BACKPACKING: Breakfast

[69RoadRunner]

On 2/1/2019 at 4:14 PM, perdidochas said:

The southern alternative to this is grits. (although you shouldn't put freeze-dried fruits in it).

"No self-respecting southerner eats instant grits."

-My Cousin Vinny 😀

[Jameson76]

2 minutes ago, 69RoadRunner said:

"No self-respecting southerner eats instant grits."

-My Cousin Vinny 😀

That is true, but sometimes convenience trumps Paula Dean input (hey ya'll, we're gonna fry some butter in butter and it's gonna be delicious)

Actually they do sell an instant grits that comes in a self serve cup (you can get oatmeal also), just add water.  A little bulky on the outbound leg, but they compress down nicely for the trip back.  We add beef jerky to the grits and that is mighty tasty.  

[mrkstvns]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Actually they do sell an instant grits that comes in a self serve cup (you can get oatmeal also), just add water.  A little bulky on the outbound leg, but they compress down nicely for the trip back.  We add beef jerky to the grits and that is mighty tasty.  

if you're boiling water anyway, then it might not be too much of an imposition to just use regular grits and just leave on the pot on to boil a few minutes longer.

I like the idea of adding beef jerky (or bacon bits).  It might also be good to experiment with other things to add: diced hard cheeses, dry onion flakes, etc. 

[mrkstvns]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Actually they do sell an instant grits that comes in a self serve cup (you can get oatmeal also), just add water.  A little bulky on the outbound leg, but they compress down nicely for the trip back.  We add beef jerky to the grits and that is mighty tasty.  

If I'm backpacking, I'd probably want to minimize the bulk and avoid the self serve cups. Especially since Quaker sells instant grits in paper envelopes.

[perdidochas]

On 3/19/2019 at 8:57 AM, 69RoadRunner said:

"No self-respecting southerner eats instant grits."

-My Cousin Vinny 😀

Takes too much fuel to make real grits while backpacking.  If it's a choice between instant grits or instant oatmeal, southerners prefer instant grits.  

[perdidochas]

On 3/19/2019 at 9:03 AM, Jameson76 said:

That is true, but sometimes convenience trumps Paula Dean input (hey ya'll, we're gonna fry some butter in butter and it's gonna be delicious)

Actually they do sell an instant grits that comes in a self serve cup (you can get oatmeal also), just add water.  A little bulky on the outbound leg, but they compress down nicely for the trip back.  We add beef jerky to the grits and that is mighty tasty.  

No need for the paper cup. If you have a coffee cup or small bowl, put the packet into the cup (open the top of the packet), you can just pour water into the instant grits (or oatmeal)pack it, stir it up, and eat.  Much smaller waste.  I usually eat the grits first, then use the same cup for coffee.  

Edited March 25, 2019 by perdidochas

[perdidochas]

On 3/19/2019 at 10:30 AM, mrkstvns said:

if you're boiling water anyway, then it might not be too much of an imposition to just use regular grits and just leave on the pot on to boil a few minutes longer.

I like the idea of adding beef jerky (or bacon bits).  It might also be good to experiment with other things to add: diced hard cheeses, dry onion flakes, etc. 

Have you ever made grits?  You have to boil for at least 5 minutes for quick grits (15 minutes for regular grits). That and the cleanup make it impractical for backpacking.  

[mrkstvns]

22 hours ago, perdidochas said:

Have you ever made grits?  You have to boil for at least 5 minutes for quick grits (15 minutes for regular grits). That and the cleanup make it impractical for backpacking.  

I don't find boiling for 5 minutes to be an impossible task for a weekend backpack trip. I wouldn't do it on a long trip, and instant is better, but a 5-minute boil is hardly difficult.

[DuctTape]

48 minutes ago, mrkstvns said:

I don't find boiling for 5 minutes to be an impossible task for a weekend backpack trip. I wouldn't do it on a long trip, and instant is better, but a 5-minute boil is hardly difficult.

Even a full 15 minute cooking time is not that long, especially with a buddy or patrol. One cooks while the other packs up camp. Then eat together. Then the cook packs up while the buddy cleans up. The extra ten minutes is only 3 tenths of a mile walking. 

[MikeS72]

21 minutes ago, DuctTape said:

The extra ten minutes is only 3 tenths of a mile walking. 

Unless you are on the last leg of the trip, when our scouts seem to be particularly speedy.  On our last backpacking trip day 3 was 5 miles.  They did that with full packs in an hour and 45 minutes.  Thought they were trying to kill me! 😉

We typically do not cook breakfast when backpacking; they usually go for protein bars, dried fruit, or oatmeal mixed with a little cold water and eaten right out of the packet (my nephew was skeptical about that until he tried it, now that is how he eats instant oatmeal at home).  I do find that it takes very little time to bring water to a boil with my Pocket Rocket 2, and it will maintain a rolling boil for as long as I need (8 minutes is as much as I have ever needed with it) using very little fuel.

Edited March 26, 2019 by MikeS72

[DuctTape]

1 hour ago, MikeS72 said:

Unless you are on the last leg of the trip, when our scouts seem to be particularly speedy.  On our last backpacking trip day 3 was 5 miles.  They did that with full packs in an hour and 45 minutes.  Thought they were trying to kill me! 😉

We typically do not cook breakfast when backpacking; they usually go for protein bars, dried fruit, or oatmeal mixed with a little cold water and eaten right out of the packet (my nephew was skeptical about that until he tried it, now that is how he eats instant oatmeal at home).  I do find that it takes very little time to bring water to a boil with my Pocket Rocket 2, and it will maintain a rolling boil for as long as I need (8 minutes is as much as I have ever needed with it) using very little fuel.

Of course each day's plan will dictate menu choices. For example, if one is at a dry camp, then b-fast will be something with the least amount of water in it.

My point was regardless it takes time to break camp, more than the 10 extra minutes it takes to make any sort of breakfast and that ten minutes will not make much of a difference in mileage for the day.

I typically don't do a real breakfast in general, but that is a function of my body not liking food that early. With scouts, I am usually up hours before them so by that time I am ready. Usually had my cuppa already too.

[perdidochas]

On 3/26/2019 at 11:58 AM, DuctTape said:

Even a full 15 minute cooking time is not that long, especially with a buddy or patrol. One cooks while the other packs up camp. Then eat together. Then the cook packs up while the buddy cleans up. The extra ten minutes is only 3 tenths of a mile walking. 

The difference is in fuel, not actual time.  

[DuctTape]

1 hour ago, perdidochas said:

The difference is in fuel, not actual time.  

Of course fuel as a variable comes into play if one is using a stove. I am fortunate that almost all of the backpacking areas I am able to make a twig fire. I know this isn't true for all.

[Liz]

On 2/2/2019 at 5:51 PM, qwazse said:

Regarding grits, oatmeal, cream-of-wheat .... for it to be a legit backpacking breakfast, add a dollop of peanut butter for the requisite protein infusion.

Not as high in calories, but for a shot of protein and more lightweight than peanut butter is *powdered* peanut butter. Reconstitute with water and spread on a bagel, or just add it to your hot cereal of choice. It's actually quite good. I use it in cookies, smoothies, and lots of other things around here. 

[mrkstvns]

On 3/26/2019 at 2:07 PM, DuctTape said:

I typically don't do a real breakfast in general, but that is a function of my body not liking food that early. 

My body likes food....especially the mouth part of the body..

Seriously though, breakfast isn't the meal I'd skip, particularly not on a backpacking trip.  (Maybe my mom just told me too often that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"...)

2 minutes ago, Liz said:

Not as high in calories, but for a shot of protein and more lightweight than peanut butter is *powdered* peanut butter. Reconstitute with water and spread on a bagel, or just add it to your hot cereal of choice. It's actually quite good. I use it in cookies, smoothies, and lots of other things around here. 

Powdered peanut butter, eh?  I've never heard of such a thing....is it sold in grocery stores?