Overnight oats ideas are without question the perfect breakfast recipe for those who are often in a hurry in the morning. With the porridge from the fridge, you don't have to go without a healthy breakfast even when time is short.
And for those who only manage to eat breakfast on the way to work or once they arrive at the office, this dish makes a delicious breakfast to go.
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Find out what else breakfast has to offer and how to make the perfect overnight oats.
What are overnight oats?
As the name suggests, overnight oats are oats that soak overnight and turn into a delicious breakfast.
To prepare them, oats are mixed with water, milk or a plant-based drink. The mixture is then left in the fridge overnight. This gives the oats time to swell and develop their flavor. The next morning, you can enjoy a creamy porridge that you can refine with toppings such as nuts, dried fruit, seeds or fruit, as you like.
If you prepare them in a mason jar or other takeaway container, you can also get a delicious breakfast to go in no time.
Overnight oats vs. porridge
Overnight oats are closely related to porridge, the well-known breakfast classic.
Both are prepared with water, milk or a plant-based milk alternative and both are considered healthy breakfasts. This is due to the common main ingredient of both dishes: oat flakes. It is not for nothing that oats are considered a local superfood, because in addition to vitamins B1, B6 and E, the grain provides healthy minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. The fiber they contain also helps keep you full for longer and provides energy throughout the morning.
While oats are boiled in liquid, and thus become soft and creamy, during the preparation of porridge, this process happens overnight with overnight oats. This has the advantage that added spices, such as cinnamon or vanilla, as well as fresh fruits, can develop their full flavor without losing their freshness due to the longer steeping time.
Porridge and overnight oats are a dream team. The advantages of both breakfast dishes will help you decide which to prepare:
The advantages of porridge
- Fresh, warm breakfast: Unlike overnight oats, porridge is freshly prepared and eaten warm. This makes porridge perfect for those who like to start the day comfortably and take a little more time over breakfast.
- Breakfast to feel good: Especially in the cold winter months, a warm breakfast is very beneficial for the body and makes it easier to start into gray autumn days.
- Boost for your immune system: Apart from the feel-good effect, warm dishes are also said to have numerous health benefits. For example, it is said that they are easier to digest because they are already at the body's operating temperature. Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM for short, is also convinced of this. According to this well-known alternative medicine, a warm breakfast strengthens your immune system and nutrients can be better absorbed.
- Quick to prepare: fresh porridge does not always have to involve a lot of effort. VERIVAL porridges are ready in a few minutes.
Try our VERIVAL porridges for a quick breakfast now.
The advantages of overnight oats
- Breakfast for people in a hurry: If you like to enjoy your bed until the last minute in the morning or simply don't have time for a leisurely breakfast, you don't have to go without a wholesome breakfast. Overnight oats are prepared the night before and are ready to serve in less than a minute the next day. This makes them the perfect breakfast for those who are always in a rush.
- The perfect breakfast to go: The way they are prepared also makes them an ideal breakfast for people on the go. To make them, simply mix the ingredients in a sealable container. For example, Weck jars are not only practical for transporting your breakfast, they also look chic and help protect the environment.
- Keep your cool: As much as we love warm meals in winter, we all love cold dishes in summer. Porridge fresh from the fridge sounds very tempting, doesn't it?
- Variety to spoon up: Whether with chia seeds, fresh fruit or as a modern Bircher muesli – overnight oats don't get boring quickly and give you room to experiment.
How to prepare overnight oats
Step by step to breakfast bliss: To prepare overnight oats properly, follow these steps:
Step 1: The base
If you follow the basic overnight oats recipe, they are prepared in the traditional way with oats as the base. This will make your breakfast porridge particularly creamy.
Alternatively, you can also use spelt flakes or other cereal flakes of your choice. If you suffer from gluten sensitivity or even celiac disease, gluten-free oats or rice flakes are suitable.
Step 2: Seeds for that extra something (optional)
For an extra portion of fiber, you can add seeds such as chia seeds or flaxseed to your base as you like. Although these miracle seeds also make a wonderful topping, if you mix them directly with your cereal, they can swell overnight and make your breakfast porridge a little thicker.
Our tip: use our delicious VERIVAL organic mueslis as the basis for your overnight oats. This way, you don't have to worry about extra ingredients and toppings.
Step 3: Milk or plant-based drink?
The next step is to choose the liquid you want to use to mix your oats. Thanks to the wide range of milks and plant-based drinks, overnight oats are a delicious breakfast for all dietary requirements.
Once you have decided on your milk or milk alternative, mix your base oats with the liquid in a ratio of 1:2 (one part oats, two parts liquid) and stir well.
If neither milk nor plant-based drinks are on your menu, you can also mix the porridge with water. They won't be quite as creamy, but they'll still taste good.
Step 4: Add flavor!
Before you put the mixture in the fridge to steep overnight, add flavorings of your choice.
Ground cinnamon, for example, is particularly popular. But cardamom, vanilla or turmeric also give your breakfast a delicious, spicy touch.
Chocolate fans can stir in cocoa at this stage. If you like it a little sweeter, you can also add agave syrup, maple syrup or honey.
Give it a quick stir and then put your mixture in the fridge.
Step 5: The right toppings
The oats and seeds have time to steep overnight. They absorb the liquid and a creamy porridge is created.
Your overnight oats are best served with delicious toppings. For example, take fresh fruit such as apples, apricots or berries, cut the fruit into small pieces and add them to your porridge. It tastes best when you choose seasonal fruit.
Nuts provide the necessary crunch. Whether hazelnuts, cashews or walnuts – they are all ideal as a topping. But the VERIVAL Crunchys and Granola are also well suited to refining your porridge.
Overnight Oats Recipes to try and be inspired
What makes overnight oats a wonderful breakfast is their variety. From the base to the toppings, you can vary the oat meal entirely according to your taste. This quick breakfast dish invites you to get creative and combine ingredients in a colorful way.
Try out our recipe suggestions, let yourself be inspired by them or mix your own delicious creation.
Oat breakfast with superfood
With a few extra ingredients, your overnight oats will become an absolute power breakfast in no time. How about adding chia seeds, for example? This superfood from Mexico not only provides numerous healthy ingredients, but is also considered to help you lose weight.
They are also a good source of protein, which is why they are highly recommended for a vegan diet.
Our tip: use a plant-based drink instead of milk for our recipe if you want a vegan breakfast.
Vitamins you can spoon up
There are no limits to your creativity with overnight oats. Once you know the basic recipe, you can experiment with toppings and try out more unusual creations. For example, our carrot cake to spoon. The grated carrot gives your breakfast extra volume and makes it more filling. It also gives you an extra vitamin kick.
Gluten-free overnight oats
With a healthy breakfast that you prepare overnight, you have a dish that you can adapt to your individual nutritional needs. If you suffer from celiac disease or some form of gluten sensitivity, you should definitely try our recipe for gluten-free overnight oats. We use gluten-free VERIVAL Bircher Porridge as a base, but gluten-free oats are also ideal.
