It’s 6 PM. You might think it’s time for a nice glass of wine. WRONG. At least in the Netherlands, 6 PM means it’s dinnertime.
Wait a minute, 6 PM? Won’t you be hungry again at 11 PM? Then, when is lunchtime? 😱
So many questions.
What is it?
The Dutch have a reputation for having dinner very early.
If 4 PM counts as ‘afternoon’ and 5 PM as ‘late afternoon,’ then 5:30 PM could just as well be Dutch avondeten (dinner). 🍽️
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If you are Italian or Indian, this is shocking. But if you’re from Germany or Denmark, you might not think much of it.
Obviously, not every Dutchie will choose to have dinner this early. But nobody will be raising their eyebrows at a 6 PM dinner reservation either.
Why do they do it?
Well, one theory looks at how Dutch dinner culture changed during the Industrial Revolution.
Back in the 19th century, it was pretty common for the working classes to have a warm meal around noon.
As factory work kept them away from home all day, a warm dinner was much needed when they returned early in the evening.
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On a more modern note, the Dutch do a terrible job at lunch.
Meaning, Dutch Lunch (it’s a thing) most probably consists of bread with cheese (broodje kaas) or anything quick, efficient, dairy-heavy, and bland. 😉
So, it makes sense that the boterham Dutchies are hungry again at 5 PM, craving a steaming hot plate of stamppot or Surinamese roti.
Why is it quirky?
Well, it just sort of gets in the way sometimes.
Firstly, you cannot call during Dutch dinner time.
Wanna have a quick chat with your Dutch friend after work? They might get annoyed about being interrupted by your phone call when trying to gobble down some mustard soup.
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Or you’ve met with a Dutch friend for an afternoon coffee, and an hour later, they are already rushing to get home?
Yep. You guessed it. Dutch dinner time.
One last example: You’re sitting with a group of Dutchies in a bar. It’s early evening, you’ve had a couple of beers, and your stomach is growling.
“Anyone up for frietjes?” you ask. But no one wants to join you for 7 PM fries, because they’ve already eaten. 😢
Should you join in?
Why not? It will definitely make your life in the Netherlands a little bit easier sometimes.
And isn’t it supposed to be healthier for you anyway?
Pro tip: just have two dinners!
One to please the Dutch, the other four hours later at 11 PM because your growling stomach won’t let you sleep. Your choice. 😘
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Please send me a Dutch musterd soup resepy!
This is American dinner culture as well. My internal clock and poor executive function skills make Dutch lunch a heavy snack, so as not to die, between breakfast and dinner and then, on a good got-it-all-together day, I start making dinner at 4 or 4:30 to eat around 5 or 6. This is our attempt to be an earlier-to-bed family, which is an attempt to be a family of morning-people (a difficult task for us creatives with chronic illness/insomnia [Americans, am I right!?] who homeschool and don’t need to be anywhere early most days.) Which is an attempt to get my husband more rest, which is an attempt at more energy and passion in life. But most often dinner is at around 7 or 8. Wednesdays they’re later after music lessons and church unless my husband makes dinner to squeeze into the 30 minutes home between the two. Sunday’s they’re earlier because we’re of-necessity-morning-people and tired and hungry late afternoon, before evening church.
Here in Belgium we eat around 18.00h also? It’s like normal dinner time? no clue what you guys are on about.. isn’t 18.00u dinner time in most countries?