Auckland is finding its gastronomic soul - so it's time to take your tastebuds on a tour.

Travellers on a tight budget in New Zealand say a lack of affordable healthy food has affected their weight since they arrived in the country - or prompted them to turn vegetarian.

Brazilian Shanay Bercot-Rodrigues said she has put on 12 kilograms since arriving in New Zealand three years ago, which she attributes in part to the "hell expensive" fresh fruit and salad here.

"Food is nowhere near as healthy as back home… and there's not a big variety," she said, adding that, when she eats out, she finds the food "quite greasy".

MURRAY WILSON/STUFF An English visitor said 'you end up carbing up' in NZ as vegetables are expensive. (file photo)

Working in hospitality in Queenstown, Bercot-Rodrigues said she eats mostly "cheaper food that gets cooked faster", such as pasta and fried foods.

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"I wish I could eat more salads and fruits but they are quite expensive."

Bercot-Rodrigues, who is in New Zealand on a sponsored work visa, believes her long working days may also be to blame, saying they leave her too tired, both mentally and physically, to exercise.

"During summer I hope to exercise more but it will depend on how much time I'll have left outside work because summer is really busy here if you work in hospitality."

ALASTAIR PAULIN/STUFF Classic NZ foods often aren't the healthiest.

An English visitor who preferred not be named said that, while she lost 9 kilograms while travelling through Asia, she has "definitely put weight on" in New Zealand.

"Veg is too expensive so you end up carbing up."

Canadian Luc Cowan agrees with Bercot-Rodrigues on the unhealthy front, saying he has noticed a lot of added sugar in food products in New Zealand.

"Products that don't need sugar such as peanut butter, sauces, dressings and yoghurt and it is unsuspecting unless you look at the ingredients. Kiwis seem to love their sweets."

Clarisse Monfort, from France, said she can see how those on a budget could put on weight in New Zealand.

NEIL HODGSON Cafe cabinets on the road don't always have a lot of healthy options.

"I think that it depends the way you live. Sometimes, maybe in winter, if you are living in a van without many equipment, it can be hard to cook so you can easily choose an alternative such as fast food."

Travellers who stay with Kiwi families, meanwhile, "might get influenced by their laidback way of living, which means for many, to not get bothered with cooking. So less veggies.. more fish and chips."

Two of those consulted said they find meat in New Zealand so expensive they avoid eating it or have cut it out of their diet completely.

Nikki Hayler from the UK said she has lost weight in New Zealand because she is "basically veggie now as the meat is really expensive".

Laura Penny from Scotland also said she and her partner have become vegetarian in New Zealand because they find meat too pricey - although she says there is "no noticeable weight gain (yet)!".

DON SCOTT/STUFF Some budget travellers say the lack of affordable healthy food in NZ has made them put on weight.

The "expensive" food here has made her more conscious of what she eats in general and she finds she eats more seasonally here due to pricing and availability.

On the flip side, "I have never in my life eaten so many pies. That's got to be a leading weight gain factor for a lot of people - how cheap and readily available delicious pies are!"

Two travellers who worked on farms in New Zealand said they had gained muscle rather than fat.

German Claudia Kacz said she turned "all" her fat into muscle and developed abs for the first time in her life.

"I've been on a farm for almost my whole time in New Zealand. I'm in love with the food here, especially the meat. You can taste the difference of the grass-fed and the home-killed meat is just the best. I've lost three kilos and I'm in the best shape of my life due to to farm work."

TOM LEE/STUFF One traveller said she's been able to maintain a healthy weight by limiting fish and chips to once a week.

Now weighing 47kg, she says she didn't actually need to lose weight and, with the amount she eats here, doesn't expect to lose any more.

"Im eating more than the six-foot farmer I worked for, which was really annoying for him!"

Some of those consulted said they had lost weight in New Zealand, with some attributing it to being more active here and preparing healthy meals themselves.

Frenchman Benjamin Dalbrut also said he had lost weight in New Zealand, attributing this to eating less than he used to because organic food is often expensive and restaurants generally don't cater well to vegetarians. He has also found that food in supermarkets often contains "pesticides, chemicals and sugar...

GEORGE HEARD/STUFF NZ tempts with its tasty pies.

"Once I bought sparkling water with sugar on it."

Being French, he admits he is "demanding" in terms of food, but thinks New Zealand cuisine is comparable in its poor quality only to that of the USA.

"Food is the reason why I will never suggest to anybody to stay in New Zealand more than the tourist visa allows. I am now looking forward to get back to France to remember what the flavour of food is. Otherwise you will probably enjoy the nature a lot but if you need proper food, only two choices: Spend dollars or run away."

Numi Stossner from Germany said she believes it's easy for budget travellers to put on weight in any country because of the cheap, often calorific food in hostels, "drinking almost every night" and wanting to try new foods.

"Also you're in the car a lot probably snacking. And while you're travelling you don't have a set routine so you just eat whenever you want."

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