Cooking in the Kitchen with Sydney: Overnight oatmeal

I am always looking for cheap and easy meals to make in my dorm room, especially for breakfast when I’m running late for class. Something I have been preparing more recently is overnight oats. 

Overnight oats are a great way to make oatmeal without needing to cook it, whether it’s out of laziness or just not wanting to microwave something for 3-4 minutes. For me, it is juggling six classes, writing articles and trying to maintain a social life throughout all of this craziness. 

Making overnight oatmeal allows me to throw a couple small meals together on a weekend when I have some time and then having them when life gets hectic during the week. 

There are a multitude of ways to dress up your oats and make them a little more exciting. 

My favorite thing about these oats is how customizable they are. For an apple pie oat jar, all you need is a handful of diced apples, chopped pecans, a spoonful of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For a peanut butter banana jar, you need 1/2 sliced banana, a spoonful of peanut butter, and chocolate chips.

Combine the base ingredients in, ideally, a glass container and mix until well combined. Add in the extra ingredients, mixing again. 

Overnight Oatmeal:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup milk of choice

1/4 cup yogurt

spoonful of sweetener of choice

Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours to overnight. 

Uncover when ready and add more toppings if desired. Thin with more milk if needed. Enjoy! 

The oats only really need to soak for 2-3 hours, but they can also be stored overnight for convenience. 

The following morning, you will wake up to a ready-to-eat, delicious jar of oatmeal. It makes for a filling breakfast with more of a dense, porridge-like consistency than regular oatmeal. 

This meal is also great if you are on the go. I tend to keep mine in mason jars, which are compact, lightweight, and seal well with a lid. 

This recipe fits almost perfectly inside a mason jar, and it is great to take as a meal between classes if you are going to be unable to hit your dorm or the dining hall. 

Also, for an extra boost of protein, a small scoop of vanilla, chocolate, or peanut butter protein powder could easily be mixed in.