Snacks

Snack Bars

In the Netherlands you may come across small fast food restaurants with Febo and Smullers being the most common, you will usually find at least one at every large train station. Most snack bars have a vending machine style self-service area where precooked snacks can be paid for and removed from heated containers.

 

Types

Below are some of the most popular Dutch snacks most can be bought at snack bars while all of them can be bought in Dutch supermarkets.

 

Patat/Frites

Patat/Frites or Chips, French Fries etc. are a favourite of the Dutch who have many different

 versions of the deep fried potato fast food. A simple version is the  Puntzak, a paper cone filled with chips and covered in a chosen sauce with mayonnaise, ketchup, curry sauce and many more; an interesting option is fritessaus, a Dutch mayonnaise variant specially made for chips. Another popular variant of chips is the Kapsalon, this takes the form of a tub of chips with a variety of toppings on top including meat, cheese and vegetables, just don’t ask who invented it as that is a touchy subject in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. A similar meal is the Patatje Oorlog or war chips, this is an unusual take on the food as it involves chips topped with peanut satay sauce, raw onions  and mayonnaise. 

Frikandel

Frikandel are long deep fried sausage made with a variety of different meats processed together with a thick skin. They are often cut length ways and filled with a sauce or other topping like onions or put in a roll like a hot dog. Smaller bite-sized versions are often served at parties for those who do not like bitterballen.

Kroket

Like frikandel, kroket are found at snack bars and in most supermarkets, McDonalds even have their own McKroket. The kroket is a deep fried snack that has a crispy breadcrumb shell and is filled with a meat ragout, it can be eaten as is or broken up in a bread roll with some mustard on top, it should be noted that the kroket can be very hot inside.

Kibbeling

Kibbeling is another deep fried snack made from pieces of white fish and batter that is usually sold anywhere raw herring is found, lekkerbekje is very similar but is not made from chunks of fish but larger pieces.

Raw Herring

As the name suggests it is raw herring, often covered in raw onions, that is eaten by lifting the herring up and eating up towards it, alternatively it can be eaten with bread like a sandwich. Raw herring can be bought all year round but between May and July it is called Hollandse Nieuwe as it has been freshly caught.

Bitterballen

Bitterballen are essentially mini kroket in a ball shape and are popular bar snacks in the Netherlands they are also commonly cooked at events and parties.

Drop

Drop or liquorice sweets are another favourite of the Dutch and can be bought in almost any shop. Drop comes in two varieties: sweet and salty as the Dutch like salty foods as much as they like sweet ones.