Backpacking Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast Recipes

Start your morning off right with a delicious backpacker’s breakfast

Backpacking Breakfast Recipes
Below are backpacking breakfast recipes that wake you up for a great day on the trail. As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is essential to have a nutritional start to give you energy to last throughout the day.

Because the last thing you want to do while outdoors is dirty a bunch of pots and pans, most of our breakfast recipes can be done in just a single zip lock bag! However, Wild Backpacker recommends that when adding boiling water to your baggie, always use heavy-duty or freezer zip lock bags. Although there have been no claims of injury or illness, Ziploc® states their baggies are not intended to be used at high temperatures, so use at your own risk.

Breakfast Scramble

  • 1 3/4 cup instant mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 cup freeze-dried eggs with bacon
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp dry milk
  • Cheddar cheese (optional)
At home: Combine all dry ingredients in a zip lock freezer bag.

On the trail: Heat water in pot (the hotter the better). Add to freezer bag and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Makes 1 serving

Strawberry Sensation

  • 1 cup Strawberry Frosted Mini-Wheats
  • 1/2 cup dried strawberries
  • 1/4 cup yogurt covered raisins
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips, milk or dark
At home: Combine all ingredients into zip lock bag.

On the trail: Eat as breakfast or a snack.
Makes 1 serving

Trail Pancakes

  • 1 cup Biscuit mix
  • 1 Tbsp dry milk
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp squeeze margarine
Note: Instead of squeeze margarine, you may substitute vegetable oil. If you do, keep 1 Tbsp of oil in a separate container and pour onto pan before cooking pancakes.
At home: Add mix, milk and sugar into a quart size zip lock bag. Seal and shake well.

On the trail: Add water and margarine to bag, seal and squish bag with hands to mix and remove air and lumps. Cut hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze onto a hot pan. Cook until bubbles form, flip, and cook till they are golden brown!
Makes approx. 6 pancakes

Hangdog Oatmeal

  • 2 1/2 cups oatmeal
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried bananas, powdered
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
At home: Mix ingredients into zip lock bag.

On the trail: Boil 4 cups of water into separate pan. Stir in contents of zip lock bag and reboil. Remove from stove and set aside until cool.
Makes 1 serving

Recipe courtesy of Backpacker Magazine; April 1996; Pg 45

Cranberry Orange Rice

  • 1/4 cup instant rice
  • 1 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 packet True Orange
  • 1 Tbsp powdered milk
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
Note: True Orange is also available at www.truelemon.com or some grocery stores. You can also substitute 1 teaspoon citrus juice or zest per packet.
At home: Combine everything except the honey into a zip lock bag. Carry honey separately.

On the trail: Pour mix into pan and add enough boiling water to cover. Let stand until rice is tender. Top with honey and serve warm.
Makes 1 serving

This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders

Strawberry Almond Cream of Wheat

  • 1 single serving package plain cream of wheat
  • 2 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberries
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp powdered milk
  • 1 Tbsp slivered almonds
At home: Put everything in a freezer zip lock bag.

On the trail: Add enough hot water to cover, stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir again and enjoy.
Makes 1 serving

This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders

Spam and Eggs

  • 1 single serving packet Spam (3 oz)
  • 1 sun dried tomato, cut up
  • 2 fresh eggs
  • 1-2 Tbsp Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Note: Eggs can go bad quickly, so only use eggs on the beginning of your trip.
At home: Put the eggs in a hiking egg carrier. Put the sun dried tomato and cheese into a zip lock bag. Carry the oil in a spill-proof container.

On the trail: Add oil to a pan. Dice the Spam into 1/4 inch chunks. Fry for a couple of minutes, until the spam begins to brown, then add the eggs and sun dried tomatoes. Scramble and cook until eggs are done. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 1 serving

This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders

Cherry Almond Oatmeal

  • 1 packet instant oatmeal
  • 2 Tbsp dried cherries
  • 1 Tbsp slivered almonds
  • 1 Tbsp powdered milk
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
At home: Combine everything in a freezer zip lock bag.

On the trail: Add 2/3 cup boiling water to oatmeal (or more if you like a thinner cereal).
Makes 1 serving

This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

  • 1/3 cup instant oatmeal
  • 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp powdered milk
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup freeze-dried bananas
  • Chocolate cookies, crumbled (optional)
At home: Combine everything except the cookies into a zip lock bag. If you are bringing the cookies, package them separately.

On the trail: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the oatmeal mix and stir. Simmer until the oatmeal is cooked through. Serve topped with the cookies.
Makes 1 serving

This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders