I love make ahead meals. Especially if it’s something as easy and simple like overnight oatmeal. No cooking, no baking, and not a lot of prep. We wake up to a nutritious breakfast in the morning. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Oatmeal is one of my youngest’s go to breakfast and I make it a point to give it to him at least 3 to 4 times a week. The rest of the days, I try and add oats in smoothies, pancakes, muffins etc. Yes, we love oats in our family. I love how healthy and fiber rich oats are and they work like a charm for my youngest who always gets constipated.
Overnight oatmeal is one of the best things that can happen to busy moms. With just five to ten minutes of prep the previous night, you can have a nutritious and healthy breakfast in the morning. It’s not only toddler friendly, but great for us parents too. If you haven’t tried overnight oats, now is the time to do it. As moms we are always busy, taking care of kids, cleaning and sorting the mess they’ve made. Ad if we have the option of not spending a lot of time in the kitchen for one meal a day, then it’s extra time for us moms to relax.
Overnight Oatmeal for Toddlers? Why?
They are one of the healthiest and easiest ready to eat breakfast.
Oats are rich in fiber and including them regularly will help them meet their daily requirement of fiber. Pure oats are whole grain and gluten free. Make sure you get certified gluten free oats if you can’t eat gluten. You feel full longer when you eat oats and the soluble fiber in oats help control blood sugar. They are also rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
Overnight oats generally contain milk or yogurt or both. Both milk and yogurt are excellent sources of protein and calcium. Whole milk and whole yogurt / Greek yogurt also contain healthy fats that are vital for growing children.
Overnight oatmeal is a balanced dish that contains a good amount of fiber from oats, protein from dairy products and nut butter, essential vitamins and minerals from fresh fruits and natural sweetness from fruits or honey/ maple syrup.
What I love the most about overnight oats is that, you can experiment with different flavors everyday and not get bored of it. I am sharing 4 different flavors with you today, that my kids love. The base is simple and you can always customize it as per your taste. If you have a favorite topping/ flavor combo, I would love to know!
First let’s see how to do the base –
Ingredients –
3 tbsp rolled or old fashioned oats
2 tbsp whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
¼ cup milk of your choice
2 tsp sweetener of your choice like honey/ maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
All you have to do is, mix these ingredients and top it with the toppings of your choice. You can additionally coarsely grind the oats before adding it to the recipe if your kids like a pudding like texture.
You can also add a tbsp of chia seeds to the base.
If your child prefers a runny oatmeal, you can add more liquids to the recipe or add more oatmeal or chia seeds if you want a thicker consistency. Experiment with proportions of the ingredients in the recipe a couple of times so you can arrive at the consistency your kids like.
How can I make this vegan –
Simply substitute the milk and yogurt with plant-based options.
How to make this gluten free –
Use certified gluten free oats in the recipe.
Peanut butter banana oatmeal –
Over night oatmeal base
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- ½ banana chopped
- 1 tsp honey/ maple syrup
- 1 tsp hemp seeds
Add the ingredients mentioned above on top of the oatmeal base and refrigerate overnight.
Cover the container with a lid. You can add the toppings the previous night or when you are serving it.
Very berry overnight oatmeal-
Overnight oatmeal base
- ¼ cup mixed berries like blueberries, raspberry, strawberries etc
- 1 tsp maple syrup / honey
- 1 tbsp homemade berry compote or jam (optional)
Add the ingredients mentioned above on top of the oatmeal base and refrigerate overnight.
Cover the container with a lid. You can add the toppings the previous night or when you are serving it.
Apple pie oatmeal –
- ¼ cup diced apples
- ¼ tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp honey/ maple syrup
Add the ingredients mentioned above on top of the oatmeal base and refrigerate overnight.
Cover the container with a lid. You can add the toppings the previous night or when you are serving it.
OPTIONAL – you can sauté the apples in a little butter and spices until they become slightly soft if you prefer a softer texture.
Chocolate oatmeal –
Overnight oatmeal base
(For chocolate oatmeal, I like to mix 2 tsp cocoa powder to the base along with some maple syrup honey to balance the bitterness from the cocoa)
- ¼ cup chopped strawberries
- 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp chopped nuts
- 1 tsp chocolate syrup (optional)
Add the ingredients mentioned above on top of the oatmeal base and refrigerate overnight.
Cover the container with a lid. You can add the toppings the previous night or when you are serving it.
Additional toppings / add ins to the recipe
- Nut butters like almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter etc
- Tahini
- Hemp hearts
- Flax meal
- Chopped nuts
- Fruits of your choice like mangoes, chopped pears, pineapple etc
- Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric
- Coconut flakes
You can make different overnight oats for each day and refrigerate it for the week.
The toppings can also be mixed in the base instead of adding it on the top.
Serve it warm or cold depending on how your kids like it. To warm it up simple microwave it for a minute or 30 seconds.
I like to use small mason jars or small dessert cups for this recipe. So it can hold the serving perfect for my little one.
Toddler Overnight Oats – 4 Ways:
RECIPE
Prep time – 10 minutes
Cook time – none
Ingredients
Overnight oatmeal base – for one bowl / serving
- 3 tbsp rolled or old fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk of your choice
- 2 tsp sweetener of your choice like honey/ maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp chia seeds (optional)
Peanut butter banana oatmeal –
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- ½ banana chopped
- 1 tsp honey/ maple syrup
- 1 tsp hemp seeds
Very berry overnight oatmeal-
- ¼ cup mixed berries like blueberries, raspberry, strawberries etc
- 1 tsp maple syrup / honey
- 1 tbsp homemade berry compote or jam (optional)
Apple pie oatmeal –
- ¼ cup diced apples
- ¼ tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp honey/ maple syrup
Chocolate oatmeal –
- 2 tsp cocoa powder – for the base
- ¼ cup chopped strawberries
- 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp chopped nuts
- 1 tsp chocolate syrup (optional)
Method:
Make the base by mixing all the ingredients needed for the base. Add the cocoa powder to the base if you are making chocolate oatmeal.
Add the toppings and cover the container with a lid.
Refrigerate it overnight.
Serve cold or slightly warm it before serving.
