We know how important it is to start your day with a hearty breakfast. It’s a good practice to live by at home, but it’s even more important when you’re spending your days and nights outdoors. Hiking, biking, and other adventure sports increase our appetite, but we tend to forget that basic duties around your campsite like making a campfire also increase your body’s need for food. Even exposure to the temperature extremes of camping requires more calories than a climate-controlled home.
Fuel your adventures with yummy breakfast sandwiches you can prepare over the campfire.
1. The Health Nut
A variation on savory avocado toast, the Health Nut cuts back on sugar and brings on the protein. This breakfast sandwich trends with the brunch crowd, combining creamy avocado, crispy fried egg, and just enough drippy yolk for mopping your plate. It’s sure to be a hit with the tweens, teens, and picky adults at the campground.
Ingredients
- Pre-sliced loaf of sourdough or multigrain bread
- Avocados
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Optional Toppings
- Bacon slices
- Tomato slices
- Spinach
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Salsa or hot sauce
- Cilantro
- Edamame, cooked and shelled
Instructions
Peel avocados and remove pits, then mash with a fork until chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter over the campfire in a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet. Break eggs in the pan, being careful to remove any shell and keep yolks intact. Fry until almost solid and lightly browned along the edge, then flip eggs to brown briefly on the second side.
Brush one side of bread slices with olive oil and toast lightly on the campfire grill. Top with mashed avocado and egg. Pass additional toppings at the table.
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2. The Sweet Tooth
You might mistake this scrumptious combination for dessert, but it packs a powerful nutritional punch. Get all the potassium, magnesium, protein, and fiber you need for a day of outdoor fun with this twist on a southern classic: the peanut butter and banana sandwich. Caramelized bananas and creamy peanut butter melt together for a warm and gooey treat. Roasted marshmallows and an assembly line of toppings let everyone add their personal touch.
Ingredients
- Pre-sliced loaf cinnamon swirl bread
- Peanut butter – crunchy or smooth*
- Sliced bananas
- 4-6 T granulated sugar
- Butter
- *Almond, cashew, or hazelnut butter can be substituted for peanut butter.
Optional Toppings
- Bacon slices
- Chia seeds
- Jelly – any flavor
- Roasted marshmallows
- Honey
- Shredded coconut
- Blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries
Instructions
Slice bananas into coins and roll in sugar. Melt butter over the campfire in a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet. Add bananas and cook until golden brown. Gently flip bananas over and briefly brown the second side. Remove skillet from grill and place on picnic table with sliced bread, peanut butter, and other toppings. Serve assembly-line fashion.
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3. The Big Dipper
Turn breakfast prep into a party with this fun and cheesy crowd-pleaser. Little campers will love choosing and dunking their dippers in the bubbling campfire fondue pot. Eat the Cheddar-drenched morsels straight out of the pot, or wrap them in a soft, sweet waffle. You don’t want to rush through this experience, so plan your fun-due for a relaxing morning in camp.
Ingredients
- Waffles
- 2 c half and half
- 1 T Worcestershire
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 c shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 T all-purpose flour
- Salt to taste
- Hard-boiled eggs, cut in thirds
- Cooked ham, cubed
- Baby potatoes, sliced
Optional Dippers
- Cooked sausage
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus spears
- Broccoli, cut to bite-size
- Green apple, sliced
Instructions
Make waffles at home and freeze or buy frozen waffles to thaw to room temperature for serving. Waffles can also be lightly toasted on the campfire grill. Remove from grill while still soft and pliable.
Heat half and half, Worcestershire, mustard, and garlic in a large nonstick saucepan or cast-iron Dutch oven until almost boiling. Discard garlic. Toss cheese and flour in a separate bowl, then stir cheese mixture into saucepan. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbling. Salt to taste. The cheese sauce can also be prepared at home and reheated over the campfire.
If the campfire has burned to low embers, skewer dippers and dunk at the fire ring. If the fire is still burning, move the fondue pot to the picnic table for dipping.
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!