Registered: 01/04/02
Posts: 562
Loc: Upstate New York
Fresh eggs, a couple of ounces of hard cheese (usually swiss), and about 1/3 of a bagel. For variety, or after the eggs have run out on a longer trip, Farina with raisins, cinamon and sugar, and nuts, also possibly with a bit of cheese and bagel on the side. Occasionally I also bring along some precooked bacon, which also cooks up easily, with a lot less grease than fresh, uncooked bacon.
I've found that those plastice egg carriers work well to prevent any breakage, and I've also used a cardboard egg carton wrapped in a bit of bubble wrap and that worked fine for carrying the eggs. The cheese and bagel both seem to last at least for the 7-8 day canoe trips I sometimes do and the eggs are fine and could probably go longer.
I tried some of the freeze dried egg meals and found that they all seemed to have some sort of unegglike flavor or taste that I didn't care for. Maybe I'll give Phat's potato and egg mix idea a try. Perhaps the potatoes will drown out the other taste. Most fellow campers go with pop tarts or instant oatmeal, but for some reason, just could never develop a taste for either.
Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Finally joining in on this discussion of the morning repast: I detest hot cereal, bacon and eggs (ugh!). My breakfast is therefore cold cereal. Formerly it was always muesli (Bob's Red Mill), freeze-dried berries or bananas, and dried skim milk (the equivalent of a cup reconstituted). Possibly I'm part horse, because I love the taste of raw rolled oats even though I truly hate cooked oatmeal (like eating glue!). This year I've discovered that I really like Grape-Nuts as a backpacking breakfast cereal (also with freeze-dried berries and dried skim milk). (I prefer skim milk to whole milk.) Also this year, I've added a couple of tablespoons of slivered almonds to my cereal. So this year I'll be alternating Grape-Nuts and muesli, each with fruit, milk and almonds. Each breakfast is in a separate sandwich bag; I add water to reconstitute the milk and eat it out of the bag. Of course during wild huckleberry season in the NW, I omit the freeze-dried berries!
Because I eat a cold breakfast, I've dispensed with a hot beverage in the mornings and just drink lots of water. Since my preferred beverage at home is cafe au lait (half coffee, half milk) and, to me, making this with dried milk tastes awful, that is not an option when camping. I could have a cup of tea, but I have found that I don't miss the hot morning beverage enough to make it worth the fuss to fire up my stove. I throw a couple of tea bags into my Ursack just in case there's a really heinous morning, but I've never yet had to use them.
I spent part of yesterday putting together enough breakfasts for my 10-day Wind Rivers trip (starting a week from Monday), a 7-day trip in E. Oregon's Wallowas in early September, the 4-day (for me) TLB trip in the Columbia River Gorge coming up in mid-September and a 7-day trip to Washington's Pasayten Wilderness at the end of September. I can't wait to get out there and eat them!
Edited by OregonMouse (08/01/0904:22 AM)
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
I can eat a hot or cold breakfast. I enjoy granola with any dried fruit, or oat meal with any fruit. To both I add powdered milk. I have found it hard to get a 1000 cal breakfast from one item so i eat multiple items. Like a bowl of granola, fruit and milk with peanut butter on crackers or tortilla. This gets close to the 1000 cal but I also eat a snack an hour or two later of around 400 cal.
I enjoy tea in the morning, black or green.
Ill have to try eggs. I already eat mashed potatoes with sausage TVP.
Ill have to try eggs. I already eat mashed potatoes with sausage TVP.
do you dehydrate your sausage tvp? I actually eat yves brand veggie tvp sausage patties all the time for breakfast (at home not on the trail - favorite Weight Watchers kind of thing)
I still cant push myself to spend $5 on those dehydrated eggs... plus a cup of granola with some fruit maybe powdered milk and i'm good to go in the morning.
Using a friends Pocket Rocket I baked a bread type thing that was great! I put flour, baking powder, honey and sugar in a bag and added water. I wish I could figure out how to simmer on my cat stove...
I try to avoid anything with milk in it, as I'm somewhat lactose intolerant. It will curdle in my stomach and make me feel ill for hours while exerting myself. I like oatmeal, especially with chopped dates added in. My frequent trail companions are not breakfast eaters so all I usually have time to make is a cup of tea or coffee while I munch some sort of fruit (chopped dates, dried blueberries, banana chips, etc) and/or granola bars.
Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately I'm not a big fan of coconut either. I don't really miss milk, there are so many pleasant ways to breakfast that don't involve it. Heck, something like 90% of folks who aren't of European descent are in the same boat I am.
Try a sandwich made of either a bagel or english muffin with a pre-cooked hard-boiled egg sliced (they keep for many days), a slice of american cheese (also indestructible) and a slice of onion. Easy to make, no cooking on the trail, and tasty. Sort of a trail egg-McMuffin--
We usually have cold granola with powdered milk (Trader Joe's ginger granola is my favorite). I'd gotten some powdered eggs at one point but can't bring myself to use them after the way they taste at home. I once made a home-dehydrated chile relleno casserole that would probably be good for breakfast on the trail, being largely egg. But laziness wins out, and it's easier to pack (and clean up after) a cold breakfast.
Quote:
(called "egg and typhus" on the trail with me due to a swedish friend who couldn't read "egg and taters" I wrote on the bag..)
Thanks, phat, I was about to ask you about that one - had me scratching my head!
I just got back from a Tahoe Rim Trail hike. It was going to be a thru hike but my friend hurt his ankle so we had to bail. Anyway we ate a "cold" breakfast every day. Granola and dried fruit, but we drank a cup of hot mint tea everyday. It was great finding wild mint everyday to make tea, we also had oine needle tea too.
Its not really a cold breakfast but, cut way down on fuel. I find i like the hot drink better then i hot breakfast.
Sour patch kids are a good boost! Also tried some instant coffee, good stuff.
My new favorite breakfast is instant brown rice with cinnamon, brown sugar, dried fruits (cherries if I have them), almond slivers and, if I have some to spare, a bit of olive oil which I pack separately. I think the olive oil helps with digestion.
FBC Oatmeal (1c thick cut oats, 2.5 eggs (honeyville), 2/3oz. dehydro apples, 1.5T wheat bran, cinnamon) and 8 oz milk with a pouch of chocolate Carnation instant breakfast.
The time it takes to "cook" (AKA be cool enough to eat) is, conveniently, the same amount of time it takes to drop the kids off at the pool, roll up the air mattress, stuff the sleeping bag, and take down the tent.
It keeps me going strong and happy until it is lunchtime.
I'm not real interested in normal breakfast on the trail. I'm usually more in need of lots of liquids. I will have a liter of tea with sugar for breakfast. I'll munch some trail snacks as I get going, things like chocolate, gorp, dried fruit, etc.
_________________________
-------------------------- My blog
I never use Quaker Oatmeal anymore B/C it's such a small serving. I like Trader Joe's instant oatmeal with a big addition of granola GORP and either powderd NIDA milk & brown sugar or powdered hot chocolate.
#2 BREAKFAST> (time permitting) is freeze tried omlettes of various kinds W/ added bits of microwaved turkey bacon or just the microwaved turkey bacon slices on the side. In thMmmmmm!
WARNING: Do NOT take the turkey bacon into bear country!
#3 BREAKFAST> Instant Cream of Wheat plus wheat germ.
#4 BREAKFAST> Pablum & powdered milk (Don't knock it 'til you tried it.:-)
_________________________
"There are no comfortable backpacks. Some are just less uncomfortable than others."
Lately I have been enjoying a carnation instant breakfast with a scoop of whey protien and a spoon of instant coffee. I will also have a handful of trail mix or peanut butter pretzels. I haven't been too interested in hot b-fast this summer.
Once it cools down I'll do a hot 5 grain cereal with coconut cream powder, ginger, nuts and brown sugar or cheese grits and mountain house eggs n bacon, with the protien drink heated instead of cold.
I have been eating Granola with dried fruit/ or pop-tarts and jerky. Always instant coffee with powdered milk. I like to eat candy for breakfast with something healthy like dried fruit also.
Oatmeal and Cream of wheat or on the "x" list because i eat that every morning during ski season. MH eggs and bacon is awesome!! Finally mooched some off a friend.
Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:
Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!