Overnight oats made with a delicious combination of bananas, strawberries, shredded coconut and chia seeds make a healthy and super easy breakfast. Can be made gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free.
Growing up in a busy family, our weekday breakfasts were always quick and easy. Cereal or instant oatmeal was the go-to but it was still my favorite meal of the day.
Even now, I’m usually dreaming about what to make for breakfast before going to bed. Because the weather is starting to warm up, I’ve switched from my regular hot bowl of oatmeal to different versions of overnight oats depending on how I feel.
If you’ve never made overnight oats, here are a few ingredients you’ll need when making it:
- Rolled Oats (be sure to use the same measuring cup when measuring out the liquid as well if using the same 1 to 1 ratio as I do)
- Liquid – your favorite milk, water, yogurt (I like to use almond milk and sometimes with a combination of Greek yogurt
- Sweetener (optional) – honey, maple syrup, agave, stevia, sugar
- Add-ins of your choice – nuts, fruit, shredded coconut, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds etc.
- Glass jar, container with a lid, medium bowl, covered
I always have ripe bananas that are waiting to be used up, so I mashed one up and added it to my overnight oats along with diced strawberries, shredded coconut, chia seeds and some Greek yogurt.
Then you just pour as much of your favorite milk/water to the consistency that you like (feel free to add more or less) and mix it up and seal it overnight. Please be sure to use the same cup you used to measure the oats when you measure out the liquid otherwise the consistency won’t match mine.. The longer the oats sit, the thicker they will get so please allow them to sit for at least 5 or 6 hours either wise, you will have a watery runny mess.
I don’t usually have to add any sweetener since the banana and strawberries were sweet enough but you could totally add some if you’d like.
You can easily double the recipe or make a customized jar for each family member depending on what they like too.
Just under 5 minutes of prep work is all it takes and a healthy breakfast will be ready for you in the morning.
Once you wake up, you can choose to eat it cold right out of the jar or warm it up and pour it into a bowl. I like to top mine with some more sliced fruit.
It’s like having dessert for breakfast. Just grab a spoon!
- 1 cup rolled oats use certified gluten-free oats if desired (be sure to use the same measuring cup when measuring out the liquid as well if using the same 1 to 1 ratio as I do)
- 1 large ripe banana mashed
- 2 strawberries hulled and diced
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon chia or flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon honey agave or maple syrup *optional (feel free to leave out if banana is sweet enough)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4-1 cup your favorite milk I used a little bit more than 3/4 cup but you can add more or less depending on how thick you like it
- 1-2 tablespoons Greek yogurt I used non-fat plain *optional
- 1 large ripe banana sliced into rounds
- 2 strawberries hulled and sliced
- Combine all the ingredients minus the toppings in a medium glass jar or container and seal. Place in refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours so they have time to thicken. (be sure to use the same measuring cup when measuring out the liquid as well if using the same 1 to 1 ratio as I do)
- In the morning, remove from fridge, stir and serve cold or warm.
- Add more milk, sliced fruit or extra toppings of your choice if desired.
Feel free to add more or less sweetener of your choice. I made mine sugar-free and don't usually need to add any sweeteners since the banana and strawberries are usually sweet enough for me.
For a vegan version, swap the milk and yogurt for coconut or almond milk instead.
For warm oats, be sure your container is microwave safe and you can heat it up in the microwave for 30 seconds on HIGH.
The oats will thicken up more the longer they sit, so overnight or for at least 6 or more hours works best.
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! -
I love overnight oats! These are gorgeous and healthier than mine. 😉
Emma -
I’ve really gotten into overnight oats recently but I haven’t thought of pairing banana and strawberry together, I’m going to try it because it sounds great!
Lynn | The Road to Honey -
These look great Kelly. I just made my first overnight oats for breakfast this morning. I love the idea of waking up and having breakfast waiting for me, Unfortunately the recipe that i made wasn’t sweet enough for the hubby (he doctored it up with some agave). Can’t wait to try your recipe to see if that gets him to his ideal sweetness.