27 Camping Breakfast Ideas Perfect for the Outdoors
LOOKING FOR BREAKFAST IDEAS FOR YOUR CAMPING OR RV TRIP?
You are in the right place because we bring you 27 camping breakfast ideas to try on your next outing. We have traveled and lived in our RV since 2010 and love finding great breakfast and food options.
A simple and wholesome breakfast can help kickstart your day and set you in the right mood for exploring. It doesn’t have to be instant oatmeal, eggs, and a cup of coffee every morning.
If you are wondering what to eat in the morning while spending time outdoors, these easy camping breakfast ideas will keep you fueled for your adventures throughout the day. For those like us, who have a sweet tooth, we also have some great sweet breakfast options.
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Best Camping Breakfast Ideas
1. Apple Pie Spice Campfire Donuts
Nothing says 6 am in the backcountry like apple pie donuts. Apple Pie Spice Campfire Donuts is an easy recipe to prepare when camping. You can make them on the campfire with a grill grate or in a cast iron pan.
If you don’t have the apple pie spice needed for this recipe, substitutes like cinnamon and nutmeg will still provide a yummy flavor.
The only thing you’ll find hard about making these donuts is waiting for the oil to heat up, but you’ll quickly forget about the waiting once you take your first bite. The flavor is to die for.
To make the donuts even more exciting, you can enjoy them with a cup of cider with friends or family around a campfire or bonfire. This way, you’ll feel satisfied after eating the delicious breakfast and create unforgettable moments with each bite.
2. Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Skillet
Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast is a popular dish in the US that many people make at home and outdoors.
What we love about this camping breakfast idea is that you can cook it in many different ways, and it’s super easy to prepare, even if it’s your first time making it. You can cook it on a stovetop, over the campfire, or in a grill/smoker and still get an irresistible final product.
Besides being easy to make, this dish is also very affordable, making it one of the best camping breakfast ideas for large groups or families. Make sure you have enough camping dishes; everyone will want a taste of this!
3. Campfire Breakfast Hash with Chorizo
Campfire Breakfast Hash with Chorizo is an easy-to-make breakfast that will leave you filled and supercharged to start your day.
The good thing about this camping meal is that it’s one of the best make-ahead camping breakfast ideas. You can partially prepare it at home, making your work much more manageable while out there. You only need a cooler for your eggs, diced onion, and chorizo to enjoy this breakfast idea in the wild.
You could even cook the potatoes overnight as a camping crockpot meal if you have access to electricity.
This dish is an easy camping breakfast for families and those traveling in large groups, as each member will take a small portion and feel ready for their outdoor activities.
4. Toasted Oats Cereal
Are you looking for a light but filling camping breakfast idea without eggs? You might want to try out the Toasted Oats Cereal camping breakfast.
You can make a delicious and hearty outdoor breakfast with rolled oats, dried fruits or seeds, and chopped nuts of your choice.
We love Toasted Oats Cereal breakfast, AKA Muesli since it’s quick to prepare and leaves you filled longer than other simple cereals, thanks to extra calories from nuts and fruits. We usually make it in a small batch of two, but it’s easy to multiply it when camping with friends or the entire family.
5. Smashed Blackstone Cinnamon Rolls
Smashed cinnamon rolls aren’t visually appealing and seemingly not as delicious as they look. But trust us, you are missing a lot if this isn’t one of your go-to breakfast ideas for RV camping.
Smashed Blackstone Cinnamon Rolls require the least preparation time and a few ingredients. You only need a tube of a cinnamon roll dough, sprinkles, and non-greasy cooking spray to prepare this breakfast delicacy.
You’ll need a Blackstone Griddle or an equivalent grill to make these rolls. This breakfast is one of the reasons why every RV camper should have a nice grill on hand.
6. Camping Breakfast Skillet Recipe
This low-carb outdoor breakfast is a perfect combination of great taste and convenience since you can prep many ingredients at home.
You can dice the onion, ham, and peppers beforehand and then store them in a freezer bag for fast cooking while camping. To make the Camping Breakfast Skillet Recipe, you’ll need to put your ingredients in a cast iron pan and then cook over the campfire or on the camp stove.
7. Apple Dutch Baby Pancake
Pancakes are sweet and soft, but they are typically less filling. But adding a healthy fruit like an apple becomes a whole new and satisfying breakfast for camping.
Also known as German Pancakes, Apple Dutch Pancakes couldn’t be easier to make while camping. You just need to bring your favorite apples and the typical ingredients for pancakes. What makes the recipe one of the best easy breakfast ideas for camping is that you can pre-make a regular pancake mix and slice the apples in advance.
When making this breakfast, you must ensure that your pan is hot before pouring in the mixture. Otherwise, the pancake will not rise.
8. Breakfast in a Bag Over the Campfire
If you’re always finding it challenging to develop new breakfast ideas for your camping crew, the breakfast in a Bag over the Campfire is a lifesaver. It’s handy for campers looking for an easy and delicious way to fill their bodies in the AM with little effort.
Instead of cooking everything separately, you can cook all the ingredients in a paper bag over coals or a small fire. Just don’t put the bags over a high flame. We find this breakfast idea fascinating because it’s versatile in that you can substitute or add other ingredients as you see fit.
9. Avocado Toast with Egg Recipe
If you are looking for quick camping breakfast ideas, the Avocado Toast with Egg Recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prep. You just need to boil the eggs for about five minutes and then assemble the toast, which will only take a few minutes.
With avocado and eggs, this recipe is full of flavor, and you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or supper since it’s healthy and filling. You don’t even want us to get started with the health benefits of avocados and eggs!
10. Giant Cinnamon Roll
If you’re looking for a breakfast idea that will also fulfill your sweet tooth craving, the Giant Cinnamon Roll will soon become your favorite.
The cinnamon roll is fun; you only need multiple refrigerated rolls, and every bite tastes great. Depending on the number of giant cinnamon rolls you want, it will take between 45 minutes and one hour. This may seem long compared to other easy recipes on the list, but it’s worth it, especially for families and those camping in large groups.
11. French Toast Casserole
French Toast Casserole is a light and tasty camping breakfast that you can quickly prepare in a Dutch oven over coals or a campfire.
You can put the ingredients together the night before to let the egg mixture soak nicely into the bread or prep them in the morning since both options yield great results.
But because our kids love a moist French toast casserole, the overnight version is usually our go-to. Once the mixture is ready, it takes about 30 to 50 minutes to bake, but it could be less in warm weather.
12. Mountain Man Breakfast in Dutch Oven
Another incredible breakfast to prepare with a Dutch oven is the Mountain Man Breakfast. It takes about 25 to 45 minutes to make this breakfast. With savory ingredients like sausage, eggs, cheese, and sweet potatoes, the Mountain Man Breakfast is outrageously delicious.
To make your work easier in the morning, you can prepare the potatoes or cook them in foil the night before.
This Mountain Man Breakfast is one of our favorite Dutch Oven recipes. It’s one of the most flexible breakfast ideas for camping since you can use any type of potatoes and sausage available and still be sure of achieving tasty results.
We also love using our Dutch Oven for camping meals with chicken!
13. Homemade McGriddles on the Blackstone
If you are a fan of sweet and savory foods, you’ll love preparing Homemade McGriddles on the Blackstone during your adventures.
You just have to make two fluffy pancakes and assemble some eggs, pulled pork, and cheese inside to bring together a whole meal. With your pancake mix prepared beforehand, preparing this savory breakfast is quick.
14. Bacon on a Stick
The flavor you get from a salty and crunchy Bacon on a Stick is magical. It may sound like a snack of street food, but it’s one of the best simple breakfast ideas for camping.
Grilled bacon alone is tasty and healthy, but you can pair it with sliced apples to make it even more filling. If you have other foods you intend to grill in the morning, like cinnamon rolls for snack time, you can make your bacon on a stick before you even start grilling the main course.
15. Baked Chocolate Coffee Granola
Coffee lovers will love Baked Chocolate Coffee Granola for breakfast when camping. This breakfast has subtle flavors and is easy to make with only six ingredients.
Whether you want a vegan or gluten-free breakfast, this idea is versatile. You can pair it with other natural goodies like fresh fruit, yogurt, and milk of choice.
16. Healthy Vegan Raspberry Muffins
Looking for vegan and oil-free breakfast ideas for camping? These Raspberry Muffins are healthy and insanely tasty.
They are simple to make as you can prepare them in 30 minutes or less with only one bowl. You can make lots of them beforehand and enjoy them with a cup of coffee every morning while camping since they stay fresh for three to five days.
17. Dutch Oven Breakfast Bake Recipe
The Dutch Oven Breakfast Bake Recipe is yet another excellent make-ahead camping breakfast idea. You can prepare your main ingredients at home and then pack them in a freezer bag to make your prep work simple and quick.
It’s an excellent option for adventurers camping with their families, as it’s easy to increase the amount without prolonging the cooking time.
18. Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos
Make-ahead breakfast burritos are excellent for campers looking to save time and money while out there. You can prepare your camping breakfast Burritos in big batches at home and wrap them for freezing. See how to prepare and wrap them here.
No Cooking Camping Breakfast Ideas
19. Instant Oatmeal
If you don’t want to do much cooking while out there, you can benefit from no-cook breakfast ideas for camping, and Instant Oatmeal is the easiest breakfast. Since the recipe uses rolled oats, seeds, and dried fruits, it’s packed with a lot of fiber to fill you and taste.
Also, a great way to cheat is to purchase some brown sugar instant oatmeal packets, and you are good to go real fast. Growing up, we used quick oats or instant oats and then added brown sugar and milk.
20. Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
The Peanut Butter Overnight Oats is a perfect high protein, low carb breakfast for camping. And the good thing is that you can assemble it in minutes.
You just need to mix a few ingredients with rolled oats and refrigerate them overnight or at least 6 hours for the best consistency.
21. Nutella Overnight Oats
Nutella Overnight Oats is a simple and easy-to-make yet incredibly delicious breakfast for camping. To make this breakfast, you only need three ingredients: Nutella, rolled oats, and milk. And if you want it dairy-free, you can use plant-based milk like coconut, soy, or almond milk.
22. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls are so easy to prep with only three ingredients, creamy peanut butter, maple syrup, and oats. Our sister-in-law introduced us to these, and they are so good! Our kids love them.
They are healthy and a great energy source since they use plant-based products and no artificial sweeteners or flavors. Add some nuts and chocolates if you want to personalize the recipe and make it more exciting.
23. Banana Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Are you looking for no-cook camping breakfast ideas? These Banana Cinnamon Overnight Oats do not require any cooking.
This meal is very convenient and comes in handy when you have a long list of activities to engage in during your excursion and don’t want to dwell much on cooking.
24. Fruit and Nut Peanut Butter Stuffed Tortilla
This Fruit and Nut Peanut Butter Stuffed Tortilla is packed with proteins to keep you going throughout the day, and it’s so easy to make. When making this breakfast recipe, you can make a few more to enjoy later on the hiking trails as a snack since it’s very portable.
25. Smoked Salmon Bagel
Start your day with a balanced diet by preparing this Smoked Salmon Bagel for breakfast. And it’s packed with proteins and fiber.
To make this delicious sandwich, you only need a few ingredients, and they don’t require any cooking.
26. Yogurt Parfait with Blackberries
Yogurt parfaits are delicious and couldn’t be easier to make. For this recipe, you only need two cups of vanilla yogurt, eight blackberries, and a cup of granola to make servings for two.
Then put one cup of yogurt and half of the granola in a large glass. Repeat the process with another glass and top with four blackberries for each glass. Of course, this recipe is versatile. You can use other frozen or dried fruits if you don’t have blackberries.
27. Banana Bread
If you have banana bread in your camping freezer, there are many ways to serve it for breakfast. You can pair it with cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream, yogurt, and even citrus fruits.
Outdoor Breakfast Cooking Essentials
Most breakfast recipes on the list are quick and easy to prepare while camping. Here are the essential products you’ll need for such camping breakfast ideas:
Skillet
A good cast-iron skillet or frying pan is great for easy breakfasts in the morning. They don’t scratch easily, which is awesome if you travel much. Our pans are always getting dinged up, but our cast iron cookware handles camping so well. You can read more in our camping skillet guide.
Grill
A grill or a camping stove is a must for camping. It does not matter if you are in a tent, motorhome, or RV. They make every camping adventure better. It is super nice to cook outside and not heat up your space with your burners in your RV, and if you have a tent, your grill is a must. You can read more about our favorite small grills for camping here.
Spatula
This is a no-brainer, but a set of spatulas is a must. We have a set that stays in the RV as part of our RV kitchen essentials and a set that stays in our house. Our RV is our home away from home and has everything week need in it. This makes sure we don’t forget things, and it is always ready for impromptu trips.
Dutch Oven
A dutch oven is one of our family favorites. We don’t use it a lot which is sad because when we do use it, the food is so good. It does not matter if you are cooking a simple camping breakfast, campfire hash, or a delicious dessert. Using a dutch oven is a great option.
Griddle
Our griddle is probably one of our most used cooking items besides our grill or RV stove. We cook almost everything on it, especially breakfast, because we cook a lot of eggs. It is a great size and is a great thing to have available, especially if you are cooking for a family.
FAQ: Camping Breakfast Ideas
What Do People Eat for Breakfast Camping?
Popular breakfast ideas for camping include oatmeal with fruits, cinnamon rolls, bacon and eggs, burritos, cereals, yogurt parfaits, toast, and pancakes.
Bagels with different toppings, campfire frittata, breakfast pizza, and granola are also common RV and car camping breakfast ideas.
What Food Should I Bring for 3 Days of Camping?
If you are going to camp for three days, you should bring supplies to prepare about five or six meals. Ideally, you should choose foods that are easy to prepare in advance so you can pack them in travel fridges. This will make your work much easier while out there.
Meats, fish, eggs, and vegetables are essential for different meals. Breakfast meals are the easiest; you can even go for no-cook options.
You should bring rice, pasta, and bread for lunch and dinner. It’s also important to bring healthy snacks like protein bars, cliff bars, oatmeal bars, nuts, and frozen and dried fruits.
To ensure you don’t have to bring many ingredients, you can fully prepare all the food you need for the first day and pack it up. Here is an example of a camping food list for three days:
Day 1
Breakfast – scrambled eggs with toast or yogurt bowls
Lunch – Sandwiches (bread, sandwich meat, salad, cheese, and sauce)
Dinner – BBQ steak, salad, and burgers
Day 2
Breakfast – Pancakes and fruits
Lunch – Rice, BBQ meat, baked beans, and pickles
Dinner – Cheesy pasta
Day 3
Breakfast – Instant oatmeal with dried fruits
Lunch – Turkey and apricot wraps
Dinner – Grilled meat with chargrilled tomato and eggplant salad
What is a Good Meal to Take Camping?
The are many great foods to take camping, from eggs to flatbreads. Depending on the type of recipes you intend to make while out there, you can bring primary products like pasta, dried fruits, vegetables, salad sauces, cereal, and meats.
What is a Light but Filling Breakfast?
A cup of healthy granola with yogurt and fruits is a light but filling breakfast. Other light but satisfying breakfast foods include pancakes, eggs and bacon, cinnamon rolls, and oatmeal paired with fruits and nuts.
Conclusion: Camping Breakfast Ideas
Enjoying a delicious breakfast without bringing many ingredients and equipment when camping is possible. We always insist on carrying your Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, as it can make cooking work over a campfire or hot coals much easier and more effective.
We hope these 27 camping breakfast ideas have inspired your outdoor cooking and will let you have more fun while out there.
When camping and exploring, it is not a good idea to skip the most important meal of the day. We hope you enjoy these for your breakfast time as we have.