Quick & Easy: Breakfast On The Trail
The Most Important Meal Of The Day
Limiting this concept of breakfast to hiking, backpacking and camping would be a mistake. Application of this easy breakfast concept should be seen as an almost universal option for on and off the trail. Let’s take a look at a few lightweight options that have proven useful in our experience at livesoutside.com. Our goal with this post is to have options for a breakfast which is quick, easy and requires little cleanup. To do this we will take inspiration from lessons learned as well as military style rations from around the world. Let us dig in and begin!
Our Criteria: Weight, Calories & Ease Of Prep
When planning a quick breakfast on the trail away from the car and kitchen our focus is on weight, calories and ease of preparation. Any one aspect can take precedence over another as we decide what we need. In regards to weight, we want something that is as lightweight as possible which still fulfills calorie and east of prep requirements. Weight is often saved via dehydration where the water is removed. Fats are our friend here- they pack the most calories by weight and can be metabolized easily as we use a large amounts of energy on the trail. Something which requires little to prepare and clean is ideal. A dish, utensil and cup is a minimal amount of gear to use and clean. Anything additional is added weight and time that we may or may not wish to use for breakfast.
Oatmeal & Almond Butter
One of the most simple and easy meals I have made on trail is simply oatmeal and almond butter. This can be made with or without use of a fire, requires only two pieces to prepare and is simple to clean. I will start by first heating water in the bowl or dish. When the water is heated I will mix everything together and let it sit for a minute or two before eating. When I am done, I rinse with a little water, wash with a little soap and dry. I should mention that the oatmeal is instant and the almond butter is no stir. The instant oatmeal is lightweight, decent calorie count and is easy to prepare. Almond butter is a little heavy but it is very rich in calories and protein.
Bagels & Cream Cheese
The arguably most easy to set up meal could be bagels & cream cheese. This dish doesn’t require any cooking (unless you like your bread toasty), can be eaten quickly and there is nothing to cook. Bread from the bagel and cheese will give you great energy that is ready to burn almost immediately. It should be mentioned that this a completely perishable meal that is good for a day or two at the most in hot conditions. Required hardware is as simple as a knife or something to spread the cream cheese.
Grits, Rice & Quinoa
To add a little bit of bulk to base foods, use grits, rice and quinoa. These three things will make your food more satiating and also will provide some added energy. Each can be found in dehydrated and instant form, good news for us! If you need a little more flavor you can add some spices, fruit or honey as well. When I am on trail I will almost always add some chia seeds to my quinoa for some extra antioxidants. If you have them, dehydrated beans with any of these items is a good addtion in the morning.
Don’t Forget The Breakfast Extras!
Depending on how lightweight you want to go, the distance you will travel and your tastes, there are options you can add to make things taste better. Adding some trail mix to your oatmeal can be a good way to start the day with a more full belly. Single serve packets of honey or sugar transform simple dishes into slightly less simple dishes. Beef jerky can bring some flavor and protein to a grains dominated meal. If you don’t mind the weight, a banana provides a little sweetness, potassium and flavor. There are also powdered peanut butters, coffee and teas that will add to your meal for the best start of a new day outdoors.
