Overnight Oats – what’s all the fuss about?

For the longest time, I was convinced I wouldn’t like overnight oats.

The name just made me think of cold, soggy porridge that had been forgotten about in the fridge overnight. It didn’t sound remotely appealing and, despite hearing people rave about them for years, I never felt tempted to give them a go.

But I needed to get better at breakfast and in order to do that, I needed to be able to just grab something from the fridge and eat it as I knew I just wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t easy as I’ve never been a breakfast person. 

I gave them a try, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Overnight oats have become one of my favourite breakfasts because they’re quick to make, keep me feeling full all morning and save so much time on busy weekdays. I often make mine the night before, grab one from the fridge as I’m leaving for work and either eat it at home or pop it in my bag for breakfast later.

It keeps for a couple of days and I’ve just made this week’s batch that will be my breakfast for the next three days so I was feeling pretty smug when I lined them up in the front which made me think it was time to share my recipe with you. 

If you’re new to overnight oats, this is the perfect place to start. This is the simple base recipe I use for almost all of my overnight oat flavours and, once you’ve mastered it, you can adapt it in dozens of different ways throughout the year.

What Are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are simply porridge oats that are mixed with milk and yoghurt and left in the fridge overnight. While you sleep, the oats soften and absorb the liquid, so by the morning they’re creamy and ready to eat with no cooking required.

They’re brilliant for meal prep, they’re budget friendly and they’re also a great way to use up fruit that’s starting to look a little past its best.

Why I Love Overnight Oats

There are plenty of reasons why overnight oats have become a regular breakfast in our house.

• They take less than five minutes to make.
• Breakfast is already sorted before I go to bed.
• They’re easy to take to work if I’m running late.
• They’re really filling, so I’m not reaching for snacks an hour later.
• They’re a great way to use up fruit before it ends up in the bin.
• By changing just a couple of ingredients, you can make a completely different flavour every week.

The Base Recipe

This is my go-to recipe and the one I’ll be using for all of the overnight oat flavours that I’ll be sharing over the coming months. I’m sharing it today as part of my all new Start Here series, where I share simple base recipes that can be adapted into lots of different flavours and variations. Learn the basic recipe first and come back throughout the year as I share new twists, seasonal ideas and different ways to make it your own.

Ingredients

• 50g porridge oats (I use rolled oats as they’re better for me as a diabetic) 
• 100ml milk (any kind)
• 100g Greek yoghurt or vanilla yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

Method

Add all of the ingredients to a jar or airtight container and give everything a really good stir until it’s well combined.

Pop the lid on and leave it in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, give it another quick stir and add your favourite toppings before serving. My batch today was frozen berries and cherries from the freezer but you can use whatever you have to hand. 

That’s all there is to it!

My Favourite Toppings

One of the best things about overnight oats is that you can make them different every single time.

Some of my favourite additions are:

• Fresh strawberries
• Blueberries
• Banana
• Grated apple
• Frozen berries
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa powder
• Peanut butter
• Biscoff spread
• Chopped nuts
• Chocolate chips
• Crushed biscuits for an occasional treat

Easy Swaps

Don’t worry if you don’t have exactly the same ingredients as I do.

You can use dairy-free milk if you prefer, swap Greek yoghurt for vanilla yoghurt if you like a sweeter breakfast or leave the chia seeds out completely if you don’t have any in the cupboard.

Frozen fruit works just as well as fresh fruit and is often a cheaper option too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do overnight oats last?

They’ll keep in the fridge for up to three days, making them perfect for meal prepping a few breakfasts in advance.

Can I use frozen fruit?

Absolutely. I often use frozen berries because they’re usually cheaper than fresh and they thaw overnight in the fridge.

Do I have to use Greek yoghurt?

Not at all. Greek yoghurt gives a lovely creamy texture, but vanilla yoghurt works really well if you prefer a sweeter flavour.

Can I warm them up?

Yes! Although they’re designed to be eaten cold, you can heat them gently in the microwave if that’s your preference.

Start Here… Then Try These Flavours

Once you’ve got the hang of the basic recipe, it’s really easy to create different flavours by adding just a couple of extra ingredients.

Some of the variations I’ll be sharing include:

• Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Biscoff Overnight Oats
• Apple Pie Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
• Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats
• Banana Bread Overnight Oats
• Gingerbread Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Orange Overnight Oats

I’ll add the links here as I publish each one so you can easily work your way through the collection.

My Top Tip

If I spot bananas with yellow stickers in the supermarket, I’ll often buy them specifically for overnight oats. A mashed banana naturally sweetens the mixture, they’re usually much cheaper when reduced and it’s a great way to stop perfectly good food from going to waste.

If you’ve never tried overnight oats before, I hope this recipe changes your mind like it changed mine. It’s one of those breakfasts that looks almost too simple to be worth making, but once you’ve made your first jar, I have a feeling you’ll understand why so many people swear by them.

I’d love you to follow me on Twitter and it would be amazing to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉

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