Overnight oats have been a staple on Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards for years. The idea is simple: mix oats with milk, add some yogurt or berries on top, leave them in the fridge overnight, and voila you wake up to a ready-made meal. It’s easy to see the appeal — convenience, nutrition and endless customization.
But for all their popularity, overnight oats can sometimes be … underwhelming. Some people (myself included) find the texture a bit gummy, and traditional add-ins like Greek yogurt and chia seeds can taste bland. But don’t give up hope just yet.
If you’ve tried overnight oats before and didn’t love them, or if you want to start, here are a few unique twists to try that will take your oats from dull to delicious.
Instead of whole milk and the various nutty alternatives, try using a vanilla or caramel-flavoured coffee creamer as your base. This adds a richness and a hint of sweetness to the mixture, without needing to add extra sugar. For those feeling less adventurous to start, try chocolate milk first.
If you’re not a fan of soggy fruit chunks, applesauce is a smooth alternative that adds some natural sweetness to your oats without the texture issues. Or go simpler, and add the fruit the day you want to eat it so it doesn’t sit overnight.
Mix up the texture (and avoid that sogginess) by adding some toppings before eating. Go salty, sweet, or both with toasted nuts, granola and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
When in doubt, you can always go with simple additions like peanut butter, jam and even Nutella that can add some thickness to the mixture while simultaneously enhancing the flavour.
Recipes like cookie dough, tiramisu, pina colada and even pumpkin pie oats can take this traditional breakfast to the next level — have fun with it.
