Is spaghetti Australia’s national dish?

Roast Lamb (Photo credit: Ian Fuller)

I’ve often wondered what dish really defines Australian cuisine.  Oh, and by the way, when I say dish, I am not talking about a plate, I’m talking about a meal.

Many years ago I was quite, what can I say, annoyed, when one of my students, actually a number of students, discussed their national dishes with ease, but when one girl (Rose if you’re reading!) questioned whether Australia had a national dish and I had real trouble identifying one definitive Aussie meal served for special occasions.

Some would say our national dish is roast lamb with roast potatoes, pumpkin and onion and boiled peas with gravy and mint sauce. This classic Aussie dish came with the British colonialists and has been a popular favourite since, especially for ‘Sunday Roast’ or other special occasions.

But, what do Australians eat the most?  What would most families, of many different backgrounds eat at least once a fortnight?  What can you get more than anything in restaurants?  I would like to  put in a vote for spag bol, as we sometimes call it.  Michelle in the blog link below reckons that we do eat a lot of spaghetti here, but I couldn’t get her to agree on it being a national dish.  Have a read of her post and tell me what you think.

Australia’s Food Habit | Michelles’s blog.