Food is universal cultural territory for idioms. Dutch bread idioms: zijn eigen boontjes doppen (to shell your own beans — to do your own thing, be self-reliant), dat is het einde van het liedje en van de worst (that is the end of the song and the sausage — that is the end of it, no more), voor een appel en een ei (for an apple and an egg — for next to nothing, dirt cheap), iemand iets door de strot duwen (to push something down someone’s throat — to force something on someone).
Cheese and dairy idioms: kaas maken van iets (to make cheese of something — to make the best of something, to manage with what you have), geen gat in de dag zien (to see no hole in the day — to be overwhelmed, to not know where to start — the full phrase implies no gaps in a busy day), met de gebakken peren zitten (to sit with the baked pears — to be left holding the bag, to deal with unpleasant consequences someone else caused).
Drink idioms: het gaat hem goed — hij zwemt in het geld (he is doing well — he is swimming in money — using the dipping/swimming metaphor for abundance), een nat pak halen (to get a wet jacket — to get soaked or, figuratively, to take a loss), op zijn gezondheid drinken (to drink to someone’s health — the standard toast). Knowing food idioms is particularly useful for social situations — meals and drinks are prime contexts where these expressions arise naturally in Dutch conversation.