smeersels

Smeersels is a Dutch term used for spreadable foods, spreads, or condiments that are intended to be spread on bread, crackers, or similar foods. The word smeersel (singular) derives from smeren, meaning to smear, and is cognate with German schmieren. In daily language smeersels refers to a broad category that includes savory and sweet varieties. Common examples are boter (butter), margarine, kaasspread (cheese spread), pâté, pindakaas (peanut butter), jam, honey, and chocoladepasta (chocolate spread). Nut butters and dips such as tahini or hummus may also be described as smeersels in some contexts, especially when sold as ready-to-spread products.

In the Netherlands and parts of Belgium where Dutch is spoken, smeersels are standard pantry items and typically consumed at breakfast or lunch on bread or toast. They are usually sold in jars, tubs, or tubes and come in a range of flavors and fat contents. The term emphasizes the applied action of spreading rather than a specific recipe.

The plural smeersels is rarely used in formal writing; more common is the singular smeersel or the more specific names of the product. Beyond culinary usage, the term can appear in dialectal or regional writings and may also appear as a proper noun in some names, though such uses are less common and not standard.