Make your own Overnight Oats – basic recipe and tips

Do you know the problem when you don’t feel like making breakfast early in the morning, even before work? Yet the first meal of the day is the most important one to start the day fresh. But what can you do if you simply don’t have time?

The solution is called “Overnight Oats”. With fruits, nuts or spices, you can also give your food a personal touch and adapt it to your mood.

Why are Overnight Oats healthy?

The body needs a good portion of energy after a long rest. After all, it consumes 50% of all calories while sleeping. With Overnight Oats you not only get a healthy number of carbohydrates, but also, depending on the variation, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

From seeds and dairy products to fruit and nuts, there are endless possibilities for preparation. The high fibre content of oats makes you feel fuller for longer and prevents spontaneous food cravings.

This in turn has a positive effect on your weight. Due to the long feeling of satiety, you also have fewer cravings for snacks. In addition, the protein from the flakes helps to build muscle in the Body.

Overnight Oats can not only be eaten as breakfast, the soaked oatmeal is also a great midday snack. Simply close the container tightly and put it in your bag with a spoon to enjoy it on the go or in between meals.

Overnight Oats Basic Recipe

It really doesn’t get any simpler than this! All you need for the base is oatmeal and liquid. Mix these ingredients together in a container in a ratio of 1:2 and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Of course, the ratio depends on how solid or liquid you want your mixture to be.

A normal portion of oatmeal averages between 40g and 60g. For the liquid, milk (whether of animal or plant origin) or water is recommended, depending on how the taste should be in the end. But don’t forget: Toppings are also added to bring extra flavour to the meal.

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Basic recipe: Overnight Oats

The basic recipe for Overnight Oats is super simple – you only need 2 ingredients.

Prep Time2 mins

Total Time2 mins

Servings: 1

Calories: 150kcal

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp oat flakes (approx. 45g)
• 80 ml water, milk or a plant-based alternative

Instructions

• Put the water, milk or plant-based alternative into a glass together with the oat flakes and stir well.
• Put the mixture in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 2 hours. 
• Stir well once again and enjoy. 

Notes

We recommend to sweeten the overnight oats with honey, agave syrup or maple syrup and to decorate them with fruits, nuts and seeds.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal

How do you get variety in your oats?

Different flakes

Regular oatmeal is available in every supermarket and is the classic ingredient for overnight oats. However, if you want a change or are not a fan of oatmeal, you can choose from a variety of alternatives.

Buckwheat or spelt flakes add a nutty flavour to a healthy breakfast from the fridge. Or you can use kamut flakes, also known as ancient grain. You can even make a gluten-free version yourself with rice, quinoa and millet flakes.

Miscellaneous liquids

The liquid can also be replaced with different options to adapt one’s food to one’s individual lifestyle. The use of cow’s milk is quite typical.

Instead of using animal products, you can also use vegan plant-based milks such as soy, rice or almond drinks. Even water or juices are perfect for soaking overnight.

Curd cheese and yoghurt

You can use these two ingredients in two different ways. On the one hand, you can use the quark or yoghurt as a substitute for the base liquid to get an even creamier consistency than in the basic recipe above.

On the other hand, you can also use it as another topping. Adding curd cheese or yoghurt automatically adds extra Protein.

Toppings

Apart from the flakes and the liquid, there is also the possibility to vary the toppings. Seeds are very rich in fibre and stimulate digestion. These include flax, chia and hemp seeds. They contain calcium, vitamins, iron and Protein.

Fruits can be chopped or pureed to add to the porridge. Adding regional and seasonal fruit or simply frozen berries provides the body with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals such as unsaturated fatty acids.

Nuts and seeds give the soft porridge a particularly crunchy touch. Seeds and nuts also provide valuable proteins and unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

Spices such as cinnamon, cocoa or poppy seeds add extra sweetness and intense flavour. If you want it even sweeter, you can add a teaspoon of agave syrup or maple syrup. But you should make sure that your breakfast is not too sweet.

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