Quick Overnight Oats Recipes for Busy Mornings

Oats are really good for you. They have fiber, whole grains, and B vitamins. But cooking them takes a while, especially on busy days. Who has time for that?

But don’t worry! There’s a solution: overnight oats. You don’t need to cook them. You just prepare them the night before, and they’re ready to eat in the morning. It’s just as good and healthy as cooked oatmeal.

What Are the Health Benefits of Oats?

Oats are a great way to eat more whole grains. Research says most people don’t eat enough whole grains. A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that only about 15 percent of the grains Americans eat are whole grains. But the U.S. Dietary Guidelines say it should be at least 50 percent.

Oats have fiber, providing 4 grams per ½ cup serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This includes a type of fiber called beta-glucan, which is good for your heart and gut and may help fight inflammation and cancer, as per a review in Frontiers in Nutrition.

How to Make Overnight Oats

All you need to do is soak the oats in any liquid or yogurt and let them sit overnight. You can use any type of oats, like old-fashioned or steel-cut. They’ll soak up the liquid and become soft without cooking. This makes a creamy base for adding fruits, nuts, or other toppings.

You can make overnight oats in jars, which makes them easy to take with you and helps control portions. And it’s super cheap because you don’t need to cook them!

There are tons of ways to make overnight oats tasty. You can add classic fruit and nuts with a little cinnamon or try savory combinations like egg, spinach, and tomatoes. With so many delicious options, overnight oats are a great snack for anyone looking for a healthy way to eat. Give these eight recipes a try for ideas, and then come up with your own favorite combinations!

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

You don’t need to bake anything to make these apple-pie overnight oats. Apples are really good for you and can help your heart. They add crunch and sweetness, and they’re packed with fiber. Eating one serving of these oats will give you a good chunk of your daily fiber.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened, plain soymilk or low-fat milk
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 2 tbsp natural cashew butter or peanut butter
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 medium apples, finely diced, with peel on

Directions:

1. Mix milk, oats, flaxseeds, cashew butter, and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Split the oat mixture into two jars or containers with lids. Put half of the diced apples on top of each.
3. Put the jars in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Banana Pudding Blended High Protein Overnight Oats

Don’t like the texture of oats? You can make them into pudding using a food processor or blender. These oats are inspired by banana pudding, creamy, naturally sweetened, and full of protein and fiber. This combo will keep you full for a long time. Eating a breakfast high in protein can help you control your weight because it helps you feel full and keeps your energy levels stable, according to research.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened, plain soymilk or low-fat milk
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder
• 2 small bananas, peeled
• 2 tbsp natural almond butter or peanut butter
• Chopped almonds, flaxseeds, banana slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Put milk, oats, protein powder, bananas, and almond butter in a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Divide the oat mixture into two 16-oz jars or containers with lids. Add almonds, flaxseeds, and banana slices on top, if you like.
3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Tropical Overnight Oats

These oats will give you a taste of the tropics. Passionfruit has a hard, pink shell and juicy fruit with tiny seeds you can eat. One passionfruit has only 18 calories, nearly 2 grams of fiber, and vitamin C. Golden berries are another tropical fruit. They’re small, round, and sour, and you can eat them straight from the plant. Golden berries also have vitamin C and fiber, and you can find them in the tropical or exotic section of your local grocery store.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened plain coconut milk (from carton)
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 6 oz low-fat, less sugar mango Greek yogurt or skyr
• 2 passion fruits, cut in half, shells discarded
• ½ cup whole golden berries

Directions:

1. Mix milk, oats, and Greek yogurt in a bowl until well combined.
2. Divide the oat mixture between two 16-oz jars or containers with lids. Add half of the passionfruit and golden berries on top of each.
3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Who doesn’t love cake for breakfast? This recipe gives you the taste of carrot cake but in a healthier way — each jar has half a serving of veggies. Applesauce and raisins make it naturally sweet, so you don’t need to add sugar. Spices like cinnamon and ginger are good for you too, as they have antioxidants and can reduce inflammation.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened plain or vanilla coconut milk (from a carton)
• 1 cup dry old-fashioned oats
• ⅔ cup peeled and finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup raisins
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional: ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup chopped raw or toasted walnuts

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except walnuts in a bowl.
2. Divide the oat mixture between two 16-oz jars or containers with lids. Sprinkle half of the walnuts on top of each jar.
3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Matcha Steel-Cut Overnight Oats

These matcha oats will give you a boost because matcha has caffeine. But it also has L-theanine, which helps you stay calm, so you won’t feel jittery. You can use steel-cut oats instead of old-fashioned oats to make these oats. Steel-cut oats have a chewier texture. These oats are topped with canned peaches, which are affordable and last a long time on the shelf, especially when fresh peaches aren’t available.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened plain or vanilla soymilk
• ½ cup steel-cut oats
• 6 oz low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 1 tbsp matcha powder
• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 1 cup no-sugar-added canned peaches in fruit juice, drained

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the soymilk, oats, yogurt, chia seeds, and matcha powder. Mix everything together well.
2. Divide the oat mixture into two 16-oz jars or containers with lids.
3. Top each jar with half of the diced kiwi and peaches.
4. Refrigerate overnight.