dish).

Dutch food culture is heavily based on meat, bread and potatoes. It is not unusual for the Dutch to eat bread in the morning and afternoon, and end the day with potatoes, vegetables and meat.

Dutch people report that 1.8 of their 7 weekly main meals are vegetarian. 4.4 of those meals include meat, and 0.8 of them include fish. In other words, 25 percent of all main meals eaten in 2023 were vegetarian, 63 percent included meat and 12 percent included fish.

Scientists attribute this to a diet that is rich in milk and meat. The Dutch have grown so quickly in a short period of time that most of the growth is attributed to their changing environment. They are one of the world's largest producers and consumers of cheese and milk.

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.

And the U.S. didn't even make the top 20. The Netherlands came out on top because of low diabetes rates, low food prices and nutritional diversity.

Tillage-based crops include potatoes, kale, beetroot, green beans, carrots, celeriac, onions, all the common kinds of cabbages, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, endive, spinach, Belgian endive, asparagus and lettuce.

People in the Netherlands are notoriously healthy, not only due to the amount of physical activity they do on a regular basis but also in their eating habits. These are the eight secrets of the Dutch diet that help the Dutch keep the bulge at bay.

Do the Dutch eat potatoes? ›

The Netherlands is considered a real potato country. The Dutch eat 53 kilos of 'normal' potatoes a year. If you also add all the potato products such as crisps & fries, you end up with 81 kilos of potatoes per person per year.

You'll typically find plenty of bread, dairy, and fruit, along with breakfast favorites such as ontbijtkoek and beschuit (rusk-like rounds). On Dutch holidays, more luxury items such as smoked fish platters and fruited breads are the stars of the show.

Cheese fact

Did you know that most cheese is still eaten on bread in the Netherlands? This is the origin of the expression “de kaas niet van je brood laten eten”, which means “don't let anyone else take what's rightfully yours”.

The Netherlands leads with an average height of 170.36 cm (5 feet 7.07 inches), followed closely by Montenegro at 169.96 cm (5 feet 6.91 inches). Globally, women stand at an average height of 160.95 cm, ranging from a minimum of 150.91 cm to a maximum of 170.36 cm.

Dutch greenhouses utilize advanced climate control systems, energy-efficient lighting, and hydroponic techniques to create ideal growing conditions. his mastery of horticulture has enabled the Netherlands to become a major exporter of flowers and fresh produce, contributing significantly to its agricultural revenues.

A typical Dutch birthday includes tea and cake, and afterwards some sort of a meal. Although, Dutchies prefer to serve pies or local tarts called vlaai instead of cake. You will typically serve your guests in a circle during the tea and cake part. At the table, there is no "help yourself" option.

Dutch Main Dishes

Stampot is a stew made from mashed potatoes and a variety of vegetables such as carrot, kale, spinach, onion or endive and commonly served with bacon or sausage.

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.

Windmills, tulips and Delft Blue: these are a few of our favorite things and they're seen as quintessentially Dutch by the rest of the world. While these things are rightfully iconic, there's so much more to Dutch heritage. Art, architecture, and even urban planning are an expression of the Dutch creative spirit.