When visiting New Zealand, you'll find a delightful array of unique and traditional foods that reflect the country's rich culture and natural bounty. From sweet treats to savory dishes, each culinary experience offers a taste of Kiwi life. Here’s a rundown of some typical foods you won’t want to miss during your travels.
Pavlova
This rich, creamy, and fruity dessert has an unusual etymology - it comes from a ballet dancer who toured Australia and New Zealand at the start of the twentieth century.
Ballet dancers are known for being fastidious about their diet, so maybe this was a rare treat for her - who knows?
Both Aussies and Kiwis claim to have ‘invented’ the pavlova, so watch tempers fray if you decide to initiate a discussion on which country got there first.
This crowd-pleaser is served throughout the year, but it’s most popular during the summer. Pair it with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to truly immerse yourself in a taste experience you won’t forget in a hurry.
Hāngī
Let’s start with the traditional Maori hāngī! This involves meat and vegetables slow-cooked in an underground oven.
Although it was a common cooking method for thousands of years in New Zealand, today a hāngī is saved for more special occasions (mainly because it takes all day to prepare!).
Prepare to be overfed but extremely satisfied at hāngī meals as part of Māori cultural experiences.
Cookie Time Cookies
Forget Tesco’s soggy offerings that go stale within 30 seconds - these are the real deal.
Make sure that you try Cookie Time’s ‘Original Chocolate Chunk Cookie’ - the recipe has remained unchanged for decades, and they come loaded with chocolate chunks the size of dice.
If you’re feeling a bit fragile after a heavy night and you’re seeking comfort food, do what the Kiwis do and microwave one for about 10 seconds.
They come out slightly warm, and the chocolate should melt into the dough. The good news is they’re available at most shops, and if you’re a massive fan, there’s a Cookie Time café that will cater to all your biscuity needs. The white chocolate offering is especially moreish.
Sausage Sizzles
These may sound a little bit basic, but we promise that once you try them, there’s no going back.
New Zealanders favor a weekly lunch event called ‘Sausage Sizzle Friday,’ and the clue’s in the name.
It’s a simple snack; pork sausages are smothered in ketchup and wrapped in a single piece of white bread. It’s a bit like a smaller, lazier version of our sausage sandwich.
They came about in the 80s as a fundraising initiative (the ingredients are cheap and people were charged $1 per sizzle), but they became so popular they’re now considered a classic Kiwi comfort food.
Look out for them at barbeques and outdoor events - and when you get back to the UK, our ostentatious hot dogs will never quite hit the mark. Of course, you could always make your own if you crave a sizzle at home - the ingredients are available in most supermarkets.
Roast Lamb
Come on - no foodie list for New Zealand is complete without roast lamb.
New Zealand is famed for its sheep farming, and without putting too fine a point upon the matter, they taste pretty good, too.
Put simply, this is where you’ll find the best lamb in the world. Properly cooked, it’s flavorsome, tender, and juicy - and as we mentioned earlier, it cooks really well hāngī style.
If you’re not really into roast lamb, many cafes and restaurants will serve their own take, from meatballs and chops to steaks, racks, and lamb burgers. Unlike the Angus Steak Houses in the UK, which are primarily frequented by disappointed tourists, the ones in New Zealand serve a pretty good rack of lamb.
Whitebait Fritters
Don’t visit the West Coast of the South Island without trying whitebait fritters.
It’s considered a sin in New Zealand! Whitebait is a collective term for immature fish, usually around one to two inches long.
You’ll see heaps of keen “whitebaiters” setting up temporary shacks and jetties along the river mouths of the West Coast, catching fish for the local eateries to make whitebait fritters.
Think of them as a fishy omelet.
Afghans
Not a crocheted rug, and not a dog - these iced biscuits are just as tasty as the behemoth cookies we spoke about earlier (you know, the ones with massive chocolate chunks).
They’re cookies baked with corn flakes, which are then liberally topped with chocolate icing and finished off with a walnut half.
The texture is unusual - it’s crunchy and smooth, and although you might think it’s overly sweet, it’s not as saccharine as you’d expect.
Paua
A final seafood delicacy that we just couldn’t ignore, paua is the local name for a large sea snail.
You can eat paua in a variety of ways, from plain old raw to curries to paua fritters.
What’s more, paua shells are the national choice of ashtray for all you smokers out there! Alternatively, paua shells are often used in New Zealand jewelry and other decorative souvenirs.
