i take your standard packets, flavored. it makes for an easy, fast breakfast. to me though, its kinda like eating flavored paste.

got any tips for improving the oatmeal eating experience?

Try oat groats. You can get them from coops or whole food stores. Put them in a nalgene bottle and soak them overnight. They take longer to cook, obviously, but they are sooooooooooooo much more nutritious and better tasting. Then if you like you can add cinnamon, dried fruit, milk, sugar, etc. yum!!

Kanoes - we usually eat oatmeal for breakfast too. We bring dried blueberries (although if you can find fresh blueberries - use them), cranberries and chopped nuts to add to the oatmeal. Also have brought powdered milk to add to the oatmeal.

quote mc2mens: "Kanoes - we usually eat oatmeal for breakfast too. We bring dried blueberries (although if you can find fresh blueberries - use them), cranberries and chopped nuts to add to the oatmeal. Also have brought powdered milk to add to the oatmeal."

I do the same at home. I use craisins, pecans, pumpkins seeds, sunflower seed. coconut flakes, and sometimes mix in a small amount of wild rice. Then I sweetened with maple syrup. I see no reason why this couldn't be done on a trip.

Add walnuts, cinnamon and raisins.

Kanoes - Best Ever ! Prepare your oatmeal to packet directions , add dried fruit ( apples , raisins , etc. ) stir in toasted almonds , top with a little maple syrup. Carry deep into the woods and bury. Then go make Cache Lake Biscuits and Gravy !

quote izzy: "Kanoes - Best Ever ! Prepare your oatmeal to packet directions , add dried fruit ( apples , raisins , etc. ) stir in toasted almonds , top with a little maple syrup. Carry deep into the woods and bury. Then go make Cache Lake Biscuits and Gravy !"

ROFLMAO Izzy... that's a good one.

dont encourage him. (that WAS funny though) :)

quote izzy: "Kanoes - Best Ever ! Prepare your oatmeal to packet directions , add dried fruit ( apples , raisins , etc. ) stir in toasted almonds , top with a little maple syrup. Carry deep into the woods and bury. Then go make Cache Lake Biscuits and Gravy !"

Funny...but i never understood the attraction to "gravy" at breakfast. Must be a southern thing?

I like the maple/brown sugar oatmeal packets. That and a Folgers Single gets me moving to the thunder box almost before I finish breakfast.

Walnuts, raisins, good for u, i also like dates. dried blues sound good thou as well. I try and have something good for u at least once a day, lol.

Bannock - it's nice to have a "trigger" you can count on.

don't take the packets those are "fast breakfasts for kids" stuff like the toaster waffle things.spend a extra couple bucks and get a good "high end" oatmeal like the Irish stuff that comes in a can.put it in zip locks with whatever..nuts,fruit..don't do the same for every one to mix up the meals a bit and your good.

Jazzed up Oatmeal is an oxymoron. Perhaps you could add vanilla. Actually I am going to try all of these ideas including the Irish oatmeal, unless it is green.

I added powdered peanut butter to my oatmeal. As I stated in another post here recently I have had gastric bypass and I need to get all the protein possible. This stuff has 85% less fat than ordinary peanut butter. My wife and son always think that I’m making chocolate oaties cookies as it always smells good.

I also take it camping as I don’t have to worry about those tubes coming apart a getting peanut butter all over my pack.

They sell it at Hy Vee here in North Iowa (one of the two here in Mason City), but you can look online to see where it is available in your neck of the woods. The also have another that has chocolate in it.

powdered peanut butter

I prefer peanut butter and raisins with mine! I will look into powdered peanut butter.

Not real good for you but we like chocolate chips or M&M's in ours.

Just as easy as instant oatmeal (well, nearly...you have to package it up yourself at home) is couscous with added dried fruit of choice and chopped walnuts. This will really fill you up!

Here is an example recipe.

I haven't made this one (the above link), but this would be very filling (I thought 1/2 c couscous was a lot). I do have a couple other recipes at home somewhere from the FBC book that I could type up, if I find the book. ;-) From memory, I would say it's like this:

1/2 c couscous (I'd get the whole wheat couscous)
1-2 T brown sugar
2 T dried fruit
2 T chopped walnuts, or nut of choice (if you want to be fancy, toast the nuts first)

Then add 1 c very hot water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Oh, and I think there was some cinnamon added in...maybe 1/2 teaspoon? Fluff it and eat it after it sits.

Otherwise I would use instant oatmeal packets, plain, and add some brown sugar, chopped walnuts and chopped dried apples.

Our version of Irish oatmeal- add two fingers of Bushmills! A real eye opener.....

Mc2mens - I never understood the gravy thing for breakfast either. But then Kanoes raved about the biscuits and gravy from Cache Lake so I tried it and it is good stuff. If you are going to Copia , Cache Lake offers free samples - you might be able to taste it there.

Here is a link to jazzed up oatmeal.

I think gravy goes with anything 24-7.

I have been on a an oatmeal kick for t he last couple of months. Here's what I do, I buy two of the large cylindrical containers of quick oats and pour them into a large ziplock bag. I then add 32 oz's of raisons and a large bag of slivered almonds and mix. At this point I toss one of the cylindrical containers. I then pour the concoction back into the remaining cardboard container and place in fridge and leave the extra in the large ziplock and place it in the freezer.

I have been eating this daily and have started to leave the added sugar out. It's a little bland, but has somewhat of a neutral flavor and texture, so I'm able to eat it daily. It will be my main breakfast food on all of my trips this summer.

It's cheap, easy, healthy.

I buy the cheap instant oatmeal sugar and cinnamin or cinnamin apple whatever not that picky...Then I dehydrate two fruits. Strawberries and bananna's I love em. I also add Nido Instant milk. I ussually eat two pkts per meal not one when camping for volume and added energy for the trail.
SunCatcher

Kanoes
I like a 7 grain oatmeal I get at the natural food dept in the grocery store. I like to add any kind of fruit, honey, chocolate, nuts, brown sugar etc. Last year Savagevoyager added a bag of dried apricots to it and they swelled up nicely, added great flavor and extra fiber.
I also put butter on mine (the real stuff not the fake margarine crap)
It adds a creamy taste.
Pikehunter

2 Five Hour Energy drinks instead of the water. I could pull my car to work after this breakfast!

quote RainGearRight: "2 Five Hour Energy drinks instead of the water. I could pull my car to work after this breakfast!"

Problem is once the car got to work what would it do? :)

Minute oatmeal is like paste....I pack 5 minute oatmeal which is coarser & longer to cook, I love it with rasins.

I just did this so know it works- eat while listening to A Love Supreme.

instant butter or cheese flavored grits with bacon bits. not the itty bitty bits but the larger pieces.

yeah grits, probably a southern thing.

flavored coffee creamer, french vanilla, is nice on oatmeal too.

but I do like Izzy's idea.

I like the taste/texture of Irish or steel cut oats...they just take forever to make. One tip if you are going to make them is to roast them in butter first until just the hint of a nutty smell and then add to water. Do not salt the oats untill they are just about done. I like to add pecans and dates with a little bit of buttermilk. never done this camping, only at home.

I buy the Quaker Oats instant variety packs,it is quick for mournings on the move,jazz it up with maple syrup,a little sugar,and cinnamon if we have it,I think honey would be good never bring that along though, and any dried fruit that we have

Put brown sugar in it and wash it down with coffee with a splash of whiskey on it.

Mix it with flour and Baking powder and make Bannock out of it. Then it wont taste like paste.