Tramping food: St James Walkway: Food for the trip

Tramping menu for the St James Walkway

Here is the food I am taking with me for my 5 day tramp around the St James Walkway this week. I have been tweaking my tramping food requirements as I look for variety and add a few more calories per day. I've added an extra snack per day as well as adding some extra drinks for re hydration.

The view from Ada Pass Hut veranda, St James Walkway

I try to keep to the "golden" 700gms of tramping food per day rule, this should provide enough energy to propel me on my way. The 700gm rule was thought up by the Peninsula Tramping Club (attributed to Geoff Spearpoint a notable member of that group) as a good average to aim for when planning food requirements.

Packed as a 24 hour 'ration'

I like to pack my tramping food in a 24 hour "ration", it is in a plastic bag and contains all the items I will use in a 24 hour period. This is very military but I find it keeps things better organised than the "everything in one big bag" method of tramping food rationing. 

Backcountry Cuisine have a 24 hour packed ration

My five day tramping menu:

Here is my five day tramping menu broken down into day by day rations....

Tramping Food: Day 1

Instant mash is one of my go to tramping meals...it can be paired with vegetables, meat, cheese, gravy, fish...basically whatever you want to chuck in with it. Super easy to prepare, just add hot water and stir...and packed full of carbs to keep you tramping. It is good for both breakfast and dinner..prepare it in its own plastic bag to avoid mess. 

Tramping food- Day 1

Breakfast:  At home (I often buy MacDonalds Breakfast on the way out of town)

Lunch: Crackers + peanut butter + electrolyte drink

Snacks: le snack + raisin's + Steak bar + Special K biscuits

Dinner: Cheesy spud + Spam n' vege's ( re hydrated and mixed together = yum!) + chicken noodle soup + Refresh sachet (orange)

Extras:  Water purification tablets + salt + pot scrubber + chewing gum

Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (760gms total)

Tramping Food: Day 2

I will take freeze dried meals with me if he trip is going to last for over three days..it is hard to argue with the convenience of these meals. I would much rather have 'fresh' food alas fresh food is very heavy and more difficult to prepare. The mashed spuds are to add some more carbohydrates to the main meal which did not have any pasta, potatoes or grains with it. 

Tramping food- Day 2

Breakfast:  Cream o' wheat + raisins + 1t sugar/milk powder + Tea

Lunch: Crackers + Pate + electrolyte drink

Snacks: Peanuts + Special K biscuit + scroggin pack+ Steak bar

Dinner: BCC Chicken a la King + mashed spuds + Miso soup + Refresh sachet (lemon/lime)

Extras: Puri Tabs + salt + pot scrubber

Nestle Iced Tea + tea ( 1 T sugar) (710gms total)

Tramping Food: Day 3

Tuna fish is the ambrosia of the gods for trampers especially if you get the type with olive oil added to it. Good for lunches and as a dinner addition. I prefer plain tuna unfortunately all the packet tuna we Kiwis can buy is weird...like peri peri spiced, with loathsome coconut or ground rhino testicles added...yeercckkkk!!! Just give us some plain tuna you arses!

Tramping food- Day 3

Breakfast:  Porridge +1t sugar/milk powder + raisins + Tea

Lunch: Crackers + Tuna + electrolyte drink

Snacks: Peanuts (honey roasted) + raisin's + steak bar + cheese quarter

Dinner: Chicken noodles w. beef and vege's + Spring vege soup + Refresh sachet (orange)

Extras: Puri tabs + salt + pot scrubber + chewing gum

Nestle Iced Tea + Cappuccino sachet + tea ( 1 T sugar) (730gms total)

Tramping Food: Day 4: Longest day on this tramp, 17 km's (6-8 hours)

At the end of a long hard tramping day I just want something quick and easy to prepare...freeze dried Spag Bol fits like a glove. You should never discount the reviving power of some drinks...tea, coffee, hot chocolate, electrolyte drinks and powdered fruit drinks..they are all good. I also enjoy a cup of soup in the late afternoon as a precursor to my dinner.

Tramping food- Day 4

Tramping food- Day 4 close-up

Breakfast:  Porridge + 1t sugar/milk powder + raisins + Tea

Lunch: Crackers + peanut butter + electrolyte drink

Snacks: le snack + raisin's + peanut M & M's + Steak bar

Dinner: BCC Spag Bolognaise + tinned herrings ( I like them) + Beef soup + Refresh sachet (lemon/lime)

Extras: Puri tabs + salt + scrubber + 3x fruit chews (candy)

Nestle Iced Tea + Cappuccino sachet + tea ( 1 T sugar) (720gms total)

I'm going to be buggered by the end of this day so just want something quick and tasty for dinner.

Tramping Food: Day 5: Last Day of the tramp (only Breakfast and snacks)

I sometimes eat freeze dried meals for breakfast but not on a regular basis, I usually go for the blander meals; Cooked Breakfast, Scrambled Eggs, Nasi Goreng (rice, veges and eggs) & Creamy Carbonara. I actually switched meals..I gave the Honey Soy Chicken to the TA trampers and had left over crackers and peanut butter for breakfast instead. 

Tramping food- Day 5

Breakfast:  BCC Honey Soy Chicken (2 serve) + tea (1T Sugar)

Snacks: Le Snack + raisin's + Nut Bar+ cheese quarter  (320gms total)

Tramping food- 5 Days + my lunch crackers

All up the food and sundries for this 5 day trip weight 2.7 kg's, or roughly 650 gm's per day.

Post Script: The breakfasts and main meals were fine but too many snacks taken. I ate my tinned herrings on my crackers on day three instead of the peanut butter. Loved the crackers which have now gone out of production....as usual! I had crackers and peanut butter for breakfast on the last day...they were tasty.

Both the Nestle Iced Tea and crackers are no longer available in New Zealand...more is the pity because both of them were excellent.

I ended up giving a bag of 5-6 snacks, one main meal and some drinks to a group of hungry Te Araroa Trail trekkers who were short of food. Better that carrying around useless weight and I like to help people out.

The Henry River Valley sweltering under 32 degree temperatures, St James Walkway

A combination of  warm weather, a trip shortened by one day and lack of appetite meant I didn't use all these calories.  I've adjusted my amounts and now take 2-3 snacks per day.