I only started doing breakfast meal prep recently, when I discovered the real power of overnight oats. LOL!
When I first heard about overnight oats, I was skeptical. Cold oatmeal? How could that ever be good? But then, motivated by the promise of streamlined mornings and nutritious, ready-to-eat meals, I decided to give it a shot. Not only were the oats delicious and endlessly customizable, but they also freed up precious morning time, allowing me to start my day already on the right foot. WIN!
Turns out, overnight oats is one of the BEST meal prep staples ever.
How breakfast meal prep changed my life
Before I started making overnight oats, I used to have three go-to breakfasts.
- Avocado toast or peanut butter toast
- Protein shakes and smoothies
- Hot instant oatmeal with fruit
I used to take instant oatmeal to work if I was running late. Even though those breakfasts are healthier than the bagel and donut options that the office catered sometimes, they each involved at least five minutes of cooking or preparing in the morning.
Like most people, you probably know the feeling of scrambling to get out the door before work. Those five breakfast minutes must be spent wisely! Time is precious.
Enter overnight oats.
When I started incorporating overnight oats into my breakfast meal prep, my morning routine changed. Instead of having to take five minutes to prepare breakfast—it was already done. I just had to take the Tupperware out of the fridge and eat.
Honestly, it feels like magic some days. These oats can save you so much time and that alone makes this meal a must for any busy person who has to get out the door fast in the morning. Because having to skip breakfast when you have no time is the WORST. It makes me hangry and I can’t get any work done.
How overnight oats work
Normally, when you make oatmeal, you add boiling hot water to cook the oats so they’re soft and chewy. You may add fruit, sweetener, nuts, seeds, peanut butter or whatever else.
Overnight oats are very similar, but instead of cooking the oats in hot water, they soak overnight in cold water or milk. The end result? Soft and chewy oats—but they’re cold.
And you can still add the same toppings and sweeteners you normally would with hot oatmeal.
You might be thinking… but cold oatmeal?! Yes! It’s good, I promise. But if it really turns you off, you can always heat up overnight oats in the microwave or on the stove. But that kind of defeats the purpose of prepping them in advance.
Why I Love Overnight Oats
- Easy to assemble! It takes less than five minutes to put them together, depending on how much fruit you have to chop, if anything
- Cheap! Oats are not expensive, plus you can use fruit in season!
- Filling! I can make it until lunchtime without a snack if I eat overnight oats
- Healthy! They’re packed with fiber and complex carbs
- Versatile! You can make them a different way every time by changing your toppings
Want more ideas and overnight oats inspiration?
Here are a few of our favorite Overnight Oats recipes!
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Pineapple Coconut Overnight Oats
- 11 Easy Overnight Oats Recipes
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Horchata Overnight Oats
How this breakfast meal prep recipe works:
- The recipe below is for ONE serving of overnight oats. If you were to prep overnight oats for five days, you simply use this incredibly simple recipe to make five servings in different containers.
- The main ingredients are oats, liquid (water or whatever milk you like) and fruit. After that, go nuts, mix it up and add toppings according to your preferences.
- Do NOT use steel cut oats for this recipe. It won’t work! Steel cut oats must be cooked in hot water because of the way they’re processed.
Overnight oats can last up to five days in the fridge — yes even with milk and fruit. I promise! Just keep it in an airtight container, and you’ll be set.
Do you get bored with eating the same thing all the time? Sign up below and I’ll help you keep healthy meal prep easy and interesting!
Overnight Oats Master Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup assorted fruit of your choice (berries, banana, strawberries, apples, peaches, mango etc)
- 1 cup milk of your choice
Instructions
- Lay out as many containers as you need (up to seven max)
- Add oats, fruit and milk/water to the container(s)
- Add any other ingredients you want! We recommend yogurt, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, nut butter, protein powder – you really can’t go wrong!
- Stir and seal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can eat overnight oats cold, room temp or reheat them in the microwave or on the stove!
Espen says
In the past, I shared my favorite overnight oats recipe. That recipe makes multiple servings in one jar. Today, I want to share the master recipe that my favorite recipe is based on. This master recipe, just like the other master recipes I ve shared ( muffins and granola ), is a base recipe that may be customized in many different ways.