So you’re scouring the web looking for easy camping breakfast ideas.
I, too, have been in your shoes, looking for recipes that would satisfy hunger, wow my taste buds, and be relatively mess-free. And I’m not going to lie— many of the recipes that I’ve come across are so complex that I wouldn’t even make them in the comfort of my own home, much less at a campsite.
In the mornings, I don’t want to spend an hour pulling out measuring cups, prepping seven different vegetables five different ways, and scrubbing four pots and pans. I want to sip my coffee, whip up something quick and tasty, and get my day started!
I’ve learned a thing or two over the years through trial and error and have narrowed down a list of go-to camp breakfasts that are truly easy. And when I say easy, I mean college-student-on-a-weekend-trip easy. I can also certify that they are relatively mess-free and, best of all, pretty tasty and filling!
1. Eggs and meat (or meat alternative)
This one needs no explanation.
It’s a breakfast staple, and all you need is one pan— or two if you want to cook the eggs and your protein at the same time. Use a camp stove to cook the eggs how you want and heat up as much meat as you need to fill you up!
When it comes to choosing what meat to cook, my tip is to get pre-formed sausage patties or links. These are easy to heat up and cook with little mess. As tasty as fresh-cooked bacon is in the morning, I’ve found that it is far messier than sausage. Plus, you have to deal with disposing of the grease— especially if you’re cooking a lot of bacon for a large group.
2. Breakfast tacos
There’s a ton of options with breakfast tacos. Here’s what we usually pack to make some of our favorite taco creations:
- Tortillas
- Shredded cheese
- Dried refried beans (you just add water and heat to rehydrate)
- Crumbled sausage or protein of choice
- Eggs
- Hot sauce (Valentina is my favorite for breakfast tacos)
- Avocado
With this small list of ingredients, you can have endless options. It’s great for big groups with varying tastes or for multi-night trips where you want to keep it simple but still give yourself variety.
3. Avocado toast with hard-boiled eggs
Toast some bread, boil a few eggs, and slice up an avocado. Add some everything bagel seasoning for a pop of flavor.
If you’re wondering how on earth to toast bread while camping, we’ll let you in on a lil’ secret: the camp stove toaster. It’s a simple metal gadget that allows you to prop your bread up over your stove’s flame to toast it to perfection. You can find them at most outdoor retailers and online, usually for less than $10.
4. Instant oatmeal or granola + toppings
This is super easy and great for the final mornings of a camping trip since there is little mess. Just boil some water to create instant oatmeal and put out some toppings. Or, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of boiling water, you can opt for a hearty granola.
Good toppings include fresh fruit, slivered almonds, and honey.
5. Pancakes
Pancakes are another classic! Be sure to read the box of pancake mix to ensure you have everything you need to make the batter. To keep things extra simple, we only get mixes that only require water.
If you want to be fancy, add some blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter. Pancakes also go great with a side of sausage to give you some added protein for your day.
Just don’t forget the syrup!
6. Easy breakfast sandwiches
These are so good that I even make them at home. The ones I make have four ingredients, but you can include whatever you want.
- English muffins
- Sliced cheese (I like jalapeño jack for these)
- Canadian bacon slices or protein of choice
- Eggs
Start by lightly grilling the English muffins to give them a slight crunch. Remove the muffins and set aside. Next, fry your egg with a little salt and pepper. I like mine over medium so that the yolk breaks when I put the sandwich together. Warm your Canadian bacon slice, putting the slice of cheese on top at the end so that it gets a little melty.
Put it all together, and you have a tasty breakfast sandwich.
Other variations include:
- Adding or subbing avocado for the Canadian bacon
- Using sausage instead of Canadian bacon slices
- Adding condiments like spicy mayo or hot sauce
The world is your oyster with these. Go crazy!
7. Freeze-dried breakfasts
Ah, one of the simplest options on the list. You can’t go wrong with a freeze-dried meal made for camping. The Mountain House brand has been my tried and true, but there are a few other tasty brands out there. These can be found at major outdoor and recreation retailers or you can purchase directly from the manufacturers. You can see all the breakfast meals from Mountain House here, and we are not getting paid to say this!
If you haven’t tried it, give it a go one morning. They are surprisingly good and have tons of options like biscuits & gravy and a breakfast skillet. All you do is add boiling water, stir, and wait a few minutes. You can even eat it straight from the bag!
Cook what works for you
Don’t feel pressured to cook an Instagram-worthy, fancy breakfast. When camping, simplicity is key. If you want to go ultra-simple and bring a box of protein granola bars, go for it. The main thing is that your breakfast gives your body the fuel to start your day the right way!