When I created this mix, I was looking for the ideal backpacking breakfast. For years I ate Quaker Instant Oat packets in the back country because they were light weight and easy, and you can pour hot water directly into the bags for a “no dishes” meal (which is a major bonus)! But the portion sizes were tiny and they were way too sweet for me. Sugar made up the bulk of the calories in each pack and would not provide the long term energy needed for hiking 8-12 miles while carrying 40lbs. My criteria for this Back Country Oatmeal was:
- the mix had to be shelf stable
- it had to be “just add water”
- it had to be highly nutritious, with protein, fat and fiber.
This oatmeal mix is all that. It is creamy, comforting and packed with nutrition. I made up a batch before my baby was born for a week or two of easy postpartum breakfasts to aid in recovery, because let’s face it, the energy needs of childbirth and recovery are right up there with doing a 40 mile trek.
This oatmeal mix is great to have on hand if you are expecting power outages. I live in an area in California prone to wildfire and Public Safety Power Outages that leave us without power for days on end, multiple times during the fall, and have turned me into somewhat of a “prepper”. I keep our kitchen stocked with this from September to November. As long as you can boil water you can make this delicious breakfast for your family out of items you can store in your pantry. If you have an electric stove, you’ll need to use your camp stove.
One batch is good for 16 servings, or 4 days for a family of 4. You could make up to a months worth but I wouldn’t recommend making more than that if you are using flax or hemp seeds. These seeds are best stored in the fridge long term and will start to lose their quality if stored at room temperature over a prolonged amount of time.
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The Best Back Country Oatmeal Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 16 large servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: boiling
- Cuisine: Camping
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This oatmeal is perfect for backpacking and camping. Creamy, comforting and full of nutrients to provide you with energy all day. This recipe makes a shelf stable mix. Just add boiling water. Perfect to have on hand for busy mornings too.
Ingredients
7 cups Quaker Quick Oats
1 cup seeds (flax, chia and/or hemp, or more oatmeal if you don’t have the seeds)
1 1/2 cups dry milk powder
3 cups chopped dried fruit (apples, craisins, dried cherries, currants, and/or etc)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground clove
3 cups chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black sesame seeds, etc)
2 t salt
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup unflavored gelatin (optional)
1/2 cup pea protein powder or whey protein powder(optional)
Instructions
This shelf stable mix is easy to make. Just add boiling water to serve.
Mix all ingredients except water together.
Portion out a cup per serving into a bowl. Stir in 1 scant cup boiling water over each portion of dry mix, stir and cover tightly (with lid or plate or whatever else you have sitting around) and let sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy.
Store remaining dry mix in a plastic bag or air tight storage container for up to a month.
Notes
Unflavored gelatin is a great source of collagen, an important nutrient for recovery and inflammation as well as joint, muscles, bone, skin, and hair health.
1/2 cup mix and 1/2 cup water is a good portion size for kids.
Sounds delicious. Do you use quick oats or old fashioned oats?
Hi Leslie,
Great question. Quick oats. I’ll update the post to clarify that.
Looks delicious, I want to try and make this. How long does this keep? Also, is there a non-dairy substitute for the dry milk powder? Thanks!!!
Hi Dede,
Thanks for your comment! This lasts for at least 1 month at room temperature. You could omit the milk powder for a less creamy version or use a non-dairy creamer powder like Laird non-dairy protein powder, or your favorite non-dairy protein powder.
This sounds delicious. I love the sound of the cinnamon and cloves in this.
What a healthy nutritious recipe!! I love how easy you have made this and the sound of the backpacking breakfast food is highly appropriate. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it. Cheers!
That sounds delicious!
Did you know you get more nutrients from flax seeds if you grind them first? I used to add them as seeds but now I whizz them up in my blender to add to my porridge.
Hi Jacqueline,
Thanks for the tip. In my next batch I’ll use flax meal and if it turns out great I’ll update the post to list that as an option.
Cheers,
Kara
Hello, I’m planning calories for a traverse. What are the calories per serving for this recipe?
What a lovely list of ingredients. Sounds healthy and I love that it is so easy to make. Love the idea of carrying it along as a back pack or definitely an option for a healthy snack.
This sounds amazing and although I’m not camping nor a back packer I’m going to try this anyway.
A good example of how making something yourself winds up being so much healthier than something that is pre-packaged! Some that can get you through 10 miles or so of hiking is definitely nutritions! And looks like it tastes gret too.
Just came back from a 5 days hike and this sustained us, was easy and delicious !
We brought 1 recipe which should have been 16 portions as per the recipe, but technically only needed 8 portions (4 breakfast – 2 adults. )
We did end up having a little too much (Maybe 2 portions.) and definitely enjoyed the extra food as we only had snacks for lunches. I would recommend trying it out at home first to determine how much you would need for a hike (and if you prefer a little bit more sweet.)
We decided to keep a container of this at home for regular life !
Thank you for the great recipe ! –
Thank you for this recipe! I went dry-camping for 4 days and this recipe was everything I needed. I’m still eating it for breakfast on a daily basis because it’s just so good. 🙂
Hi Abby,
I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi. Just wondering if the oil doesnt affect the shelf life?
Hi Sheila, most oils have a shelf life of 1-2 years at room temperature. The nuts and seeds will go bad before then. I recommend using this oatmeal within a month after it’s made so the shelf life of the ingredients shouldn’t be an issue for you. I also would not leave it in a hot car or out in the sun for prolonged periods of time.
Shelf life will always be affected by the shelf life of the ingredients used. Most vegetable based oils have a shelf life of 2 years at room temperature. Coconut oil after being opened is around 18 months. This recipe is intended to be used within a month of making it (if kept at room temperature). You could make a bigger batch and store some in the freezer. So shelf life shoudn’t be an issue for you.