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Australian Food, the Most Iconic Australian Cuisine

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If you’re traveling around Australia, I’m sure that you will come across some typical Australian food. While you’re here you really should try some of it! From meat you don’t normally find in other supermarkets to chocolate biscuits, to the most common Australian food you should try even though, in my opinion, you probably shouldn’t because some of it is disgusting (Vegemite I’m looking at you!)

Popular Australian Food

1. Vegemite

Vegemite is the most common one that ‘foreigners’ discover, and more often than not, hate! No matter how many people tell you it’s disgusting you should try it at least once. I’m assuming it’s an acquired taste…

So what is Vegemite? Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from various vegetables, yeast extract and spice additives. It’s a bit like marmite in the UK which had the famous love it or hate it advert as they acknowledged that it’s not to everyones taste. The most popular way to eat it is on bread or toast with butter. Australians also eat it with avocado, melted cheese or tomato.  I’ve tried Vegemite and it not only looks and smells disgusting it also tastes disgusting. I thought it would taste like syrup, but it tastes very salty and not sweet at all. You, however, might be one of the many people that love it.

vegemite - popular australian food

2. Fairy Bread

Now this one is really strange and you probably won’t come across it unless you happen to find yourself at a kids party. Fairy Bread is simply white bread with butter sprinkled with hundreds and thousands!

fairy bread
By No machine-readable author provided. Jellyfish juice assumed (based on copyright claims). [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

3. Tim Tams!

Any backpacker who has traveled through Australia will have tried Australias favourite chocolate biscuit… the Tim Tam. I ate my first Tim Tam after a sea kayaking tour and I loved it! If you eat one, it’s hard not to eat a second or third! I think you must become addicted.

From one of the sea kayak guys I heard that the best way to eat them is the Tim Tam slam: bite the diagonal corners off the Tim Tam and take a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Use the Tim Tam as a straw and suck the drink through the biscuit. Then before it gets too soggy, and falls into your drink, you eat the soft, gooey (warm!) chocolatey goodness. MMM.

popular aussie food - tim tams
Image from flickr

4. Meat Pies

For most Americans this next popular Australian food is very peculiar (it was even an eating challenge on one season of the Amazing Race and the competitors were retching because they thought it was so disgusting!) So what is this food that Americans think is so awful? It’s the classic Aussie Meat Pie! (I know… for a lot of us it’s not that strange a concept, however Americans are used to their pies having fruit in them and eating them as dessert so I suppose it is a bit weird to eat a meaty dessert!)

Pies are a popular snack to eat on the go and almost every corner shop, bakery and supermarket will have a display case with lots of hot meaty pies to choose from. There are even specialty pie shops! Australians have many different savoury pies you can buy, however they are usually stuffed with minced meat, gravy, mushrooms, onions and cheese. It’s also a good snack after a long night of partying (better than a kebab!). After drinking and dancing you end the night with a meat pie in your hand, sitting on the pavement waiting for your taxi to go home.

typical aussie food - meat pie
Image By Alpha [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

5. Anzac Biscuits

ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps that fought together during WWI. ANZAC Day is a public holiday in Australia to celebrate the men that fought for the country. During the war, the wives baked these delicious ANZAC biscuits to send off to their men at war. They were cheap to make and could stay fresh throughout long boat journeys. They are made with coconut, golden syrup and oats… yum!

(Never call these Anzac Cookies as that will upset Aussies more than you can imagine!)

traditional australian food - anzac biscuits
Image By me (w:User:pfctdayelise) (Image taken by me using Casio QV-R41) [CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

6. Chicken parmigiana

Ok, I know this doesn’t sound particularly Australian, but this is one of the most common foods you’ll find in an Australian pub. Loads of pubs have a parma night where you can grab a decent priced chicken parma with a beer. A chicken parma is basically a chicken schnitzel (chicken in breadcrumbs), topped with a tasty tomato sauce with melted cheese on top.

chicken parma
By Tristan Kenney, CC BY 2.0, via wikimedia commons

7. Fish and Chips

Australians do a bloody good Fish and Chips. OK most English visitors will be quite skeptical of this statement when it comes to Fish and Chips because Australians have yet to master the art of mushy peas, chips and gravy. But considering that the entire country is surrounded by ocean, you are pretty much guaranteed to always get a delicious and fresh piece of fish.

fish and chips
Image By Steven Lilley (originally posted to Flickr as Fish ‘n’ Chips) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

8. Pavlova

The Aussies and the Kiwis have forever fought for the title as the “inventor’ of the Pavlova – a meringue cake base topped with whipped cream and fruit. Regardless of its origin, the pavlova is absolutely delicious! You are most likely able to find a Pavlova in a Cake Shop or Bakery. You can also buy them pre made from most major supermarket chains (look in the bread or frozen dessert section).

pavlova
pixabay

9. Beetroot

“Bloody beetroot” is something I muttered often when travelling around Australia because I can’t stand it! Unfortunately for me Aussie’s put beetroot on their burgers and sandwiches, in salads and often just on the side of the plate. Yuck!

beetroot burger
By Lcmortensen [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons

10. Witchetty Grub

If you really want to experience some proper Aussie Bush Tucker – then a Witchetty Grub is the way to go. These little fellas taste a little like chicken and contain just as much protein as an entire piece of steak! Aboriginal Australians have eaten these for years and the nutritional benefits may just help you to overcome the gooey texture.

traditional australian food - witchetty grub - australian food
Image By User:Sputnikcccp (Wikipedia en) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

11. BBQ’s

When you think of Australia you think of surfing, nice weather, kangaroo’s and the barbecue. “Throw another shrimp on the barbie” is a quote often said even though Australians call them prawns and not shrimps! In fact, many Aussies dislike this phrase and claim that it’s just another Australian stereotype.

A typical Aussie barbecue is with sausages, burgers, steak, fresh seafood, bread and tomato or barbecue sauce, they sometimes include salad but it’s mainly about the meat and fish (and of course a few stubbies – that’s beer to the non-Australians). Australians will literally have a barbeque anywhere, not just at home. Local councils provide barbeques for the general public to use at popular tourist spots like beaches. (Just clean up after yourself!) When you’re staying in a hostel or you meet some locals, you’re sure to have at least one barbeque a week!

typical australian food - aussie bbq

12. Kangaroo

While visitors usually take pictures of kangaroos bouncing around, the kangaroo is also a common meat to be found on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. Kangaroo is lean red meat, it’s healthy and you can prepare it in many ways – steaks, burgers, sausages, and much more. I’ve tried kangaroo meat with a nice marinade and it was delicious! With a tasty marinade it is definitely recommended if you want to try it once.

kangaroo meat - australias food
CC BY-SA 3.0, wikimedia commons

13. Emu

Like the Kangaroo, the Emu can be found on the Australian Coat of Arms. Might be odd to eat your national emblems but there you go!

aussie food - australian coat of arms
By Squiresy92 including elements from SodacanOwn work, CC BY-SA 4.0, via wikimedia commons

14. Barramundi

You’ll be hard pushed to travel around Australia and not see Barramundi on the menu at least once. Barramundi is the Aboriginal name for this type of sea-bass found in Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Barramundi literally translates as “large-scaled silver fish”. You have to try this fish, it’s very popular for good reason – it’s delicious!

barramundi
Barramundi by flickr

15. Lamingtons

If you like coconut you’ll love this very Aussie food – the Lamington. A Lamington is basically a square of sponge cake covered in chocolate sauce or sometimes raspberry sauce and then covered in coconut. To begin with I avoided these because I thought they sounded disgusting as I’m not so keen on coconut, however they’re really nice with a cup of tea in the afternoon!

popular australian food - lamington sponge cake
By Spacekadet at English Wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

16. Avocados

Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy an avocado now and then (usually as a Guacamole as a side to my nachos). But Australians LOVE their Avocados – especially with their eggs and breakfast dishes. In most cafes you will notice that you can order a side of avocado with your poached, scrambled or fried eggs. You may even notice that the avocado is already included within the breakfast dish. I tried an avocado for breakfast for the first time, smeared on toast and topped with Rocket, Feta and Tomatoes. It was actually quite delicious! Aussies also have a fondness for avocado and Vegemite on toast… don’t knock it until you try it.

popular aussie food - avocado
Image By Kjokkenutstyr (Avocado on Board – Flickr) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

17. Golden Gaytime

Everyone in Australia loves a Golden Gaytime… But what is it? Golden Gaytime is an ice-cream made by Streets (with a suspiciously familiar logo). It’s toffee and vanilla ice-cream dipped in chocolate and then covered in biscuit pieces. There are also a few other flavours available including ‘Unicorn’ and ‘Pina Colada’. Go on treat yourself and a friend to one because as Streets themselves say “It’s hard to have a Gaytime on your own”.

golden gaytime
Picture by Paul-in-London on Flickr

18. Milo

Milo is basically a chocolate powder that can be mixed with water or milk to make a chocolate drink or it can be sprinkled on cakes etc. You can now buy pre-made milo drinks and other snacks, it being available in snack form is the only reason it made it on this list, however you should try to buy it in the iconic green tin. You can find Milo in several countries but it was an Australian who originally invented it before Nestle started selling it.

milo
By HughesdarrenOwn work, CC BY-SA 4.0, via wikimedia commons

Wherever you go in the world I think you should always try the traditional local food at least once. You may hate it but then again you may discover your new favourite thing! (Shame they don’t sell Kangaroo in Holland!)

Ready to try one of these ‘delicious’ Aussie Foods? Make sure you read this Guide to Australian Etiquette. And if you want to pass as a local then you should learn some Aussie Slang!

Learn more about Australian Animals! A-Z list of Aussie animals with pictures and facts

200 thoughts on “Australian Food, the Most Iconic Australian Cuisine

  1. Hi im an Australian and I feel the reason most people in the world don’t like vegimite is because they grow up with Nutella, honey ect which is all sweet. Vegimite is a savoury spread and I feel it’s hard for some to get used to. It’s a lot yummier when you grow up with it (and use little) 😂 no hate just a suggestion to put into the world

    1. I’m an Aussie living in the UK, and I was brought up on Vegemite. The Brits have their own version called marmite, but it’s not as good as ours. Coming home to Oz soon, yay !!!

    2. I personally love Vegemite and could eat it out of the jar but I agree with Vegemite Fan! that if you try it and you have grown up with sweet things such as Nutella and Honey then it would be disgusting so you have to grow up with it as I have. BTW I am Australian!!

          1. Dim Sims, BTW I’m Australian and I’ve never eaten a kangaroo or emu in my life, this really shouldn’t be on the list.

      1. Very broad statement mate I am American
        Not all use the spoon, some use our fingers, crackers, fresh veggies and of course bread.

      2. @Liam…my dad was told to eat it off a spoon many years ago by his doctor because he obviously needed vitamin B and it is a good source of it.
        He also ate it thick as do i with butter on fresh bread rolls.

    3. totally agree with you you are to get your Coles brand butter spread it lightly on wonder white bread and then spread you bautifullvegimite

    4. I’ve tried vegemite but not axle grease. I know not what the latter tastes like, but I’d give it a go if I were dying of hunger if those two were my only choices. But, there’s no accounting for taste!

    5. I love vegemite and I don’t think I could survive with it, I am surprised that fairy bread is no2 on the list because I don’t really eat it that much, I have never had chicken parmigiana before so I’m not sure about that part, though bbq is definitely Aussie and deserves top three.
      I would put it 1. Vegemite 2. BBQ 3. Tim tams
      They are the most Aussie and most common food for me, I don’t think I have had a day without vegemite or marmite (when I go to uk)
      I find it funny how I haven’t ate some of the foods on the list and I have lived in aus all my life.
      I loveeeeeeee pavalova and mango sorbet for Christmas lunch, I told my uk friends and they looked at me and laughed (thinking I was joking)
      🥭🥑🍒🥞🌭🍺🥧🥓🥩🍴🍽🧂

        1. I’m not sure why everyone says chicken parm. I don’t like chicken parm. I have gone to local pub for 30+ years & always get chicken schnitzel with chips, heaps of gravy and I squeeze lemon over it! Chicken parm wasn’t even an option 5+ years ago! Love vegemite!! Vegemite on toast & a cup of coffee or hot Milo gets your morning started !! 🇦🇺🦘🇦🇺🦘

      1. My father was in England for ww2 and when he came home we had different food from England and Vegemite was one thing we had and it is very good I guess you have to had it as a kid, I still like Vegemite every day

    6. It’s important to spread vegemite very thinly. Make toast, spread while still warm with butter or butter substitute, also spread very thinly, and then add a scraping of vegemite on top. Never slather vegemite on thickly. It’s not peanut butter.

      1. Sorry Judith but VEGEMITE on a fresh bread roll has to have plenty of butter and plenty of vegemite…..only way to eat it.
        Everyone has different tastes thankfully.
        Try vegemite on your next piece of steak when cooking it.

    7. vegemite is an aussie treasure and can be consumed in any way such as on a spoon ,toast,bread,saladas and many more so each to theyre own and happy eating

    8. All very true and for those who think it is too salty you can get a reduced salt version. Much nicer and will not burn your tongue if your spear it too thick. Leaves promite (Yank) and marmite (Pommie) for dead.

      Pies are not only made with mince quality pies are made with beef chunks. There are also chicken and veggie pies, curry pies to name just a few.

      Agree this is a p… poor blog. I actually found it full of mistakes and offered dice to Aussies.

      Also ANZAC and ANZACs have a much deeper and long lasting meaning for Aussie’s and our Kiwi cousins than the original ANZACs of WW1. It speaks to the close bonds between our two great nations. It also comes into play with our sporting rivalries.

      Bush tucker is far more than witchety grubs. Bush tucker is a vast array of native fruits (think native finger limes for a start), native seasonings and vegetables and all delicious bar the Witcher grubs, that have found there way into modern Australian homes and restaurants.

      Quite a few of the phrases and words used have only partially or poorly explained.

      As I said it is p… poor. Now translate that one. I apologise to those readers who really want to understand and not take the p… or as the poms would say take the Mickey.

      1. Hi Lani, thanks for your comments – feel free to suggest more of the most iconic and popular food available in Australia or let me know better phrasing or explanations I can use to replace the Dutch authors phrasing. Please bear in mind that this is not a definitive list of all of the food available in your country as that would be an extremely long article and it would be hard to describe all food as the ‘most popular’ or ‘most iconic’. This article only covers some of the most popular food and iconic food that backpackers come across when visiting Australia.

    9. Most people hate Vegemite because they are expecting something sweet. It is exactly the same with any and all food. Go in with an open mind, or, expect a salty / savoury flavour. Beefy, etc.

      Vegemite is very salty, mostly that is umami, aka the fifth taste (salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami) amplifying the taste of salt.

      Only use a VERY, VERY small amount (seriously the tip of a knife is enough, no more). Spread it over some toast with melted butter. Expect to taste mostly butter, with a SLIGHT taste of salt / umami).

    10. NERDDDDDD. I love vegimite. i developed the liking towards it because eating it would make people gag and me laugh at them

    11. Honestly, yes!! People from overseas dont know how to use vegemite properly, and its so stupid cause they take massive spoonfuls thinking oh yeah, this is going to be sweet! Than they spit it out and say, how do Australians eat this! Plus those videos don’t give them butter with it or anything. Basically, I totally agree with you!

    12. Also, people eat vegemite wrong. It is meant to be with toast and butter. And a thin layer of vegemite. Still, people criticise us for eating it.

    13. Can I just say what the hell is Barramundi I have been in Australia my whole lifE never herd of it 😹

    14. What is the name of the thing where you put bread and a sausage inside I keep forgetting but it’s soooooooongoooooodddd

  2. The only reason MOST people don’t like vegimite is because they put too much when they apply it
    I personally don’t like it anyway, and I’m australian
    but I do take it with toast and butter when there isn’t anything else

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  4. Once you eat vegemite a few times you get used to the salty flavor and it becomes quite delicous. Personally, I’m Australian and when i was younger my mother made me have vegemite sandwiches at school. Now i love them.

  5. People don’t know how to eat Vegemite, it is to be eaten on toast. Normal Americans don’t understand this.

    1. Princess Cruise Line always has Vegemite in the buffet. I opened the jar and took a whiff of it and about passed out! It’s brown and looks likes and smells like something inside had died. No thank you. I was hoping the meat pies would look and taste like American pot pies. Guess I’ll have to pass on those too. No kangaroo for me either. Kangaroos are giant rodents. Everything else looks okay. I think I’ll stick to salads. Only way to mess up a salad is to serve only Iceberg lettuce.

      1. You know, kangaroos and humans are partially related? We even share the same genes as them with only a few differences. If you’ve ever truly observed a kangaroo, I think you’ll find that there are some big similarities to humans, particularly with the males!

        1. I take international tourists to see kangaroos in the wild. You are absolutely correct. Kangaroos are intelligent, observant and curious animals..Kangaroos care for their young, they mourn their dead, the male kangaroos flex their muscles like body builders. Young males will fight each other for dominance.

      2. You are rude. And your not supposed to eat vegemite on it’s own!!! Your supposed to have it thinly on toast with butter! And just because a food is unusual doesn’t mean is disgusting. America has a food called “deep fried butter” which IS disgusting because it is grossly high in fat. So just because you snorted vegemite doesn’t make it gross. You should respect culture other than your own. I am an Australian and I find what you say offensive.

  6. Um hello… Milo, watermelon (found at every bbq) and the infamous sausage sizzle didn’t make the list, but Emu (Where would you even buy this?) and Kangaroo (huh!) did?

    Geeze, even cheese and Vegemite scrolls and cheese twists or Twisties didn’t even get an honorable mention over Emu (which no one eats here…)

  7. The reason foreigners hate Vegemite is because WE EAT IT WITH BUTTER AND BREAD!! You American folks eat a spoonful of the stuff which is as alcoholic as beer as it’s made from brewing yeast! Also fairy bread is where it’s at dudes

  8. There is NO such thing as an ANZAC cookie. It is an ANZAC biscuit. I’m sure to people in the US and other Americanised countries this difference is neither here nor there. However, to the Australian women (CWA) who created this biscuit for their loved ones away at war, using the appropriate name for this food does make a difference, and shows a level of respect to Australia and Australians.

  9. Pretty darn ridiculous way of expressing your so called thoughts, no food is “disgusting” or sounds “disgusting” it is just food and may sound exotic even if you never heard of it you cromagnon person.

  10. We have been given Vegemite and Marmite in the U.S. by friends and relatives that have come from both places. Americans will literally try anything. This savory goo made of yeast was not a hit. I found it literally disgusting. I only ate one bite. I didn’t like the Marmite either. I like Grapefruit marmalade on my toast. We have to order out for that.

    1. jesus ur dumb “I took a bite of vegimite” u clearly eat it on toast with butter and don’t just eat it, it is an acquired taste but you Americans eat it so wrong and milo is bomb why isn’t it here and other country’s mistake milo for a “chocolate” drink no no no its malt and it says on the back label that is ingredients here are the ingredients 1. malt barley
      2. milk powder
      3. sugar
      4. cocoa powder
      5. 8 vitamins & minerals
      and u pour half the bloody tin if you want it to not taste like vaguely cocoa tasting sweet drink
      p.s. who else is a fan of the bunnings bbq or 2 be honest any bbq

    2. HAVE VEGEMITE ON TOAST! EVEN AUSTRALIANS CAN’T HAVE IT WITH JUST A SPOON, WOW IT”S NOT THAT HARD!

  11. Went to Australia from San Francisco via L.A. a number of years back-loved the country (Melbourne, Uluru, Cairns and Sydney in that order), the people (one young lady told us she loved “our accent”) and the food (lamb, kangaroo but not to crazy about the Morton Bay “bugs”). I brought back a few packets of vegemite-when I asked by boss what she thought, she said “it tasted like pure evil.” While I kinda got used to it, it is definitely an acquired taste…

  12. I’ve never seen emu on the menu anywhere ! Vegemite needs to be eaten either on toast or on very fresh bread with butter and just a smear of Vegemite . Fairy bread is usually found at children’s birthday parties . You forgot the iconic Tim Tam biscuit and the pie floater a meat pie floating in thick pea soup . We also have our own multicultural cuisine often a fusion of the various cultures and their food that live here .

  13. Oops I just notice that you did describe the Tim Tam my bad .. I was brought up to age 8 in Italy on sweet breakfasts but I love my Vegemite .. there is a way to eat it .. and that’s not thickly smeared .. eat on toast of fresh bread 🥖. The best Aussie food can be found in the green CWA cookbook

  14. I’ve never seen emu on the menu anywhere ! Vegemite needs to be eaten either on toast or on very fresh bread with butter and just a smear of Vegemite . Fairy bread is usually found at children’s birthday parties . You forgot the iconic The pie floater a meat pie floating in thick pea soup . We also have our own multicultural cuisine often a fusion of the various cultures and their food that live here .

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  17. Lamgintons has a kind of weird texture but they’re definitely not disgusting. You can find fish & chips everywhere. Do not make the mistake of having to much Vegemite and have it on bread, toasted or crackers. With butter, avacado, cheese, etc.

  18. How good is this thread. Kindred australian spirits repping our homegrown foods. Vegemite is awesome. Don’t forget the rest of the Arnott’s range. Crowns, Mint slice, Royals, TIny Teddies. I have never eaten emu or even seen it available. Weet Bix are wicked when you’re a kid. Yogos with the little biscuits. Cheese and tomata on a salada was always a hit too (salt and pepper).

    I wish us aussies come up with more food so we can represent.

  19. so uh, I’ve noticed you’re saying our foods are disgusting. I think that’s incredibly disrespectful. Imagine if someone tried your food and said it’s disgusting and no one should eat it just because they ate it wrong or didn’t understand it. I wasted 3 minutes of my life reading this shit.

  20. I used to take vegemite and lettuce sandwiches to school. Mum called them mud and grass sangas. yummo

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  22. I’m a natural born Aussie, what’s going on mate? I love tim tams and vegemite! YUMMY! I prefer to spread the veg on a nice toasted piece of wheat fairy bread. Thanks for the awesome ideas!

  23. Thank you for this. I’ve followed Global Table Adventure and was introduced to Vegemite baked on twisted breadsticks. I absolutely loved it! I was looking for something less adventurous for American 5-6 year olds for a World Cultures class. I had NO idea Pavlova originated in Australia–I thought it came from New Zealand. Either way, the children will enjoy it! Thank you!

    1. yes i am from new zealand and the pavlova debate has gone on for a long time i wont say my opinion because you probably know what it will be

    1. I knew a server at a breakfast restaurant. She said she once suggested biscuits and gravy to Australian customers, they looked horrified at the idea. Of course they didn’t know that in the U.S. a biscuit is a type of bread. She couldn’t get them to try it after that, even though she explained it. She didn’t get upset at them and think they were disrespectful, everyone has to learn sometime.

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  25. Bruh this is kinda 65% not true not eVeryone eats avocado and most people don’t eat grabby that is disgusting. Australia is a multi-culture country so you can’t classify everyone like that. Not offended this is kinda of stereotyping us. I am Australia and I doNT EATsome of these. Pls don’t be rude cos one this is my opinion and I am Allowed to say what I am think. 2. I am Australian and I hate that I get stereotyped.

  26. I’m Aussie and I’m doing a speech about “welcome to Australia” and I am talking about them food that they’ve have in Australian and this website helped me al lot thanks

  27. I am a south african and planning a special australian three- course meal: starter, main and desert – can australians please make suggestions – I have been to Melbourne twice and had the best foof ever! (Coffee was most amazing)

    1. Bro you need pawns as a starter, a nice steak as a main and lamingtons with ice-cream as a desert. This from ACT Australia

  28. Vegemite is a savoury topping for toast. Spread it thinly, and dilute it with either butter/margarine or cream cheese. I grew up with Vegemite and I can’t believe these Yanks who try to eat it from the jar… there’s a reason why it comes in such small jars, you use it sparingly. Alternatively, try Vegemite Cheesybite which is pre-mixed with cream cheese.

    Some other honourable mentions:
    Damper, which is a simple bread they used to make in the bush and still often made at home, as it’s super easy to make
    Iced VoVos, a biscuit popular mainly with the older generation topped with pink fondant and jam and coconut
    Chicko Rolls, a variation of the Chinese spring roll but larger and more robust, and containing beef. Available at any fish and chip shop and most places that sell meat pies. Basically designed as a one-handed snack while watching sport.
    Jarrah Honey, which is produced by bees collecting nectar from the Jarrah trees of Western Australia. Tastes good of course, but is particularly prized by Chinese people for its reported health properties.
    Flat White, a carefully-balanced combination of coffee, milk and froth that is popular in Australia and has started to make its way overseas. Australia has a very big coffee culture.

  29. Chicken Salt – absolute Aussie staple for all things hot chips!
    Rocky Road – glazed cherries, nuts, marshmallows all covered in chocolate!
    Potato Scollops – usually get them at a fish and chip shop, thinly sliced potato that has been dipped in batter and deep fried. You can have it with anything but a personal favourite is chicken salt and tartare sauce

  30. sup I’m an Australian and I love our food here including our milo, but however, hates Australian food your crazy and you’re missing out on the deliciousness.

  31. `lots of these like bbq meat pie pavlova and fish and chips i get that aussie is larger than new zealand and well more famous but they are some of new zealands famous foods like new zealand has probably the best meat pies in the world

  32. We buy vegemite in Glasgow Scotland. Personally I prefer it to marmite which is runny and messy. Vegemite is thicker and is just great on hot toast with butter. Love it.

  33. I’m Australian and agree with most of that except kangaroo! You get it but I have never had it or had my family and friends. Fairy bread is the most typical thing you would eat at kids party! 😀

  34. IM FROM THE UK AND FISH AND CHIPS IS NOT AUSTRALIAN!. DONT BE STUPID MAN ITS OURS! LEAVE OUR NATIONAL FOOD ALONE AUZZIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (thanks)

    1. Yeah, but our fish and chips is ordered as “flake and chips” flake is SHARK!!! how blokey is that !!!!..

  35. I agree with Milly with the fairy bread but why would people it kangaroos there harmless if you don’t annoy them or go close to them except when you’re at Currumbin wildlife century in the gold coast you get to feed them and pat them it’s so cute!!

  36. Im Korean(south, of course) and I used to study at Australia when I was young These pictures make me recall my memoriesss;) I miss lamington and fairy bread and timtams and VEGEMITE soooo much Nobody here eat those ;(

  37. Aboriginal should have a capital A. Maybe reconsider referring to Indigenous persons as “The aboriginal Australians” as well next time.

    1. Most Aussie’s do not eat kangaroo – they are traditionally hard to farm and animals taken from the wild can have disease (eg. worms) because they share pastures with domestic animals. Most Australian’s do not eat witchetty grubs either. So these are not iconic foods. But they are traditional Australian Aboriginal foods and as such they are an important part of our culture and identity as Australians. You need to be very careful about including Aboriginal Culture – because if you make the mistake of simply being ‘tokenistic’ you fail to respect the Aboriginal People and Aboriginal Culture, which is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve I’m sure. And what about Kebabs, Fried Rice, Curry? What about iconic Australian food that is eaten by almost all Australians and has its roots in other cultures other than English culture? These are the sorts of articles that subtly entrench racism within our communities and we need to be very watchful. This is a multi-cultural country – our nation was build through the hard working co-operative nature of MANY cultures who came together to build a new country. Our iconic food, like us, is a colourful mix from all cultures. It’s what makes Australia great! 🙂

      1. Hi Tiffany I’m sorry that you think this article contains subtle racism it certainly isn’t intended that way. It’s written by a backpacker for other backpackers and primarily mentions foods found in Australia that are not generally found elsewhere in the world. Most backpackers try kangaroo at some point (on tours they go on mainly) and are surprised to see it sold in the shops. The witchetty grub is also included as that, like kangaroo, is something backpackers are introduced to on tours and for British visitors on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Kebabs, curries and fried rice are found almost everywhere in the world so are not unique to Australia (or to just a few countries) so they weren’t mentioned as a visitor can eat them anywhere. This article was also written before avocados became ridiculously popular around the world so it is was quite new, at the time, to see avocado’s on so many menu’s.

  38. if you’re reviewing food and claiming to be something other than a personal blog, maybe be more professional and don’t call food disgusting. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it is disgusting.

  39. I’m an Australian and this is a very poorly written blog piece.

    Firstly, like a few others have said you didn’t add rissoles or Milo and you didn’t add prawns either.

    Secondly, like someone has stated most Australians don’t eat a lot of kangaroo and we certainly don’t eat a lot of emu or witchetty grubs. They are not very common foods on our menus.

    Thirdly, while I don’t believe you intended to do this you came off as a bit disrespectful towards the Aboriginal Australians (Aboriginal is spelled with capital A at the beginning not a lower case a)

    Lastly, visit again and get to know the Australian and the Aboriginal Australian culture a bit more.

  40. I am a U.S. citizen and had a good friend from Australia here in Idaho Falls, ID and he had a restaurant here so I have had most of the foods listed on this article. I love the meat pies they have in Australia. My Australia friend passed away from cancer and I miss him very much along with his food and restaurant..

    1. Omg Doug I’m so sorry that your friend passed away! Well at least he died having a friend as nice as you with him. May he rest in peace and we will all remember him. I’m sure he was a great man and he did nothing to deserve that. That must have been really hard for you to handle. But looking on the bright side at least you can make all of the food that he made and every time your’re making the food then picture it as if he is there with you making it too. Have a lovely day and make your day full of fun!!

  41. Yes Evie is totally right just do your best to remember him and say a prayer before bed for all of your family and him.

    R.I.P DOUG’S FRIEND
    😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

  42. “Throw another shrimp on the barbie” was a marketing slogan aimed at an American audience – that’s why Aussies don’t like it. Also, technically shrimp and prawns are not the same animal, they just look very similar.

  43. Vegemite is legendary if you know how to eat it properly, don’t shovel it in your mouth with a spoon or slather heaps onto a piece of toast, just put the thinnest layer on top of some melted butter on toast, that’s the Aussie way

  44. Australia didnt invent the meat pie the greeks did and thus forward it had been in europe for centuries before they discovered australia. Australias always claiming false facts

    1. The article doesn’t state Australians invented meat pies, it just states that meat pies are popular in Australia. But thanks for the fact.

  45. Hey, thanks for sharing this amazing post with us. I really appreciate your post and you explain each and every point very well.

  46. G’Day mates! …. Well, as an American, I am proud to say that I have quite a few friends from Australia. I do have one thing to say about this piece. To my Aussie friends, instead of taking such great offense at both the Yanks and the Canadians that might refer to the ANZAC as a “cookie” instead of a “biscuit”, I would strongly suggest that it would be much better to simply explain (without the indignation) the story behind the ANZACs. The tremendous toll that that WWI took upon Australia’s brave soldiers is not taught in US (and to a lesser extent Canadian) schools, so there is no background context for an American to understand why the discussion of ANZAC biscuits produces such impassioned debate and why it is consider a sacred food for our brother and sisters from down under. ANZACs are sold in many US Supermarkets, and are almost always sold in the “cookie” aisle. They are usually not that far from the Tim-Tams on the shelves. They almost within arms reach of the Oreo, Chip’s Ahoy, and other well known cookie brands on the shelf. There is no display signs which explaining the unique story that surrounds that item. While the label on packaging does tell the story, many American’s would not likely read all the little details on the label. So, to my Aussie friend’s, we American’s can fully appreciate the significant meaning behind the ANZAC biscuits, but you need to realize that not everyone in the world has been taught the reason why you feel so impassioned about the ANZACs…. Share the story, inform the masses, and please tone down the indignation…. .

  47. Hey guys or people which ever you prefer, anyway I’m an aussie, lived here all my life I have to say this is accurate I thought it would be some random person being an idiot but no this is correct and I have to say from a previous comment, yes we do spell it like vegemite and not vegimite, sorry but that’s just weird spelling it like vegimite. Anyway I have to recommend you come to Australia, of course after this whole covid-19 is over and we’ve recovered but Australia is a really good place to come to. And I’m sorry if this is offencive to anyone but people when tasting vegemite don’t take a whole chunk take a little bit then it will taste better. And another person I agree with further up is that I think that if you grow up with vegemite you do get used to it and like it more. And the thing with the avocados! As I said I’m an aussie and I don’t really like avos whereas my family LOVES them!! And yes all the things on the list at the very start you have to try!! So good and healthy you’ll love them!! And definitely check out our beaches and everything we’re famous for, definitely at night look up at our stars, they’re beautiful. Thanks for reading

  48. Americans are very familiar with meat pies except we call them pot pies which are popular and are readily available as a comfort food at sit-down restaurants like Marie Callender’s and Cracker Barrel and fast food joints like Boston Market. You’ll find a number of different brands of pot pies in the frozen food section of grocery stores, too.

    I’m an American, but I’ve visited Australia for many years and I’d say the only difference is our typical chicken or beef pot pie also has a generous inclusion of corn, peas, and carrots mixed in and aren’t as meaty; otherwise the American pot pie and the Australian meat pie taste and look basically the same.

    I’m not familiar with the Amazing Race episode where you mention the contestants, Americans I presume, gagged or wretched eating meat pies, but I’d have to assume it was the ingredients which caused that reaction otherwise it makes no sense as Americans love pot pies. What the contestants were required to eat was probably a meat pie made with kangaroo or even kidney, neither of which would go over well in the US and/or with Americans.

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