Overnight Oats (3 flavor options)
One base. Three flavors. Five jars. Make them all Sunday in about 15 minutes and breakfast is handled for the week - grab a jar from the fridge, eat it cold or let it sit on the counter for a few minutes, done. The oats soften overnight into something creamy and filling. Pick one flavor, pick all three, rotate all week. The only decision you need to make in the morning is which jar to grab.
Allergens:
Ingredients
Base
Flavor 1: Classic Vanilla Cinnamon
Flavor 2: Peanut Butter Banana
Flavor 3: Berry Lemon
Ingredient notes:
- Rolled oats - Old-fashioned only. Quick oats turn mushy overnight. Steel-cut oats don’t soften adequately without cooking. Old-fashioned rolled oats are the only option that works in this format.
- Greek yogurt - 2% plain is the first choice. It adds protein and a creamy tang that separates overnight oats from just soaked oats. Dairy-free yogurt can substitute.
- Chia seeds - ½ tbsp per jar. They absorb liquid overnight and add a pudding-like thickness. They also add omega-3 fatty acids and additional protein.
- Nut butter - Variation 2: Stir into the oat base, not on top - it distributes better. Natural nut butter with no added sugar is preferred.
- Banana - Variation 2: Add slices in the morning only - they brown overnight in the jar and become unpleasant. Everything else assembles the night before.
- Berries - Variation 3: Frozen berries often release more juice overnight, which flavors the oats more deeply than fresh. Both work well.
Recipe Instructions
- Set up your jars - Set out 5 mason jars or lidded containers on your counter. Measuring once for all five is faster than measuring each jar individually.
- Build the base in each jar - Into each jar add: ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup milk, ½ tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Stir each jar to combine the base.
- Add the variations - Variation 1 (Classic Vanilla Cinnamon): stir ¼ tsp cinnamon into the base. Done. Variation 2 (Peanut Butter Banana): stir 1 tbsp nut butter into the base. Add banana slices in the morning only. Variation 3 (Berry Lemon): stir ½ tsp lemon zest into the base, then add a handful of berries on top.
- Refrigerate overnight - Seal each jar and refrigerate for at least 6 hours - overnight is ideal. The oats need time to absorb the liquid and soften fully.
- Serve in the morning - Grab a jar. Give it a stir. If it’s thicker than you like, add a small splash of milk and stir again. Add banana slices now if making Variation 2. Eat cold or let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes if you prefer it slightly less cold.
Recipe notes:
On fiber Rolled oats contribute ~4g fiber per ½ cup serving. Combined with chia seeds and fruit, this recipe is on the higher end of the fiber range for the earliest GLP-1 days. Best suited for when tolerance has stabilized. A half-jar portion brings fiber to approximately 2.5–3g, which is much more manageable early on.
Assembly tip Use mason jars or any lidded containers. The amounts listed in the ingredients are for the full 5-jar batch. Per jar: ½ cup each oats, yogurt, and milk.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size: 1 jar
| Classic Vanilla | PB + Banana | Berry Lemon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 330 | 430 | 345 |
| Protein | 20g | 23g | 20g |
| Total Fat | 7g | 16g | 7g |
| Total Carbohydrate | 46g | 52g | 50g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5g | 6.5g | 6.5g |
| Sugar | 14g | 18g | 15g |
| Sodium | 85mg | 90mg | 85mg |
Based on ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup 2% Greek yogurt, ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, and ½ tbsp chia seeds per jar. Values will vary by nut butter brand and berry type. Nutritional information is estimated and provided for general guidance.