Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are great for meal prepping the night before. It is so easy to make and lets you just grab and go in the morning when you are in a rush. An easy meal but that does not diminish how tasty it is!
In this blog post, you will learn how to make overnight oats.
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are an easy breakfast meal that includes soaking oats in milk or water overnight in the fridge so that they do not need to be cooked in the morning. The oats soak up the milk making them swell and soften which gives you a hearty, easy meal prep option. They can topped with all different sorts of fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, apples, seeds, nuts, or anything else that you can think of.
How to Make Overnight Oats
Pour the oats into a small container or a glass mason jar. Pour in the milk. Next, add the Greek yogurt, Chia seeds, and honey. Mix it all together. Then top the mixture with some blueberries. Put in the fridge and leave overnight. This helps the oats to absorb the milk and thicken. Enjoy in the morning!
Variations in Overnight Oats
Customizing your overnight oats knows no bounds and once you perfect your breakfast meal, you can start to fiddle with the ingredients and how you specifically like this meal made. Below are a few variations that you can use to get started on your favourite combinations!
- Add a scoop of protein powder for a thicker and more protein-filled meal.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to thicken, for a more filling oatmeal.
- Use either store bought or your own homemade granola.
- Overnight oats with chia seeds are a great addition that I love to add to mine. Chia seeds swell with milk and add a great texture to the meal. They are also good for you in that they are healthy fats and add protein and fibre.
- A tablespoon of cocoa powder makes them taste sweet and chocolatey.
Fruit Variations
- Blueberries, pecans, and maple syrup
- Bananas and peanut butter
- Raspberries, blueberries, and honey
- Apples, honey, and cinnamon
- Peaches, almonds, and cinnamon
Ingredients to Avoid
- Dried fruits. It is best to use either fresh or frozen fruits.
- Syrups. Like chocolate syrup or strawberry syrup. Maple syrup is fine to use as a natural sweetened.
- White Sugar. Avoid white sugar and try sweetening this meal naturally like with honey or the natural sugar from using berries.
What is the Secret to Creamy Overnight Oats?
When I first started making overnight oats, they just seemed rather bland to me. The oats weren’t soaking up enough milk; it was like cold wet, uncooked porridge… not great! However, once I started to add plain Greek yogurt to the oats, they started to become much creamier for me. I find 1/2 c. of rolled oats soaked in 1/2 c. of milk, either whole or low fat, and about 1/4 c.- 1/2 c. of plain Greek yogurt makes them creamy. Either 0% or full-fat Greek yogurt will work. If you do not have any plain Greek yogurt, add 3/4 c. to 1 c. of milk to make up for the lack of yogurt. And to sweeten the whole meal, I started using honey as a natural sweetener.
Storage
Store the overnight oats in either a mason jar with a screw on lid or a container with a snug lid. They can be kept for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. After 2 days they become too mushy and the texture breaks down, and I would not recommend trying to eat them. For the best results store them overnight and consume in the morning.
Ingredients
Oats: the oats are used to absorb the milk and Greek Yogurt and form the base of this hearty breakfast meal.
Milk: the milk is absorbed into the oats and makes them swell. Either full-fat or low-fat milk can be used.
Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt thickens the overnight oats and makes them creamier. You can use 0% or full-fat Greek yogurt.
Chia Seeds: Chia seeds swell when they sit in the milk all night giving them a nice texture. They add fibre as well!
Honey: the honey adds natural sweetness.
A handful of Blueberries: just a handful of blueberries on top adds a bit more natural sweetness and makes this meal even tastier.
Tips
- I like to add a scoop of protein powder to my overnight oats. This thickens the mixture and makes the meal keep you fuller for longer.
- If you run out of Greek yogurt, double the amount of milk that you put into the oats.
- If your overnight oats are not working out properly, it is probably because you are not using the correct milk to oats ratio. Make sure to measure your ingredients before putting them into your dish.
Interested in Other Easy Breakfast Foods? Try these recipes listed below!
Overnight Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. oats
- 1/2 c. milk low-fat or full-fat milk
- 1/4 c. Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. honey
- Handful of blueberries
Instructions
- Pour the oats into a mason jar or small lunch container. Pour in the milk.
- Next, add the Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and honey.
- Mix all of the ingredients together. When the ingredients are fully mixed together, add the blueberries on top and mix them in, or leave them sitting on top of the oats.
- Place into the fridge and let sit overnight and enjoy in the morning!
Notes
In this blog post, you learned how to make easy overnight oats.