An Easy, Healthy Layered Overnight Oats Recipe

Table of Contents

Benefits Of Overnight Oats

Overnight oats offer a nutritious and convenient meal option for busy parents with babies and toddlers. By preparing a batch the night before, parents can ensure their little ones have a wholesome breakfast ready to go in the morning.

Rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, overnight oats can be customised to include a variety of fruits, nut butters, or dairy alternatives, catering to individual dietary needs and preferences.

This not only saves time but also encourages healthy eating habits from an early age.

Additionally, the no-cook preparation allows for a quick assembly in the evening, making it an ideal solution for families on the move.

Health Benefits Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a nutritious and convenient option for babies and toddlers, offering a range of health benefits. Rich in dietary fibre, they can aid digestion and promote a healthy gut, essential for growing children. The oats provide a steady release of energy, helping maintain stable blood sugar levels, and can be easily customised with fruit, yogurt, or nut butters for added vitamins and minerals.

The soft texture is ideal for little ones who are developing their chewing skills. By preparing overnight oats, parents can ensure a wholesome meal is ready to go, simplifying busy mornings while introducing their children to a variety of flavours and textures.

The Positive Benefits of Overnight Oats for Your Little One

Overnight oats have gained immense popularity in recent years, not only among adults but also among children. This nutritious breakfast option offers numerous positive benefits, making it an excellent choice for parents seeking a healthy and convenient meal for their little ones.

One of the greatest advantages of overnight oats is their simplicity and ease of preparation. As a parent, we all know too well that time is often a precious commodity, especially in the mornings. By prepping overnight oats the night before, you can ensure that your little ones start the day with a wholesome meal without having to rush.

With just a few ingredients like oats, milk, yogurt, and fruits, overnight oats can be customised to suit each child's taste preferences. Also, overnight oats are highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

Oats are a great source of dietary fibre, which promotes healthy digestion and helps prevent constipation in children. This fibre content also aids in keeping little tummies full for a longer time, reducing the inclination to snack on unhealthy options throughout the morning.

Can I Add Any Other Ingredients To The Oats?

Yes, overnight oats can be a versatile way to incorporate fresh fruits and nut butter into a child's diet. You can add fresh berries, sliced bananas, or even grated apples to the oats, providing a plethora of vitamins and antioxidants. Alongside that, a sprinkle of chia seeds or nut butter not only enhances the flavour but also adds healthy fats and proteins to the mix. The perfect recipe to make on a Sunday night for an easy Monday morning.

Why You Should Let Your Kids Help In The Kitchen

Overnight oats offer endless opportunities to get creative in the kitchen with children, when they are old enough. Encouraging kids to participate in the preparation process not only fosters a sense of independence but also helps them develop an interest in cooking and healthy eating habits. Children can choose their favourite toppings, experiment with different fruit combinations, and even create colourful layered parfaits, transforming breakfast into a fun and engaging activity.

All in all, overnight oats are an amazing make ahead breakfast for you and your baby. There are so many advantages to making the easiest breakfast ahead of the morning to make for a stress free breakfast time!

How Many Portions Does The Recipe Make?

This basic overnight oats recipe makes 2 pots, however if you are serving from 6 months old, you may only need to use half of the pot. Depending on how hungry your little one is. If you did have any leftover you could save the rest as a snack later on in the day.

Easy Swaps To Change The Dietary

The easy overnight oats recipe is easily made plant based and gluten free, to make plant based you will need to replace the milk with your plant based milk of choice, I find oat milk works really well as a plant based alternative.

To make the recipe fully gluten free, you could use the usual rolled oats, but to be sure you could use gluten free rolled oats.

I have listed below some fruit alternatives that you could use if you didn’t have or want to use blueberries.

Why You Should Make This Recipe?

Overnight quick oats provide numerous positive benefits for children. From the simplicity of preparation to the nutritional value and the opportunity for creativity in the kitchen, this breakfast option promotes healthy eating habits and ensures a great start to the day for little ones.

By incorporating overnight oats into their breakfast routine, parents can rest assured that their children are enjoying a tasty and nutritious meal that will keep them energised and satisfied throughout the morning., for the best make-ahead breakfasts.

This recipe is so quick and easy to prepare ahead of time, using simple ingredients, it’s a must for a great meal prep idea for a few stress free mornings.

If you wanted a Weetabix recipe, you can check out my Weetabix recipe here.

Ingredient information

Rolled oats - are a versatile and nutritious grain that have become a beloved staple in many households. These flattened and steamed oat groats are revered for their exceptional health benefits and unparalleled convenience.

They are rich in fibre, which aids in digestion and helps to maintain a healthy weight. Rolled oats are also packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, and B vitamins, making them a powerhouse of nutrients for overall well-being. These are a great inexpensive staple to have available in your store cupboard.

Milk - I have used semi skimmed milk, but you can use your milk of choice! Plant based milks work well too!

Yogurt - I have used Greek style yogurt as it is the most nutritious yogurt you can give your baby with low sugar. Greek style yogurt is a culinary delight that has become wildly popular in recent years. Its unmistakably creamy and thick texture sets it apart from other yogurts, making it a luxurious treat for the taste buds.

Made by straining regular yogurt to remove excess whey, Greek style yogurt boasts a velvety smoothness that indulges the palate. Its tangy and slightly tart flavour profile adds a refreshing zest, making it a versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed alone or paired with various toppings.

Greek style yogurt is not only a delectable delight, but it also offers several health benefits. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, which are essential for gut health.

Blueberries - I have used mashed blueberries in this recipe, as they are packed full of antioxidants. Blueberries are petite powerhouses bursting with flavour and health benefits. These vibrant little berries are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients.

Whether enjoyed fresh, blended in smoothies, or baked in mouth-watering pies, blueberries provide a tantalising burst of sweetness. Not only are they a tasty treat, but blueberries are also rich in antioxidants, which help fight off damaging free radicals in the body.

Additionally, they are a fantastic source of fibre, vitamins C and K, and manganese. Incorporating blueberries into your diet is an excellent way to promote heart health, support digestion, and boost cognitive function. So, grab a handful of these tiny blue gems for this recipe and indulge in their delightful taste while reaping the numerous benefits they offer.

Flaxseed - An omega 3 boost, I love to sprinkle this on fruit and porridge for my son. Flaxseed, often referred to as a superfood, has gained immense popularity in recent years. Packed with essential nutrients, this tiny seed offers a multitude of health benefits.

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed is a heart-healthy addition to any diet, helping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, it is a great source of fibre, aiding digestion and promoting regularity. The high antioxidant content in flaxseed not only supports a strong immune system but also contributes to healthy skin and hair.

With its nutty flavour and versatility, flaxseed can easily be incorporated into various dishes, try it here in this recipe! Whether you sprinkle it on top of your breakfast or use it as an egg substitute in baking, flaxseed is undoubtedly a powerhouse ingredient that can enhance both the nutritional value and taste of your meals.

Serving suggestion

The great thing about overnight oats is that they are a delicious breakfast, for those busy mornings! So you don’t need to serve with anything as they are good as they are!

If you did want to serve with anything you could serve with chopped strawberries or mashed strawberries.

Other great breakfast style recipes are: chia seed pudding, mango pots, peach melba.

Storage instructions

The easy breakfast can be stored in an airtight container or jars, I use the jars as they are leakproof and a great size for storing this type of recipe.

The overnight oats can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, so this is great if you wanted some easy and quick breakfast oat recipes for the morning.

You could freeze the oats in the freezer and store in the same way for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you need them, all you will need to do is leave them in the fridge overnight and they will be ready in the morning.

You won’t be able to re freeze if you decide to do this.

Equipment used to help with this recipe

I love using the glass Kilner jars daily, but they work really well for this recipe! I used both jars, the 125ml jar and the 110ml jar for this recipe!

The larger jars with a chunky silicone lid are ideal for storing homemade baby food. They are also fridge, freezer and microwave safe. The smaller ones with easy push-on silicone lids are water tight and leak-proof making them ideal for carrying light bites and snacks on-the-go.

Recipe | An Easy, Healthy Layered Overnight Oats Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 2 Pots

• 100g rolled oats

• 250ml Milk of choice (I used low-fat milk)

• A handful blueberries, mashed (I used 30)

• 2 teaspoons Greek yogurt

• 2 teaspoons flaxseed

Instructions

• Start by placing the oats in a medium bowl and adding the milk to the bowl. Stir and leave to stand for 10 minutes or so.

• Next, mash the blueberries if you haven’t already, and once the 10 minutes are up, you can start to assemble the pots.

• Take 2 tablespoons of the oats and place in each jar. Next add in 2 teaspoons of the mashed blueberries and spread to the edges. (keep 1/2 teaspoon for garnish)

• Take 1 teaspoon of the greek yogurt and place on top of the blueberries and spread to the edges.

• Sprinkle a teaspoon of the flaxseed over the yogurt, and then a further 2 tablespoons of the oats.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon of the blueberries to the centre of the oats and sprinkle more flaxseed.

• Leave in the fridge overnight for the next morning, until a pudding-like texture/creamy texture is achieved. Give it a good stir if you wish and enjoy.

Hope you and your family enjoy!

Recipe notes

Some other great fresh fruit alternatives for this healthy breakfast idea that would work really well within this recipe are: Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, or a mashed banana.

To make the healthy overnight oats dairy free you could use a non-dairy milk such as coconut milk, soy milk or cashew milk. Any plant-based milk or dairy-free milk will be ok to use for this recipe.

You could add a nut butter to the recipe such as peanut butter, cashew butter or almond butter.

You could use old-fashioned oats or jumbo oats. If you swapped out the oats for chia seeds this could turn into a chia pudding.

To make the recipe fully gluten free it is best to use certified gluten-free oats, for sensitive tums.

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