What regions have influenced Dutch dishes?

How do the simple and wholesome dishes make Netherlands residents healthier?

The Netherlands is not a country that people travel to for a culinary experience, but their cuisine is more diverse than most people realize.

Traditional Dutch foods tended to be somewhat bland. Even today, spices are not used in abundance there. But they still offer delightful dishes that you'll enjoy and make over and over.

The Netherlands has many tasty desserts and snacks, local cheeses and unique seafood dishes. You'll find that when you explore their more popular dishes, their foods are influenced by Indonesian, Turkish and Jewish cultures.

The cuisine in the early years of the Netherlands consisted mainly of potatoes, porridge and bread. In the 1800s, the Dutch included potatoes in almost every meal.

The households today paint a different picture. The country started importing exotic fruits, spices, coffee, tea and sugar between 1581 and 1672. They now enjoy international flavors, fresh produce of many types and more spices. Turn the page, and you'll soon be making dishes of the Netherlands in your own home...