Simple Overnight Oats with Berries

Overnight oats with fruit are a great way to have a delicious make ahead breakfast that is full of tasty and hearty nutritious ingredients. These are perfect for meal prep and busy mornings!

I’m currently surviving this week thanks to meal prepping on Sunday. The past few days have been extremely hectic and I’m pretty sure we’d be living on cold cereal and quesadillas if I hadn’t jumped ahead on meal planning and prep over the weekend. I’m a huge fan of trying to stay organized and on top of our schedules. Living in the country has many benefits but having all of our activities in town can make for some long days and late nights. So it’s always nice to have a handful of homemade meals ready to go when times get busy.

Cue these healthy breakfast overnight oatmeal lifesavers for busy mornings. They are perfect to streamline your morning routine when you have to remember backpacks, lunches, sports gear and random tractor parts to bring to town. Wait, am I the only one bringing random pieces of farm equipment to town?? You get my point. Life is hectic, but your meals don’t have to be. Even with a busy schedule, you can still have a nutritious breakfast in a matter of minutes with these simple overnight oats. Sometimes the best things are the simple things.

Prep these babies on a Sunday night and have a great healthy breakfast ready for the entire week ahead. Made with simple basic ingredients, pantry staples and fruit, prepped in under 5 minutes and made the night before, these healthy and delicious overnight oats will make your mornings brighter. This oatmeal recipe is perfect for back-to-school busy mornings, or any time you want a healthy snack with delicious flavor.

These Overnight Oats with berries are made with only a handful of ingredients like, old-fashioned oats, flax seeds, honey, vanilla extract, creamy Greek yogurt, milk, and fresh berries. Put all these ingredients in a mason jar (or an airtight container), give a good stir and you’ve got yourself a healthy complete breakfast for the next morning.

What Are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are a quickly prepped, and easy healthy breakfast or snack made ahead of time. Instead of boiling overnight oats on the stovetop, old-fashioned rolled oats are soaked in milk, Greek yogurt and a handful of other simple ingredients in an airtight container overnight. Overnight oatmeal is the perfect meal prep recipe because it requires minimal steps and they are ready to go for the following day. It's a delicious way to start your morning and start healthy eating with this simple breakfast recipe!

In addition, because overnight oats aren’t cooked with heat, the oats aren’t as gummy and are easier to digest than traditional oatmeal recipes. Plus, the creaminess of all the ingredients soaking overnight makes for a simple, delicious and healthy way to have breakfast.

What makes overnight oatmeal so great?

Overnight oats recipes require minimal prep for a hearty, healthy and delicious breakfast. They also need no cooking and are easy to make in bulk batches. You can mix up an entire week’s worth of delicious breakfasts in a matter of a few minutes. Then you have an easy grab-and-go breakfast that is delicious and nutritious for the entire week.

The best part is that these easy recipes are highly versatile? Toss in whatever fruit you have on hand, honey or pure maple syrup to naturally sweeten it if you prefer. I also like to add nut butter and spices to enhance the nutritional profile and flavor of these simple make-ahead overnight oats. See below for overnight oats recipe variation suggestions.

Oats are incredibly nutritious and easy on the wallet. This easy breakfast recipe is made with only a few simple healthy and nutrient-dense ingredients typically found in your pantry.

How to Make Overnight Oats in 4 Simple Steps

The night before, put everything (except for the fruit) into a mason jar (or sealable container) and stir. Top oats mixture with berries and screw on the mason jar lid.

Next, refrigerate overnight. Go to sleep knowing you kicked your day off to a good start with a tasty, healthy breakfast.

Wake up, give those ingredients one more good stir and eat away. Or, if you prefer your overnight oats warm like I do, pop in the microwave for 90 seconds or so.

Next, conquer the day because you just ate a hearty breakfast with flavorful and important nutrients. You go, girl!

How Long Do Overnight Oats Need to Soak?

Ideally, your overnight oats would soak overnight (8 or so hours). This time frame allows the oats to soften and the flavors to deepen, creating creamy and delicious overnight oats. You can let them soak for 2-4 hours and dive in. With a quick soak, the oats are not as soft as an overnight soak and they tend to have a little more liquid and chewy texture versus a creamy texture.

How Long Do Overnight Oats Last in the Refrigerator? 

Since overnight oats are good for up to five days in the refrigerator, you can meal prep these on a Sunday night and have your breakfast ready for the whole week. I always include an overnight oat recipe in my weekly meal plans.

Can I Eat Overnight Oats Warm?

Most people eat their overnight oats cold, but I prefer mine heated. I make my easy overnight oats recipes in resealable containers, like mason jars. I pop the lid off, put them in the microwave for about 90 seconds, and boom, breakfast is served!

Overnight Oat Ingredient Substitutions

I think the best version of this recipe is the one I’m posting below. However, you might have dietary preferences or restrictions, like gluten sensitivity. Below are some common substitutions that would work well for this recipe:

Make it vegan overnight oats: Use non-dairy milk like unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened coconut milk; use plant-based yogurts like Siggi’s or Oatly brands; and use pure maple syrup or date syrup or coconut sugar for a sweetener.

Make it gluten-free overnight oats: Use certified gluten-free oats such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.

Make it sugar-free overnight oats: exclude the sweetener completely or use mashed or pureed fruit (such as ripe banana, berries, unsweetened applesauce) or nut butter or seed butter in the base recipe.

Don’t like Chia Seeds? I make these overnight oats without chia seeds. My personal preference is to use flax seed, which has a nutty taste and provides a great texture. You could also use hemp hearts.

Can You Use Quick Oats?

I prefer to use old-fashioned rolled oats, but you can use quick oats – they will be softer because the oat grains in quick oats are broken down more.

Can You Use Steel Cut Oats?

I haven’t tried using steal cut oats for this recipe, but I suspect they would require more liquid, more soaking time, and be more chewy and hardest to digest.

Can I Freeze Overnight Oats?

You can freeze overnight oats for up to 3 months in individual servings in freezer-safe containers—thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight.

Can I Use Frozen Fruit Instead of Fresh Fruit?

Yes, absolutely! I would stir the frozen fruit with all the ingredients instead of using as a topping. Place in refrigerator overnight and give a good stir prior to eating.

Overnight Oats Recipe Variations

Did I mention that this recipe is highly versatile? Customize this easy recipe however you like. Below are other optional toppings that would provide great flavors to your overnight oats.

Here are some overnight oats recipe combination ideas:

• Add in a scoop of vanilla protein powder.

• Use frozen berries instead of fresh fruit.

• Add in mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs.

• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter or Nutella.

• Use almond butter or sun butter.

• Add in mango, pineapple and some orange zest – make it tropical!

More Overnight Oat Recipes

I hope you enjoy this healthy and easy breakfast recipe with great flavor and only minutes of prep!

If you give this recipe a try, please leave a comment below, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me @homesweetfarmhome on Instagram and use the hashtag #homesweetfarmhome. I’d love to see what you come up with and share with my followers. Cheers!

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