Dust off your cowboy boots, turn up the country music and get ready for a seriously delicious dinner. New Zealand is having a country moment, and HelloFresh is joining the fun with a limited-edition Country Cookout Box packed with smoky, sticky and Southern-inspired favourites.
Whether you’ve been embracing your inner cowgirl, adding country hits to your playlist or simply love an excuse to try something new for dinner, this latest offering from HelloFresh is bringing a taste of the American South straight to Kiwi kitchens.
And the timing couldn’t be better. Country music is enjoying a major resurgence across New Zealand, with two dedicated country radio stations launching in 2025, record entries at the NZ Gold Guitar Awards and attendance at Tussock Country increasing by 26 percent year on year.
Now, with the 2026/27 rodeo season getting underway, HelloFresh is making sure our dinner plates are getting in on the action too.
The new Country Cookout collection is all about big flavours without spending hours in the kitchen. Think smoky meats, creamy sides, loaded fries and a little something chocolatey to finish things off.
The menu features Tex-Mex Pulled Pork & Rodeo Rice Bowls with creamy corn slaw and Cheddar, alongside Glazed Louisiana Chicken & Creamy Potato Salad served with a refreshing pear-celery slaw.
For those who believe fries deserve to be the main event, the Ranch-Style Texan Beef Loaded Fries come topped with avo salad, charred onion and smoky aioli. There’s also Smokehouse Southern-Spiced Chicken with creamy parsnip-potato salad and corn slaw.
And because no proper cookout is complete without dessert, Double Chocolate Brownies are on the menu for a sweet finish.
The best part? You don’t need a barbecue, a cowboy hat or an entire afternoon of preparation to enjoy it all. HelloFresh has designed the collection to make bringing these flavours into your kitchen as easy as possible.
“We wanted Country Cookout to give Kiwis something a little different at dinnertime – big, bold flavours that are fun to eat but still easy to pull together,” said Hannah Gilbert, Head of Culinary at HelloFresh New Zealand.
“We’ve drawn on the smoky, sticky and comforting flavours associated with Southern-style cooking and turned them into meals that are simple to make at home. It’s an easy way to shake up the usual midweek dinner without adding more work to the evening.”
Whether you’re planning a country-themed dinner with friends or just looking to make your usual Tuesday night a little more exciting, this is one food trend we’re more than happy to get behind.
The limited-edition HelloFresh Country Cookout Box is available to order now until 3 November.
