Is "Sausage sizzle" only used for charity events?

In Australian or New Zealand English, is the term "Sausage sizzle" only used for charity events, as opposed to a BBQ that you're having with friends?

Wikipedia has an entry on sausage sizzle, but I don't trust it, as it describes a food item, as opposed to the event, as being the sausage sizzle, which I've never heard before. (Perhaps they're thinking of sausage sandwich - ironically, that page seems to have a more accurate definition of a sausage sizzle!)

Andrew Grimm

Posted 2013-08-11T11:36:10.833

Reputation: 5 696

1Urban dictionary says that one of the meaning of saussage sizzle is "a bbq, usually for fundraising purposes, at which cheap sausages are cooked and sold in bread for around $1.50." It doesn't say in which English dialect the phrase is used, though. – kiamlaluno – 2013-08-11T11:53:57.040

Answers

Yes, here in New Zealand, a sausage-sizzle is a fundraising event where cheap sausages are cooked on a grill or barbecue, served in a slice of sliced bread, sometimes garnished with fried onions and tomato ketchup or mustard and sold. Sausage sizzles are often found at DIY stores, school fairs and so on.

When inviting friends to our house for something similar we would call it a barbecue (often shortened to barbie.

It has to be said that what you buy from a sausage sizzle very rarely tastes as good as it smells ;-)

Derek Knight

Posted 2013-08-11T11:36:10.833

Reputation: 567