Dutch groceries 101: How to shop healthily in another language

If you've just arrived in the Netherlands, it can be tempting to opt for comforting, clearly recognisable and convenient food options. However, while your brain thinks reducing your stress levels about your food options is good for you, your body will soon disagree. That’s when you realise it’s time to rethink both your nutrition habits and your grocery basket.

When I first moved to the Netherlands, grocery shopping quickly became my unexpected hobby. Wanting to understand exactly what I was eating, I read every single label and ingredient list. Now, I want to share my findings to help others navigate Dutch supermarkets with more confidence and ease.

This short grocery guide will help you make better food choices based on your personal needs and wellness goals.

Need the personal touch? Book a guided tour of your local supermarket with NutriHanna

What should you pay attention to first?

There's a lot of information on Dutch food labels, but there's no need to get overwhelmed. Here are the key things to look out for:

Voedingswaarde (nutritional value)

The most useful nutritional information to look for are:

• toegevoegde suikers (added sugars)
• verzadigd vet (saturated fat)
• vezels (fibre)
• eiwitten (proteins)

Ingrediëntenlijst (ingredients list)

Remember: the first three ingredients listed make up most of the product.

Try to choose volkoren (whole grain) options whenever possible:

• volkoren brood (whole grain bread)
• zilvervliesrijst (brown rice)
• volkoren pasta (whole grain pasta)
• volkoren couscous and bulgur

Don’t be misled by bruin brood (brown bread) - the colour doesn't always indicate a high fibre content. Always double-check the ingredients.

Why does volkoren matter?

Whole grain products are a great source of fibre. They help with weight management, support gut health and provide longer-lasting energy, without the quick crashes.

Marketing tricks that cost more but don’t make your diet healthier

Supermarkets are always trying to get you to buy their products, and they don't mind if they are really the ones that are healthiest for you. Here are some of the phrases that suggest healthy, but don't necessarily mean it.

Light or low-fat

Light doesn’t always mean better. In many products, reducing fat means increasing sugar. Always compare the light and regular versions.

However, when it comes to reduced-fat dairy products, especially cheeses like mozzarella or cottage cheese, these can be a good way to lower your fat intake. Look for hard cheeses labelled 30+ or 25+ as they contain less saturated fat and fewer calories.

Sugar-free

Zonder suiker (without sugar) doesn’t necessarily mean the product is sugar-free. Sugar can appear under other names like vruchtensap (fruit juice), vruchtenconcentraat (fruit concentrate), honing (honey), agavesiroop (agave syrup) or ahornsiroop (maple syrup).

Some products may not contain added sugars but instead include artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose.

High protein

High protein (look out for both protein and eiwitrijk) foods are often ultra-processed and expensive. You don’t need high-protein chocolate to meet your daily needs; you can get enough protein from whole food sources.

Another common marketing trick is labelling naturally protein-rich foods, such as cheese, tuna or legumes, as high-protein and charging more for them. In most cases, the protein difference per gram is minimal, but the price difference can be significant.

Choosing food is choosing how you treat yourself

All the information is there for you to use. Learn how to read labels and you’ll regain control over your diet, even in a new country.

It might mean your shopping takes a little longer at first, but before long you'll have your diet back to where you want it to be.