Typical Foods You Will Come Across When Visiting New Zealand

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.