Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? Studies show that eating breakfast regularly and soon after waking helps give your body a jumpstart at reaching its daily nutrient needs, helps facilitate weight loss, and improves cognitive function.

At the campsite, whether you’re cooking on the stovetop in your RV or over an open flame outside your pop-up camper, try one of these three recipes to get the day started. (Full disclosure, these recipes rank from healthy to downright outlandish yet irresistibly delicious.)

The Good: Steel Cut Oatmeal with Fruit

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Also known as Irish oats, steel cut oats are fibrous, have 20 grams of protein per cup, and a high carb count. Steel cut oats are also not processed as much as other types of oats, including rolled oats – although that’s a pretty healthy choice, too. Starting the morning with a bowl of hot oatmeal will help you feel fuller longer. Steel cut oats take a little longer to cook, but the health benefits and taste are worth the wait. Mix in some dried cherries or raisins or top it off with some fresh blueberries and you’re good to go. (Maybe stir in some pure Michigan maple syrup or a dash of brown sugar, for a little sweetness.)

 

The Very Good: Gourmet Skillets

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There’s nothing like the taste of hot eggs fresh from a cast iron skillet. With Michigan a leading producer of agricultural produce – and with abundant farmer’s markets and u-pick stands – a camper can find an assortment of freshly picked vegetables to throw in to make a scrumptious skillet. If you have multiple family members, consider smaller individual skillets so that everyone can pick their own toppings and everything can be cooked at the same time.

 

The Really Good: S’more Pancakes

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Nighttime’s favorite dessert snack now makes an appearance at the breakfast table. When we saw photos of this high-calorie treat from Buzzfeed, we didn’t want to know how many calories it hand – but we all knew it was something that had to be tried at least once. You can eat the finished product with traditional syrup or stick with the theme and drizzle a short-stack with marshmallow fluff, chocolate syrup, and crumbled graham crackers. Yum! (And then it’s time to get out the hiking boots – visit one of these trails.)

 

Ingredients

Bisquick

Milk

Eggs

Marshmallow fluff

Graham crackers

Chocolate chips

 

Directions

  1. Mix up the pancake batter according to Bisquick’s directions.
  2. Crumble graham crackers and stir into the pancake batter.
  3. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat, then add the batter.
  4. As the batter is cooking, sprinkle on chocolate chips and a dollop of marshmallow fluff.
  5. Add more batter on top.
  6. Let the pancake cook until golden brown.
  7. Flip and cook the other side.