If we can't win on the field, there's always the kitchen

New Zealand's meat pie is currently coming second to Italy's pizza in an online poll pitting World Cup teams' cuisines against one another. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A Los Angeles-based blogger is providing the 32 countries competing in the Fifa World Cup with an alternative to football victory.

Sarah Sprague, who writes under the nome de plume 'TheStarterWife' on her blog, is running a poll to determine which of the competing countries has the best cuisine.

The countries have been arranged according to their Fifa World Cup group draws, with readers asked to vote for what they think is the best cuisine in each group.

Sprague acknowledges not everyone will agree with her choices for each country's 'national dish'.

"If you are unhappy with the food selected to best represent your country - yes, I heard you loud and clear Beans on Toast eaters [England] - then just imagine I picked your favourite food and vote anyway," she wrote.

In the first round New Zealand's dish - the meat pie - is up against Zemiakové Placky (potato pancakes) from Slovenia, Sopa Parguaya (Paraguayan corn bread) and pizza (representing Italy).

Italy's cuisine is currently out in front with 69 per cent of the Group F votes. New Zealand is coming a distant second with the meat pie garnering just 17 per cent.

The closest competition currently is among the Group H teams, with Switzerland's fondue on 34.9 per cent, just ahead of Spain's pinxtos (bread-based bar snacks) on 29.4 per cent.

Germany has a decent majority in the Group D category with its wurst (sausage) claiming more than 52 per cent of the votes. Australia is currently last in that category, with just 10.3 per cent of voters giving their approval to its Violet Crumble (a chocolate bar).

However the largest margin in any group is that of the United States (Group C), where the humble hamburger has so far gained 85 per cent of the votes.

The initial polls close at midnight (US time) on June 25 - the last day of round one play.

- NZ HERALD STAFF