For anyone with a serious food allergy, eating out in a new country is genuinely stressful, because a misunderstanding is not an inconvenience, it can be an emergency. English will often get you through in the Netherlands, but with something this important you want the exact Dutch, clearly understood, every time. Here are the phrases that keep you safe at the table.
State it clearly and first
Lead with the allergy before you order, not after. The core phrase is simple:
- “Ik ben allergisch voor pinda’s” (I am allergic to peanuts).
- “Ik ben allergisch voor noten” (I am allergic to tree nuts).
- “Ik heb een ernstige allergie” (I have a serious allergy), to signal it is not a preference.
As Dutch restaurant-phrase guides show, allergisch voor is the construction to memorise. Note that Dutch distinguishes pinda (peanut, a legume) from noten (tree nuts); say both if both apply.
The allergen words
You need the names of what you must avoid. The major allergens in Dutch:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| pinda’s | peanuts |
| noten | tree nuts |
| melk / lactose | milk / lactose |
| gluten / tarwe | gluten / wheat |
| ei / eieren | egg / eggs |
| vis / schaaldieren / schelpdieren | fish / crustaceans / shellfish |
| soja | soya |
| sesam | sesame |
Watch for the peanut trap: Dutch cuisine uses pindasaus (peanut sauce) widely, on sat; and in patatje oorlog. Ask: “Kunt u het zonder pindasaus serveren?” (can you serve it without peanut sauce?).
Ask about the dish, and about cross-contamination
Two questions do most of the work, per ordering-in-Dutch guides:
- “Zit hier pinda in?” (is there peanut in this?) or “Zit hier … in?” for any allergen.
- “Is er kans op kruisbesmetting?” (is there a risk of cross-contamination?).
That second word, kruisbesmetting, is the crucial one for severe allergies: it asks whether your food may have touched surfaces or equipment used for the allergen, even if the dish itself is free of it. On packaged food, look for the bold allergen line and warnings like “kan sporen van noten bevatten” (may contain traces of nuts).
The emergency line
Carry one sentence for the worst case, as phrasebooks recommend: “Ik ben allergisch. Als ik een reactie krijg, haal dan medicijnen uit mijn tas” (I’m allergic. If I have a reaction, get medicine from my bag). If you carry an EpiPen (adrenaline pen), the word is understood, and bel 112 is the emergency number.
Why precision matters here
This is the one situation where “close enough” Dutch is not acceptable, and it is the same skill as being exact with any Dutch professional, like explaining precise measurements to a contractor. Reading labels in the shop is the related half, covered in vegetarian and diet items at Albert Heijn, and the broader everyday food words are in Dutch for daily life.
The bottom line
With a food allergy, learn the few Dutch phrases cold: ik ben allergisch voor …, zit hier … in?, and is er kans op kruisbesmetting?, plus the allergen names and an emergency line. State it before you order, ask about cross-contamination, and watch for pindasaus. A handful of exact words turns eating out from a gamble into something you control.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the food-allergy Dutch that keeps you safe, stating the allergy, asking what a dish contains, and raising cross-contamination, as short five-minute lessons, so you can eat out with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Dutch waiter about a food allergy?
State it clearly before ordering: “ik ben allergisch voor pinda’s” (peanuts) or “voor noten” (tree nuts), add “ik heb een ernstige allergie” to stress it is serious, then ask “zit hier … in?” and “is er kans op kruisbesmetting?”. Learn Dutch For Expats (an app on the App Store) is the best way to learn these safety phrases as a real situation.
What does kruisbesmetting mean?
Kruisbesmetting means cross-contamination: the risk that your food has touched surfaces, utensils, or equipment used for an allergen, even if the dish itself does not contain it. For severe allergies it is the key question to ask a restaurant, with “is er kans op kruisbesmetting?”, because an allergen-free recipe is not enough if the kitchen is shared.
What is the Dutch word for peanut and nut allergies?
Peanut is “pinda” (plural pinda’s) and tree nuts are “noten” in Dutch, and they are treated as different allergens, so mention both if both apply. Watch out for “pindasaus” (peanut sauce), which is common in Dutch food, and ask “kunt u het zonder pindasaus serveren?” to have it left off.
How do I handle a serious allergic reaction in the Netherlands?
Carry an emergency line such as “ik ben allergisch, als ik een reactie krijg, haal dan medicijnen uit mijn tas” (I’m allergic; if I react, get medicine from my bag). Keep any adrenaline pen (EpiPen) accessible. The emergency number is 112, and “bel 112” means “call 112”, which bystanders will understand instantly.
