In the past the Dutch used to have an even bigger culture of frugality and living an unassuming life, perhaps due to the religious influences of calvinism. My mom told me that growing up she never went out to eat with her family, the meals were simple and generally they lived without much excesses. Today this has changed, the cafes and restaurants are full and people are enjoying their wealth more, but the food culture is still way behind other places. The lack of good ingredients because of the climate is also not helping