Crunchy chips, airy desserts, and biscuits … If you want the true New Zealand experience, you simply can’t miss these traditional Kiwi foods! Here you’ll discover 12 classic Kiwi treats that everyone should try at least once. I haven’t included confectionery here, since that’s a whole other category in itself.

1. Pavlova

A proper pavlova is sweet, feather-light, and fluffy: like a ray of sunshine that melts on your tongue. Traditionally topped with cream and bitter fruit like kiwifruit or berries to balance the sugar-hit, you’ll find it on many a tabletop at Christmas time. Break the crust with a tablespoon and scoop a slice into your bowl. One spoon might not be enough…

New Zealand and Australia once battled for the ‘ownership’ rights of pavlova. New Zealand won in the end, after it was discovered that it was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Matveyevna Pavlova (1881-1931) who visited NZ on tour in 1926.

2. Hāngī

There’s nothing like a hāngī: filling, healthy, and wholesome. Hāngī isn’t a food per se, but a traditional Māori method of steaming meats and vegetables. This can be done using heated stones in umu (earth ovens). Today, there are plenty of ‘portable hāngī’ options that you can easily set up in a backyard or campsite.

Hāngī is a convenient way to feed large groups. I’ve always loved that they’re a super healthy option of cooking, since you don’t need to saturate your foods in oils. Popular meats to cook in a hāngī are chicken, pork, and lamb. For vegetables, try kumara, cabbage, onion, and pumpkin.

3. ANZAC Biscuits

A symbol of the alliance between the NZ and Australian Army Corps, ANZAC biscuits are a Kiwi staple. They preserve extremely well, which is one of the reasons they were sent abroad to Kiwi and Aussie soldiers during World War 1.

You’ll find a huge range of recipes around, but generally ANZAC biscuits are moderately chewy, with a delicious, rich golden-syrup flavour. These days, you can even make them with trendy ingredients like manuka honey, or nuts. Consider making a batch for your next road trip and storing them in an airtight container – a tasty treat for your travels.

4. Marmite (on toast)

Marmite, one of the most famous Kiwi foods, sometimes gets a bad rap. Sure, it’s salty, thick, and black like tar. But… too many people eat it the wrong way.

To best enjoy Marmite, I recommend the classic Kiwi method:

Get a slice of the cheapest, awfully processed, white bread. Toast it to caramel-coloured perfection and add a slather of butter (or other spread) until slightly melted. Scrape half a teaspoon of marmite over the buttered toast with a knife. Cut into triangles, and enjoy.

5. The Kiwi Pie

Nowhere does pies quite like NZ. Ironically, some of the best pies you will ever taste are when it’s 11pm, you’re starving, and you nip into the local petrol station to fuel up. There in the cabinet, you see a handful of pies glowing golden on the heated rack. So you decide to risk one … and there’s no turning back. Bakeries are also reliable places to find a wholesome, filling pie.

(If you’re in Warkworth, Savan’s Bakery has the most delicious pies! Drop in after you explore the amazing local opshops).

The best thing about Kiwi pies is that there are so many varieties: meat or vege, potato top or traditional, spicy or not, peppery or not. We take our pies very seriously here: bakeries battle in the prestigious annual Pie Awards. Our pies have also inspired several memes (e.g. always blow on the pie), and an eyebrow raising amount of YouTube review videos.

6. Shellfish

As an island country, seafood regularly features on New Zealand menus. Walking down to the local beach to gather kai moana (seafood) like cockles and mussels has been a traditional pastime for many across the ages.

Pāua, known for its beautiful blue-purple pearlescent shell, is also a delicacy (but if you’re hunting for Pāua, just make sure you know the regulations).

7. Lolly Cake

Nothing brings back childhood memories like lolly cake, aka. “lolly log”. Sweet, garishly colourful, and strangely addictive – it’s often a hit with kids and makes an appearance at parties.

Mix together some Lolly Cake of you own with melted butter, condensed milk, Pascall Explorers, desiccated coconut, and crushed malt biscuits. Easy-as! See Griffin’s full recipe here.

8. Kiwi Fish and Chips

There’s something nostalgic about nipping down to your local dodgy takeaway place, placing your order, and looking at the fish posters on the wall as you hold on to your ticket. The staff expertly wrap your fish n’ chips into a hot paper bundle, and you take your stash to the beach (followed by 50 seagulls). 

While fish and chips are often associated with takeaways, you can cook your own “fush n chups” at home too. You’ll also find vegan options where fish is substituted for tofu or deep-fried banana blossom.  

9. Kumara

I adore kumara (sweet potato). A native root plant to South America, it has been a pantry staple in Aotearoa for hundreds of years. Māori prized them; carried them on their waka, and created dedicated plantations around marae.

Kumara in NZ usually come in 3 main varieties: orange, gold, and purple. Orange kumara tends to have softer flesh than the others. Unlike regular potatoes, kumara have higher quantities of fibre and vitamins, so are considered a healthier choice.

To cook kumara, roast, boil, or microwave them until soft. Other tasty ideas include making kumara hash browns, wedges, or for the adventurous, a kumara cake.

10. Kiwi onion dip

Looking for a DIY recipe for a tasty, Kiwi dip? This one is great with chips and can easily be whipped together before that afternoon get-together or party.

Instructions:

Mix 1 can (250g) of NESTLÉ Reduced Cream, with 1 packet of Maggi Onion Soup, and 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice. Mix thoroughly, and keep chilled.

11. Feijoas

Every year during April, an intriguing phenomenon happens in New Zealand. People go crazy for these lime green, egg-shaped fruits that appear in supermarkets, markets, and on suburban hedgerows. Neighbours begin shunting boxes of them out onto the street. Parcels are sent across the country, shipping these prized delicacies to produce-poor regions. 

Eat feijoas like kiwifruit: cut them in half and scoop out the inside. They’re tastiest eaten fresh in my opinion, but you can also air-dry them for a snack or mix them in a Kiwi-style fruit salad. And, I must admit that feijoa gelato is pretty good.

12. Cheese Rolls

Cheese rolls, a traditional snack of Southland, first appeared in South Island cookbooks in the 1930s and have been around ever since. Like marmite, cheese rolls seem to be tastier the more unnatural the bread is. Make a batch and freeze them so you never run out. Serve them alongside soup on a chilly day or as part of a party platter.  

Where can I find the best Kiwi foods?

It depends on what you’re after. Farmers Markets are a great source of fresh, seasonal food at affordable prices. Otherwise, check out your nearby bakeries and dairies. Supermarkets will also stock the ingredients you need to create any of the Kiwi dishes above.

Conclusion

If you’ve grown up in New Zealand, you might feel a sense of nostalgia when it comes to many of these Kiwi foods. Perhaps it’s the fluffy Christmas pavlova, or fish n chips eaten on the sand dunes (surrounded by seagulls of course), or maybe feijoas picked from your neighbours’ hedge. If your visiting NZ, surprise your tastebuds and give some of these treats a try.

What’s your favourite Kiwi food? Comment below to share your recommendations and memories <3