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What is Australian food?

Australian food is both tasty and varied. Australia is a relatively new country. However, in its small history, it has adapted many cuisines from its large immigrant population. Moreover, in many cases it has created many foods from its natural environment. Yet, other foods are inspired from the cuisine of overseas countries as a result of our large immigrant population.

In Australia’s largest cities, namely Sydney and Melbourne, you may dine on the cuisine from most countries and major regional areas. In Australia, the food often tastes better than in the original country due to the abundance and diversity or fresh produce.

Australia is a land of fresh food. Because of its wide variety of climates, it is largely self sufficient in its food needs. Following is a list of many foods that are either unique to Australia or were developed in Australia.

Breakfasts

Vegemite

Vegemite on toast is a black spread made from vegetable oil that many Australians eat religiously. It is not readily available overseas and locals often send it to Australian family and friends living overseas. The trick to this Australian food is to spread it on lightly unlike other spreads.

Avocado on toast

Avocado on toast is available in many cafes for breakfast. This is just avocado is spread onto a slice of toast.

Bacon and Egg Roll

Bacon and egg rolls are very common in breakfast cafes. However, you can make your own with a slice of bacon, a fried egg, some barbecue sauce and a soft roll. 

Mains and Snacks – The Australian food

Mains

Barbeques

Barbecues are very common in Australia and are considered very much Australian food. However, apart from Paul Hogan, nobody has ever said “Let’s put a shrimp on the barbie“. This is because we don’t call them shrimps. We have prawns instead. Normally, we cook “snags” aka sausages, and steak (both lamb and beef). Some also cook prawns, vegetarian, kangaroo and other meats on the barbecue. When inviting friends over during summer, it is the Australian food of choice.

Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken parmigiana is a chicken schnitzel or ‘chicken schnitty‘ with ham, cheese and a tomato sauce inside the crumbed outer sheath. The schnitzel originally hales from Germany. However, the addition of the  ham, cheese and tomato possibly is a result of a high population of Italian immigrants at one time.

San Choi Bau

San Choi Bau is an Australian food dish found in many Chinese restaurants in Australia. However, it is not found in China. This is because it was developed in Australia as a result of the large Chinese immigrant population. Basically it wraps pork mince, peanut oil and some sauces in lettuce leaves.

Kangaroo

Kangaroo, whilst not as mainstream as beef or lamb is not only available in restaurants but available in the county’s two largest supermarkets Coles and Woolworths. This Australian food is not only tasty it is better for you than traditional lamb or beef due to its low fat and cholesterol content.

Hamburger with the lot

Hamburger with the lot, is an Australian hamburger consisting of a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, egg, cheese, caramelised onion, bacon and beetroot. No hamburger with the lot is truly Australian without the beetroot.

Emu and Crocodile

Emu and Crocodile may also be found in some boutique restaurants.

Whilst many Brits see Fish ‘n’ Chips as British, in Australia, the quality of our fish makes it unique. Our Barramundi, Flathead, Bream and Whiting is quite flavoursome compared to the English Halibut or Cod. Furthermore, in Australia, fish is often grilled or crumbed instead of just being deep fried.

Snacks

The Australian Dim Sim is deep fried and larger than the Chinese dim sim.

Meat pies, sausage rolls and sausage sandwiches are staple foods at carnivals and sports events. In days past, chiko rolls and dagwood dogs were also quite popular.

Damper is a traditional bushman’s bread prepared with flour, water, and salt and then left to cook in the embers of the campfire. 

Desserts

Lamington

A Lamington is squares of sponge cake coated in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut. 

Chocolate Crackle

The Chocolate crackle is a children’s party favourite (also found in school fetes) in Australia and has been for generations. It is a baked snack that combines Rice Bubbles, fine coconut, icing sugar, cocoa and Copha.

Neenish Tart

A Neenish tart has a pastry base, a filling of mock cream, icing sugar paste, or lemon and sweetened condensed milk mixture, with bi-colour dried icing on the top.

Pavlova

Pavlova is a meringue dessert with a crisp crust and soft, light inside, usually topped with whipped cream and fruit. It takes its name from the Russian ballerina when she toured Australia.

Vanilla Slice

Vanilla slice is a slice of thick vanilla flavoured custard sandwiched between flaky pastry and topped with icing. It is available in most bakeries in Australia. 

Fairy Bread

Fairy Bread is a slice of white bread with margarine topped with hundreds and thousands and is a popular staple at children’s parties.

Drinks

Alcoholic

Australia is the fifth largest exporter of wine around the world, holding its own against far more established players.

Many around Australia enjoy Australian beer, with each state having its own preference. The quality of the beer is well renowned.

Coffee

On the coffee side, both the Long Black and Flat White originate in Australia. The Flat White is a coffee variety that has a double shot of freshly brewed espresso and milk, which is usually steamed to create a light, silky foam on the surface. The Long Black is an espresso shot prepared by pouring or directly extracting the espresso into a cup of hot water.

Soft Drink

Solo, a lemon flavoured soft drink and Milo, a chocolate flavoured milk additive are also Australian.

Lemon Lime and bitters is a cocktail made with a combination of lemonade, lime juice cordial, and Angostura bitters garnished with a lemon or lime slice. Whilst the bitters is alcoholic, due to the low alcohol content, it is regarded as ore of a soft drink.

Ice Creams

The Golden Gaytime is a popular ice cream combination of toffee and vanilla flavoured ice cream, dipped in a choc coating and covered in biscuit pieces. Streets make and distribute it.

Splice is an ice cream encased in a pineapple and lime frozen fruit flavoured ice. At the centre of the ice cream is a wooden stick for ease of consumption. 

The Weiss bar is a pairing of a normally fruit flavour and creamy ice cream in the shape of a bar.  Popular flavours include passionfruit and coconut, and blackberry and vanilla.

Biscuits

Australian biscuits include Anzac biscuits, Iced VoVo and Tim Tam

Snackfoods

Burger Rings, Twisties (both cheese and chicken flavoured) and Cheezels are snack food chips that originate from here.

We have a number of unique chocolate snack foods that have originated here such as Freddo Frogs, Bertie Beetles, Caramello Koala, Cherry Ripe, Chomp, Violet Crumble and Picnic.

As well as a number of other confectioneries such as Eucalyptus Drops, Fantales, Fruit tingles, Milko Chews, Minties, Musk sticks and Redskins.

Make sure you sample some of our Australian food when you are in Australia.

Traditional Australian Food

In addition to the foods already mentioned, native Australians eat goanna (protected species), snake, lizard, wallaby, witchetty grubs, Bogong moths, green ants, Quandong, bush tomato, yams and macadamia nuts and have been for a very long time.

A note about Shrimp on the Barbie

Shrimp on the barbie was a television advertising campaign that was launched by Australian Tourism Commission. It starred Paul Hogan. It launched in the mid-80s to appeal to the American market. However the word ‘shrimp’ is not normally used in Australia. In fact most barbecues traditionally cook red meat (mainly steak and snags [sausages]). Aussie’s do like a ‘Surf & Turf’ which is a grilled seafood and meat combination dish that may have prawns as the seafood.

Sydney Restaurants that sell Australian Food

Many pubs and clubs offer Chicken Parmigiana and Hamburgers with the lot.

Other Links

The following links may also interest you:

Australian Film

Actors (Australian)

Television (Australian)

Musicians (Australian)

Australian Slang

Sydney Wildlife

Sydney Events