Overnight oatmeal was a new one for me, but I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. I’m usually more of a stovetop oatmeal gal, but I realize it’s somewhat of a luxury to have time to cook in the morning. Overnight oatmeal is awesome for anyone who wants to get up and out of the house like they were thrown from a slingshot, pausing only to grab breakfast (maybe) from the fridge.
So how do I make overnight oatmeal? I adapted a recipe from PCC and got something between a yogurt parfait and an oatmeal/chia pudding. What you gain in convenience you lose in frugality with this recipe, but it’s a very healthy dish and more nutritious than just plain oatmeal, too.
Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
The version I made was vegan and it would be easy to make this gluten free. Just use certified gluten free oats or trust your oats to be gluten-free enough on their own.
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt or cultured coconut milk
- 1/3 cup milk (can be non-dairy type)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- dash of cinnamon
- 1/2 cup blueberries or other fruit
- Handful of granola (optional)
Mix oats, yogurt and milk together in a mason jar or container with lid. Mix in chia seeds, if using. Sprinkle cinnamon on top, then add fresh or frozen fruit. Refrigerate overnight. Add granola in the morning if desired.
I tried this recipe with cultured coconut milk (yogurt equivalent) and unsweetened soymilk. I put about ½ cup of frozen berries on top at night, popped it in the fridge, and they were thawed by morning.
Will you like it?
Earlier this year, I decided to take on a bit of babysitting for a family at my kiddo’s pre-school. Both parents leave for work by 6am and they needed early morning care and transportation. It was my usual little carpool on steroids! I wasn’t used to being somewhere by 6, so I thought this overnight oatmeal thing would be the perfect breakfast solution.
When I stumbled into my kitchen at 5:45am, my first thought was, “I don’t want cold oatmeal!” But I grabbed the container and headed to my childcare gig. About an hour later, when I actually sat down to breakfast with my two-year-old companion, my fridge oatmeal was more on the cool side of room temperature instead of real fridge-temp cold. It was creamy but with the heft of a bit of oatmeal, with lots of delicious fruit.
By the second day of getting up before 6, I was craving this breakfast.
Before writing this post, I tried it again — in a jar this time — and ate it on the way to the airport (we’re in Spain! More on that soon!). It was a wonderful meal to have before a long day of travel. Tasty, filling, full of fiber…and easy to eat as a passenger in a car. I’ve also tried making it for not particular reason or purpose, thinking hubby might grab it before flying out the door (nope!). Turns out it’s fine to leave it in the fridge for an extra day and eat it on the morning of the 2nd day.
