Fairy Bread Is the Magical Snack Australians Can't Get Enough Of (2024)

FAQs

What is Australia fairy bread? ›

Fairy bread, which can be traced back to Australia and New Zealand, is simply sliced white bread spread with butter and covered with multi-colored round "hundreds and thousands," the Australian term for sprinkles. It is then typically cut into triangles.

"It's nostalgic for Australian people cause it's what you'd have at birthday parties," Indigo Rampson, an Australian from Wentworth Falls, New South Wales, told Insider. Brittanie Stacpoole, who was born and raised in Western Australia, agreed. "Fairy bread was the staple of every birthday party," she said.

It's certainly not unusual to have never heard of fairy bread here in the United States, but take a trip across the Pacific and you'd be hard-pressed to find a true-blue Aussie who has never eaten or prepared this classic kids' party delicacy.

Does fairy bread taste good? Ask most children and the answer would be a big fat yes! (And a lot of adults still like it, too.) The contrast in textures between the topping and the bread is another thing kids love, as well as the slight saltiness of the butter paired with the sweetness of the hundreds and thousands.

The origin of the term is not known, but it may come from the poem 'Fairy Bread' in Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses published in 1885, and had been used for a number of different food items before the current usage.

Vegemite (/ˈvɛdʒimaɪt/ VEJ-ee-myte) is a thick, dark brown Australian food spread made from leftover brewers' yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives. It was developed by Cyril Callister in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1922, and it was first sold in stores on 25 October 1923.

In Australia and New Zealand, where Fairy Bread hails, for example, they're called "Hundreds & Thousands." And in Holland, they're "Hagelslag" (hail storm). In fact, the Dutch have their own version of Fairy Bread that also originated way back in the 1920's.

Fairy bread is an iconic kiwi party staple. For those of you outside NZ, it is white bread, spread with butter or margarine and covered in sprinkles.

Also known as “yellowman” in Northern Ireland, “fairy food candy” in Wisconsin, and “puff candy” in Scotland, the candy is made by combining sugar, a golden syrup and bicarbonate (or baking) soda. This final ingredient produces the candy's iconic texture.

The Australian term for sprinkles is also called “100's and 1000's” (pronounced hundreds and thousands). The bread is commonly served at children's parties and every single bakery in Australia and New Zealand.

How long does fairy bread last? ›

I recommend serving your fairy bread immediately to keep your bread from drying out or getting too soggy from the spread. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours, but I would eat it as soon as possible for the best flavor.

Vegemite is made of brewer's yeast, a by-product of beer production, and vegetable extract, to which are added salt, malt extract, and a range of B vitamins including niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin.

More than 800 consumers voted for their favourite brands of white bread, with Helga's Continental Bakehouse ($3.90) and Tip Top ($3.40) both tied for first place. The two popular brands both earned five stars for taste, texture and overall satisfaction.

History of National Fairy Bread Day

Fairy Bread Day was established as a way to delight in the simple things of life, specifically what Australians and New Zealanders would refer to as “fairy bread”.