Hey Jake, you'll find prepared food in Europe very expensive by NZ/AUS standards, but the supermarkets aren't too bad.

If you're a cheap skate like me you'll find a cooker well worth the trouble in Europe. I've had experience with Coleman, MSR, Optimus and Trangia after years in the hiking clubs. They are all very good cookers and they won't let you down...

All you need to go down to your local shop and compare physical size, fuel use and type, output power etc and figure out what suits your needs best. I like the small Coleman for motorcycle travel becasue it runs on petrol without any problems for extended periods. I like the MSR for hiking becasue the fuel bottle and cooker are separate, making it slightly easier to pack into small spaces.

Trangias are good for hiking too becasue of their simplicity when your 2 weeks away from spare parts.

The Optimus is also a bulletproof performer. I had one for a number of years and was great. Lighting them can be a bit hairy though, and it's easy to get it wrong at times setting fire to people and property. The fuel tanks are also quite small.

The camping Gaz models are popular in Europe, but I'm not a fan of them becasue they crap out in the cold.

The difference between what Aussies and Kiwis consider roughing it and what Euros consider roughing it are quite staggering. In my opinion the Gaz models are designed for soft core European campers who are operating at sea level on a family holiday in summer....