The Netherlands is one of the easiest countries to visit from the UK: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague are an easy train or short flight away, English is very widely spoken, and food is simple, hearty and easy to find. If you or your child has a peanut or tree nut allergy, there are still some things worth knowing: peanut sauce is a staple of Dutch snack bars, almond pastries are everywhere around Sinterklaas and Christmas, and rules for restaurant allergen information leave a lot to the individual business.
This guide covers where nuts turn up in Dutch food, how allergen rules work, the words worth recognising, and how a printed Dutch peanut and tree nut allergy card can explain your allergy for you.
Last updated: 29 October 2026.
The Quick Answer
- Peanut sauce is common. It is served at snack bars (for example on patat oorlog, chips with peanut sauce and onions), and is a staple of Indonesian-influenced food, which is widely available.
- Almond pastries and festive sweets are the main tree nut risk, especially around Sinterklaas in November and December.
- English is very widely spoken, which makes the Netherlands one of the easier places to explain an allergy, but a card still helps in busy kitchens and when staff change.
- Allergen information is required but often poor. Dutch inspectors have found that many restaurants, bakeries and shops don't provide it properly, so ask, and don't assume.
- Show your card before you order, and check it has been understood.
- Emergency number: 112.
Where Nuts Appear in Dutch Food
Recipes vary by cook, bakery and snack bar, so treat this as a list of things to ask about, not a list of foods to avoid or trust.
| Food | What to know |
|---|---|
| Patat oorlog | Chips served with peanut sauce, mayonnaise and onions. The peanut sauce is the nut risk, and shared fryers and serving spoons make cross-contact a concern even if you skip it. |
| Satay and peanut sauce (pindasaus) | Common at snack bars and Indonesian and Surinamese restaurants, and in sandwiches and snacks. Ask about it on anything with a sauce. |
| Indonesian food and rijsttafel | The Netherlands has a long tradition of Indonesian cooking. Many dishes, including gado-gado and satay, are served with peanut sauce, and a rijsttafel brings many small dishes at once, so it is hard to check each one. |
| Peanut butter (pindakaas) | Spread on bread and used in sandwiches and snacks. It is a staple, so it may be on breakfast tables and in the kitchen. |
| Banketstaaf and banketletter | Flaky pastry filled with almond paste, especially at Sinterklaas. |
| Speculaas and spiced biscuits | Some versions contain almond, including loaves with an almond paste filling. Other festive sweets such as kruidnoten and pepernoten may be made on shared equipment, so check packaging. |
| Chocolate letters and festive sweets | Some are made with hazelnut or with nuts. Check the label on packaged ones. |
| Bakeries | Shared trays, shared tongs and unpackaged goods are normal. Ask about nuts, and about shared equipment. |
| Bar snacks | Bowls of mixed nuts or peanuts are common in bars and cafés. Ask for them not to be put on your table. |
Removing visible nuts doesn't make a dish safe. The sauce, base or oil may still contain them.
Are Allergens Labelled in the Netherlands?
Packaged food
The Netherlands follows European Union food information rules, which require 14 allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts, to be identified when used as ingredients. On packaged food they appear on the label, emphasised in the ingredients list. A "may contain traces" warning (kan sporen van … bevatten) is voluntary.
Restaurants, snack bars and bakeries
Anyone selling food to consumers must be able to tell customers which of the 14 allergens are present. This can be done in writing, such as with notices in a display case or on the menu, or verbally by staff, in which case a notice must tell customers how to ask, for example "Heeft u een allergie? Meld het ons!" ("Do you have an allergy? Tell us!"). The information must also be available in writing or electronically for staff and inspectors. See the Royal Horeca Netherlands guidance.
In practice it is patchy. In 2021 the Dutch food safety authority (NVWA) checked more than 5,000 businesses and found that more than 2,000 of nearly 3,200 restaurants, hotels and cafeterias fell short, as did about half of the nearly 1,910 artisan outlets such as bakeries and ice cream shops. Where staff gave information verbally, it often wasn't recorded anywhere. See Food Safety News's report. So ask, ask again if the answer is vague, and look for the notice.
Dutch Words Worth Recognising
The words below are from our own knowledge, so have them checked by a Dutch speaker before relying on them for a safety decision.
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| Peanuts | pinda's |
| Peanut sauce | pindasaus |
| Peanut butter | pindakaas |
| Tree nuts (nuts in general) | noten or schaalvruchten |
| Almonds | amandelen |
| Hazelnuts | hazelnoten |
| Walnuts | walnoten |
| Cashews | cashewnoten |
| May contain traces of | kan sporen van … bevatten |
| Allergy | allergie |
Short phrases can't explain how serious an allergy is, or that you need clean utensils and oil. That is where a card helps.
Eating Out With a Nut Allergy
Snack bars and takeaways
Fast food is everywhere, including chips, fried snacks and sandwiches, and peanut sauce is a regular topping. Say you have a peanut allergy before you order, ask about the sauces, and ask whether the fryer and serving utensils are shared.
Restaurants and cafés
Staff almost always speak English, but the person you talk to isn't always the cook. Hand over your card before you order and ask staff to show it to the kitchen.
Indonesian and Surinamese restaurants
These are popular and often very good, but peanut sauce is a staple, so check each dish. Smaller places and rijsttafel menus can be hard to check.
Bakeries and markets
Ask about each item, especially in the run-up to Sinterklaas. Items sold unwrapped, such as pastries from a counter or market stall, have no label.
Hotels and breakfast
Contact your hotel before you arrive and explain your allergy. Breakfast tables may include peanut butter, hazelnut spread and muesli with nuts side by side, so be careful about shared spoons and crumbs.
Your Dutch Allergy Card (Printed)
Our Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Translation Card in Dutch is a wallet-sized printed card, so order it in plenty of time before you travel. It explains your allergy and how serious it can be, and asks kitchen staff to use clean utensils, surfaces, cookware and oil.
Keep it in your wallet or day bag, and consider taking a photo of it on your phone as a backup.
Get the Dutch Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Printed Card →
What to Pack for the Netherlands With a Food Allergy
- Prescribed medication, including adrenaline auto-injectors if you have been prescribed them, in your hand luggage with a doctor's letter.
- Your allergy action plan.
- An insulated allergy medical bag to protect medication from temperature changes.
- Your allergy card, plus a photo of it on your phone.
- Safe snacks for train journeys, canal tours and days out.
- Travel insurance that covers your medical needs, and a valid GHIC if you have one. A GHIC doesn't replace insurance.
Emergency Information
Dial 112, the European emergency number, for an ambulance, police or fire. If anaphylaxis is suspected, follow your emergency action plan, give adrenaline promptly and call for emergency help. Hospital assessment is needed even if symptoms improve. For more, see the NHS guidance on anaphylaxis.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Netherlands With a Nut Allergy
Is the Netherlands safe for someone with a nut allergy?
People with nut allergies do travel to the Netherlands, and English is widely spoken, but peanut sauce is common at snack bars, almond pastries are everywhere around Sinterklaas, and allergen information is often patchy. How safe it is depends on your allergy, where you eat and how clearly your allergy is understood.
Is patat oorlog safe with a peanut allergy?
No. Patat oorlog is chips served with peanut sauce, mayonnaise and onions, so it is one to avoid. Shared fryers and serving spoons also make cross-contact a concern at snack bars.
Do I need a Dutch allergy card?
English is very widely spoken, so you may not need one in tourist areas, but a written card is a useful backup in busy kitchens, with staff who don't speak English, and for children. It can explain your allergy and how serious it is, but it can't guarantee that food is safe.
Is there a digital Dutch card?
Not yet. Our Dutch card is a printed, wallet-sized card, so order it before you travel.
Enjoying the Netherlands With a Nut Allergy
A nut allergy doesn't mean you have to miss out on the Netherlands. It means finding out what's in your food, saying clearly that you have an allergy, and walking away when you aren't sure. Heading to more of Europe? Read our guides to Germany and Austria, France and Italy, or browse every language in our allergy travel cards collection.
Important: This guide is general travel information, not medical advice. Ingredients and food preparation vary, and no dish or restaurant mentioned should be assumed safe. Always follow your allergy specialist's advice, carry prescribed emergency medication and check ingredients. Dutch words and phrases in this guide should be checked by a native speaker before being relied on for safety-critical communication.