No Stress Overnight Oats

Ever had one of those mornings when you overslept, didn’t have time for breakfast, rushed to class, or just grabbed a Pop-Tart to go? You’re cooked. As college students, we’ve all been there. Time and sleep are precious, but so is nutrition! This is your sign to try something new, and ditch poor breakfasts. Overnight oats can be made ahead of time, last for days, and low-key slaps 🔥. Throw it all together the night before, and just leave it in the fridge to work its ✨magic✨. Top it with nuts, fruit, chocolate, peanut butter, or whatever your heart desires. It’s loaded with fiber and protein to help you lock in and get those gains 💪. It’s tried and true, quick, easy, nutritious, and tasty!

Cost Breakdown

Ingredient	Amount Needed for Recipe	Unit Cost Ingredient	Recipe Ingredient Cost
Oats	2 cups	$2.98/18 oz canister (~1 cup = 3 oz)	$0.99
Chia seed	1 tablespoon	$1.79/8 oz (~2 Tbsp = 1 oz)	$0.22
Greek yogurt	1 cup	$3.36/32 oz (~1 Cup = 8 oz)	$0.84
Milk	2 cups	$1.72/64 oz (~2 Cup = 16 oz)	$0.43
Vanilla extract	2 teaspoons	$3.94/1 oz (~2 tsp = 0.33 oz)	$1.32
Honey	4 tablespoons	$3.36/12oz (~4 tbsp = 2oz)	$0.56
TOTAL RECIPE COST			$4.36
Cost per Serving (4 servings)			$1.09

Recipe Making Process

First things first, gather your ingredients. For a more budget-friendly approach, Winco is your best bet. The bulk foods section has oats and chia seeds, which will save you a few bucks! Plus, you can buy the exact amount you need (instead of a whole bag). The Utah State University Student Nutrition Access Center (USU SNAC) on campus is convenient and often carries many of the topping options, as well as oats! The best part? Totally free, once a week, and no questions asked!  The recipe calls for pure maple syrup or honey as well, but honey is definitely the cheaper of the two, and you likely already have some in your dorm. Vanilla extract can also be expensive, so imitation vanilla is a cheaper swap.

Next up, choose your flavor! This is the fun part. There’s eight yummy choices, and you can make whichever one you’d like (or throw something together with fruit, nuts, and spreads you already have). You can choose based on which once sounds the tastiest, or which will support your nutrition goals.

This breakfast is not only time and cost efficient, but it also is very healthy and a great source of a variety of nutrients we all need! It is high in fiber from the oats and chia seeds, AND has lots of protein from the milk, yogurt, and oats. These overnight oats are also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, along with good amounts of calcium and potassium.

One of the other great things about this recipe is that you can make it completely ahead of time! You can either make the base and add your toppings before refrigeration, or refrigerate the base and add the toppings when you are ready to eat, as we did in the instruction video. There is no significant difference either way, so you do you!

For best results, leaving your mixture in the fridge over night is the way to go. The consistency will be thick and creamy! Or, if you prefer your oats thinner, leave it in for a couple hours or just add some extra milk when you are ready to eat! Our example depicts the second option, which we left in the fridge for about 2 hours. The consistency was still fairly thick, but not as creamy as it would’ve been for the overnight option. It really depends on the time you have available and your texture preferences!

Overall, this recipe is convenient, easy, and affordable for college students with a busy schedule and tight budget. It takes practically zero kitchen abilities, so no worries if you are a bit lacking in experience 🙂 We hope you love it!