Last year, my dad and I embarked on a challenge: to walk the Te Araroa Trail (effectively the length of New Zealand). I know what you’re thinking - WOW, IMPRESSIVE. But let me explain.

Unlike other people who walk it in 3 - 6 months at a time, we have given ourselves a literal deadline.

Mission: Walk the Te Araroa Trail over our lifetime.

Keeping in mind my sustainable living and waste free tendencies, I’ve also embarked on a quest to make each of our trips less wasteful every time. Hiking food needs to be light, nutritious, filling, and easy. Most often this involves packaged meals and single-use plastic. I think it would be ironic to enjoy nature’s beauty while producing waste that harms it. So even though it seems like an impossible task, I am doing what I can to lower my hiking food waste while still eating well and keeping my food light and practical.

My research so far has involved talking to friends, following my dad’s wisdom, using up expired (plastic coated) meals from dad’s hiking supplies, and asking Instagram.

I’m no hiking expert or nutritionist and I certainly cannot call myself a hiker yet (we have only done 80km of our 3000km journey so far!) but in the spirit of sharing knowledge and helping you reduce your waste on your next outdoor adventure, here are some basic ideas for low waste hiking meals.

Note: If you’re in Aotearoa New Zealand and want an easy option, Local Dehy have 100% vegan meals in home compostable packaging (they are delicious and so filling!).

Breakfast

• Milk powder & cereal (DIY cereal from a package free store and choose a milk powder of your choice)

• Oats

• Bircher muesli

• Hard boiled eggs

• Dehydrated fruits (hydrate them with boiling water over your cereal)

• Flaxseed (also known as linseed) added to your cereal and/or oats

• Peanut butter, honey and granola wraps

Snacks

• Cucumber - high in nutrients and stays fresh for a while

• Billtong or Jerky (vegan options are available) - great for energy and light to carry

• Oats, chia seeds, and chopped dates - soak overnight for breakfast

• Carrots

• Murukku chickpea snacks

• Bliss balls

• Peanut butter

• Chocolate

• Fruit (e.g. mandarins and oranges)

• Hot cross buns with butter

• Trail mix (also known as SCROGGIN)

• Peanut butter bars

• Raw veggies

• Dehydrated peas

• Canned tuna with crackers

• Boiled eggs

• Salami, crackers and cheese

• Energy cookies: oats, banana, dark choc, nuts/seeds

• Seaweed snacks

• Dried apricots filled with peanut butter

• Dried pineapple

• Tomato and cheese crackers

• Wasabi peas

• Tamari almonds

• Chickpea banana muffins

• Popcorn

Lunch & Dinner

• Pita pockets (filled with salami and coleslaw or chutney and vegetables)

• Cheese, pesto and salami wraps

• Sandwiches

• Tortillas with peanut butter

• Peanut butter and jam bagels

• Black bean, quinoa, mayo, and capsicum wraps

• Cream cheese, capsicum, pesto and sun dried tomato bagels

• Cous cous

• Powdered mash potato’s (or regular precooked mashed potato)

• Crackers with avocado and Vegemite

• Tomato soup cans with gnocchi

• Pasta salad (cold)

• Dehydrated dahl

• Dehydrated soups