Banana Berry Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are such a surprisingly delicious and healthy way to make your tummy feel whole on a busy morning, especially when you're crunched for time.  When I first saw overnight oats popping up in magazines and food sites I didn't quite get what this new breakfast phenomenon was until I finally tried it for myself.  I will admit it took me a while to try it and I even made it for my husband before I ever sampled it myself.  (Yup, it's true.  I was overnight oat shy apparently) I wasn't quite sure I'd like it, but now I'm hooked on this easy, fulfilling breakfast.

Oats Treat

Now that I've made this breakfast in a jar

 quite a few times and even have my husband hooked on it, it feels like a treat when you grab it from your refrigerator in the morning because it's already made.  You're running around trying to get moving for your morning, maybe even trying to get kids ready also for the day as I am and BAM, breakfast is ready for you in the opening of a jar.  That's a treat yourself moment if you ask me! You just made your life a little simpler this morning having it pre-made.  I've sent my husband to work with it on early morning shifts in the past and he always commented on how it keeps him full enough throughout the morning to hold him through till lunch.

The other treat regarding these oats is that you can make your life even simpler (yes, healthy can be simple....it's true!) by using frozen berries.  I love just grabbing a scoop of my awesome frozen Costco berries to make this.  It reduces your prep time and makes it a quick fix the night before.  By morning your frozen berries have defrosted in the fridge and they're ready to eat!

Oats Preference

I personally prefer organic rolled oats

 for this breakfast, but my husband prefers organic steel cut oats, so please remember to consider trying making it both ways to see what you prefer.  My husband likes more of the bite and texture of the steel cut oats, but I prefer the more tender rolled oats for overnight oats.  Now if I'm just cooking a big pot of oatmeal for breakfast, the whole family prefers steel cut oats, so it's all a matter of preference here.

Banana Surprise

When I first saw an overnight oats recipe call for banana I thought it must be horrible! I mean, the banana sits and soaks overnight, um...maybe not so good I thought.  You know how banana gets funky and brown once it's exposed to air; well I thought it would become a soggy unpalatable mess in my oats by morning, but it's truly the opposite.  It brings a surprisingly nice flavor and texture to your oats.  I became a big fan of adding them to my oats.  If you're not a fan of banana though, you can always just add more berries to your oats and still enjoy your breakfast in a jar.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

I can't help myself with chia seeds

.  First off, I can't help but think of those silly 80's commercials showing people growing chia seeds, making hair like growths from silly ceramic heads.  Secondly, those same old chia seeds are so good for you, so I'm hooked on them.  They're a perfect addition to overnight oats because they do their job of swelling up into the little gelatinous power seeds full of great nutrients.  They're little powerhouses full of antioxidants that help fill you up without any guilt.

Give this jarred breakfast a try if you haven't yet, you'll be surprised by the delicious outcome.

Print