Netherlands by campervan: food and supermarkets
Where to buy food in Netherlands, which supermarkets to use, opening hours and practical tips for eating on the road. What to know before you go.
Published 18 September 2026Last checked 19 September 2026
Currency
Euro
EUR. Cards almost everywhere, a little cash for markets
Language
Dutch
English is spoken almost everywhere. Frisian in Friesland
Driving
Right
Motorway 100 km/h from 06:00 to 19:00
Power
230V, type F
Same two-pin plug as most of Europe
Tap water
Safe to drink
Ask for kraanwater
Emergency
112
Non-urgent police 0900-8844
Food and shops
Food and shops
Shop before 18:00 and you will never have a problem. That is the one habit worth forming here. Most Dutch supermarkets shut at 18:00 or 20:00, later in city centres, and each town has one late-night koopavond that falls on a different weekday. The law's starting point is stricter than the street suggests: the Winkeltijdenwet forbids opening a shop on a Sunday and on most public holidays, and every council decides for itself how much of that to lift.
Where to shop
- Best value: Lidl or Aldi.
- Full range: Albert Heijn or Jumbo.
- Camper access: Use edge-of-town Jumbo or Albert Heijn XL stores and check for height barriers.
Supermarkets, and what each is for
| Chain | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Heijn | The default Dutch shop, and the widest range. AH to go for a quick sandwich. | The biggest branches are AH XL, usually out of town with easy parking |
| Jumbo | The main rival, often slightly cheaper, and the same breadth. | Jumbo Foodmarkt branches have hot food counters |
| Lidl and Aldi | Cheapest basics and the best value fresh produce. | Smaller ranges. Good car parks |
| Dirk | The cheapest of the full-range chains. | Concentrated in the west of the country |
| Plus, Coop and Spar | The village and island shops. | Spar is often the only shop on a Wadden island. Prices reflect that |
Eating without spending badly
- A dagschotel or dagmenu is the dish of the day in a brown cafe and the cheapest sit-down meal you will find.
- Street food is where the country is good and cheap. Friet from a frietkraam, kibbeling and herring from a fish stall, a fresh stroopwafel from a market.
Stocking the campervan
- Cheese, butter, bread and beer are excellent and reasonable. Almost everything else is dearer than the countries either side.
- Gas is the thing to sort out at home. Dutch bottle fittings and exchange schemes are their own system, so refillable tanks with an adapter set are far less trouble than hunting for a swap.
