New Zealand. Back in 2. I took my first solo trip overseas; a full time Spanish course in the south of Spain. Each day, the lessons would have a different underlying theme, and the class would use that theme to try and explain (in Spanish) various aspects of our life back home. It started with the weather, and the Swiss girl in class talked about the snow, the Swedish girls talked about the grey skies and I talked about the hot Auckland summers and rainy Auckland winters.

Then came sports, and the Swiss girl talked about skiiing, the Russian girl talked about boxing and I of course talked about New Zealand’s obsession with rugby. Then one day we finally had a lesson about food. The Swiss girl talked about Switzerland’s cheesy raclette, the German girl talked about Germany’s love for sausages, and I? I had no immediate answer, and spent much of the lesson struggling to come up with something that I could share as my country’s national dish. In the end, I just said we drink a lot of milk (lol). But it left me wondering; what is New Zealand food? What are our most beloved culinary inventions?

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And what, if anything, would be considered our national dish? Since then the question has remained largely unanswered, and still to this day I struggle to come up with something when people ask me, “What do you people eat in New Zealand?”However, over the last few months I think I’ve finally come up with an answer.

I’ve been tripping around the country, exploring some of my country’s iconic foods and indulging in a few of my old childhood favourites. The list I’ve compiled below is a collection of those foods; things that all Kiwis seem to know and love, and things that have unarguably cemented their place in the food aisles of Kiwiana.

What do people eat in New Zealand? Let me show you! 1. Cookie time. Cookie Time’s “Original Chocolate Chunk Cookie” is a timeless Kiwi favourite and the recipe has remained unchanged from when I had my first one over 2. As kids we always used to break our cookies open and see who could find the biggest chunk of chocolate – and seriously, you can find some massive ones in these things. Another popular thing to do is nuke it in the microwave for about 1.

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Delicious. Get it at: Any NZ supermarket, service station or dairy (convenience store). There’s also a Cookie Time cafe you can visit. Lamingtons. Lamingtons are a sponge cake, coated in rasberry or chocolate and then sprinkled with shaved coconut.

It’s common to cut them in half and fill them with cream or jam, but in most cases it’s simply eaten as is. A very popular snack enjoyed during morning or afternoon tea. Get it at: Any supermarket or bakery. Sausage sizzles. I still remember back when I was in primary (elementary) school, we would all arrive on Friday mornings with our precious $1 coins clasped between our palms. This, of course, was for Sausage Sizzle Friday, a weekly lunch event where the school would fundraise by selling stumpy pork sausages in pieces of fresh bread, lathered with tomato sauce and if you were lucky, a handful of grilled onions.

However this wasn’t unique to my school; sausage sizzles happened all over the country, and while they began as a fundraising initiative (due to the cheap ingredients) they’re now considered a classic Kiwi comfort food enjoyed at family barbecues, food markets and special events up and down the country. Get it at: Often sold at sports events and food markets, and quite often there are sausage sizzle fundraisers outside Bunnings and The Warehouse. Of course, the easiest thing to do is to cook them yourself. NZ sausages, onions, fresh white bread and a bottle of Wattie’s tomato sauce – all available at any NZ supermarket.

Afghans. While the name might suggest a Middle Eastern origin, make no mistake – this cookie is 1. Install Plesk On Ubuntu 12 100 on this page. Kiwi original. A classic recipe afghan consists of a chocolate cookie baked with cornflakes mixed in, coated with chocolate icing and then finished off with half a walnut on top. It has quite a unique texture as it’s both crunchy and smooth, and despite all the chocolate it’s not actually as sweet as you might expect.

Looking at the picture it might seem like just a regular chocolate cookie, but most Kiwis will easily be able to tell an afghan from the very first bite. Get it at: Every bakery in the country should sell them. If you can’t find them there, Griffin’s makes quite a decent afghan and you can buy a pack of these at any NZ supermarket.

Fish and chips. Fish and chips are not a NZ invention by any means, but this takeaway treat has become so ingrained in our culture that it would be criminal not to include it here. Every Kiwi will surely have romantic memories of ripping open a steaming hot bundle of greasy goodness; perhaps a crispy battered fillet of Hoki or Tarakihi, a handful of crinkle cut chips and maybe a few other greasy bits from the menu, all wrapped up in yesterday’s newspaper and paired with a bottle of Wattie’s tomato sauce. It doesn’t get much more Kiwi than this! Get it at: Any takeaway joint in the country will serve this. My favourite is the Fish Pot Cafe in Mission Bay, Auckland (skip the actual cafe and head straight to the takeaway counter, and make sure you add a few squid rings to your order!)6.

Marmite. You have probably heard tales of the legendary Marmite, which is a standard item in every New Zealand pantry. In fact it is so loved that when the Christchurch earthquake damaged the country’s lone Marmite factory in 2. Marmite shortage” was declared which resulted in a mild panic throughout the nation (call me a traitor, but I actually prefer Australia’s Vegemite anyway). So, what is it exactly? In very simple terms, it’s a yeast extract combined with a few different herbs and spices. The taste itself is really too hard to describe and is something you’ll just have to try yourself, but be warned, it’s a very acquired taste and if you didn’t grow up eating the stuff it probably won’t agree with you right away. If you’re a Marmite virgin, the best way to pop your cherry would be an extremely thin spread on toast, perhaps with a dash of butter.

However if you’re a little more game you might like to try the legendary. Marmite & Chip Sandwich. Traditionalists would say you need to use Salt and Vinegar chips for this, but I just say go with whatever you want (I like Kettle chips, personally).

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The recipe is simple enough – white bread, chips and a light spread of butter and Marmite. A common item in every Kiwi kid’s lunchbox. Get it at: Marmite will be found at every NZ supermarket. You should also note NZ Marmite is very different in flavour to the British Marmite. Tuatua. Tuatua are an indigenous New Zealand shellfish that you won’t find anywhere else in the world (as far as I know). While very similar in shape and size to pipis, tuatuas have a milder flavour than most shellfish and a softer, creamier texture as well.

As New Zealand is an island country the vast amount of shoreline means we are spoiled with shellfish, and the native Maori are said to have enjoyed this one quite a bit back in the day. As I’m told, the tuatua was, and still is, one of the ultimate favourites (definitely one of mine as well!). Get it at: Tuatua can be collected for free during low tide at many sandy beaches around the country (ask a local about the good collection spots). However, the easiest way to get them is simply to buy them at a seafood shop, especially around Auckland where finding them on beaches is becoming increasingly difficult.

A dozen will cost you around $8. If you’re cooking them yourself here’s a decent recipe to try.

Hangi. I still remember my first h. I was around 7 years old, and was at school one morning watching a couple of guys dig a massive hole in the middle of our sports field. Later they lowered in some baskets of food, sitting them on top of hot rocks, and then filled the hole in burying our food beneath the ground. The food slowly cooked over the course of the day, and when lunchtime rolled around I was treated to my first h.