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recipe · vegan · allium-free · trail

Trail Protein Oats

By · 2026-10-05

Atlas wrapped in his sleeping bag on the Mount Whitney summit at dawn, holding his titanium pot
on top of Whitney at dawn, day 45, with the titanium pot I cooked everything in, oats included · photo #1049
Prep5mCook5mTotal10mServes1

Ingredients

  • 4 Quaker instant oatmeal packets (the small, individually wrapped ones)
  • 1 full scoop plant protein powder, any flavor
  • about 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • a handful of raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit (optional)
  • plain rolled oats, to stretch it (optional)
  • trail mix, to top (optional)

Steps

  1. In town, empty the four packets into one bag with the protein powder, hemp seeds and dried fruit, one bag per breakfast.
  2. In camp, boil water and pour in just enough to cover the oats, then stir.
  3. Let it sit a couple of minutes and add a splash more water if you want it looser.

This was my breakfast on the 2021 thru-hike, and it’s what went in my backup boxes. Four of the small Quaker instant packets, the individually wrapped ones you can buy in bulk at Costco or any grocery store, carry the flavor. One full scoop of protein powder and about a tablespoon of hemp seeds make it last past the first climb. I’d throw in raisins, dried cranberries or whatever dried fruit I had, and some mornings plain rolled oats to stretch it or trail mix on top. I rotated protein powder flavors so it didn’t get old.

There’s no measuring the water. Pour in just enough to cover it.

I never really cold soaked. I like warm food that’s actually cooked, and a hot breakfast feels good on trail, so this one goes on the stove.

Check the oatmeal packets before you buy. Some flavors, the “and cream” ones especially, contain milk.