An Ode to Ketchup

An Ode to Ketchup
Oh ketchup, red treasure, beloved and bold,
Why in Europe are you measured like gold?
We order our fries, our boys beam with delight,
Then groan at one packet? That can’t be right!

We’ve begged and we’ve paid, we’ve smiled and we’ve sighed.
But ketchup, dear ketchup, you can’t be denied.
So now in our daypack, you proudly reside,
Right next to the tissues and water inside.

To every cafe, you travel with flair,
Our trusty red hero, always prepared.
Dear Europe, you’re charming, but let’s make a deal:
Free the ketchup. Let us dip how we feel!

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Traveling through Europe with kids means plenty of fun, new experiences—and, let’s be honest, a fair share of picky eating. Our kids aren’t the most adventurous eaters, but thankfully, pommes frites (a.k.a. French fries) are served everywhere. From Germany to Slovenia, France to Croatia, fries were the one menu item we could count on to keep everyone under the age of 15 happy.

Fries honestly saved us more times than we could count. The only hiccup? The ketchup situation.

In most places, a serving of fries comes with exactly one packet of ketchup and one packet of mayonnaise! That’s it. And while our kids were thrilled to see fries on the plate, the tiny packet of ketchup was often gone in two dips (and the mayo was regarded with disdain). Sometimes, you could ask for more, but not always for free. More than once, we paid a few extra Euros per packet just to avoid a fry related crisis.

So we relied on an old favorite — Aldi and bought our own bottle. Admittedly, we felt a little ridiculous pulling out a full-sized bottle from our bag at lunch, but it worked and avoided a lot of dinnertime drama.

Here’s a Croatian option — Ketch Up!

On later trips, we got even smart and ordered a bag of ketchup packets from Amazon and tucking a few into our bags each day became part of our routine, right along with sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Problem solved.

Did you know this was an option?

One of our favorite ketchup moments came in Austria. We were sitting at a beautiful outdoor café in a park with the most amazing natural playground with wooden climbing areas, a kid powered raft and plenty of room for the kids to run wild while we waited for food. As we sat down, the waiter walked over, took one look at us, and, with a grin and a wink, said, “You’re going to want this.” He placed an entire bottle of ketchup on our table. He was totally right, and we couldn’t stop laughing.

All fueled up with fries and plenty of ketchup! By the way, this is a very typical kids playground and one of the many reasons we recommend multi-generational travel in Tirol.

So yes, if your family travels with picky eaters, rest assured that fries are on the menu just about everywhere in Europe. Just don’t count on getting enough ketchup without a plan. Whether it’s a bottle from Aldi or some pre-packed packets from home, having a little stash in your bag might just save the day.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. We only share products we actually use and love, like the ketchup that saved our sanity across Europe.

Why Aldi (and Hofer!) Is a Hidden Gem for European Travelers

Wait! Is this an Aldi in disguise?

When we plan our travels across Europe, there’s one stop we always get excited about and it’s not a castle or a cathedral. It’s Aldi. Yep, Aldi—the no-frills grocery store many of us love and know from home. And when you’re in Austria or Slovenia? It’s called Hofer, but it’s essentially the same awesome store.

If you’ve ever shopped at Aldi in the U.S., you already know the basics: bring a quarter (or a €1 coin), pack your own bags, and expect great prices. The beauty of traveling in Europe is that the Aldi experience is basically the same—just with a local twist and a lot of similar, but slightly different foods. It’s one of those rare moments while traveling where you feel like you just might know what’s going on.

Looks just like home, right?

🛒 Familiar Setup, Local Flavor

We’ve visited Aldi (and Hofer) stores in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Slovenia and every single one felt like walking into a version of home… with better cheese. The layout is similar, the checkout process is just as efficient and it’s easy to navigate even if you don’t speak the language. If you’re new to Aldi, you can even “practice” at home before your trip—learn how the carts work, how to bag quickly and what to expect in terms of store flow. It really does make the whole experience less stressful abroad.

🌍 Where You’ll Find Aldi and Hofer

• Aldi is in: Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, Switzerland, the UK, and more.

• Hofer (Aldi’s Austrian name) is in: Austria and Slovenia (though some Slovenian stores are now called Aldi, too).

We’ve even made it a little tradition: first stop after landing = find the nearest Aldi!

Here’s an Aldi in The Netherlands

🥨 Cheap, Fresh, and Local

We’ve stocked up on €0.49 pretzels in Germany, got bakery baguettes in France, and grabbed ice cream in Switzerland. It's the perfect place to grab breakfast on the go, snacks for a hike, or a picnic lunch without draining your travel budget.

When traveling with kids, Aldi is a lifesaver. They can pick out fun local treats (like stroopwafels in the Netherlands!) or grab fruit, yogurt, and even frozen pizza(!) on nights when you’re too tired to eat out. Another favorite quick and easy dinner is a charcuterie board! Plus, it’s not just groceries—sometimes the aisle of mystery treasures has things like art supplies, pool floats, or sandals for a few euros.

Checkout this Aldi sweatshirt I found at the Aldi in Offenburg, Germany

🎁 Surprisingly Awesome Souvenirs

One of our favorite tips? Aldi is a great place for inexpensive, unique souvenirs. On our recent trip:

• We picked up adorable Dutch sprinkles (called hagelslag) in the Netherlands that made it home safely in our carry-on.

• Found official Olympics T-shirts in France from the summer games—€5 for something we actually wanted to wear!

• Bought regional chocolates and cookies that our friends back home loved (and they cost a fraction of the airport prices).

❤️ Little Wins on the Road

Travel can be unpredictable, but finding an Aldi or Hofer on the map feels like a win. It's clean, efficient, affordable, and stocked with treasures that make daily life on the road a bit easier. For us, it’s not just about saving money—it’s about feeling prepared, even in a country where we barely speak the language.

If you're planning a trip and feeling overwhelmed by food costs or unfamiliar routines, put Aldi or Hofer on your radar. Your wallet (and your stomach) will thank you.

Bonus tip: After you load your groceries into the car—don’t forget to close the trunk before you drive off. Not that that's ever happened to us, of course. But if it did… we might have chased a runaway watermelon down an Austrian road. Just sayin’.

So long, Aldi — until next time!