Rainbow Overnight Oats
If you’re tired of the same ol’ same ol’ overnight oats recipes you’ve been making for years, these fruit smoothie layered overnight oats will up your game.
And if it’s true that we eat with our eyes first, the sheer pretty-ness of these breakfast jars will let you know just how yummy they are!
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Okay, look. I know – I am incredibly late to this party.
The overnight oats train left the station approximately five years ago, traveled around the world twice, and is probably currently colonizing Mars. Meanwhile, I was still standing on the platform eating a handful of dry cereal directly out of the box because I was out of milk.
For years, I resisted. My primary objection was about the texture of overnight oats.
The concept of “cold mush” really sounded flat-out disgusting to me (until I actually tried them).
Turns out, overnight oats are creamy, yummy and best of all – they require absolutely zero executive function before my first cup of coffee.
Best of all – you can prep once and eat all week!
I recently decided to get my life together (a phase that usually lasts about three days), and I decided to tackle breakfast first.
So I did it… I tried overnight oats. And I’m here to tell you, as a fellow skeptic and a person who sometimes burns toast: these little jars of morning yum are wildly easy and actually delicious.
If you, like me, have been hiding under a rock while the rest of the internet meal-prepped their way to breakfast Nirvana, here is the beginner’s guide from someone who just figured it out last week.
Wait! WHY Are We Eating Overnight Oats?
Besides the fact that everyone on Instagram seems to have their life together with these aesthetically pleasing jars, why eat them?
The Ultimate Laziness Factor: You make breakfast while you are sleeping. That is peak efficiency. You do five minutes of work at 9 PM, throw it in the fridge, and past-you has given future-you a glorious gift.
They’re Actually Good For You: Apparently, oats are full of fiber. This means you actually stay full until lunch instead of experiencing that rabid, starry-eyed hunger pang at 10:30 AM where you consider eating a stapler. They’re hearty, healthy heart food.
The Fridge Life: They last for like, 4 to 5 days in the fridge. You can make a whole work week of breakfasts on Sunday night. (I have never actually done this because I fear commitment, but I make two at a time and feel like a domestic goddess.)
The Base Recipe
If you’re new to making overnight oats, this is the base recipe. All overnight oats recipes start with this base (or one very similar).
BUT… If you do only make the base, it’ll taste pretty much like wet cardboard, so keep reading for flavor options.
The Golden Ratio: 1 part oats to 1 part liquid.
1/2 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: (Do NOT use quick oats unless you want soup, and don’t use steel-cut oats unless you enjoy chewing gravel to me).
1/2 cup Liquid: (Milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk—whatever milk floats your boat. Water works too, but it’s sadder).
The Secret Weapon for Texture: If you just use oats and milk, it’s okay. But if you want that creamy, pudding-like consistency that makes it feel like a treat?
Add 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds. These little guys are weird. They soak up liquid and turn into a gel. It sounds gross, but it’s crucial for the texture. Plus, bonus nutrients!
Optional Creaminess: A big dollop (maybe 1/4 cup) of Greek yogurt helps thicken it up and adds protein.
Making It Not Taste Like Cardboard
Now that you have the base mush, you can jazz it up however you want – even add protein powder for an extra boost of protein to start your day!
Add these things before you put it in the fridge:
Sweetener: Unless your milk is super sweet, you need something. A tablespoon of maple syrup, honey, or agave is standard. I tried brown sugar once and it was total yum.
Flavor Extract: A splash of vanilla extract is almost mandatory in my house. Almond extract is also fancy.
The Mix-ins: This is where you go wild.
Classic PB: A big glob of peanut butter mixed in.
Choco-holic: A tablespoon of cocoa powder and some mini chocolate chips.
Fruity: Toss in frozen berries right when you mix it. By morning, they’ve thawed and released their juice into the oats. It’s tie-dye breakfast!
How to do it: Put everything in a jar (mason jars make you feel cooler, tupperware works fine). Shake it up like a Polaroid picture. Put it in the fridge. Go to sleep. Wake up. Eat.
OR – you can prep them for the whole week – like this mega protein overnight oats bowls!
Okay, I’ve Mastered the Basics. Now What?
So, I made the basic peanut butter ones three days in a row. I felt confident. I felt powerful. I felt ready to make something that looked way harder than it actually was so I could brag about it.
If you are ready to graduate from “Beginner Oat Mush” to “Artistic Breakfast Creation,” let’s try this one. It looks impressive because of the layers, but it’s literally just the base recipe with fruit smoothie flavoring in layers.
How To Make Rainbow Overnight Oats:
Okay, stick with me ’cause you’re gonna see cauliflower in this recipe. Do not run away. You cannot taste it… the cauliflower just adds bulk and creaminess without adding calories. It’s a volume eating hack!
Part 1: The Base (Make this the night before)
You need a large bowl for this.
1 cup Rolled Oats
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
2/3 Cup Greek Yogurt (or one of 5.3 ounce single serve containers)
3 cups Almond Milk (or whatever milk you want)
1 bag (12oz) Frozen Riced Cauliflower (Steam it in the bag first, let it cool slightly, and squeeze out as much water as possible – trust me on this, you do NOT want your oats watery!)
Instructions:
– Dump all the “Bulk Base” ingredients into a bowl.
– Stir well to combine.
– Cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The chia seeds and oats need to soak up the liquid.
Part 2: The Colors (The Next Morning)
Now we make the magic happen. You will have enough base mixture to make 5 separate jars.
The Setup: Take your chilled oat base mixture and divide it into 5 equal portions. You will blend one portion with the specific ingredients for each color below.
Red Layer
1 portion of Oat Base
1 cup Raspberries
Orange Layer
1 portion of Oat Base
1 cup Pumpkin Purée
1 chopped Carrot
2 tbsp Sugar-Free Syrup
1 tsp Cinnamon
Yellow Layer
1 portion of Oat Base
1 cup Frozen Pineapple
Green Layer
1 portion of Oat Base
Handful of fresh Spinach
1/2 Banana
2 tbsp Sugar-Free Syrup
Blue Layer
1 portion of Oat Base
1 cup Frozen Blueberries
Instructions:
Blend Red: Put one portion of the oat base and the Red ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour 1/5 into each of your clean 5 jars.
Rinse: Give your blender a quick rinse (doesn’t have to be perfect).
Blend Orange: Add the next portion of base and the Orange ingredients. Blend. Pour 1/5 into each of your jars.
Repeat: Repeat for Yellow, Green, and Blue, rinsing between colors.
Top with 2 tbsp Lite Cool Whip if you want (really adds to the yum factor!)
Storage: Keep these in the fridge. Grab one jar each morning on your way out the door!
Here’s a handy recipe cheatsheet to pin to Pinterest:
