Food
If you would like to cook your own food you can buy food in supermarkets, food shops and open-air markets. Items on sale can be recognised by the words “aanbieding” or “reclame”. All pre-packaged items carry an expiration date. Look for the phrases “tenminste houdbaar tot (THT)” (best before) or “uiterste verkoopdatum” (sell-by date).
Water
In the Netherlands you can drink the water from the tap. The water is very clean. If you want to buy water bottles from the store, the bottles have blue labels. The bottles with red labels contain sparkling water or Spa Rood in Dutch language.
Supermarket
Most Dutchmen buy their food at a supermarket. Supermarkets are usually open till at least 20.00 hrs and are open all week. The supermarkets Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest. In the "Where can I find" section on this page, you can find supermarkets and also the specialized shops with food from all over the world.
The Open-Air Market
The open-air market is held twice a week on Wednesday morning and Saturday all day. The products are often cheaper than in the shops. The prices are regulated; however, towards closing time sellers of perishables (e.g. flowers, fruit and vegetables) sometimes reduce prices.
- Wednesday market: 08.30 -13.00 hrs.
General market: (exotic) foodstuffs, flowers, clothing and fabrics. - Saturday market: 08.30 – 17.00 hrs.
Foodstuffs and flowers, “farmers market” (boerenmarkt), organic food.
Fast food and takeaway
There are several foods that make a quick substitute for a meal. They are prepared while you wait, and you either eat them on the spot or take them away with you. A few examples are:
- Snack Bars offer French fries and other deep-fried snacks that are typically Dutch.
- Pizzerias offer a great variety of pizzas to be eaten in the restaurant or taken away. Some pizzerias also make home deliveries.
- Egyptian Grillrooms serve shoarma, kebab and other dishes.
- Chinese Restaurants serve Chinese food strongly influenced by the Indonesian kitchen. You can eat in the restaurant or use the takeaway service. Some Chinese restaurants also make home deliveries.
Restaurants
Wageningen also has a lot of places where you can eat out. You can find an overview of restaurants in Wageningen on our "Where can I find" page. Prices mostly range between 20-50 euros per person for a meal. Please note that drinks are never included.
Food on Campus
Besides catering counters in various buildings, there are also four large restaurants on Wageningen Campus that are open to everyone. Each restaurant has its own menu with a wide range of choice for campus users throughout the day. On Wageningen Campus you can find information on all the Campus restautants.
Forum
Every Wednesday during lunch, students have the chance to sell homemade food in the restaurant in Forum. The Student Cooking Corner is a Green Office initiative, in which students get the opportunity to sell their own products and let others taste international and vegetarian food. All dishes are vegetarian, as a contribution to sustainability. Many international dishes pass by, from all corners of the world. Check Student Cooking Corner Wageningen on Facebook for this week's lunch.
During the evening and in weekends there is a magnetron in the coffe corner on each floor that you can use.
Food at Associations or houses
International student associations IxESN and ISOW offer international kitchens, open to everyone. Be quick if you would like to join because these international kitchens are very popular. IxESN organises three international kitchens per period.
Several student associations have their own Mensa, for members only. In some student houses students cook together.
Cook Book - food for students
We have made a cook book with recipes of students from different countries, easy to make and cheap. You can buy the Cook Book in the WUR-shop.