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Meet your new travel companion: homemade instant oatmeal packs! These quick and easy make-ahead baggies are perfect for keeping your snacking under control while on the go. With just 10 minutes of prep and 5 flavors to choose from, you’ll have a stash of grab-and-go fuel ready for any adventure!

A hand reaching for one of 5 portable oatmeal baggies in various flavors laid out in a line on the snow
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The Easiest On-The-Go Breakfast

If you love to travel as much as I do, you know the struggle of finding nutritious food on the go (because we just don’t have all the healthy options at our disposal when we’re out!).

So, I’ve been aiming to develop on-the-go recipes that work well for hiking, skiing, camping, and day trips or car rides (no artificial preservatives or hard-to-pronounce ingredients required). These instant oatmeal packs have quickly become my favorite easy, on-the-go meals!

Oatmeal packets are like overnight oats but way more portable. They’re perfect for fueling up between slopes (because, let’s face it—skiing wears you out, and food options on the hill are $$$). Plus, this healthy vegan and gluten-free snack keeps you full and energized for hours!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“I love overnight oats. You really answered how to prepack oats for traveling. Why didn’t I think of using zip-lock bags? Splendid idea! Thanks, Sarah!” —John Paul

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5 bags of portable oatmeal filled with various flavor combinations including mango coconut, pineapple coconut, strawberry almond, raisin almond, and apple pecan

Here’s What You’ll Need

Since these oats are for enjoying on the go, the ingredients are all shelf-stable. You don’t need to refrigerate them while transporting them, either!

  • Rolled Oats: First, use a base of ½ cup of rolled oats, a nutritious whole grain that will keep you full for a while. You can use instant oats, though rolled oats result in a better texture after soaking in the milk.
  • Dried Fruit: Add natural flavors and a sweet element (using less sugar) with ¼ cup of your favorite dried fruit. Feel free to include some maple syrup, organic coconut sugar, or brown sugar to up the sweetness level!
  • Nuts: We’ll include 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts to add some heartiness and crunch (again, take your pick from our flavor variations!).
  • Milk: Finish off the mix with ½ cup of your milk of choice (regular or dairy-free options like soy milk both work well here).
10 glass bowls filled with various oatmeal pouch ingredients

Making Instant Oat Packets Is So Easy

We’ll be making 5 different instant oat packet variations, all of which use the same foundation for a convenient breakfast or snack.

  1. Mix the oats, dried fruit, and nuts in a baggie. Store in a cool, dry place.
  2. Assemble the packet with milk (or cold water), stir, and chill the oats.
  3. Serve your oatmeal packs for some instant energy!

Sarah’s Tip

I recommend making a big batch and storing your instant oat packs as needed. When you’re nearly ready to enjoy, you can add milk and pop them in the fridge!

5 portable oatmeal baggies in various flavors laid out in a line on the snow
You can serve your instant oat packs straight from the baggie, either with a spoon or by tearing the bottom corner off and treating it like a squeeze pouch.

First Up, Pineapple Coconut

Use the base ingredients listed above and your choice of milk. For the ¼ cup of dried fruit, use dried pineapple. Include a pinch of shredded coconut for a spot-on piña colada flavor! (This oatmeal packet combo is my personal favorite.)

An on-the-go oatmeal pouch filled with rolled oats, milk, shredded coconut, and dried pineapple
Level up this combo by including coconut milk, dried mango, and a few pieces of fresh pineapple. The coconut milk adds more flavor, and the extra fruit provides more sweet deliciousness!

Next, Strawberry Almond

Follow the directions for the pineapple variation above, but this time, use dried strawberries as your ¼ cup of dried fruit. The sliced almonds in this variety add a delicious crunch!

An on-the-go oatmeal pouch filled with rolled oats, milk, sliced almonds, and dried strawberries
I love the texture of freeze-dried strawberries. You can also add shredded coconut, chia seeds, flax, freeze-dried blueberries, and chocolate chips for a little variety.

Time For Apple Pecan

Dried apple and pecan oatmeal packs taste like a dessert! Use ¼ cup of dried apples for the fruit, and layer in those chopped pecans for extra sweetness.

An on-the-go oatmeal pouch filled with rolled oats, milk, chopped pecans, and dried apples
This combination is so tasty when optionally prepared with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and peanuts for extra healthy fats!

Next Up, Raisins And Almonds

This variation is like a yummy trail mix but in oatmeal form! Raisins act as the ¼ cup of dried fruit (because they’re technically dried fruit—the original dried fruit if you will). The almonds add some crunch!

An on-the-go oatmeal pouch filled with rolled oats, milk, raisins, and shredded coconut
Flavor additions for this option include spice flavors like cinnamon, dried apples, and/or a couple of teaspoons of chocolate chips. You can never go wrong with a bit of chocolate!

Last But Not Least, Mango Coconut

This delicious variety tastes like a tropical island in a baggie. Mango adds a floral sweetness, and shredded coconut gives it the perfect texture!

An on-the-go oatmeal pouch filled with rolled oats, milk, dried mangoes, and shredded coconut
Add in some dried pineapple for an extra tropical taste, or include dried strawberries for more fruitiness! Additional flavors include coconut milk (for the coconut lovers out there) or banana nut (with dried banana slices)!

Try These Oat-Tastic Recipes!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packs (5 Flavor Options)

5 from 2 ratings
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Meet your new travel companion: homemade instant oatmeal packs! These quick and easy make-ahead baggies are perfect for keeping your snacking under control while on the go. With just 10 minutes of prep and 5 flavors to choose from, you'll have a stash of grab-and-go fuel ready for any adventure!

Ingredients 

Foundation

  • ½ cup rolled oats, 40 g
  • ¼ cup dried fruit, 20 g
  • 2 Tbsp nuts, 10 g
  • ½ cup milk, 120 mL

Flavor Ideas

  • dried pineapple + shredded coconut
  • freeze dried strawberry + sliced almonds
  • dried apple + chopped pecans
  • raisins + sliced almonds
  • freeze dried mango + shredded coconut
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Instructions 

  • Prep: mix the oats, dried fruit, and nuts in a baggie. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to assemble.
  • Assemble: Add milk and transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until the oats are soft.
  • Serve: Enjoy directly from the baggie, either with a spoon or by tearing a bottom corner off and treating it like a squeeze pouch.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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5 from 2 votes

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4 Comments

  1. John Paul says:

    5 stars
    I love overnight oats. You really answered me how to prepack oats for traveling.

    So worried I might missed my daily morning snacks of overnight oats. Yes, you really made my days.

    Why didn’t I think of using zipped-lock bags. Splendid idea! Thanks, Sarah!!!!

  2. Stephen Hamid says:

    I like this idea not bad at all

  3. Jmo says:

    5 stars
    This is great! Can the instant packets also be heated up, like regular instant oatmeal packets?

    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yes! Just be sure that your baggies are microwavable.