overnight oatmeal: the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast

We all want to start the day on the right foot, but busy mornings often mean skipping breakfast or grabbing anything within arm’s reach. (Raise your hand if you’ve tried to rationalize coffee as a legitimate breakfast before!) I love making Overnight Oatmeal to solve this daily dilemma. By combining a few simple and savvy ingredients at night, you can wake up to a breakfast that’s not only healthy but easy to grab as you’re on the way out the door.

Fiber-rich and heart healthy oatmeal is a great way to kick off the morning, but it can be a bit time-consuming to prepare. This no-cook version of oatmeal is so simple to prep, you’ll soon be as hooked as I am. If you need even more convincing, this entire meal that can be prepared in a canning jar. No mess and no dirty dishes!

All you have to do is toss your ingredients together. Start with regular rolled oats (not quick cooking) and nonfat Greek yogurt. I like to use plain yogurt, but the supermarket is full of options, as you know, so feel free to use your favorite flavor. To sweeten things up, add a tablespoon of honey. Dust with cinnamon for flavor (you can experiment with nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or even ground cardamom), then stir in chopped apple. I like tart green apples, but again, you can use your variety or try pears if you prefer. Sprinkle on chopped walnuts and a teaspoon of chia seeds for an additional fiber boost. Finally, pour almond milk into the jar. (Vanilla almond milk is my go-to pick.)

Now comes the fun part. Cover the canning jar with the lid and shake it all up! Make sure the oats become completely soaked in the yogurt and milk. Place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. When you wake up, the oats will be soft and the flavors will have combined. All you have to do is grab a spoon.

The original recipe makes enough for four to six, but for single-serving convenience, I adapted it for one serving. You can easily double or triple depending on the size of your household.

Serves: 1

1/2 cup regular rolled oats
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped green apple
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 cup almond milk

Optional, to garnish:

Sliced green apple
Pomegranate seeds
Cinnamon

1. In a wide-mouth canning jar, combine oats, yogurt, honey, cinnamon, apple, walnuts, chia seeds, and almond milk. Cover and shake to combine.
2. Chill overnight in the refrigerator until the oats are soft.
3. To serve, top with an additional dollop of yogurt, slices of green apple, and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.