These figures are a couple of years old, but we don’t suppose they have changed that much. So what do the Dutch really miss when they live in another country?
More popular than friends?
1. Herring (9.1%)
2. Croquettes (8.6%)
3. Cheese (8.1%)
A taste of home
4. Hema (8%)
5. Friends and family (6.7%)
More popular than Sinterklaas
6. Cycling (6.5%)
7. Bread and other stuff from the Dutch bakery (3.7%)
8. Gezelligheid (2.2%) – it’s that untranslatable word again – cosiness, jolliness, sitting round a table in a brown cafe drinking red wine after a lovely skate over the frozen canals.
9. Sinterklaas (2.1%)
10. Spreads for on bread (2.1%)
Do Dutch people really miss herring more than friends and family? That’s not very gezellig.
The Netherlands by numbers 
Surprised not to see ‘Drop’ (liquorice) and ‘Hagelslag’ (chocolatehail?)
in your list …
‘Hagelslag’ is ofcourse in the list; it is a spread for on bread; so number 10!
Sorry people, I worked and lived a lot abroad and to make hagelslag and a spread on the bread is too much generalising. Also Drop should be on the list.
No drop??? And HEMA on the 3rd place? This confuses me…
once you live abroad you realize there’s no such shop as the HEMA Evelien… one store where you can quicly find everything for a decent price. here in Italy we have 10 specialised and expensive shops replacing 1 HEMA. 😉
er is zelfs een boek over: Ik mis alleen de Hema (verhalen van emigranten): http://dag.gy/1dYAbGM
Me too, why would anyone miss the Hema??
21% BTW
I can’t to this list at all! I guess I’m not that Dutch after all… 😉 On nr 1: is a tie between family and friends and the coastal areas & beaches
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Ok, that went wrong. One more try:
I can’t relate to this list at all! I guess I’m not all that Dutch… 😉
1. A tie between family/friends and the coastal areas & beaches (Zeeland)
2. Belgische bieren 😉
3. Hagelslag
4. Kibbeling og lekkerbekjes met friet
Sorry, my top item would indeed be friends and family, and # 2 would be the kroketten 🙂
And the “frikandellen” of course!
Helemaal mee eens Koos Stavanger Noorwegen
What about KARNAVAL for the people of zuidlimburg , Maastricht etc.
Do they miss it? On the moment is the openging of the karnaval season going on.
@ Maastricht & Lanaken etc.
in a case of my boyfriend:
-. stroopwafels 20 %
– Dutch cheese 30%
and normal bikes 50%
What I miss the most: My language
Ossenworst and beer at brouwerij het IJ in Amsterdam with pals
Zuurkool, the proper stuff, not the sweet Norwegian surkål; rookworst (røykt pølse). I know both of these items are available in Norway, but they’re not the same..