Toasted Oats Cereal (Camping Breakfast)

This warm toasted oats cereal (muesli) is made with rolled oats, chopped nuts, and dried fruit, and is a delicious and hearty camping breakfast. Make it ahead of time at home or at the campground!

What's the fastest breakfast ever?

Cereal, of course.

It is a rare day, however, when I start my morning with a bowl of my beloved Cheerios.  

Why?  

You probably already know why.

Some cereals are delicious, but only leave you full for... maybe an hour?

This toasted oats cereal is different.

It's both filling and delicious, and it's my favorite camping breakfast to eat before a long day of hiking.

After your hike, I recommend eating these camp stove bean burritos, campfire lasagna, or campfire pizza.

What Is Muesli?

Toasted oats cereal is also called muesli. It's made with rolled oats, nuts or seeds, and fruit.

What Makes This Cereal a Good Camping Breakfast?

This cereal is toasted in a pan, not in the oven, so you can make it on the go with a camping stove. We use a Coleman 2-burner propane stove.

Additionally, this recipe is small-batch, and meant to serve two.

You can definitely multiply the recipe, but if you want to make very large batches, it's easier to toast the oats in an oven (like in this homemade breakfast cereal recipe).

And finally, this toasted oats recipe has a little more oil, nuts, and fruit per serving than my other muesli recipe.

Why?

The extra calories will help energize you before a long hike.

If you want a slightly more indulgent breakfast option, try this peanut butter granola!

If you do have the time and want to cook a warm breakfast, this campfire breakfast hash with chorizo hits the spot!

How to Make Toasted Oats Cereal

Start by heating oil in a large, heavy pan.

I recommend using a 12" cast-iron skillet or this Lodge 12" carbon steel skillet. You want a large pan so that you can spread the oats out over the heat.

Next, add the oats and chopped nuts.

Toast the oats, stirring constantly.

The oats will start to turn golden as they cook.

When they darken, turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup.

Next, add the dried fruit and stir again.

Can I Use a Different Sweetener? Or Skip the Sweetener?

Yes, you definitely can!

This recipe also works well with honey or agave syrup, so use what you have on hand.

Keep in mind that the maple syrup will help bring out the sweet flavors in the toasted notes. If you totally skip the sweetener, the flavor might be slightly less delicious.

Cereal Milk For Camping

If you're camping without a way to refrigerate milk, can you still enjoy cereal?

Absolutely.

We usually buy these Horizon Shelf-Stable 8-ounce Milk Cartons, but you can also buy dry milk powder (and dried non-dairy milk powder) and follow the package directions to rehydrate it before using.