As indicated in the famous painting by Vincent van Gogh (the aardappeleters, meaning "potato eaters"), the main ingredient in old-fashioned Dutch dinners is potatoes, usually accompanied by meat and boiled vegetables.

The Dutch traditionally don't use very sharp spices and are very fond of pouring gravy onto everything. The Dutch have however always been internationally orientated and nowadays you can expect to find meals varying from Italy to the Orient and from China to Afrika on Dutch dinnertables, especially amongst younger people.

The consumption of dairy products is extremely high, which, according to some scientists, accounts for the high average height of Dutch men and women.

The Dutch generally eat three meals a day. Dinner (around 6 pm) is the main meal for most people, but some rural families and older people retain the tradition of eating the main mean at midday. For them, the evening meal is light and often consists of bread, cold cuts, cheese and salad.

Washing hands before eating, being on time to the table, and starting to eat at the same moment is important. It is impolite to begin eating before others. A parent or host often indicates when to eat, usually by saying 'eet smakelijk' (pronounces ATE smahk-A-lick), which literally means 'Eat deliciously' but is used in the same as Bon Appétit (enjoy the meal.)

It is proper to keep hands above the table (rather than in the lap) but not to rest elbows on the table. The Dutch use the continental style of eating, with the fork on the left and the knife remaining on the right. Forks are not used to eat dessert; small spoons are provided. One does not leave the table until all have finished eating.

(Source:http://www.thehollandring.com)