5 Simple Camping Breakfast Ideas

A hearty breakfast is essential if you want to start your day off right, even in the mountains. But, cooking up a nutritious camping breakfast might seem like an insurmountable challenge, especially if you spent all night tossing and turning on your sleeping pad.

To help you get your backcountry gourmet skills to peak perfection here are 5 of the best outdoor breakfast ideas to try on your next camping trip. Just don’t forget to wash your hands before you get started!

1. Fruity Granola

If you’re a bit short on time, this fruit-filled granola is a must-have for a healthy camping breakfast. You’ll need the following:

• 0.5-1 cup (120-235mL) of your favorite granola
• 2 tbsp (30mL) dehydrated milk (or coconut milk powder)
• Handful of dried fruit (dried blueberries are a fan-favorite)

You can either make the milk using purified cold water or boil some hot water for a bit of extra warmth in the morning. Mix it all up in your bowl, chow down, and then hit the trail in no time flat.

2. Cheesy Fried Bagels

Okay, we get it: If you’ve never had cheesy fried bagels, you might not be convinced. But, one small bite of these cheesy carb-filled delights and you’ll be craving more. The ingredients are quite simple:

• 1 bagel per person
• 0.5 lb (225g) cheese per person
• 1/4 stick of butter per person (or equivalent in oil)

Making these bagels requires a pan that’s placed over low heat. Grease the pan with butter or oil and then place each bagel half on the pan right-side up.

Slice the cheese and place it around the top of each bagel. Pour a tiny bit of water in the pan and then quickly cover with a lid. This will steam the cheese and help it melt. For added deliciousness, it’s worth flipping the bagels over to briefly fry the cheese before serving.

You could also try adding bacon and eggs inside your bagels!

3. Potato Latkes (a.k.a. Potato Pancakes)

If you’ve never had a latke before, worry not, there’s nothing better than fried potatoes in the backcountry. This recipe takes a bit of time so it is especially good if you aren’t in a rush to get out of camp in the morning. You’ll need the following for 4 servings:

• 1lb (450g) Dehydrated hashbrowns (Augason Farms and Idaho Spuds are a good choice)
• 2oz (50g) Dehydrated eggs (Ova Easy or Vegan Egg Replacer)
• 2 tbsp (30mL) Flour or gluten-free flour
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
• Lots of butter or oil

You’ll start by rehydrating the hashbrowns for about 20 minutes in a bag using purified water. Once the hashbrowns are soft, drain them of the water and mix them in a pot with the flour, eggs, and spices.

Add small amounts of water to the mixture to rehydrate the eggs. The mixture should stick together quite a bit, so be conservative with how much water you add.

Grease a pan and place it over the stove. Place a decent amount of mixture on the pan and flatten to form a patty (you can cook multiple at once). Cook for 2-3 minutes and flip for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown before serving. Be sure to use lots of butter or oil!

4. Breakfast Sandwiches

Who doesn’t love a good breakfast sandwich? There are plenty of ways to customize this recipe to your unique tastes, so feel free to explore your culinary talents. You’ll need these basic ingredients for 4 breakfast sandwiches:

• 4 English muffins (or, opt for tortillas for breakfast burritos)
• 3.5oz (100g) Dehydrated eggs (Ova Easy or Vegan Egg Replacer)
• 4oz (110g) Summer sausage
• 4oz (110g) Cheese
• Lots of oil or butter

Prepping these breakfast sandwiches is super fast, especially for a hot meal. Combine the eggs with water, according to the packaging and cook on your stove until ready.

Toast the English muffins for a few minutes and then remove from the stove. Fill your muffins with sausage, eggs, and cheese and enjoy. Or, fill up a tortilla with these same ingredients and toast on the stove for a few minutes for extra yumminess.

5. Good Ol’ Fashion Oatmeal

Oatmeal gets a bad reputation in some circles, but that’s often because people opt for quick oats, rather than cooking them on the stove. If you want some tasty oats for a camping breakfast, try the following to serve four people:

• 1-1.5 cups (235-355mL) steel-cut oats
• 4 tbsp (60mL) dehydrated milk (or coconut milk powder)
• 2 tbsp sugar (or equivalent in honey/maple syrup)
• Handful of dried fruits (e.g. raisins, cranberries, blueberries)
• 4 cups (1L) water

Cooking up oats isn’t as tricky as it might seem. You’ll simply need to combine the oats, water, and milk in a pot and cook until you get a nice consistency (about 5-10 minutes). The trick is to stir frequently (if not constantly) and to keep the pot on a low heat to avoid burning the bottom. Then, everyone in the group can serve themselves and add as much fruit and sugar as they’d like.