Gluten-free in Netherlands | Travel Net

Travelling gluten free in the Netherlands

Are you going on a holiday to the Netherlands and looking for the best gluten-free spots? Look no further! We have gathered all necessary information for gluten free in the Netherlands in one easy overview.

Dutch coeliac dietary explanation

Ik heb coeliakie en mag op medische gronden geen gerechten eten die gluten of met gluten bereide producten bevatten.

Dat houdt in:

Geen producten uit tarwe, rogge, gerst, spelt, kamut of haver en evenmin daaruit bereide levensmiddelen zoals (gries)meel, beschuit, paneermeel, brood, gebak, deegwaar, sauzen, koekjes, wafels, sojasaus (ketjap) waarin ook tarwe is verwerkt e.d.

Kunt u mij gerechten op de menukaart aanwijzen die voor mij geschikt zijn? Of zou u misschien bij de bereiding van gerechten de bovengenoemde ingrediënten kunnen weglaten of vervangen door ingrediënten die ik wel mag eten, bijvoorbeeld de saus met maïszetmeel (maïzena) of aardappelmeel binden en het vlees, vis en groente zonder (paneer)meel te bereiden?

Het is ook noodzakelijk om schoon keukengerei te gebruiken en gerechten te bereiden op een schone plaats in de keuken.

Bij twijfel graag altijd overleggen met de betrokkene. Dank u wel!

Translation in English:

I am suffering from coeliac disease and therefore because of medical reasons I am not allowed to eat any foods which contain gluten-containing cereals or products of these.

This means:

No products from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and oats as well as products of these like flour, semolina, breadcrumbs, bread, pastry, noodles, dumplings, sauces, cakes, wafers etc.

Are there any dishes on your menu which are suitable for me or can you prepare a meal without above mentioned foods e.g. to use maizestarch or potatoflour for the sauce and to prepare the meat, the fish or vegetables without flour or breadcrumbs?

It is also important to use clean kitchen equipment and prepare food in a clean area in the kitchen.

In doubt, please consult the person concerned. Thank you!

Where to buy gluten-free food in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands you can buy gluten-free products at several places.

Health stores, (called ‘reformwinkel’ or ‘natuurvoedingswinkel’ in Dutch) such as Ekoplaza and Holland and Barrett.

You can buy gluten-free products nationwide, although it can be hard to find a health store in small places. In the big cities, most of the time, the health stores are bigger too, so there often is a broader assortment of gluten-free products than in a small city.

Supermarkets, such as Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Plus.

Albert Heijn (AH) and Jumbo have their own home brand gluten-free products, but Plus, Lidl and Aldi usually also have some products in stock. At more and more supermarkets you can find bread, cookies, pasta. Bread can be found in the normal bread area of the supermarket, or (in the freezer) in the gluten-free section. The bigger the supermarket, the bigger the choice. The gluten-free products are often placed at the same shelf as the dietary products (like sugar-free and lactose-free products).

All gluten-free products from Albert Heijn’s own brand are marked with a gluten-free symbol. Also more and more producers put the gluten-free symbol on their products or say the product is “glutenvrij”.

Webshops, like www.glutenvrijemarkt.com, www.ruttmans.nl, www.bierglutenvrij.nl (gluten-free beers) and many more.

Gluten-free restaurants in the Netherlands

The CYE has not verified these establishments and are displaying these adverts in good faith. The CYE cannot be held responsible for any claims made by establishments. All information is correct at time of print; however, it is recommended that travellers ring in advance to ensure that this information is still correct and to allow the proprietors to prepare for their visit.

In general, most restaurants in the Netherlands are more than happy to help any customer to find a suitable dish, nevertheless, this sometimes means eating a salad. It has become more of a habit for Dutch restaurants to have gluten-free bread available, and therefore, lunch is easily sorted. Do keep in mind that not all establishments are aware of cross contamination, so make sure you communicate this with them properly.

The Dutch Coeliac Society (NCV) has a list of accredited gluten-free restaurants available. These are restaurants that get checked regularly and have plenty of gluten-free options available. The most updated list can be found on the page ”Horeca Alliantie Glutenvrij” with all contact information of these restaurants.

If you need any more recommendations, we recommend posting in our Facebook groups online, usually people are quick to respond. Of course, you could also just contact Coeliactive and we will help you find suitable options for your stay.

Tips for gluten free in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, we like fried food. Unfortunately, most of this food is not gluten free. Keep in mind that fries are usually fried in the same fryer as non-gluten free products.

There are many Facebook groups you could join to gather more information:

Coeliactive
Glutenvrij
Coeliakie/Glutenvrij
Gluten & Lactosevrij op reis

In the Netherlands gluten free does not always mean wheat free! Some brands use wheat starch, in Dutch “tarwezetmeel”.

Download our restaurant card, to easily show your waiter and the chef what you can and can’t eat.

Download the Dutch language via Google Translate, because it allows you to translate words, without internet. When you do have internet, it also scans and translates the ingredients!

Avoid busy and hectic restaurants, you risk cross contamination when the chef doesn’t have time to prepare your food properly. Also, more expensive restaurants usually are better at providing coeliac safe meals.

A couscous salad might sound like a great healthy option, but couscous is made of wheat.

If you order a hot beverage like a hot chocolate, the brand ‘chocomel’ is very popular and gluten free, but with other brands you have to check. Also, some restaurants and bars like to put cacao powder on top of your hot beverage, which isn’t always gluten free either. If you order a drink or a dessert with ”slagroom” (whipped cream), make sure they don’t stick a cookie in it to make it look better.