From time to time, companies with an outdoor focus ship us some products to check out. One of the cases that showed up on our doorstep earlier this year was an assortment pack of “Oatmeal Unleashed” and “Granola Unleashed,” new breakfast foods by Kodiak Cakes.
We brought a handful of cups along with us on our last camping trip, thinking, hey, quick breakfast! I was a little puzzled why the oatmeal and granola were in cups instead of pouches – not backpacker friendly – until I carefully read the cup and saw the word “microwave.” Oops! We don’t carry a microwave in Primrose, so the cups came home with us and went in the cupboard. We finally broke them out when my sister came to visit with her kids. And then I was sorry I hadn’t tried them sooner.
John’s not a breakfast person, but I must kick off my day with some protein, and oatmeal is usually my go-to breakfast. I found Oatmeal Unleashed to be quite tasty, better than our usual brand of oatmeal. With a little bit of crunchy texture and a nice mix of spices, flax seed, dried fruit, and nuts, the oatmeal was hearty and filling. Each contains 10 grams of protein. I preferred the Vanilla Peach Almond and Green Apple Spice, perhaps because of the hint of cardamom and nutmeg that isn’t present in the Wild Blueberry.
Granola Unleashed was even crunchier. Adding water and heating the cup per instructions softened it, and it was even more filling than the oatmeal. I’m not a big cereal eater so the oatmeal worked better for me.
Now here’s the key part for campers and backpackers: you do not have to microwave these cups. Just add water and let the oatmeal or granola sit for a couple of minutes, then stir. Hot water is best, of course. For a backpacking trip, I’d pour the servings out of the cups into resealable bags for less weight and better packing.
While I’m somewhat sensitive to gluten, the amount of it in these products was no problem for me at all. I only wish I could find single cups (or even better, bags of it) in our grocery store! Checking on the Kodiak Cakes website, they direct you to Amazon.com to purchase in 12 packs of each flavor.
DISCLOSURE: Our review contains an affiliate link below so you may purchase the item if you are interested in it. We earn a small commission on each purchase.