We’re a proper bunch of porridge lovers here at RealFoodSource, that’s a big part of why we first launched Beyond Oats!
And of course, a hot bowl of porridge is often the perfect nourishing breakfast option… but what about during these warm summer months or simply when you fancy changing it up a little and a hot bowlful is not so tempting?
Enter the Overnight Oats!
We’ve talked about them on the recipe blog and in our recipe ebooks before. But having since spoken with friends and customers, it seems that the process of making the perfect overnight oats is often still a little confusing.
So, today we bring you our ‘Ultimate Guide’ to making the perfect Overnight Oats…
We promise it’s just as easy (if not actually easier!) than making regular porridge and the big benefit is that you can scale up and prepare multiple portions in one go and keep them chilled for up the three days – such a mega timesaver for the mornings.
It’s hard not to love the pure convenience of overnight oats. Simply stir together your oat blend and milk of choice in your serving container (or in a bowl and then spoon into a container), let sit in the fridge overnight, or at least 3 hours, then come morning you have a hearty nourishing breakfast ready and waiting for you.
In our experience, soaked overnight oats create quite a different texture compared with cooked oats… so kids (and adults) who typically turn their nose up at porridge, often love overnight oats. If ‘porridge texture’ is a bit contentious with you or anyone in the family, we highly recommend giving this method a try!
Who knows, you might find a new breakfast win to help mornings run that little bit more smoothly!
P.s whilst we keep talking about breakfast here… in reality overnight oats make the perfect snack at all times of day. Keep in a big tub in the fridge and grab a spoonful instead of heading for the biscuit tin, a big pot can keep you going throughout a day hike, great as a post workout fuel, or simply to munch as a quick nourishing supper.
The Golden Rules on How to Make the Best Overnight Oats
1) Oats:
We find regular rolled porridge oat work well or you can use a finer ‘quick cook’ style oat flake for maximum soak and super creamy consistency. If you make overnight oats with jumbo style oats the result will be more textured and less creamy. Try a few options or combinations to find your perfect blend!
2) Liquid ratio:
As a general rule you’ll want to add 1.5 x the amount of milk to the quantity of oats (eg. 50g oats and 75g milk). In the morning stir briefly to loosen the oats and if a still little too thick for your preference you can add a splash of milk to stir through ready to eat.
3) Liquid of choice:
You can use your favourite milk here – plant-milk or cows milk. Some even use fruit juice. We wouldn’t recommend water to mix unless you are using the creamy additions such as nut butter, coconut milk powder or mashed banana, as the final result won’t be as creamy or flavourful.
4) Chia/Flax seeds:
We recommend adding a teaspoon of chia or ground flax as this does create a really lovely thick ‘puddingy’ texture as the seeds soak up more liquid , it’s a great boost of nutrition too. This step is entirely optional. You may also find you need to add a little extra milk when it comes to serving.
5) Hot or Cold?
Overnight oats are typically served chilled. However, if you prefer warm oats, you can heat them in the microwave for a minute to warm them through a little just before serving.
6) Salt:
Totally optional, but if you want to make the flavour pop, add a tiny pinch of salt when you stir through the liquid (this is a top tip for when making hot porridge too).
7) Sweetness:
We love to add natural sweetness in the form or fruits such as chopped dates, berries or crumbled mulberries but if you prefer you could add a little syrup or honey. Fruit juice also adds great natural sweetness.
8) Toppings and mix-ins:
We love adding toppings! If you plan to add fresh fruit, add this just before serving as it will likely go soft and mushy overnight otherwise (unless of course you prefer it that way!) Any extra dried fruit, nuts, seeds, yoghurt etc can be added at the time of initial prep.
For an extra boost of nutrition and a little variety why not try finely grating some root veggies into your mix – we find carrot or sweet potato work best. Use roughly a ration of 4:1 of oats to grated veg and you likely won’t taste the difference (but it will add a pretty colour!)
Maybe you are already an overnight oats pro, or maybe this has inspired you to try overnight oats for the first time?
We’d love to hear from you and see your creations. Tag us @realfoodsource on Instagram!