I'm a huge fan of oats while on the trail. (actually I have eaten it all winter this year as well). I have always just put raisins in and that's fine. But lately I have been adding some dried dates as well. Quite tasty and supposedly quite good for you being very high in anti-oxidants.

Makes me wonder what else I've been missing.

Wonder is good!

I like both raisins and dates.  But I also like dried cranberry or dried blueberry.  Dried apple also, cut into small pieces.  Depends what I'm in the mood for.  And sometimes when I have run out of all those, I'll put in a touch of cinnamon instead.  I'm not an oats purist, by the way.  In all these combinations, I always add milk and sugar/sweetener.  At home I warm the milk in the microwave; on the trail, I add powdered milk and use more hot water than most folks.  And I also don't have the patience for the classic cook-em-forever.  I always get the "quick" variety.  At work, even packed in six workers in a cubicle, I keep my bowl, a small bottle of milk in the refrigerator, pre-packaged one-serving packets, and some little packets of sweetener.  It's a standard snack for me.  Hasn't killed me yet; must be OK.

Our group has been vacuum sealing oatmeal for a couple of years. Works great. We simply measure out the appropriate amount for a breakfast and add our additions. Each bag gets some brown sugar and cinnamon.  Then each bag gets a dried fruit. We have used raspberries, strawberries, and apples to name a few.

When we first started doing our own food packing the oatmeal, instant mashed potatoes would go in a plastic container of some sort. Which was fine but then we lugged around the useless empty containers the rest of the trip. Now we bring out more garbage but it allows us to lose one of our food packs much more quickly.

Probably not the most healty oatmeal choice, but at least it is convenient.  

For MOST of my backpacking/canoeing life I've taken Quaker instant oatmeal with raisins, dates and walnuts (2 envelopes per breakfast).  That, plus a mug of coffee and I'm good to go ... quick and easy.  All you need is boiling water--with a little extra for after breakfast clean-up.  (I use home made coffee bags in my 20 oz. insulated mug with lid.)  The oatmeal envelopes make good fire starter at the next campsite.

On longer trips (something over a week), I'll usually take something like pancakes and/or Cache Lake cinnamon-raisin bread to break up the monotony.  Its good for a layover day.

dd

Maybe it's just me..........I noticed with the "quick" oats I'm liable to be a little quick to the outhouse.

I personally find the old fashioned don't really take all that long to cook, certainly not the 5 minutes like on the instructions. I use the GSI mini spatula to keep the raisins from sticking to the bottom and burning.....especially important with titanium cookware. Works great.   (You need to Login or Register

I used to have gastronomical distress when I would eat oatmeal until someone told me to omit the milk. Supposedly milk and oats are a poor combination. Anyway no more gas and loose stool just eating the old fashioned oats straight (no milk). Much better.

I said above:  
Quote:

In all these combinations, I always add milk

But MT said:  
Quote:

I used to have gastronomical distress when I would eat oatmeal until someone told me to omit the milk. Supposedly milk and oats are a poor combination.

So how come I do this no-no, and don't notice anything?  I have the answer:   My daughter says I'm so full of it, I just can't notice a little bit more!   :o

I'm pretty much old school when it comes to oatmeal.  With quick oats you save, what, 2 minutes?  Regular rolled oats taste so much better.  And MT if you're into the dried fruit thing definitely try peaches.  Dried apples and walnuts is also a winner - hoo, haw!

Hit your local bulk barn & go crazy in the dried fruit & nuts section.  Or buy the fuit and dry it yourself.  Dates, prunes, figs, beer nuts, pralines, almond slices, blueberries, cherries, mango, pineapple, watermelon...

If you have a sweet tooth toss in some M&Ms or chocolate chips.

I'm sure the raisins or any dried fruit " might" send you to the cat hole especially in combination with your morning coffee.
I eat the same as dd, even here at home.
I use whatever fruit fresh or dried I have on hand with skim milk. On the trail I bring some powdered skim milk If I want some in my oatmeal or for cooking/sauces.
I don't notice a difference in bowel issues/gas, but then I eat a lot of fiber regularly so I've never had any problems in that regard.
A hearty bowl of hot oatmeal with dried fruit is a winner on early start paddled days. Quick and sustaining. Paper packets make great fire building material as well ;)

I found the monster sized bags of Craisins (dried cranberries) at Sam's club which i love w/my oatmeal.....This past year they also carried bigger bags of dried blueberries and cherries.....when I go out, I usually make up my own oatmeal packets w/instant oats, powdrered milk, brown sugar and a blend of the above dried fruits......I'll have to try some nuts...

Mike

I like to munch my blend of trail mix as I paddle/portage. Keeps the blood sugar even, energy level up.
A handful in your morning oatmeal is great.
Big fan of the Craisins. I buy bulk trail mix and add other items that I like. Dried fruit can't be beat for burst of long lasting energy that doesn't end in a processed sugar crash ;)

ST-
Hate to rain on your parade, but craisins are soaked in sugar- some of the off brands (non Ocean Spray) use high fructose corn syrup.

If you have the time an the fuel try steel cut oats- delicious but take at least 15 minutes to cook.

Solus,
Appreciate the heads up on the sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the off brands.
I knew about the sugar, not surprised off brands use the high fructose corn syrup to maximize profit. I don't use or consume sugar at all, at least not knowingly, so I figure a little bit in a few Craisins won't hurt me too much ;D I mix them in with my homemade trail mix. I also like dried tart MI grown cherries.

I do eat Steel cut oats at home, but on the water I like a quick departure on paddling days. The instant oatmeal allows me just to boil water for both coffee and oatmeal.

I agree the Steel cut are much healthier and taste better but for my personal needs there more suited for a camp day or home use.

I understand the need for speed. I tend to be out late in the season and the mornings are often cold- if I spark a fire I'll splurge and make the steel cut. My favorite addition to oatmeal is dried cherries- hard to find at a reasonable price but excellent.

I prepare my oatmeal breakfast bags ahead of time, adding: pre-measured old fashioned oatmeal, powdered milk, brown sugar, chopped pecans, raisins, and salt.  All I do is boil water, add the oatmeal bag of goodies, and cook for about 5 minutes.  The guys can add extra milk (actually they're the little coffee creamers) and brown sugar to their desire.   We'll never go back to the instant crap.  

I may add dried peaches after reading this thread.  

On a lazy morning I'll splurge by frying up some bacon and toasting bagels as sides to the oatmeal.  All this, with some stiff coffee. Hard to beat.

prouboy

I like a spoon with mine...maple sugar, nuts, dried cranberries or mangos, cinnamon/Ginger, and fresh berries if available, smiles are good too.

Oatmeal. I've had oatmeal for breakfast most mornings for many years. Most often just plain old fashioned oats, and primarily with soy milk albeit at times with cow milk. All of the above dried fruits are great, dates, figs raisins etc. Walnuts, brown sugar, bit of maple syrup, protein shake, preserves, yogurt etc.
For many years i didn't even bother cooking it (yes the old fashioned oats) but lately am back to cooking. Steel cut are great too but for the prep time. Oatmeal.

You all have thrown in some suggestions I'll have to try:  ginger, maple syrup, mangoes.  M&Ms?  I don't know about that--I use lots of sugar anyhow, and I'm not a big chocolate fan.  Pralines--willing to try.  Beer nuts:  probably won't.  I'm going to go out and try to find some off-brand dried cranberries with the corn-syrup--the oatmeal provides some stick to the ribs, but I like to have some get-up-and-go also.  You all might have inspired me to put in some flavorings like amaretto and other such things that some folks put in their coffee.  Hmmm, I'm going to go do some oatmeal right now, and I think I'll add some hazelnut flavoring.  The bottle is still out on the counter from when I last added it to my coffee.

Candied ginger, good call!  Chocolate covered candied ginger, even better!

Quote:

I'm going to go out and try to find some off-brand dried cranberries with the corn-syrup--the oatmeal provides some stick to the ribs, but I like to have some get-up-and-go also.

Dried fruit without any added sugar is a powerful source of energy.
Take any fruit/vegetable dry it, and the flavor/sweetness becomes more intense. Natural sugars found in fruits along with the fiber is what gives you that long term get-up-go your looking for.

Added sugar, especially corn syrup is defeating the benefit of eating dried fruit. It will give you short term/crash and burn energy, not what you need or want. It's working against not with the natural sugars already concentrated in the dried fruit. Try some dried cranberries  sans any additional sweeteners, you might be surprised how good they are.

ST, I think you might have convinced me to not put any brown sugar in with my oats this go around. I haven't all winter........just raisins and lately some dates. I usually put quite a bit of sugar in with my oats on trips.

So I guess the mix will be raisins, dates and cranberries. I tried the walnuts......it was OK I guess but I don't think they make the cut. I was hoping for something.......well, exotic. Something really different. I still need to try the powdered peanut butter in with the oats. That could be interesting. I'll be eating the same breakfast for a month........I better like it. A few variations would of been nice. :-*

I went back through the thread and realized there was more good input than I knew if only I had paid attention. Kudos to Preacher who came up with "candied ginger". That got me googling and I stumbled upon this site which seems to be a good one. All sort of dried fruits (including cherries and other more unusual ones).

Check out their trail mixes (snacks) and power bars. My idea of a power bar has always been a snickers (which seems to do pretty darn good BTW). I haven't done much with the Cliff type bars I wonder how these stack up against them?

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It wasn't me, but I'll take the credit.

I think raw ginger belongs in the food bag or first aid bag.  Excellent health benefits.  If you have a cold, ginger tea will soothe.  If your tummy is queezy, ginger will calm it.  Sore throat, it's an anti-inflam.  Astingent properties promote good oral health, something often neglected by myself in the bush.

Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter, honey and raisins. It can be a sticky mess if not packed carefully.

Quote:

I tried the walnuts......it was OK I guess but I don't think they make the cut. I was hoping for something.......well, exotic.

I mix a hand full of my homemade trail mix in my morning oatmeal.
My trail mix has dried banana, mango's, papaya, pineapple along with raisins, a couple kind of nuts and sunflower seeds. I also add some smoked almonds and another dried fruit, sometimes cranberries, Mich dried dark cherries etc. The dried pineapple/mango/papaya are especially sweet. Sometimes I bring dried figs/plums. I don't know what your definition of exotic is, but if you find a good source of dried natural fruit, you should be able to put together a mix that you can " customize" daily to avoid being bored by the same old thing.

MA...no brown sugar? Heresy!

Various comments on dried fruits, however, are well taken in my view. I make my own trail mix and though the exact contents varyl dried fruits are always a big component.

I really think I'm going to leave the sugar behind. Not so sure it's really my friend anymore.

I pulled the trigger on a variety of dehydrated fruits. Goji berries, cranberries, strawberries, peaches........I will add those into the base mix of raisins/dates. I wanted to get the crystalized ginger and some dried cherries but they had sulfur dioxide added (no thanks). I could of went dried as opposed to dehydrated but I have stuck another week on my trip and weight is now becoming an issue.

You guys also got me to bring some desserts. Every third day. I went with Spartans 2 advice and went with packit gourmet. Strawberry cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake and banana pudding. I'll add some of the dehydrated fruit in with the desserts as per Spartans 2 advice. A little something to look forward to.  

Crystalized Ginger

Serving Size:  41 grams
Sugars:  33 grams.

Anytime you see the word "crystalized" you can pretty much assume that it's going to be predominately sugar by weight.

If you want ginger in your oatmeal then just grate in a little fresh...or you can find freeze-dried at some grocery stores...or just use the spice form (dried ground ginger).

Several "dried fruits" are really more like candied fruits (i.e. lots of sugar to preserve them) in their most readily available forms.  Pineapple, ginger, papaya, and mango come to mind immediately.

If you'd like a healthier alternative, you can find some great freeze-dried fruits with no sugar added from here:

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I've used most of their fruits and found them to be excellent.  They even sell powdered freeze-dried fruit if you want to cut down on the bulk even more for canoe trips.  

At home, nothing beats fresh berries in oatmeal.

Quote:

Several "dried fruits" are really more like candied fruits (i.e. lots of sugar to preserve them) in their most readily available forms.  Pineapple, ginger, papaya, and mango come to mind immediately.

Point well taken. I knew they were extra sweet and had sugar added but I still think they're a better alternative than brown/white sugar IF you have a need for sweet.  Your freeze dried alternative is a great choice for those of us who try to avoid sugar.

I like a little Cinnamon on my oatmeal. I also like a little hint of Cinnamon in my morning coffee. I add a few shakes of ground spice to my drip coffee. Cinnamon, like Ginger has well documented health properties. In fact compared to some other well known healthy spices, it's a Super Spice.

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solotripper wrote on Apr 20^th, 2011 at 3:27pm:

I knew they were extra sweet and had sugar added but I still think they're a better alternative than brown/white sugar IF you have a need for sweet.

Well, the sugar in them is simply white sugar so you might as well just spoon sugar into your oatmeal.  The only thing you are getting extra out of the ginger is the flavor and there are other ways to do that (a little will go a long way, so add cautiously).  And hey, if you don't mind the sugar, have at it.  I'm not trying to dictate, just to educate.   :)

Snow_Dog wrote on Apr 20^th, 2011 at 3:46pm:

solotripper wrote on Apr 20th, 2011 at 3:27pm: I knew they were extra sweet and had sugar added but I still think they're a better alternative than brown/white sugar IF you have a need for sweet.   Well, the sugar in them is simply white sugar so you might as well just spoon sugar into your oatmeal.  The only thing you are getting extra out of the ginger is the flavor and there are other ways to do that (a little will go a long way, so add cautiously).  And hey, if you don't mind the sugar, have at it.  I'm not trying to dictate, just to educate.   :)

I was thinking the natural sugars in the pineapple/mango/papaya you mentioned even with the simple white sugar dusting is better than adding the equivalent sweetness in the form of brown/white simple sugar?
Maybe I'm wrong about that :-/

whether i'm canoeing or in deer camp, i grab a handful of the nearest gorp and throw it in the oatmeal, which is instant, by the way.  

raisins craisins dried fruit peanuts walnuts coconut M&Ms -- whatever.

Quick. sweet. salty. crunchy.

when it's 5:30 a.m. and I'm struggling to wake up and get out into the woods, i guess i don't give much of a thought to the sugar.

at home, it's the same deal. love oatmeal. or maybe some Cream of Wheat with a dab of honey.

- kypaddler

Never a fan of the abuse of the words 'natural' & 'chemical'.  Sucrose (table sugar) is natural.  Dihydrogen Monoxide is a chemical.  Nothing inherently wrong with either.  You'll find Sucrose in pineapple and DHMO in every glass of water you dring regardless of the source.  ;)

In many fruits, such as pineapple and apricot, sucrose is the main sugar. In others, such as grapes and pears, fructose is the main sugar.

Tried the de-hydrated cranberries in with my usual raisins this morning. Left the lid on and let them sit for 5 minutes plus added a little extra water. Pretty dang good. Should offer a little variety. I also picked up some dried peaches and strawberries.

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Picked up some of the steel cut oats as per the suggestion on this very website. Yummy. Not to crazy about the 20 minute cook time. What about soaking them overnight? Might work.

mastertangler wrote on Jul 5^th, 2011 at 7:28pm:

Picked up some of the steel cut oats as per the suggestion on this very website. Yummy. Not to crazy about the 20 minute cook time. What about soaking them overnight? Might work.

I don't know.  The reason the various quick-oats cook fast is because they're already cooked.  Steel cut hasn't been cooked yet.

I wouldn't consider corn on the cob that has been soaked overnight then undercooked to be good.

I guess it all depends on if raw oats are ok to eat.

I bet it might work. After all we soak beans overnight to accelerate the cooking process. EH?

Preacher wrote on Jul 6^th, 2011 at 6:36pm:

I guess it all depends on if raw oats are ok to eat.

My horse doesn't seem to mind.   ;D

dd

mastertangler wrote on Jul 6^th, 2011 at 9:19pm:

I bet it might work. After all we soak beans overnight to accelerate the cooking process. EH?

Yeah, but do you soak rice overnight?

I was curious & it looks like it's ok to do.
What did we do before google?
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  The proof is in the pudding?