The food in New Zealand is not very well documented, is it?
When we made our move to New Zealand from the UK over a decade ago, I was expecting to get here and be faced with a plate full of lamb chops and maybe a kiwi fruit for dessert.
But the reality couldn’t have been further from the truth.
✔︎ Get instant access to my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide HERE!, a 5 Day Video Series!
Read The Post & Then Listen To Our Podcast Episode: New Zealand Food.
This post may contain affiliate links. They cost you nothing, but we make a small commission. If you would like me to explain it further, please visit our disclaimer page.
Food in New Zealand
You don’t tend to read much about food in New Zealand.
Which is a shame as it leads people to believe that kiwi food is either boring and non-existence or a bit on the weird side and that everyone who lives in New Zealand resides in mud huts and eats dinosaur eggs.
Neither of those things is true. Well. My son’s bedroom sometimes resembles a mud hut, but that’s another story.
When you come to New Zealand looking for food, you will find an array of mouthwatering deliciousness.
And maybe a tinned asparagus sandwich but let’s talk about that later.
Life in New Zealand
New Zealand living takes some getting used to.
From becoming accustomed (and not be offended by) the New Zealand slang, to the earthquakes, the laid back attitude right down to the New Zealand Christmas experience.
But food is a major part of your life, and if you’re planning on moving to New Zealand from the US or any other far-flung part of the world, you’ll want to know what you’ll be having for your dinner when you get off the plane.
Do You LOVE New Zealand? Sign up below, and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series!
[convertkit form=1783698]
10 New Zealand Foods You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of
The foods that I want to share with you are typical New Zealand foods that I doubt you will have heard of. I know I hadn’t.
Remember, if you would like to know more about the food in New Zealand, listen to the podcast above where Brian and I will take you on a typical culinarily weekend down under!
1: Mince on Toast
I am not kidding; when I first saw this on the menu in New Zealand, I thought it was a misprint.
Mincemeat. On toast?? What’s that all about?
But then I tried it. And. It. Is. Divine.
The version I had was made with a tomato and herb base, served on a piece of toast and topped with an egg (because in case you didn’t know, the kiwis LOVE eggs. Or should I say iggs.) Finished off with a mouthwateringly delicious hollandaise sauce.
If you haven’t tried this New Zealand dish, then it is a must!
Cost for mince on toast in a New Zealand café? Approx NZD 12
2: Hāngi
When you visit New Zealand and are ever offered the chance to partake in a Hāngi then jump at it.
It is one of those divine eating experiences that you will never, ever forget.
A Hāngi is a Māori cooking method. Friends are invited around, a pit is dug into the ground and a fire is made. From there, hot rocks are placed on top.
Everyone stands around and has a good chin wag, talks about the rugby and the wind and waits for an hour or two.
Once the rocks are white-hot, baskets of food containing meat (usually lamb but also chicken, beef or pork), potatoes, and other root vegetables (mostly kumara) are wrapped (traditionally in leaves but more commonplace today in tin foil), and are placed on top of the rocks. The earth is then dug back over the baskets until the pit is filed in.
And then you wait.
Usually for around five to seven hours. The pit is dug back up, the baskets lifted out, and dinner is served.
The result? A tender, smokey, meltingly delicious plate of slow-cooked New Zealand loveliness.
I explain it in-depth in my FREE 5 day living in New Zealand video guide exactly what life is (really) like in New Zealand, sign up here and get your FREE Moving to & Living in New Zealand Video Guide NOW!
3: Sausage Sizzle
Ok, listen.
Life in New Zealand with kids means sausages.
If you are thinking of moving to New Zealand or even taking a vacation to the country, there is something you need to be aware of.
The kiwis LOVE sausages. But not just that, they LOVE sausage sizzle.
The sausage sizzle is a kiwi tradition. Go to any kid’s birthday party, fundraiser, festival, school camp, in fact, any kiwi gathering and it will be there.
The BBQ, the bag of sausages, the sliced white bread and the tomato sauce.
Now then you food snobs listen up.
Don’t make the mistake that I made when I first moved to New Zealand. I dared to call this New Zealand food a sausage…