Why stove-free breakfasts?

Maybe you want to save weight by leaving the stove and fuel at home. Or maybe you are headed out on a warmer weather trip and you don’t need a hot breakfast to fill you up. Or maybe you just want to get up, pack up camp, and hit the trail without bothering to fire up the stove. One of my most memorable backcountry stove-free breakfasts was an instant cheesecake. Yes, we had it with hot coffee, but it was incredibly delicious!

Pop Tarts and trail bars are delicious, but often not what we are looking for in a trail meal. I promise, you can do better! Boiled eggs pack well for the first couple of days and shelf stable bacon strips exist (if you don’t mind eating cold bacon). You can also pick your favorite dry cereal, add powdered milk and you have a just-add-water cold breakfast.

These recipes are both portable and easy. Keep it simple and still eat well every morning on the trail.

Pretty in Pink

One Pan Wonders Book #2
Serves 1

• 1 large flour tortilla
• 1 single serving container strawberry cream cheese
• 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries (bananas would be good too – or both!)

At home: wrap the tortilla in foil. Place the strawberries in zip lock bag.

In camp: spread the tortilla with the cream cheese. Top with the strawberries. Roll and eat.

PB Crunch Wrap

One Pan Wonders book #1

Serves 1

This is my go-to breakfast when I want to be stove-free.

If you want to get really fancy, use one of the flavored nut-butters that are available in single serving packets. I’ve seen chocolate, coconut, chocolate-coconut, cinnamon, cinnamon-raisin, vanilla-espresso, and a variety of different nut butters; almond, hazlenut cashew. The combinations seem unending.

• 1 large flour tortilla
• ¼ cup granola with dried fruit (your favorite kind)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons jam, jelly or honey

Spread the peanut butter on half of the tortilla. Spread the jam on the other half. Sprinkle with the granola. Roll and eat.

Berry Berry Wrap

Serves 1

• 1 large flour tortilla
• 1 packet shelf stable cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried blueberries
• 1 tablespoon dried cranberries

At home: wrap the tortilla in foil. Combine the blueberries and cranberries in a zip locking plastic bag. Put the cream cheese in the bag.

In camp: spread the cream cheese on the tortilla. Top with the berries. Roll and eat.

Bagels with Bacon Chive Cream Cheese

Serves 1

• 1 bagel, any flavor
• 1 tablespoon shelf stable bacon bits
• 1 teaspoon dried chives
• 1 teaspoon sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 ounces cream cheese

At home: cream together the bacon, chives, tomatoes and cream cheese. Pack in a lidded container. Wrap the bagel in foil or plastic wrap.

In camp: slice the bagel in half. Spread with the cream cheese mix and eat.

Purple Cow Smoothie

One Pan Wonders Book #3 (not yet published)
Serves 1

When I was a kid, in the summer, we used to make a sort of float out of vanilla ice cream and Concord grape juice. This is my trail version of that concoction.

• 1 packet vanilla instant breakfast
• ¼ cup powdered milk
• 3 tablespoons instant grape flavored drink mix (Kool Aid)

At home: combine all of the ingredients in a zip locking plastic bag.

In camp: add about 1 cup of cold water to a screw top container. Add the smoothie mix and shake until thoroughly combined.