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Home » Recipes

Our Favorite Overnight Oats!

Our Favorite Overnight #Oats at 100 Days of #RealFood

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You see, for years I've been sending warm oatmeal in thermos containers for my daughters' snacks at school. Snack time usually occurs early in the morning and that's after scarfing down what little breakfast they can manage before running out the door for school at 7am (the day starts early around here).

Recipe for Overnight Oats

So oatmeal on the go was the perfect solution, and my kids loved it. But then my 1st grader's snack time got changed to the afternoon, so we were really pushing the 5 hour thermos warm food limit by continuing to send her oatmeal.

Perfect Oats Recipe for an Easy Snack

Enter Overnight Oats, our new perfect solution! But, I guess if I am being technical here we don't actually make these oats overnight. We mix it up in the morning (still in an insulated thermos container) while the kids are eating their breakfast and then by snack time later that day (approximately 5 ½ hours later), it's ready to go. And since thermoses can keep cold food cold for longer (7 hours to be exact), it really is the new perfect solution for us. 

Do you Eat Overnight Oats Cold?

For our family we serve overnight oats cold! It's perfect for keeping throughout the day in an insulated container like a thermos, and it's a great way to enjoy a cool and nutritious snack in the summer months! We don't recommend heating these oats, since the ingredients wouldn't lend well to a hot oatmeal dish.

That's why I am excited to share our favorite "Overnight" Oats combination with you today—the one my 1st grader has been eating (and loving) almost every single day so far this school year! Also, be sure to check out our other "Overnight Oats" blog post for more recipe ideas in addition to the one below.

Our Favorite Overnight #Oats on 100 Days of #RealFood

Our Favorite Overnight Oats

I was intrigued by the idea of overnight oats for a long time, and then one day we finally tried them and have never looked back! These are our favorite overnight oats. They are an easy way to make oatmeal for school lunches that are quick to pull together.
29 Reviews / 4.8 Average
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Refrigerate overnight: 5 hours hrs
Total Time: 5 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Egg Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 1
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Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon raisins ((or more if you like more raisins))
  • ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 pinches cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Mix together all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours before eating. Alternatively, mix in an insulated thermos container (left unrefrigerated) and wait no more than 7 hours before eating.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Our Favorite Overnight Oats
Amount Per Serving
Calories 301 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 68mg3%
Potassium 431mg12%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 200IU4%
Calcium 203mg20%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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65.8K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Mandy Zevenbergen says

    October 28, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    I just ordered some cinnamon from Cinnamon Hill. Can't wait to get it!

    Reply
  2. Jaime Pitsch says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:15 am

    I'm intrigued to try this as well. I'm just not sure how we will like cold oatmeal. That's the only thing stopping me here

    Reply
    • rejoicedover says

      October 28, 2014 at 12:00 pm

      I actually op mine in the microwave for 20-30 seconds in the morning to take the chill off.

      Reply
  3. Lorie says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:08 am

    Have you ever made these with steel cut oats?
    What would you do differently, if anything?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 29, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      Hi Lorie. I love this with steel cut oats but you do have to let it sit in the fridge longer. The texture is crunchy and nutty. ~Amy

      Reply
  4. Allisson says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:02 am

    Other than raisins, what can I use?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 29, 2014 at 1:58 pm

      Oh, there are endless possibilities. :) You can use any dried or fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. ;)

      Reply
  5. dil says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:00 am

    Hi thanks for these!! Can i just ask wld quick cooking rolled oats work?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 29, 2014 at 1:56 pm

      Hi there. You can try quick oats but the texture will be more mushy.

      Reply
  6. Lori Garza says

    October 21, 2014 at 8:20 pm

    My son loves these. How long are they good for in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 24, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      Hi Lori. I've made them for an entire week's worth of breakfast. :)

      Reply
  7. Liz says

    October 19, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    5 stars
    Our whole family absolutely LOVES this recipe! We have made it over and over again since trying it a couple weeks ago. However, I'm just realizing that I may have a slight oat sensitivity. This is a huge bummer since I love to eat oats in most of my baking dishes I make. I was curious if you have any knowledge of another grain that could be in place of oats in this recipe? Amaranth, Wheat Berries, Spelt, Millet? I've personally never cooked with any of these so I didn't know if they would soften overnight just like the oatmeal or not. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    Sincerely,
    Liz

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 21, 2014 at 8:51 pm

      Hi Liz. We've not used a different grain/seed for this. These might help: http://ohsheglows.com/2012/06/14/easy-overnight-buckwheat-parfait/, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gluten-free-hot-breakfast-cereal/, and http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/ways-you-never-knew-you-could-eat-quinoa-for-breakfast. ~Amy

      Reply
    • Laura says

      November 11, 2014 at 11:36 am

      Liz, not cooking the oats could be part of the problem for you. Here's an alternative overnight oats recipe you could try once to see how it goes: Mix 1 part old-fashioned rolled oats with 1 part water (about one half cup oats per serving), a dollop of yogurt (teaspoon or so) and pinch of salt. Let sit overnight. In the morning bring a second part water to a boil in a saucepan, add the oat mixture, stir, cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer about seven minutes, then turn the heat off and let sit maybe ten minutes more. Serve with milk, fruit, etc. This is from memory, but originally from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook (Sally Fallon, Weston Price association), which is very opinionated indeed about how harmful whole grains can be for us if not properly fermented and cooked! In any case it is a very tasty and easy version of traditional oatmeal. Good luck with this.

      Reply
    • Laura says

      November 11, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      Liz, I just looked up the original Nourishing Traditions recipe for overnight cooked porridge thinking I remembered variations replacing the rolled oats with rolled kamut, spelt, rye, whole teff, amarath, and corn grits, and yes, all of these are possible, according to the the book, though some (rye, teff) will require more soaking time - and the corn grits are soaked not in yogurt water, but in limed water to improve nutritional quality as per the ancient culinary tradition. The original porridge recipe specifies 2 tablespoons live and active plain yogurt per 1 cup oats and 1 cup water and a half a teaspoon sea salt in the pre-soak for adequate fermentation, but this tastes too sour and salty for me and I regularly enjoy my version with about a quarter of the yogurt amount and the pinch of salt.

      Reply
  8. Michelle says

    October 12, 2014 at 10:51 pm

    This is my new favorite too! Do you ever try to make multiple days worth at one time or does it get too soggy that way? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 24, 2014 at 9:53 am

      Hi Michelle. You can make it for a whole week at a time. I do that with steel-cut oats. Works great! ~Amy

      Reply
      • Kari says

        October 28, 2014 at 11:27 am

        do you do the same recipe just with steel cut oats or different measurement of other ingredients too?

  9. Melissa says

    October 08, 2014 at 9:48 am

    Do you use quick oats or regular oats in this recipe or does it matter?? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 09, 2014 at 11:41 am

      Hi Melissa. Lisa uses regular rolled oats. You can use quick oats but they will me more mushy. ~Amy

      Reply
    • Michelle says

      October 12, 2014 at 10:53 pm

      The first time I made one of these recipes I used quick oats and I didn't like it at all. This is much better with the rolled oats...a little better texture!

      Reply
  10. Melissa Andres says

    October 01, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    We make this to but I have always heard it call summer porridge. I do oats, yogurt, milk, chia seeds ( yum), honey and strawberries.

    Reply
  11. Korri says

    October 01, 2014 at 12:24 pm

    I hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question...So you eat this cold? Just clarifying as I didn't see in the directions to warm it up.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 04, 2014 at 10:05 am

      Hi Korri. Yes but you could also heat it if you'd like. ~Amy

      Reply
  12. Meeshie says

    October 01, 2014 at 9:25 am

    I've made these for about a year.. I sub almond milk for milk and up the amount of yogurt. My fav is to use vanilla yogurt and mix in coconut flakes and pineapple chunks and chia seed.

    Reply
  13. Linda says

    October 01, 2014 at 6:36 am

    Muesli works great in place of rolled oats!

    Reply
  14. Liz says

    September 30, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Stephanie, I prefer it without the honey, cinnamon, and vanilla - I just add a spoonful of brown sugar instead. You could substitute maple syrup to stick with a whole food. I also add slivered almonds to give a crunch!

    Reply
  15. Stefanie Brady says

    September 30, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    So I made aversion of this with old fashioned oats and stones field plain yogurt last night. My kids thought it tasted like play dough and I have to agree it was a bit sour. What went wrong.? Should I try flavored yogurt?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 30, 2014 at 11:00 pm

      I completely agree! I made this a couple of months ago with old fashioned oats and stony field plain yogurt and I too thought it tasted very sour. My kids ate it but didn't love it. I couldn't finish mine - it almost was as if the yogurt soured overnight. I too would like to know what went wrong or if that is the flavor. I so want to like this - it has such potential in my house for making morning a little bit less rushed!!

      Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 04, 2014 at 9:29 am

      Hi Stefanie. You can try it without the yogurt. That is typically what I do simply because I avoid dairy. It always turns out fine. ~Amy

      Reply
  16. Jim P says

    September 30, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    Would it work with steel-cut oats?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 04, 2014 at 9:25 am

      Hi Jim. It does but I let mine rest in the fridge longer. It has a nutty crunchy texture. ~Amy

      Reply
  17. Felicia says

    September 30, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    Can I just say how much I love your site? I was, no lie, sitting here thinking what the heck am I going to make for breakfast tomorrow? (as usual I haven't gone grocery shopping because I'm a procrastinator). And this pops up on my Facebook feed. The best part? I have every single one of these ingredients chilling in my kitchen right now. Almost every single recipe on your site are all things that I have on hand which is just awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Reply
  18. Michele says

    September 30, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Inhave been wanting to try overnight oats and this recipe sounds wonderful! Would it be possible to substitute almond milk for the milk?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 04, 2014 at 9:22 am

      Hello Michele. Yes, that's an easy swap. :)

      Reply
  19. Pats says

    September 27, 2014 at 2:54 pm

    Does this work with steel cut oats?

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      September 30, 2014 at 12:55 pm

      Hi Pats. It does. The texture is crunchy and nutty. I usually give mine a minimum of 12 hours. ~Amy

      Reply
  20. Laura says

    September 24, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Obsessed!!!! I've been wanting to try this for some time but was apprehensive about the whole "eating it cold" thing. Um, it's amazing! My 15 month old loves it too and shovels it in his mouth, it's adorable. We'll top it with fresh blueberries in the morning so they don't get soggy overnight. If you're thinking about trying this, do it. You won't regret it!

    Reply
  21. Debra says

    September 15, 2014 at 12:45 am

    Do you cook the rolled oats first.

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 15, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Nope. It soaks up liquid and thickens up in the fridge.

      Reply
  22. Jo says

    September 12, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    I'm also not an oatmeal fan & can't even imagine eating it cold. So, how long in the microwave to warm it up?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 15, 2014 at 6:43 pm

      Hi Jo. Try one minute.

      Reply
  23. Charlotte says

    September 12, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    Sounds yummy...Do you warm it up prior to eating or eat cold? :o)

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 15, 2014 at 6:42 pm

      We eat it cold. ;)

      Reply
  24. April Liggonq says

    September 09, 2014 at 11:00 am

    wanted to see if you know the total callories in this recipe. Looks amazing and i would like to try it.

    Reply
    • Tbone says

      September 11, 2014 at 1:49 pm

      I plugged this into myfitnesspal.com with whole milk and whole milk yogurt, and it came to 282 calories.

      Reply
  25. Birtie Newton says

    September 08, 2014 at 1:41 am

    my niece told me about this oatmeal recipe. i am an older adult & have stomach issues so i have never been able to digest oatmeal. i also can't do dairy plus i am diabetic. but i tried overnight in fridge with water then adding unsweet almond milk with no yogurt.. and it works great that way. for more variety i have even been using the packets of flavored oatmeal. the apple cinnamon & peaches/cream are my favs. for those who want even more, put in blender with organic whey protein. really has helped my energy level. but the whey protein isn't good for later, only a now drink or it clumps up.

    Reply
  26. Natalie says

    September 04, 2014 at 10:36 am

    What a great idea!! Can't wait to try this. The fresh cinnamon looks lovely and what a great gift it would make. It's a little pricey though, $72 for 2 sticks, grater and shipping.

    Reply
  27. Nikki says

    September 04, 2014 at 9:55 am

    I made this last night so I can have it at my desk while working today and let me just say, these are some of the best oats (overnight or otherwise) I've ever had (typing this while eating them...yum!). I think might cut back on the honey and use stevia instead and omit the raisins next time but otherwise, ah-maz-ing!

    Reply
  28. patricia says

    September 03, 2014 at 7:45 pm

    I am excited to try this. Can I add frozen fruit to the oatmeal before refrigerating or should I thaw it first?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 05, 2014 at 2:05 pm

      Hi Patricia. I think either would work. If you thaw it first, the oats will absorb more of the fruit flavor. ~Amy

      Reply
  29. jenn says

    September 03, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    so yummy! made with banana and almond milk. i don't even like oatmeal :)

    Reply
  30. Cammie says

    September 03, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    5 stars
    This is my daughter and my new thing, and we are really enjoying it! I should have known better than to try some overnight oat recipes from other websites, they were ok but not NEARLY as delicious as this one! My daughter likes to omit the raisins (never been much of a raisin fan) and says it tastes just like a cinnamon roll! We also like to warm ours up in the morning. :) The yogurt makes these oats so creamy...yum!!! Thanks Lisa for yet another wonderful recipe!!!

    Reply
  31. Stacey says

    September 03, 2014 at 9:09 am

    Hi, I tried this last night and just had it for breakfast. I warmed mine for a minute in the microwave I couldn't eat it cold. It was really good.

    Reply
  32. Heather Dunlap says

    September 03, 2014 at 2:05 am

    So you eat it cold?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 05, 2014 at 2:01 pm

      Yep! :)

      Reply
  33. Nicole says

    September 02, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    I love your posts, and can't wait to try this out. However, I have a question about rolled oats. We have always eaten them, but my husband says they are (mildly) processed. We try to limit our processed foods, so I was wondering if you considered them processed?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 05, 2014 at 1:55 pm

      Hi Nicole. They are rolled thin and steamed which makes them a little more processed than steel cut oats but they are still a whole grain. Here is a great info-graphic on the difference: http://www.prevention.com/whats-healthier-steel-cut-oats-or-rolled-oats. ~Amy

      Reply
  34. Brittany says

    September 02, 2014 at 11:33 pm

    For those who are vegan or dairy free I make these using almond milk (chocolate almond milk with a scoop of peanut butter doubles as dessert!) and in place of yogurt you can use a mashed banana. I also add chia seeds along with other mix ins.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      September 03, 2014 at 6:52 am

      I'm not vegan;but I would love your specific dessert recipe with peanut butter.

      Reply
  35. Carolyn Doty says

    September 02, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    There is a health difference between cassia cinnamon -- what is usually found on the grocery shelf -- and Ceylon cinnamon, which is better for you. Cassia contains high levels of coumarin, a blood thinning agent believed to cause liver damage when taken in high quantities. Ceylon cinnamon is often called true cinnamon and usually has no side effects.

    Reply
  36. leah goebel says

    September 02, 2014 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    I just put some in the fridge! Yum!

    Reply
  37. Sharon Stephenson says

    September 02, 2014 at 11:01 pm

    Interesting....I will have to try, both the recipe and the fresh cinnamon.

    Reply
  38. Stephanie says

    September 02, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    5 stars
    I lovelovelove this recipe! I have always used regular rolled oats and recently decided to try steel cut and found that I definitely prefer the rolled. The steel cut are too chewy for my liking and weren't as creamy. I microwave the bowl for 1 minute then top with fresh blueberries, they go great in this!

    Reply
  39. Melissa says

    September 02, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    I made overnight oats for the first time last week. They were ok. Mine were a big lump in the morning. Do you add anything to them in the am? Also can you use steel cut oats in this reciepe?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 05, 2014 at 2:03 pm

      Hello. You can always add more milk in the morning if if is too thick. You can use steel-cut oats but be prepared for a very different texture and you might give them more soaking time. I love them! ~Amy

      Reply
  40. Elena says

    September 02, 2014 at 10:48 pm

    I have never added yogurt to my oatmeal. Fabulous idea!

    Reply
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