Overnight Oats For Weight Loss – 7 Ways in 5 Minutes!
If you’re guilty of hitting the snooze buttons too many times and missing out on breakfast as a result, these overnight oats recipes are here to help! Skipping a good breakfast is NOT the best way to lose weight!
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I’ve included step by step instructions for the easiest overnight oats ever and seven of my favourite flavours to experiment with.
All the prep and assembly is completed the night before so they’re the best easy breakfast ever – all you have to do is remember to take the overnight oats out of the fridge the next morning.
They’re portable and can be eaten on the commute, in the office, or at home. You’ll never skip breakfast again!
Ingredients and substitutions
Oats
Rolled oats work best, in my opinion, since they get softer more quickly than steel cut oats, which are generally thicker.
Milk
Use your milk of choice for overnight oats: dairy milk or non-dairy milk like oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk.
Nuts
Adding the nuts of your choice to your oats is a great way of getting protein into your breakfast.
Cinnamon
Sweet and woody cinnamon perfectly complements overnight oats, but you can add any and all of your favourite spices like cardamom or vanilla extract.
Honey
Just a little honey gives these quick oats a sweet edge, but if you’re vegan you can use maple syrup, agave syrup or brown sugar instead.
Toppings
Overnight oats can take any of your favorite toppings (peanut butter, greek yogurt, chocolate chips, flax seeds, fresh fruit or dried fruit), though I’ve recommended my favorite flavor combinations below.
Can I use instant oats?
Yes, you can use whatever oats you like. Instant oats are very convenient when you don’t have much time to soak your oatmeal.
However, I don’t recommend leaving them for too long if you don’t have much of a liking for mushier texture.
They can absorb liquid in as little as 10 minutes, so keep an eye on them!
How many calories are in overnight oats?
A basic weight loss overnight oats recipe contains 350 calories per serving, and it contains 15 of protein per serving.
Here’s an overview:
These make-ahead breakfast options are packed with around 15g of protein per serving and are a great egg-free vegetarian breakfast (if you need more vegetarian breakfast ideas, try these).
This morning meal can also be dairy-free and vegan, and gluten free if you use gluten free oats!
Health benefits of overnight oats
Oats are packed with fiber, the main soluble fiber being beta-glucan. This is the magic ingredient which leaves you feeling fuller for longer thanks to the fact that they slow down digestion, suppress appetite and increase satiety.
Besides being super-filling, oats are a fantastic source of minerals and antioxidants including Phosphorus, Thiamine, Zinc, Iron and Magnesium.
There are numerous studies which have found that oats are associated with health benefits like reduced cholesterol, reduced risk of coronary heart disease and improved blood sugar control.
Plus, adding your favourite nuts to your overnight oats can really boost the protein content – for example, sprinkling your oats with a portion of almonds adds 7g of protein!
This makes overnight oats perfect for a post work out breakfast to refuel and help build muscle.
The evidence for oats is pretty compelling, and I think overnight oats are one of the quickest and healthiest breakfasts for busy mornings.
The best breakfast to lose weight
Are you wondering what the best weight loss breakfast looks like?
It aims at about 300-500 calories and a good amount of protein to keep you going until lunch.
It should also incorporate high fiber foods for better digestion and satiety as well as healthy fats for sustained energy as they slow down the carb digestion process.
Overall, it’s all about the right balance of fat, protein, fiber and carbohydrates for both energy and fullness.
For related info, check out our free 7-day weight loss meal plan. It’s a great assistant to get you started on your weight loss journey.
Can overnight oats help you lose weight?
Healthy overnight oats do provide a combination of nutrients to help achieve weight loss goals.
The recipes I’ve included in this guide contain healthy sources of protein, like milk, yogurt, nuts, nut butter, chia and flax seeds.
Oats stand up as a good source of fiber with 16g per cup. What’s more, they contain the type of fiber that can help you lose weight called beta-glucan, one of the soluble fibers.
If you want to feel full and increase your digestion, soluble fiber is the way to go! Plus, it’s good for your heart health and blood sugar levels.
Another advantageous element is healthy fats found in nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, peanut butter and yogurt.
Whichever overnight oatmeal recipe you choose to make, you can be sure it delivers a nutritious breakfast tailored for healthy weight loss.
How to make the best overnight oats
Total Time: 5 minutes
Prepare
Prep for overnight oats is pretty minimal, but if you’re using fresh fruit, you’ll need to cut it up into chunks, and may wish to chop large nuts into smaller chunks. Measure out half a cup oats and half a cup of milk.
Assembly
Pour the milk and oats into a jar and add your toppings. Place it in the fridge and leave overnight.
The morning after
Remove the oats from the fridge a while before eating to bring them to room temperature if you don’t want them cold.
Ready
Ta-dah! It really is that simple.
Do you have to soak the oats overnight?
Interestingly enough, “overnight oats” don’t always have to be soaked overnight. Quick oats can be on your table in a matter of minutes.
What you can do is soak them in liquid for about 30 minutes to soften or just a few minutes until they reach your desired texture.
If you’re in a rush, you can use a microwave to reduce the prep time to 1-2 minutes.
Pitfalls to avoid
Low calorie overnight oats are super easy to make but even the simplest recipes have pitfalls. Here’s what to avoid:
Extra sugar: Don’t go overboard with sweeteners. Just trust the recipe, and if you still want more sweetness to your oats, opt for natural sweeteners, ideally ripe fruits or stevia.
Large portion size: When it comes to weight loss, portion control is very important for calorie balance. If you have trouble with kitchen measurements, check out this guide to easy measurements and conversions.
Unnecessary calories: I know the urge to add more toppings is real, but it’s important to skip flavored syrups, sugary yogurts and additional calories. Better treat yourself to the healthiest versions of overnight oats for weight loss!
How to store
You can store overnight oats in an airtight container, like a glass or plastic meal prep container or a Mason jar.
Place them in the fridge and keep track of their storage time. I often write the date on the lid if I have too many containers to remember.
How long do overnight oats stay fresh?
Overnight oats can stay fresh for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Overnight oats FAQs
Make this recipe the night (or around 8 hours) before you intend to eat them, to allow the oats to absorb the milk and get soft. However, overnight oats also stay fresh for 2-3 days so they can be prepared further in advance.
Store the oats in a mason jar, a reused food jar, or even a tupperware (basically any airtight container), and heat by placing them in the microwave for a couple of minutes the next morning – just be sure to check the container is microwavable.
Of course, you can eat them cold, and I normally do!
Overnight oatmeal is the perfect, filling breakfast all by themselves, but follow them up with a protein smoothie for extra satiety!
Overnight oats are a very healthy breakfast, since they’re full of fibre, protein and antioxidants – they’re also quick, simple and cheap to meal prep (check out our cheap vegetarian recipes for more ways to eat veggie on a budget)!
These oats are the perfect weight loss breakfast because their high beta glucan fibre content leaves you feeling fuller for longer, and their 15g of protein per serving helps to build muscle.
Ideally, let them sit for eight hours, but they should be fine after around four hours.
Sure! Just make sure you give it all a good stir or pop the lid on tightly and give the whole thing a solid shake.
Definitely! You’ll want to add a little more liquid though and give them a good shake/stir to avoid lumps.
Don’t panic, they’re the same thing, and are ideal for making this breakfast.
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Overnight oats variations and alternatives
I have included a simple overnight oats recipe that is a perfect base recipe if you’re just trying overnight oats for the first time.
Once you’ve fallen in love with this easy and delicious breakfast, scroll further to see six flavourful toppings combinations that I love.
Using these, or experimenting with your own flavours will keep your overnight oats breakfasts varied and interesting.
Our 7 best overnight oats for weight loss
I’ve experimented a lot with different oatmeal recipes over the last couple of years.
Some results were amazing, some were not so good. But it was all worth it! Let me introduce you to our 7 favourite overnight oats recipes!
1. High-Protein Overnight Oats (No Protein Powder)
Bonus: “Greek Sunset” anywhere anytime
Start your day with these high-protein overnight oats, lovingly referred to as “Greek Sunset.” The best high-protein overnight oat recipe without any protein powder needed.
2. Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: peachy but can also be made peary
What great combo of peaches, almonds, lemon juice and maple syrup. All goes really well together, refreshing and filling at the same time. Tip: once peaches are out of season substitute them for pears. If you enjoy these peachy flavors, try a homemade peach ice lolly!
3. Chocolate Banana Bonkers Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: chocolatey, peanut buttery goodness
A beautiful mix of bananas, cacao powder and peanut butter. All three ingredients are known for their “affinity” to each other. You’ll taste what I mean!
4. Tropic Thunder Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: an absolute classic combination
Get in a proper batch of tropical vibes every morning! Pineapple goes so well with coconut and vanilla, you wouldn’t believe.
An excellent choice of milk would be rice or coconut milk since it complements the other ingredients nicely as well.
5. Apple & Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: ideal flavours for autumn
This flavour combo just can’t go wrong. Cinnamon, apple sauce and oats work so well together, it’ll take a long long time till you get finally tired of it!
6. Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: tastes like a naughty treat but is healthy
Who doesn’t like cheesecake? Nobody. And who doesn’t agree blueberry cheesecakes are the best of cheesecakes? Nobody.
And this is why I tried to recreate this delicious treat for breakfast. And I have to say it worked very well. Try out this delicious combination of blueberries, lemon, yogurt and maple syrup. You won’t be disappointed!
7. Grapes ‘N Roses Overnight Oats
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: another perfect match of healthy ingredients
Another excellent combination of foods that match very well together: Grapes + Walnuts + Yogurt + Cinnamon = win! A true oatmeal beauty.
Best flavours for overnight oatmeal
These include Blueberry Cheesecake and a Chocolate Banana flavour with cocoa powder that will have you actually excited to wake up and eat breakfast!
The basic overnight oats recipe is really the perfect blank slate for different flavors. I can’t even begin to list all the possible variations and alternatives because your imagination is really the limit!
I suggest using rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) since they are flakier and get softer more quickly.
However, steel-cut oats are also a good option, just be sure to select a brand that aren’t too thick, so that they get nice and soft by the morning.
Are overnight oats good for people with allergies?
If you are gluten intolerant or Coeliac, be sure to buy oats that are labelled as gluten-free oats, as regular oats contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to gluten.
Also be sure to check the packaging on instant oats, as these often contain added sugars and sweeteners.
However, these oats are cut much more finely than other types of oats, so will get soft very quickly and may be a good option if you don’t have many hours to soak your oats.
If you prefer to make your oats with water, feel free to use this instead of milk.
If you’d like to add an extra bit of creaminess to your water-based oats, mix in a dollop of peanut butter or almond butter, which also happen to be great sources of protein.
More oats recipes
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and want a breakfast treat, these banana oatmeal cookies are for you!
Try oats another way with this homemade Swiss Bircher muesli.
This high protein oat bake is basically a really healthy breakfast cake – yes, really!
We also have a delicious high protein oatmeal recipe with protein powder!
Ingredients
- 1 clean jar with lid
- ½ cup rolled oats (½ cup = about half the jar)
- ½ cup milk (eg. soy milk, almond milk)
- 2 tbsp nuts of choice (and/or seeds)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (or other spices like cardamom or vanilla extract)
- 1-2 tsp honey (or your favourite vegan sweetener)
Optional:
- ⅔ tbsp chia seeds
- some slices of fruit (again, any are possible. Well, maybe not avocado. Or tomato.)
- any berries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Throw everything in a jar, screw the lid on top, shake, and off it goes into the fridge.
- The next morning add a dash of milk, a sweetener (if you want) and enjoy 🙂
Nutrition
What our readers are saying
Thank you for sharing this! I have made this so many times. Everyone that tries it, loves it!
Polly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a recipe for all ages! As a high school student I always find myself running to catch the bus before I could eat breakfast (and sometimes have embarrassing stomach growls right before lunch). I am so glad I found overnight oats so that I could make this before bed and eat on the way to school! Thanks so much, I loved the post. 😀
Cindy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This looks tasty! These are absolutely mouth watering! It will quickly disappear in our house, very tasty and flavorful!
Olga ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you enjoyed this delicious recipe, please leave a rating on the recipe card, and let us know your favourite toppings in the comments!
Hauke Fox
I’m always on the lookout for these damn smart recipes. You know, those that only take a few minutes to put together and taste delicious. Vegetarian Cooking at home is a way to take back control over what I eat. I don’t like what many companies do to animals and the environment with their products.
This article has been medically reviewed by James LeBaigue MSc Learn More
James LeBaigue MSc
James has a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Human Nutrition.
He loves combining his scientific knowledge along with food in the real world, and these recipes are the result.
He’s on top of all the latest evidence and guidelines to make sure our nutrition advice on the website is as accurate as it can be.
By day he works as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a busy NHS GP Practice.
Each recipe is tested and then eaten (much to James’ delight), many times before it is deemed worthy to be published. Bon appetit!
Comments
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276 comments
Just tried the basic recipe for the first time. So good! Made an overnight oats believer of me . I’m a dietitian; I’ve been referring clients to your site.
Here are my questions:
Some recipes suggest layering—so should you not shake those ones before putting in the fridge? Oats will still be fine?
Also, how come the basic recipe has 1 cup of milk but most of the 6 favourites have half a cup?
Thanks
So glad you enjoy these overnight oats recipes!! Also thanks a ton for referring us, that means a lot to us actually. Good points: Yep, some photos suggest layering – and it’s basically to make the jar look pretty, nothing else. Though I always would soak the oats and chia seeds with milk. The other ingredients don’t have to be soaked, necessarily. About the half a cup vs one cup – good catch! Both works, but the more milk you use the “mushier” the oats get. So, I think it’s what you prefer really.
When I make overnight oats for myself and not for photos, I add all the ingredients, fill it up with milk until everything is covered and then shake everything. That’s how I like them best 🙂
Hi not sure if this has been asked yet but I was wondering if you can make a few up and keep in fridge or do you have to make them fresh every night
Hi Karen, yes absolutely – make them in advance! I’d stick to about three days max – keep them in the fridge and they’ll still taste nice and fresh (just keep the lid on nice and tight when storing) 🙂
Thanks
You’re very welcome!
As far as the savory recipe, if you make it the night before, and especially if you decide to make it for lunch, you can always saute a little spinach or kale and add to it or fresh arugula right before you eat it : )
Since several people mention they don’t care for breakfast foods or sweet things, I wanted to share this. I sometimes make steel cut oats (the regular way, on a stove top), but I make them savory: salt, pepper, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan cheese. Maybe some people would like this idea as an overnight recipe, but take them for lunch if they don’t want something this savory for breakfast. I wouldn’t put the cheese in overnight, though. I would add it right before eating and would probably be better heated up. Also, would use water for this instead of milk. Can still add chia seeds, walnuts or slivered almonds, and a little olive oil.
Oh I like the sound of this savoury oats dish. Also a savoury Asian version I love… oats soaked overnight in water. Stir fry in a little oil, around a 1/4 cup of carrot, broccoli bits and the desired amount of finely chopped ginger (I use half a thumb). Add a soup spoon full of the oats and cook till thick. Add your favourite salt seasoning to taste and some chopped coriander if you like it, then garnish with 3 drops of sesame oil. Bliss.
I love the sound of these, but will whole grain oatmeal work as well? I am trying to eat more whole grains for health reasons.
Well, as far as I understand are rolled oats always whole grain. I’t basically a grain rolled flat 🙂
Have always been the type who forgets to eat breakfast… tried these recipes out and it was awesome! Thanks so much!
Glad we could help you out Trish! 🙂
I have never tried these but just wonder if it is ok or good to heat them up in the morning? I would not like it cold. Would that work?
Absolutely, Rejeanne! The easiest way is a minute or so in the microwave (provided they’re in a suitable container of course). I almost always eat mine hot 🙂