The ultimate guide to Fieldays freebies

By Holly O’Donnell

Want to know where the best Fieldays freebies are? Wintec journalism student, Holly O’Donnell set off on a three-hour sprint around Mystery Creek to find where the best free food, coffee and samples were.

One of main attractions for many punters heading to Fieldays NZ are the tastings and freebies. These little treats are scattered amongst the tractors, wellbeing hubs and farming innovations, as well as in the dedicated food hall, The Pantry.

These highly anticipated Fieldays freebies include coffee, drinks and tastings of locally made produce and artisan whisky. It’s all a way to discover new flavours, and make lasting connections with businesses.

Here’s Holly’s quick guide and top picks for some of the best freebies and tasting experiences, you can find at Mystery Creek this year.

First, the essentials

Coffee – Free barista coffees are available at Ford, Toyota, Fonterra, Rude Coffee, BNZ, and Milford Asset Management.

Holly’s top pick: Ford for the best variety on offer.

Non-alcoholic Drinks – Try Trade zone, Oh Bubbles, Fonterra and Coca Cola for free small bottles and cups to takeaway, or head to The Pantry to sample these drinks as giveaways. These are mostly given out in small paper cups and showcase New Zealand ingredients. Stalls include Quarterpast, Eden Juice, Lemon and Te Aroha, Tea Total, Mushborn, Zespri, Viberi, and Vital Zing

Holly’s top pick: Coca Cola “for the cute little bottles” and Eden Choice “the cherry juice stained my mouth the perfect red and tasted great.”

Alcohol – A huge range of alcohol is on offer over in The Pantry, with lots of samples available from over 17 brewers and distilleries, including Zealan, Remarkable Cream, Ruahine Ports, and Awildian. We’re told, 10am is the perfect time for a warming shot of whisky.

Holly’s top pick: The Bond Store, “who had the smoothest Limoncello I managed to get my hands on”.

Sauces, Condiments, and Spices – These are a huge trend this year, many with meat and cheese accompaniments ready for sampling. Over in The Pantry you’ll find a range of stalls including The Smoke Shed, Jenny’s Kitchen, Pepper & Me, Generation Honey, Hunt and Gather, Mushroom Mate, Te Mata Figs, Pics, and Cannonhill Gourmet.

Holly’s top pick: The Smoke Shed -“their dipping sausages and sauces  made getting elbows to the stomach from the crowd worth it”.

With all of this on offer, it’s time to choose a top 3 for value – selected for quantity & ease of access.

Holly’s Top 3 Fieldays Freebies

Fonterra takes the title with their free morning and afternoon tea baking, lunches, varieties of barista coffee, and bottled milk drinks all for the low price of a simple ‘thank you’ to the serving staff.

McDonalds comes in second, offering ice cream and hot apple pies to anyone who votes them as the best large outdoor site. Huge queues though.

Finally, in third, it’s J.Swap with their free coffee and cinnamon scrolls tucked away at the back of the tent. Swarms of people wanting a taste so word must be out.

With all the opportunities of free samples and food, it’s safe to say Holly’s Fieldays mission was accomplished, leaving site with a happy stomach and not a dollar spent.

*Other places offering samples were in The Pantry, pavilion and in the grounds.

• New Grandma’s No.1 Crackling
• Deli Smalls
• L’Authentique
• Base Camp Venison
• Biochar
• Humble and Whole
• Kiki Seed Cracker Mix
• Pretty Fancy Chocolate
• Heavenly Fudge
• Radix
• Kalon Digor
• Meadow Fresh