Meal Prep Overnight Oats

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These meal prep overnight oats take mere minutes to make and taste absolutely amazing! This recipe is budget-friendly, easy to customise and will leave you with 5 days of breakfast sorted for the week.

Three jars of meal prep overnight oats, one with raspberries on top and a bowl of raspberries in the foreground.

These meal prep overnight oats are perfect make-ahead breakfast. This recipe makes five servings, so you can make them on Sunday, and have breakfast sorted for the entire work week ahead.

This recipe works so well because the ingredients are quite basic but come together beautifully (and easily). We've kept the basic recipe quite simple to keep it budget-friendly, but feel free to add any desired toppings.

The Basics

Overhead shot of 3 jars of meal prep overnight oats on a cutting board, next to a bowl of raspberries.

First things first, we recommend starting with five separate containers if you're hoping to make these oats a grab-and-go breakfast. We batched these up in five glasses, using foil to keep the overnight oats fresh throughout the week. You could also use small tupperware containers, or mix everything in one bowl and serve up your portion day-by-day (though it might be tougher to measure five equal servings).

Ingredients and Substitutions

Oats: Overnight oats work well with either quick oats or rolled oats, but for a little extra texture we recommended rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats, as they absorb liquid differently and might not soften up to your desired texture.
Soy Milk: Soy milk adds a lovely richness to this recipe, but it's not the only milk you could use. Feel free to use almond, oat or regular dairy milk for this recipe. Whatever milk you enjoy most should do!
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds sweetness to these oats. If you'd rather them unsweetened, simply leave the maple out. You can also substitute this ingredient with white sugar, brown sugar, honey or any sugar-free sweetener you desire. Just note that some artificial sweeteners have a higher sweetness level, so start with a lesser amount and work your way up.
Chia Seeds: Chia seeds at texture and soak up liquid in these overnight oats. Because they play a role in the oats reaching the right consistency, we don't recommend omitting them.

Cream of oats in a glass bowl with milk, honey, vanilla, and chia seeds on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by glass bowls and a blue linen cloth, on a white rustic table.

How to Customise Your Meal Prep Overnight Oats

The possibilities are endless when it comes to customising your overnight oats. Here are a few of our favourite toppings and add-ins to change up the flavour:

Sliced bananas
Berries
Diced kiwi
Vanilla extract
Nut butter
Chocolate chips
Almonds/ walnuts
Flax seeds
Hemp seeds
Shredded coconut
Cinnamon
Tablespoon of protein powder (and a splash of milk)
Jam

FAQ

How can I make this recipe more fancy?

If the recommended additions aren't enough, you might like to try a more complex overnight oat recipe. Check out Biscoff Overnight Oats, Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats and Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats for inspiration.

What Are Overnight Oats?

If you're new to the concept, get ready to have your world changed. Overnight oats are the easiest, most convenient breakfast option out there. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients the night (or a few nights) before, let them soak overnight, and then enjoy in the morning.
You can always heat overnight oats in a microwave if you prefer them warm, but they're equally as good straight out of the fridge. We love the grab-and-go concept that they afford and don't mind them cold. Talk about minimal effort.

How Long Do Overnight Oats Last In The Fridge?

Overnight oats can last up to five days in the fridge before becoming soggy and gross. Thankfully, that's the perfect amount to get you through the workweek.
You can either make a big batch and store it in an airtight container, or split your oats into five small containers for convenience in the morning. We like to keep them in glasses, divided into daily portions. Just cover the glass with foil so that it stays fresh.

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