Cereal on the Trail (Pros & Cons)

[dennisartrip]

I am considering cereal for breakfast on the trail. 1 1/2 cups of cereal, 1/3 cup dried milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. All these items fit into a ziploc bag and weigh less then 7 ounces. With Kellogs Just Right this figures out to approximately 500 calories with fiber, carbs, calicum, and low in fat. Lets hear the Pros and Cons. Thanks: Trudger :welcome

[max patch]

I am considering cereal for breakfast on the trail. 1 1/2 cups of cereal, 1/3 cup dried milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. All these items fit into a ziploc bag and weigh less then 7 ounces. With Kellogs Just Right this figures out to approximately 500 calories with fiber, carbs, calicum, and low in fat. Lets hear the Pros and Cons. Thanks: Trudger :welcome

I had the same thing for breakfast about 90% of the time on my thru: cereal (granola or grape nuts or 2 packs of uncooked instant oatmeal) with dried milk and honey and a cup of tang. Worked for me.

The other 10% was right after a town resupply and was usually something from a bakery or an occasional pop tart.

[rickb]

Cereal is good.

Dried milk has great nutrition, callories and such but can taste nasty.

Cereal with just water (hot or cold) or even powdered drink mix is way underrated.

[weary]

I am considering cereal for breakfast on the trail. 1 1/2 cups of cereal, 1/3 cup dried milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. All these items fit into a ziploc bag and weigh less then 7 ounces. With Kellogs Just Right this figures out to approximately 500 calories with fiber, carbs, calicum, and low in fat. Lets hear the Pros and Cons. Thanks: Trudger :welcome
I've never used Kellogs "Just Right," but in retrospect my major dietary problems on the trail was fiber. After I came home I made several doctor visits, none of their suggestions, including treatment for giardiasis, seemed to cure my combination of recurring constipation and loose stools. I finally hit on raisin bran -- both Kellog and Post versions -- both cured the problem and 14 or so years later keep it cured.

To answer your question. It sounds like a tentative plan to me, though be willing to experiment if problems ensue. Keep in mind that both food and medicine are still being investigated by science. There are few "slam dunk" solutions to common problems.

But in my experience, most digestion related problems are a result of too little fiber consumption. At least this is the simplest and most likely explanation in my experience.

Start there and if more fiber doesn't work, search elsewhere.

Weary

[Spirit Walker]

If you can find NIDO - a brand of whole dried milk, usually found in the ethnic food section of the grocery - it has more flavor and calories. I've blended it with regular dried milk to save money.

Get a sweeter cereal and then you won't have to carry extra sugar. We usually do Raisin Bran or Granola because it is more filling.

[RAT]

I finally hit on raisin bran -- both Kellog and Post versions -- both cured the problem and 14 or so years later keep it cured.

You hit the nail on the head. A bowl of Raisin Bran a day will do the trick wether at home or on the trail. I like the new crunchy kind with granola (much sweeter needs less sugar and has more calories, etc.) and if cant get that always choose the kind that says "two scoops" on the front (has more raisins than the others). Constipation is a bad thing, hemmorhoids are a pain the arse (pun intended) lol.

RAT

[rafe]

Metamucil is good. Comes in many different forms, eg., packets of powder (flavored or not) and capsules. Or bulk (put a few oz. in a ziploc.) If you're a section hiker, start using it a day or two prior to setting out.

[Critterman]

I like to put cereal with a packet of Swiss Miss in a ziplock add water and shake. Better than dry milk.

[freefall]

I came across quite a few bags of powdery stuff in hiker boxes that I could only assume was, in it's original form, cereal. I imagine it tasted the same but just wasn't appetizing after being pulverized inside of backpacks. Something like Grape Nuts probably wouldn't have this problem. Just a thought.

[rafe]

Nobody's mentioned hot cereal. Oatmeal. Cream of wheat, cream of rice. Lots of choices. Mix 'em up with gorp, peanut butter, margarine, whatever.

[Frosty]

I put the milk in a separate ziploc. I used about 2 cups of cereal, each day's worth in it's own ziploc sandwich baggie.

I mix the milk in my cookpot (.85 l) and let it sit a couple minutes. Makes the milk a little thicker. Then I dump in the cereal and eat.

It is easy to use the drink your dishwater method of cleaning your pot. (Put in a little water, slosh around, scrape the pot sides, and drink it down. Repeat until you are drinking nothing but water, then jsut put your pot away.)

Hot oatmeal I keep in pint freezer bags and put hot water into the bag. Takes too long to clean oatmeal from the pot. I jsut carry out the used ziploc until I find a trash container.

[sarbar]

I eat cereal on a lot of trips. I go for shredded wheat from Trader Joe's, I like the flavors they have. High fiber and filling, with freeze dried strawberries and powdered soy milk :)

[PJ 2005]

wow, those are some complicated breakfasts... i just ate straight cereal out of my ziploc and washed it down with water (sometimes supplemented with a multivitamin). coco puffs were my favorite. cooking every morning gets old after a few months... a warm dinner was my luxury meal :-)

positive: there are a million different types of cereal, so you're unlikely to tire of it.

[The Weasel]

Use oatmeal, period. Lightest, nutritious, and after 2 weeks everything tastes nasty anyhow, so it flavor really doesn't make a difference. It is hot, filling, and contains food value, and generally a little more enjoyable than cardboard.

The Weasel

[Krewzer]

I had cold cereal just about every day with an added packet of vanilla flavored Carnation Instant Breakfast to kick up the calories. The Instant Bkfst also helped the taste of powdered milk. Worked great for me.

I haven't had it yet, but I"m told NIDO tastes just like real milk.

[freefall]

Nobody's mentioned hot cereal. Oatmeal. Cream of wheat, cream of rice. Lots of choices. Mix 'em up with gorp, peanut butter, margarine, whatever.

I got to where I didn't like the mushyness of cooked oatmeal. So I bought the flavored instant variety packs like the fruit `n' cream mix and just ate it dry. It takes a little getting used to the texture but I liked it better. I still have a "raw" pack every now and then.

[Lilred]

No one has mentioned the new breakfast bars they have out now. Cereal and milk in a bar. Good stuff.
As far as oatmeal goes, I like it raw too. No need to use a freezer bag to cook it in, you can pour the water right in the pouch the oatmeal comes in. Use your bandana to hold the pouch as it does get hot. If there's a fire going, just toss it in and it burns right up to ash. no cleanup, nothing to pack out.

[Seeker]

i love oatmeal. i add a couple tablespoons of powdered milk to the baggie. but i eat it (and everything else) out of an old kool-aid container (thank SGT Rock for the idea). empty the baggie, add hot water, and stick in a cozy for a few minutes. sort of freezerbag cooking, but in a more stable container. once i'm done, instead of having to clean up a messy pot or nasty bag, i just add a little water, PUT THE LID BACK ON, shake, and drink, as per Frosty's method. a side note on cleaning up- if needed, you can add a bit of sand to the mix, which does a nice job scrubbing the insides.

[Creaky]

Those of you eating cold cereal, what do you do to keep the flakes from becoming crumbs? That's been my problem.

[Spirit Walker]

Granola doesn't crumble. Raisin Bran doesn't seem to do it much either, at least, not so I noticed.

Oatmeal gets old, fast and didn't hold as well after a while. We would get really hungry by 9:00, even eating 2-3 packets. The oatmeal bars taste just like the instant oatmeal, but you don't have to cook them. I found them a bit too sweet, but they weren't bad.

[Footslogger]

I remember a hiker who used to carry a couple different types of cereal in ziplocks and then some Carnation Instant Breakfast. He would sprinkle the instant breakfast powder over the cereal, add water and dig in.

I carried cereal now and then, most often the frosted shreaded wheat, and at it dry with a Tang chaser.

'Slogger

[emerald]

I liked to keep a variety of options and meals that fit different scenarios at my disposal. It was all a part of remaining flexible and being able to adapt to changing plans and weather.

My preferred way to begin a day when I wanted to put by lots of miles was to break camp just before or at first light and hike to the first water source, where I replenished my water supply and ate cold cereal with nothing more than water. I preferred familia (Swiss Müesli) for this purpose, although Raisin Bran would be my idea of a good alternative.

[minnesotasmith]

Mainly used nonflake granola and bite-size shredded wheat. Idea was to have ones I could stand to just eat as is (dry) if I ran out or otherwise didn't get around to making a bowl of milk.

[Johnny Swank]

I went on a big cereal kick as well. Lucky Charms baby - they're magically delicious!

[Tipper]

I never liked the 'aftermath' of dried milk rehydrated after already being added to cereal. Dried milk already mixed with cereal never seemed to reconstitute as well as alone, nor did the cereal remain crunchy. Therefore, I kept the cereal separate and rehydrated the milk separate, then added the cereal. At one point, I carried a pint Nalgene for mixing drinks. This was also used for nergy drinks mid-day, as I didn't want to contaminate my fresh water supply. I liked cereal as it satisfied my need to have different textures now and again, when oatmeal and other hot cereals got boring.

[weary]

Granola doesn't crumble. Raisin Bran doesn't seem to do it much either, at least, not so I noticed.

Oatmeal gets old, fast and didn't hold as well after a while. We would get really hungry by 9:00, even eating 2-3 packets. The oatmeal bars taste just like the instant oatmeal, but you don't have to cook them. I found them a bit too sweet, but they weren't bad.
My basic breakfast on long distance trails has been a cup of quick cooking oatmeal, a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of brown sugar, a fist full of raisins or other dried fruit,, and a quarter cup of powdered milk.

Add two cups of water, bring to a boil, and set aside for a few minutes, preferably covered with a bit of fleece or a sweater to keep the heat in.

Early in a hike, I reduce the quantities for a bit, but once hunger sets in I can eat it all and look for snacks for augmentation.

I eat out of the pot, and when scraped almost clean add water for Tang, hot chocolate and/or coffee. Generic quick cooking oatmeal is a third or less the price of instant, has less of a chemical taste, is more nutritious, and more appetizing.

There are infinite variables. If calories are needed, add a squirt of liquid margarine or vegetable oil, or a bit of Cinnamon, a few berries in season, nuts.... whatever suits your fancy.

Weary

[jambalaya]

Eventually I hit on this breakfast, which I never tired of:

Oatmeal or cream-of-wheat (unflavored -- cheaper and not so sickeningly sweet after a few months), a sturdy cereal (granola or grape nuts), dried fruit, a handful of nuts, powdered milk, AND an instant breakfast (if it was in my budget). Essentially a mix of everything y'all said, plus nuts. Nuts were key for keeping me full for a few hours.

Luckily there was someone ahead of me on the trail who didn't like their French Vanilla Instant Breakfasts. They kept ending up in the hiker boxes and I discovered they're the best to mix with breakfast -- thanks, whoever you were...

[emerald]

Oatmeal good!

Steel-cut oats with raisins and cinnamon, my favorite cold-weather breakfast on-trail or at home.

Jambalaya is good, too, although I can't say I've ever eaten it for breakfast. Have you, Jambalaya?

[bigcranky]

Homemade granola almost every day in warmer weather -- I add milk powder, dried fruit, and protein powder. I've also liked Grape Nuts, but haven't had them in a while.

The granola recipe is on Sarbar's freezer bag cooking website under Breakfast.

[Programbo]

I always liked Grape-Nuts as it was so dense that it helped save space..Lots of the other cereals are flaky or air puffed and eat up 5 times more room for the same weight....Grape-Nuts or Raisin Brand and powdered milk was my main breakfast along with maybe jam/preserves on crackers and Tang and a vitamin

[rainmaker]

As a son of the South, I've never been able to develope a taste for oatmeal or cream of wheat. So we usually heat up enough water for a cup of coffee and two packets of instant grits. For extra calories we add liquid margarine or olive oil, a tablespoon of bacon bits and some shredded cheddar. I'm going to try the cold cereal approach a few times if I can find a better tasting powdered milk.

[Hitch]

Any kind of cereal with fruits and nuts with Nido add water and eat out of the plastic bag. Easy and tasty!

[jesse]

Read the lables. Most breakfast cereals are junk food. I look for the ones that have more protien than sugar. Weight control oatmeal, and Special K have the best protien to sugar ratio that I have been able to find.

[Sly]

Smart Start... with Milkman "touch of cream" lowfat, dry milk .... nothing better.

[GlazeDog]

I like to get out on the trail early, so no cooking in the a.m. is great for me. I was eating a healthfood version of honey nut cheerios. Serving size 1/2 the box. And plenty of powdered milk. Some mornings I would quickly brew 1 c. of h20 for coffee by the time I ate all that cereal. Still I was on the trail in 20, at most 30 mins after waking up.

GlazeDog

[neo]

I am considering cereal for breakfast on the trail. 1 1/2 cups of cereal, 1/3 cup dried milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. All these items fit into a ziploc bag and weigh less then 7 ounces. With Kellogs Just Right this figures out to approximately 500 calories with fiber, carbs, calicum, and low in fat. Lets hear the Pros and Cons. Thanks: Trudger :welcome


i like granola and powdered milk i eat it out of the freezer bag i packed it in:cool: neo

[neo]

Any kind of cereal with fruits and nuts with Nido add water and eat out of the plastic bag. Easy and tasty!

i like granola and powdered milk,i think i will try nido the next time:cool: neo

[jambalaya]

Jambalaya is good, too, although I can't say I've ever eaten it for breakfast. Have you, Jambalaya?

Nope, jambalaya is too spicy for breakfast. But it's the best after a long day of hiking! Zaterain's (sp?): it's really good stuff.

[JojoSmiley]

You can find Nido in most Walmarts. Check in the hispanic section. I usually use that generously with raisins, brown sugar and nuts in my regular oats.
Tastes great cold too although with the Jet boil hot water takes just a minute.

[hopefulhiker]

I used NIDO powdered milk as well. High in fat it helped augment the home made oatmeal that my wife fixed. She just mixed it in along with the other goodies in the oatmeal zip lock...