Loaded Instant Oatmeal
Two packets of instant oatmeal doing real work: milk powder, dates, cranberries, almonds.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 3.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 149
- protein
- 13 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 3 min
- total time
- 5 min
- water
- 240 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Breakfast
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Bikepacking
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant oatmeal packets | 2 packets | plain or flavored, both work |
|---|---|---|
| Brown sugar | 2 tbsp | |
| Powdered milk | 1 tbsp | |
| Dried cranberries | 1 tbsp | |
| Dried dates | 1 tbsp | chopped small at home |
| Almonds | 1 tbsp | chopped |
Method
- Boil about 240 ml of water. Let it come off the boil for a few seconds so the bag does not soften.
- Pour the water into the freezer bag with the mix and stir it through to the corners.
- Seal the bag, wrap it in a cozy or a spare fleece, and leave it five minutes.
- Stir again and eat straight from the bag.
Instant oatmeal on its own is thin and gone in twenty minutes. The four additions fix that separately: milk powder gives it body and a little protein, dates bring dense sugar that dissolves into the mash, almonds add fat and something to chew, cranberries cut the sweetness.
The five minutes in a cozy matter more than they look. Instant oats hydrate fast but the dates and cranberries do not, and pulling the bag early leaves you with hard fruit in soft porridge. Off-the-boil water is deliberate too, since full-boil water against thin freezer bag plastic is how bags fail in your lap.
Packing
Everything goes into one pint freezer bag at home. Write "1 cup water" on the outside so you are not guessing at 6 a.m.
Variations
- Swap in soy or coconut milk powder and a vegan oatmeal packet to make it vegan.
- An insulated mug works in place of the bag. Same water, same five minutes, cover it tight.
- A tablespoon of oil or nut butter pushes it past 700 calories if you are burning hard.
https://trailcooking.com/breakfast/cyndihs-super-oatmeal