10 Oatmeal Recipes That Even Oatmeal-Hating Hikers Will Love

You hate oatmeal? We don't blame you. It may be the easiest trail breakfast, but more often than not, it also ends up as a tasteless, textureless goop that hikers have to choke down. But suffer no more: These 10 trail-tested oat recipes are easy to make (just mix the ingredients in) and will satisfy even the pickiest eater.

Oatmeal is one of the classic backpacking breakfasts for a reason. (Photo: oixxo / iStock via Getty)

BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors

Published March 24, 2023 12:06PM

Caramel Delight Oatmeal

The classic thanksgiving pie spices are (left to right) cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. A little shake goes a long way! Stir in some pecans and…

Soft caramels, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pecans.

S’mores Oatmeal

Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips and sprinkle the broken grahams on top for some crunch. You’re welcome.

Graham cracker bits, marshmallows, chocolate chips.

Orange Apricot Hazelnut Oatmeal

1 tsp Orange Powder, diced dried apricots, a handful of toasted chopped hazelnuts

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Cut an apple into small chunks and cook it along with the oatmeal. Add a few shakes of apple pie spice and you’ll think you’re eating dessert for…

Apple pie spice, chopped apples

Seed and Nut Oatmeal

Stir in sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and cherries, and walnuts for just the right amount of flavor. Or, up the health quotient by adding agave…

Chopped walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, sunflower kernels, agave nectar

Vanilla Almond Berry Oatmeal

Berry vanilla almond — (Photo: baibaz / BWFolsom / neiljlangan via Getty)

1 tsp. vanilla powder, handful dried mixed berries, a handful of slivered toasted almonds

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Who doesn’t love banana chips? Add some shredded coconut and peanut butter, and it’s a whole lotta goodness.

Banana chips, coconut flakes, peanut butter

Maple Bacon Oatmeal

That “no refrigeration needed” bacon at the grocery store may seen a bit scary, but on day four of a trip, bacon without cleaning a greasy pan is…

Bacon, maple syrup

Fourth of July Berry Oatmeal

There’s nothing like fresh wild berries. Drop both raspberries and blueberries in to give your oatmeal the perfect balance of sweet and tart

Raspberries, blueberries

Lime Cranberry Oatmeal

Lime, Cranberry, Hazelnut oatmeal — (Photo: Bozena_Fulawka / Nenov via Getty)

1 tsp. Lime Powder, a handful of dried cranberries, a handful of sunflower seeds

Plus, One for the Lazy Chefs

We loved Good To-Go’s Oatmeal so much, we gave it an Editors’ Choice award in 2017. Years later, we’re still digging the toothsome blend of whole-grain oats with chia, hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds as well as a blend of dried fruits including banana, zante currant, and shredded coconut, plus spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

Originally published 2015; last updated March 2023

Oatmeal

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