Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal | Ultralight Backpacking Recipe
By Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD
Updated June 13, 2022
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Can’t stomach another packet of instant oatmeal? You’ll actually look forward to breakfast with Backcountry Foodie’s ultralight Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal recipe. The serving size shown provides 510 calories and a healthy serving of protein and fiber to boot! Now, that’ll fuel your body for those morning miles on the trail. Leave those packets on the grocery store shelf and take your backpacking breakfast to the next level. Your body will thank you.
Want to leave your stove at home or prefer overnight oats? Maybe give our no-cook Nut Butter Morning Oats or Granola with Milk and Berries recipes a try.
Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal
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View Comments / Leave A ReviewNUTRITION (per serving)
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup oats, quick-cooking
- ¼ cup milk powder, whole
- 2 Tbsp blueberries, freeze-dried
- 2 Tbsp almonds, sliced
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 packet True Lemon™ powder, 1 packet = 1/4 tsp powder
- ½ Tbsp coconut oil
- 8 oz water
OPTIONAL
- almond milk powder (substitution), vegan option
- coconut milk powder (substitution), vegan option
- soy milk powder (substitution), vegan option
- 2 Tbsp blueberries, dehydrated (substitution)
- lemon powder, homemade (substitution)
- brown sugar substitute (substitution), no-added-sugar option
INSTRUCTIONS (per serving)
HOME
- Put all dry ingredients in a bag or container to be used in the backcountry.
- Pack 1/2 Tbsp (7 g) coconut oil in a leakproof container to be added when the meal is consumed. We recommend double bagging the oil in the event there is a leak.
FIELD
- Add 8 oz (240 mL) hot water or to the desired consistency.
- Stir and let stand to allow the blueberries to rehydrate and oatmeal to thicken.
- Add 1/2 Tbsp (7 g) coconut oil.
- Stir to mix well and enjoy!
NOTES
NUTRITION
- Total sugar (per serving): 31 g, including 13 g added sugar
- To reduce added sugar by 13 g, replace brown sugar with brown sugar substitute.
- To reduce calories by 60, do not add the 1/2 Tbsp (7 g) of coconut oil.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD, is a registered dietitian and ultralight long-distance backpacker with over 20 years of nutrition and backpacking experience. She’s also the founder and owner of Backcountry Foodie, an online ultralight recipes and meal planning platform for backpackers. She also enjoys teaching hikers about backpacking nutrition via virtual masterclasses, YouTube videos, and podcast episodes. You can follow Aaron’s adventures in the kitchen and the backcountry via Instagram and Facebook.
3 Comments
This is our new favorite breakfast! Have you tested it with regular oats for cold soak? If overnight is enough for regular oats I’d kinda like to have just have the regular oats in the house and not have a whole other kind of oats for the backpacking
I ran a test cold soaking with old-fashioned oats, and it’s not nearly as yummy as when it’s made hot. I would do one of two things to thicken up the oatmeal if cold soaking old-fashioned oats – 1. Add chia seeds to absorb some water and give it a creamy overnight oats consistency. 2. Reduce the water by at least 2 oz (60 mL) to thicken the oatmeal. Also, keep in mind that you won’t be able to add the coconut oil unless it’s been warmed up (liquified). By leaving out the oil, the calories will be reduced by 60 calories per serving. Something to remember when cold soaking a meal with milk powder, be sure to consume the meal within 2 hours if soaked above 40℉. This is for food safety reasons. Hope that helps.
This is our new favorite breakfast! Have you tested it with regular oats for cold soak? If overnight is enough for regular oats I’d kinda like to have just have the regular oats in the house and not have a whole other kind of oats for the backpacking