Poffertjes are small fluffy
pancakes usually made from buckwheat flour, milk, eggs, yeast and a pinch of salt.
They are served hot, straight from the pan on to paper plates with butter and
icing sugar. From a FODMAP perspective, they should be okay but be aware that
some poffertjes may be made using all-purpose wheat flour and therefore may be higher in FODMAPs.
Stroopwafels
are
biscuits made from two thin waffles sandwiched together with a caramel-like
syrup filling. The waffles are generally made from all-purpose (wheat)
flour, sugar, butter, eggs, yeast, cinnamon and salt and the filling from brown
sugar, butter, pancake syrup (maple syrup and brown sugar), cinnamon and vanilla.
Wheat flour contains FODMAPs, specifically fructans – a type of
oligosaccharide. Out of the foods that have been tested for FODMAP content, stroopwafels are most similar to plain sweet biscuits, so it is possible that they may be low enough in FODMAPs to allow a treat every now and again.
Bitterballen are deep-fried
crispy breaded balls with a tender ragout style savoury filling, typically
served with mustard for dipping. Traditionally they are made from beef stock,
beef, flour, butter, onion, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. However, they can
also be prepared with chicken, veal and even mushrooms. Bitterballen are highly likely to contain FODMAPs, specifically
fructans from onion, and are therefore best limited if you’re sensitive to
onion/fructans.
It is easy to find an excuse to
eat cheese any time of day whilst in The Netherlands. Arguably, the most well known Dutch cheese is
Gouda or Goudse kaas (“cheese from
Gouda”), a hard yellow cheese made from cow’s milk. Dutch cheeses are classified by how long they
are aged – jong (1 month), belegen (4 months), oud (10 months) and overjarig
(1 year or more). Young cheese is milky and creamy but becomes a drier and
stronger in flavour with age. Slices of young cheese are commonly eaten in
sandwiches, whilst the aged versions are often served cubed with mustard as a
snack with drinks. From a FODMAP perspective, hard yellow cheeses are naturally
lactose free and plain gouda can and should be enjoyed! The only thing to watch
is high FODMAP flavours of Gouda, such as pesto containing garlic.
A very traditional Dutch dish
is Hollandse nieuwe haring. The
raw herring fish is typically served with chopped onions, and can be eaten with
or without bread. Herring is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have a number
of health benefits. Limit FODMAPs by removing the onion or requesting no onion “geen ui”.
