How to Make Healthy Overnight Oats- 6 Easy and Tasty Variation

The best part about healthy overnight oats is how quickly you can prep them! Only easier might be green smoothie.

• Prep: Add milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, oats and chia seeds to any glass container with a lid. Stir well with a spoon.
• Refrigerate: Overnight is the best way to avoid dry oatmeal and give time for milk to absorb into oats. However, healthy overnight oats can be enjoyed after 4 hours.
• Enjoy: In the morning, stir and if overnight cold oatmeal is too thick, adjust with milk. Heat in microwave or enjoy cold.

My favorite way is to flavor oats when prepping and just grab and go in the morning.

However, you can always make just the basic healthy overnight oats and top with your favorite toppings like nuts, fresh fruit, or leftover healthy fruit salad before enjoying.

My favorite 6 flavor variations to basic healthy overnight oats include:

• Blueberry: Add a squeeze of lemon and 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. You could swap the berries for strawberry overnight oats. Now you have fruit pie overnight oats, yum!
• Tropical: Use only 1/4 cup any milk, add 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, 1/4 cup chopped pineapple and 1 tbsp of coconut flakes. It’s tropical cheesecake overnight oats!
• Peanut butter overnight oats and jam: Add 1- 2 tbsp of favorite jam and 2 tbsp peanut butter (or any nut butter). You might also like to add a small amount of protein powder like I do in protein cookies.
• Pumpkin: Add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
• Banana: Add 1/2 mashed up banana and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
• Chocolate: Add 1 extra tbsp of maple syrup, 1 tbsp cacao powder and 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips.

How Long Should I Soak The Oats?

Overnight 🙂 Really, though, it will depend on the oats you use. Rolled oats may be good to go within 4 hours. Other oats, like steel cut oats, are best up to 12-24 hours later. Try out a few different oat varieties to discover which refrigerator oatmeal you like the best.

Oats Too Thick or Too Thin?

If your healthy overnight oats mixture is too thick, add more milk.

If your mixture seems too thin, add more oats and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Best Jars to Use

When it comes to best jars to make your healthy overnight oatmeal, you will want to pick a container that is large enough to stir your mixture together without making a mess.

I like to make oatmeal in these 16 oz Mason jars because they fit it in comfortably and with additions. Plastic lids can be used if enjoying oats at home, for on-the-go you must use tight crew-on metal lids.

How to Store and Meal Prep

Store: Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Always check oats before eating. Five days is great for your basic refrigerator oatmeal recipe. If you are adding fruit, you may need to use within 3 days.

Freeze: I have not tried this but I am sure you can freeze leftovers, texture may change upon thawing.

Meal prep: Make a few variations and store in the refrigerator for easy breakfasts all week! You can also double, triple or quadruple the recipe in a large bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Then portion out in the morning.