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Every tramper learns the same lesson eventually: food is one of the heaviest things in your pack, and the one you cannot skimp on. Pack too little and you are flat by the second climb. Pack too much and you are hauling spare kilos hut to hut. The trick is choosing food that gives you the most energy and protein for every gram on your back.
The short answer
- Think calories per gram. Fatty, dense foods like nuts and chocolate give you the most energy for their weight.
- Carry protein in snack form. Protein bars and coated nuts keep you fuller and help your legs recover overnight.
- Add a couple of gels for big climbs or long days when chewing feels like a chore.
- Pack it all out. Every wrapper comes home with you.
How much food per day
A common rule of thumb is to plan around 700g to 1kg of food per person per day on a multi-day tramp. Where you land depends on the track, the weather and your appetite. Cold, wet days and big climbs push you to the upper end.
The easiest way to keep weight down is the calories-per-gram mindset. Fat carries roughly twice the energy per gram of carbs or protein, which is why nuts, nut butters and chocolate punch above their weight. Watery foods like fresh fruit are lovely on day one, but heavy for what they give you.
A few carry-weight tips that help:
- Repack everything into zip-lock bags and ditch bulky cardboard boxes at home.
- Portion by day so you are not rummaging through a food bag at every stop.
- Keep snacks in your hip belt or lid pocket so you actually eat them while moving.
- Take a little extra, not a lot. One spare day of snacks is sensible insurance if the weather holds you in a hut.
Snacks that earn their weight
Protein bars. Hard to beat for protein per gram. The Smart Bar gives you around 20g of protein with no added sugar, and the Caramel Honey Macadamia flavour tastes like a proper treat after a long climb. The Quest Bar Choc Brownie also has around 20g of protein and plenty of fibre. If you want something with a crunchy, chocolate-coated bite, the Grenade Oreo bar is a morale booster. On hot days, chocolate-coated bars can soften, so stash them deep in your pack.
Coated nuts. Vitawerx coated almonds are roasted nuts in sugar-free milk chocolate boosted with whey isolate. You get the fat from the nuts, a protein hit and a chocolate fix in a 60g bag. They are also gluten free.
Powdered peanut butter. Real peanut butter is great but heavy and messy. Macro Mike Powdered PB is peanut and faba bean protein in powder form. A 12g serve gives about 6g of protein for about 44 calories, and the 156g jar holds 13 serves. Add a splash of water to make a spread when you need it.
Energy gels. A gel is the lightest way to top up fast carbs on a big climb. The Fresh Supps Isotonic Gel is designed to go down easily without needing a big drink of water afterwards, which matters when your next water source is an hour away. Two or three per trip is usually plenty. Our energy gels explained post covers how gels work in more detail.
Protein at the hut
Dinner at the hut is where your legs start rebuilding for tomorrow, so it is worth including some protein alongside the carbs.
Good lightweight options:
- Powdered PB on crackers or wraps. Mix it in a cup with a little water. Cheap, light and filling.
- A protein bar as dessert. Easier than cooking another course, and it gives your dinner a solid protein boost.
- Single-serve protein. A pre-portioned bag of protein powder mixed into porridge or a hot drink the next morning works well. Just mix it into a paste with a little cool water first so it does not clump.
You do not need to hit gym-level protein targets on a tramp. A protein source at each meal and one or two in your snacks is plenty.
A sample 3-day snack plan
| Day | Morning snacks | Afternoon snacks | At the hut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Smart Bar | Coated almonds | Powdered PB on crackers |
| Day 2 | Quest Bar | Isotonic gel, coated nuts | Grenade bar for dessert |
| Day 3 | Smart Bar | Isotonic gel for the last climb | Home for fish and chips |
Build your meals around this with your usual breakfast and dinner. Swap flavours day to day so snack time stays something to look forward to.
Do not forget water and salt. On hot or sweaty days, electrolytes make a real difference, and our guide to electrolytes for hiking covers what to pack.
Rubbish: pack it out
The rule on New Zealand tracks is simple: pack it in, pack it out. Every wrapper, gel sachet and bag goes home with you. The easy fix is a dedicated rubbish bag, usually a spare zip-lock, that lives in the same spot in your pack. Gel sachets are sticky, so roll them up and seal them.
Where NZ Supps fits
We stock a big range of protein bars, Fresh Supps gels and other protein foods, and we ship anywhere in New Zealand with free shipping over $70. That makes it easy to stock up a week before a Great Walk.
Want more ideas for everyday snacking? Our guide to the best protein snacks in NZ has plenty. And if you want a supplement routine that fits your training off the track, try the Find Your Stack quiz.
FAQ
How much food should I take per day tramping? Many trampers plan on somewhere around 700g to 1kg of food per person per day, depending on the track, the weather and how big an eater you are. Energy-dense foods let you stay at the lower end without going hungry.
What are the best snacks for a Great Walk? Pick snacks that are light, calorie-dense and do not crush: protein bars, chocolate-coated nuts, nut butters, dried fruit and a couple of energy gels for big climbs. Mix sweet and savoury so you do not get sick of one flavour by day two.
Are protein bars good for tramping? Yes. A bar like a Smart Bar or Quest Bar gives you around 20g of protein in a small, packable wrapper, which is hard to match with regular food. On warm days, keep chocolate-coated bars deep in your pack so they do not soften.
Do I need energy gels for tramping? Not for an easy day walk. On long climbs or big days, a gel is a light, quick way to top up carbs when you do not feel like eating. Isotonic gels like Fresh Supps are designed to go down without a big drink of water.
How do I get enough protein on a multi-day tramp? Plan a protein hit at each meal and one or two in your snacks. Protein bars, coated nuts and powdered peanut butter on crackers are all light options that travel well to the hut.
