Overnight Oatmeal Jars!
Have you tried them yet?
I thought I might be the last one…
So I finally started experimenting with them, and now I wonder what took me so long. These are brilliant!
And since we now have our favorite flavor combos, I thought I might as well share them here…
You know, in case any of you could use some fresh morning INSPO…
Because it’s officially back to school time, and if there is one thing I will never forget about the few years I sent my boys off to (real) school — it is the morning madness!!! The making breakfast, the packing lunches, the signing allofthepapers, the stuffing of the backpacks, and the just trying to make it out the door on time. (which rarely happened.)
And I really think these little oatmeal jars could can make a big difference on busy school mornings.
Or before games on the weekend?
Because…
First of all: Oatmeal! One of the healthiest foods in the world.
Second of all: Toppings!? Endless.
Third: Transportable! You can take them out the door with you! In the car. On the bus. You name it.
Note on cold vs. hot oats: If you, like me, are used to eating hot oats, it might take a little mental adjustment to dive into a jar of cold oats. But once you do, you’ll really love them. Especially with all of the fun toppings (below.) You just gotta have an open mind!
The basic recipe for overnight oatmeal jars:
Grab a jar (or any container you like), and combine equal parts real oats (I used 1/2 cup Bob’s red mill, organic) and milk of choice (I used 1/2 cup almond milk in most of these.) Note: For younger kids 1/4 cup of each should be plenty…
Add your toppings. (see below) Cover and refrigerate over night.
Wake up, stir your jar, and enjoy!
**Option, for warm oats: Stir, scoop contents into a bowl, heat, and pour a little extra milk on top!
There are countless ways you can top your oatmeal jars, but here are our favorite five so far…
PAPAYA/YOGURT/HONEY drizzle. (Sub fresh peaches for the papaya if you have them!) -Make oatmeal/milk base, then slice up papaya, peaches, mango or any fruit you like, spread a layer of vanilla, plain, or fruit yogurt on top, then add a drizzle of honey. Mmmmm!
CHOCOLATE PROTEIN/BANANA/CHOCOLATE CHIPS. Combine chocolate protein powder with almond milk and oats for the base. Add sliced bananas, and just a sprinkle of chocolate chips. 
BLUEBERRY/YOGURT/HONEY. Make oatmeal/milk base. Then layer some plump blueberries (or any berry you like!) and a layer of yogurt on top. Drizzle with honey. Nuts go great on this one too!
BANANA/PEANUT BUTTER/WALNUT. (This is a family favorite!) Combine oatmeal and milk. Then add a layer sliced bananas. Next spread a thin (or thick-why not?) layer of peanut or almond butter on top, and finish with a good layer of nuts of choice. A little honey or agave on top is great here too!
COFFEE/YOGURT/FIG AND ALMOND. (my idea…hehe.)
For the base: mix oatmeal with equal parts coffee and milk, then top with a layer of vanilla yogurt, and chopped figs and almonds. Coffee lovers will love it! (Add some sweetener to the coffee if you like it sweeter!)
Oatmeal jars are super fun for kids to wake up to. It can take away a bit of the morning madness…
Even if it doesn’t help with the morning hair…
Go gather some fun toppings, and try these overnight oatmeal jars ! Then let me know what yo think.
And meanwhile, share in comments!? WHAT DO YOU FEED YOUR FAMILY ON RUSHED MORNINGS?
With much Aloha,
Monica
PS As always, I totally appreciate it when you PIN and SHARE with friends using the social media buttons below! 😉
We do something similar (haven’t thrown it together in a while… need to make up a few). Rolled oats, chia seeds, greek yogurt, favorite jam, milk. Mix it all together, refrigerate overnight, and voila, delicious, filling, healthy breakfast ready to go!
oh that sounds great!! I’ll have to try that too. 😉 Anything to simplify mornings!! Thanks for sharing!
I could not find the recipe for this. Scrolling over and over. I would like to make this .
Sorry Joyce, I’m glad you want to make these, and I’m not sure why you don’t see it…Do you have the full post? I did not write out a “printable recipe” on this one because it is truly super simple…But smack in the middle of the post in bold you’ll see “THE BASIC RECIPE FOR OVERNIGHT OATMEAL JARS.” Underneath that you’ll see the recipe and then the entire rest of the post is all of the toppings I am sharing. For the base you just mix equal parts uncooked oats and milk (I suggested 1/2 cup of each) Cover and refrigerate over night. The toppings can vary as much as you like and I shared our five favorites in the post. 🙂 Hope that helps! aloha-
We have been using muesli this same way for awhile but might try the oatmeal for the youngest. Love it because it is so easy! Than you Monica for sharing your combos.
Oh fun–I love Muesli! It reminds me of when I studied in Germany and I had it almost every day. I think I’ll have to try this using muesli now! Glad you mentioned that. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the oatmeal jars and thank you for commenting!
Monica, thanks for these recipes!! I just polished off a blueberry/yogurt/honey one–delicious!!! And with all the healthy fiber and protein, i know i won’t be hungry again til lunch. Going to make more tonight with Tommy so the whole family can have some tomorrow for breakfast!! Aloha from New Jersey!!
Oh fun Wendy! So glad. 🙂 And you’re right–kids can totally help make these which makes theme a double win! Much Aloha and enjoy the long weekend with your little cutie! XO
We have rusks. It is a South African thing and you have it with coffee, although the kids have Rooibos tea (Rooibos is an antioxidant, naturally caffeine free plant)
There are millions of rusk recipes some with All Bran, some with nuts, some with raisins and buttermilk. It is almost like Italian biscotti but with way less sugar and it is easily transportable.
My Mom Tillie’s current recipe
6 Cups Whole meal flour (that is the one with bran and everything in it)
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup nuts of your choice (chopped)
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup linseeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
or if you don’t have everything mix 2/3 cup coconut with the seeds you have or just use coconut.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
250gm butter
2 eggs
500ml sour milk/buttermilk/plain yoghurt
Method
Mix the dry ingredients together except the sugar
Melt butter and stir sugar in until it has dissolved
Whip eggs and buttermilk together and add to sugar mixture.
Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and mix well to a batter.
Pour into a deep cookie sheet. (we use one that has 1 inch high sides)
Bake at 360 Degree F for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven, cut into rectangles and dry at 180 degree F till completely dry.
Dunk in your coffee and enjoy or else enjoy as a crunchy snack.
Babies cut their teeth on simple seed free, nut free versions of this.
Catherine–Wow! I just adore you for sharing that whole recipe right here! 🙂 Thank you! I LOVE to try new things from different places. I’ll be trying these and thinking of you and Mom Tillie! Thank you so much. Especially because: Anything I can dunk in my coffee is a winner! 🙂 XOXO
I haven’t made rusks in a long time but I think I’ll make them again – so good! And I’ll have to try the overnight oatmeal too…..once I get over the cold vs hot version!!,
In love oatmeal jars! I add chia seeds to my oatmeal/milk mixture. I also like chopped mango in mine with nuts.
sounds awesome! And so glad you mentioned chia seeds– I just bought some and meant to add that to suggested ingredients! 🙂 Much aloha. (Mango is my favorite and I’m so sad our tree did not produce well this year!) XO
Yummy! This is a great idea, wish I’d known about it sooner when we were in a state where winter hits yearly. However, these are nice takeaways, probably great for camping too!
The great thing about these (for those of us in warmer climates) is that they are actually Cool, so kind of refreshing for warm mornings! And for sure–so much fun for camping!!
This is what I’ve been looking for! Thank you! I’m short on inspiration for breakfast. I homeschool 4 boys myself. 🙂 Looking forward to trying this!!
Thank you Kristen! I know, with homeschooling I find breakfast and lunch can feel like ONE. MORE. THING! 🙂 Great to have some fresh ideas! Hope you all love them! xo