Breakfast

Serving

Breakfast Kid-friendly Quick & easy

Overnight Oats

Name: Overnight Oats
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Breakfast
Ingredients: 1 cup rolled oats; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup fresh berries; 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)

No-cook rolled oats soaked overnight in milk and yogurt, topped with fresh fruit and honey for a make-ahead breakfast.

10 minutes

Serves 2

Breakfast

5 min prep

8 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

4 steps

1
Combine oats, milk, yogurt, honey, vanilla, and chia seeds if using in a jar or container.
2
Stir well to combine and cover.
3
Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours, until thickened.
4
Stir before serving and top with fresh berries.

Overnight Oats — plated and served — Serving moment. How Overnight Oats looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

81/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 34

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

385

Calories

20 g

Protein

53 g

Carbs

11 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Overnight oats sit in the same practical breakfast family as Swiss bircher muesli, where oats soften in dairy instead of being cooked hot. The modern jar version leans into make-ahead home routines: mix once at night, let the refrigerator do the work, then finish with fruit in the morning.

Listahan note

This version keeps the base creamy and simple, with yogurt for body, vanilla for roundness, and berries added at the end so they stay fresh instead of turning the oats watery overnight.

Technique cues

Rolled oats are the right texture here because they soften without disappearing. Quick oats turn much softer, while steel-cut oats need a different soak and chew.
Stir the mixture thoroughly before chilling, especially if using chia seeds. Dry pockets of oats or seeds stay clumpy after soaking.
Add the berries just before serving for the cleanest texture. If they sit overnight, they release juice and can make the top layer loose.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Mix the oat base while cleaning up after dinner, then rinse and dry the berries so breakfast needs only a final stir and topping.
Make-ahead: Assemble the base up to 2 days ahead and keep the berries separate until serving for the freshest texture.
Leftover move: Turn a thick leftover portion into a parfait layer with extra yogurt, berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Cleanup rhythm: Use a wide-mouth jar or lidded container, rinse the spoon right away, and leave enough headroom for stirring in the morning.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Rolled oats

Main grain base

Purpose: They absorb the milk and yogurt slowly, turning tender while keeping enough chew for a spoonable breakfast.

Handling: Stir until every oat is coated before covering the container.

Adaptation: Quick oats make a softer, porridge-like version; steel-cut oats need more liquid and a longer soak.

Milk

Soaking liquid

Purpose: It hydrates the oats and keeps the finished mixture loose enough to stir after chilling.

Handling: Use a full cup for a creamy but scoopable texture, then add a splash more in the morning if needed.

Adaptation: Use any unsweetened or lightly flavored milk you like; thinner milks make a looser jar and richer milks make it creamier.

Plain yogurt

Creamy thickener

Purpose: It gives the oats body and a gentle tang that balances the honey or maple syrup.

Handling: Whisk or stir it well with the milk before adding toppings so it does not leave streaks.

Adaptation: Greek yogurt makes the oats thicker and tangier; a thinner plain yogurt gives a softer, looser finish.

Honey or maple syrup

Sweetener

Purpose: A small amount sweetens the base without covering up the berries and vanilla.

Handling: Stir it into the milk and yogurt before chilling so it disperses evenly.

Adaptation: Maple syrup blends in easily when cold; honey may need extra stirring if it is thick.

Fresh berries

Fresh topping

Purpose: They bring brightness and a juicy contrast to the creamy oat base.

Handling: Rinse and dry them well, then add right before serving.

Adaptation: Sliced banana, diced apple, or chopped peaches work well, but apples stay firmer and bananas make the bowl sweeter and softer.

Chia seeds (optional)

Texture booster

Purpose: They thicken the mixture and add a small poppy texture that makes the oats feel more substantial.

Handling: Stir them in evenly at the start and give the jar a second stir after a few minutes if you notice clumps.

Adaptation: Leave them out for a smoother, more classic oat texture; add a spoonful more oats if you want the base thicker.

Technique notes

Taste after the overnight soak, not before. Cold oats taste less sweet once the grain has absorbed the liquid.
If the oats are too thick in the morning, loosen them with milk one tablespoon at a time so they stay creamy instead of soupy.
Use a container larger than the mixture looks like it needs. The extra space makes it much easier to stir without smearing oats up the sides.

Ingredient swaps

Different milk path: Use oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or another milk you keep on hand; each changes the body slightly, with thinner milks giving a lighter finish.
Thicker breakfast jar: Use Greek yogurt and keep the chia seeds in the mix, then loosen with milk after chilling only if needed.
Less sweet direction: Start with half the honey or maple syrup and let the berries carry more of the sweetness.
Fruit backup: Use frozen berries only if you thaw and drain them first; otherwise their juices can loosen the oats more than fresh berries.

Serve alongside

Soft-boiled eggs with everything seasoning
Avocado toast with lemon
Spinach and feta egg muffins
Cottage cheese with sliced peaches
Cold brew coffee
English breakfast tea
Orange juice spritzer

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the oat base in a sealed container for up to 3 days, keeping fresh berries separate when possible.
Serve cold, or warm gently in the microwave in short bursts with an extra splash of milk, stirring between bursts.
Freezing is possible, but the yogurt texture can turn grainy after thawing; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.

Equipment

Wide-mouth jar or lidded container
Measuring cups and spoons
Small spatula or long spoon
Fine-mesh strainer for rinsing berries

Make this household-aware

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