Overnight Oats, 5 Ways

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Course: Breakfast

Author: Heather Nicholds

Fuel a healthy breakfast with hearty, tasty overnight oats! They’re healthier than instant oatmeal packets and less expensive. Try a different flavor each day of the week, or stick with one for a full week and try the next the following.

Ingredients

FOR THE OATS (5 SERVINGS)

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
5 Tbsp flaxseed, or chia seeds
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon, optional
5-10 Tbsp raisins, optional
2 1/2 Tbsp unrefined sugar
2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk, or water

FOR PB&J OATS (1 SERVING)

1 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup raspberries, or Berry Chia Jam (see note)

FOR CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY OATS (1 SERVING)

1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp unrefined sugar
1/2 cup raspberries

FOR CARROT CAKE OATS (1 SERVING)

1 carrot, grated
1 1/2 tsp unrefined sugar
1 Tbsp walnuts, or unsweetened shredded coconut

FOR APPLE-CINNAMON OATS (1 SERVING)

1 apple, cored and chopped
1 1/2 tsp unrefined sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp walnuts, or sunflower seeds

FOR MOCHA-BANANA OATS (1 SERVING)

1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp unrefined sugar
1 tsp instant coffee powder, or replace some of the soaking water with brewed coffee
1/2 banana, sliced

Instructions

To make the oats

In each of 5 small containers, combine ½ cup oats, 1 tablespoon flaxseed, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 to 2 tablespoons raisins (if using), and 1 ½ teaspoons sugar. Cover the containers and set aside.
Each night before bed, stir ½ cup milk into one container and let it soak overnight, refrigerated if you can or at room temperature. If you forget in the evening, add the liquid in the morning and let it soak for at least 20 minutes, or use boiling water and soak for just 5 minutes.

To make PB&J oats

Swirl the peanut butter into the soaked oats and top with the berries or jam.

To make chocolate-raspberry oats

Stir the cocoa and sugar into the oats, either before or after soaking, and top with the berries.

To make carrot cake oats

Add the carrot and sugar to the oats before soaking. Top with the nuts or coconut after soaking.

To make apple-cinnamon oats

In a small bowl, toss together the apple, sugar, and pumpkin spice and put the mixture on top of the soaked oats, then add the walnuts.

To make mocha-banana oats

Stir the cocoa, sugar, and coffee into the oats before soaking. Top with the banana after soaking.

Notes

PREP TIP: Mason jars are a trendy way to make to-go jars, but small plastic containers work just fine—they’re all BPA free (nontoxic) these days and usually less expensive and lighter. The ones with screw-tops are the best to avoid spills.

Try Berry Chia Jam in your PB&J oats.

Nutrition