You’re at work and the clock strikes 12.30: lunchtime! Time for your leftover pasta — mmm 🤤. Meanwhile, your Dutch colleague shows up holding half a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter.
That’s right, anyone who’s spent a certain amount of time around Dutchies will notice that they’re pretty obsessed with the jars of nutty goodness.
They can even be found carrying around the peanut cheese (pindakaas), as it’s known in the Netherlands, around with them in their bag. 🥜
What is it?
The Dutch obsession with peanut butter is culturally and historically ingrained — yeah, Calvé peanut butter has a bit of a cult following in the Netherlands.
Dutchies, it seems, are much more die-hard fans of peanut butter than other Europeans.
READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #32: Eat a lot of very questionable snack food
This may be because modern Dutch cuisine is so intertwined with that of its former colonies, Indonesia and Suriname.
Another reason for this obsession may be literal indoctrination — yep, every Dutchie will remember those Calvé commercials on TV.
Infamous annual camping holidays to France are accompanied by the seemingly superior Dutch pindakaas (peanut butter).
If it were us, we’d be smearing a different nutty spread (Nutella 🤤) on our baguettes — just saying. 🥖
Why do they do it?
With their reputation for being a bit stingy and ever so efficient, it’s safe to say that peanut butter is a Dutch superfood — it’s quick, nutritious, and cheap.
READ MORE | Snackbars in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide
A little bird also told us that peanut butter might also be the secret as to why Dutchies are so tall. We can’t verify this, though. 😉
Why is it quirky?
Don’t get us wrong, peanut butter sandwiches are great, it’s not their taste for the stuff that’s quirky.
We’ve never seen people in other countries routinely whipping a whole jar of peanut butter from their bags at work.
Should you join in?
Sure! Peanut butter is delicious and you can use it in tons of different things — smoothies, cookies, curries….
But if you are going to participate in the tradition of the pindakaas boterham (sandwich) at work, it might be a good idea to make it at home.
Your bag will be lighter, and your back will thank you. 🎒
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!