Dutch Gifts to Bring Home: Suitcase Full of Sweets

Snacks, souvenirs, and surprises your family will adore

Ahh, holidays. Time to rest and time to go home for a bit and see your family. Especially when you’re travelling for Christmas you can’t go empty-handed. What was my biggest question in my first year: what on earth do I bring my family? 

Every single time until today, my suitcase is half full of clothes and half full of sweets and presents of every possible kind. I’m wondering if your suitcase looks the same? My family loves when I bring them something new, something they’ve never tried. It’s like bringing a little piece of the Netherlands, the place they hear about every day, back home with me. As soon as I step through the front door of my home, I start unpacking the gifts. Honestly, their excitement makes all the extra kilos of luggage so worth it. 

So if you’re planning to go home and wondering what to bring, keep reading… because I think I’ve finally figured it out. 

Start in Groningen (Not the Airport!) 

I almost never buy anything at the airport for obvious reasons - everything is much more expensive. So, the real shopping always starts in Groningen where also you can find the best deals. 

Pepernoten & Speculaas 

If you’re travelling around Christmas, you must bring pepernoten or speculaas. They bring this typical Dutch festive vibe. You can find them almost everywhere, but if you want to make the gift a bit more special, go to Van Delft. But be careful, once you enter this heaven of Dutch sweets, your budget might quietly disappear. Everything looks delicious, because it is! 

Dutch Cheese 

Last time I brought Dutch cheese home and everybody loved it. I went to Zuivelhoeve, but there are many specialised cheese shops in the city. I bought Leyden cheese because the man at the shop, who clearly knows everything about cheese, highly recommended it. He told me it’s typical for Groningen and that nobody really knows how they make it, but one thing is certain - everyone loves it. 
Top tip: pair cheese with a nice jam. These shops can recommend the perfect match, like a cheese-sommelier but friendlier. 

Hagelslag 

Please don’t judge the following paragraph. I bring Hagelslag when I go home in the summer because my brother loves putting it on ice cream. It’s not the traditional Dutch way to eat it, but they’re always happy when I show up with the biggest box I can find. Last time I called them to ask what flavour they wanted - the answer was: all of them, the big packs please. Um, okay, how am I going to fit that? I ended up buying 2 packs because they were on a 1+1 deal (that happens often). That cost me around €3.70 for two boxes. But of course, you can also show them the Dutch way of eating Hagelslag. I think it’s a cool experience at least, or a fun little “did you know?” 

Groninger mustard 

I’m not a big mustard fan, but my brothers love it. So, whenever I have the chance, I buy different types of Groninger mustard to bring home. 

Postcards 

In my first year, I brought home a postcard of Groningen. My mum loved it so much that she now requests one every time I go home. To be honest, I don’t buy her one every single time… but now she has a small collection that she’s very happy with. 

Gift-giving is a big thing in my culture, but it also brings me so much joy to see my family happy with the small things I bring. So, my honest advice is: whether you have space or not, try to fit at least something small. It’s a lovely gesture and shows you care. Sometimes I don’t have lots of extra money to spend, but because I still want to bring something tasty home, I check Action and Kruidvat. Unpopular opinion: you can find amazing and cheap sweets there. Quite often, I first go there, see what they have, and then go to the supermarkets and specialized stores. I hope this article has given you some ideas of what to bring to your loved ones when you go back home. 

Happy holidays and safe travels home! 🎄✨