Our easy meal prep overnight oats are the ultimate make-ahead meal. Packed with fiber from oats and chia seeds, plus the natural sweetness of fresh fruit, they’re as nutritious as they are delicious. Let’s get to making these incredibly easy meal prep overnight oats, perfect for busy weekdays or meal prep Sundays!
What is the Best Base Ratio for Overnight Oats?
The ideal ratio for creamy overnight oats is 1 part rolled oats to 1 part milk, balanced with chia seeds and yogurt for thickness.
Base ingredients:
- 1½ cups (150 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup (40 g) chia seeds
- 1 apple, cored and shredded
- 1 banana, mashed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups (360 ml) milk of your choice (dairy, almond, oat, etc.)
Shredded apple and mashed banana serve as the natural sweetening engine for this recipe because they maximize the release of fructose and sucrose directly into the liquid base.
Cellular Breakdown Enhances Sweetness: When you mash a banana or shred an apple, you break down the plant’s cell walls. This releases their natural juices and sugars, spreading them evenly throughout the entire oat mixture rather than keeping them locked inside whole fruit chunks.
How to Make Base Overnight Oats Step-by-Step
1). Combine all dry and wet base ingredients in a large bowl.
2). Stir thoroughly until the oats are completely submerged.
3). Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (ideally 8–12 hours overnight).
4 Gourmet Overnight Oats Topping Variations
How to Make Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Quick Answer: Sauté sliced apples in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 3–5 minutes. Layer over the oats and top with granola and whipped cream.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and caramelized. Spoon the warm apples over a portion of overnight oats, then top with granola or crushed graham crackers and a dollop of whipped cream.
How to Make Bananas Foster Overnight Oats
Quick Answer: Caramelize sliced bananas in butter and brown sugar, stir in a splash of rum, and top with chopped pecans.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced banana and brown sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the banana begins to caramelize. Add the rum and cook for another 30 seconds. Spoon the warm bananas and sauce over a portion of overnight oats, then sprinkle with chopped pecans.
How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Quick Answer: A no-cook topping featuring shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, raisins, and a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Simply top a portion of overnight oats with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, raisins, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
How to Make Raspberry Linzer Cookie Overnight Oats
Quick Answer: Top cold oats with mashed fresh raspberries, sliced almonds, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Top a portion of overnight oats with raspberry jam or mashed fresh raspberries, sliced almonds, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
How Long Do Overnight Oats Last in the Fridge?
The base for our easy meal prep overnight oats can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, making them perfect for weekly meal prep.
Pro-Tip: Store the base for your easy meal prep overnight oats in individual mason jars and add the toppings fresh each morning to maintain the best texture.
Easy Meal Prep Overnight Oats: 4 Gourmet Recipe Variations
Wake up to a breakfast that’s already waiting for you! These overnight oats are the ultimate make-ahead meal—just mix everything the night before, and you’ll have a creamy, naturally sweet breakfast ready to grab and go in the morning. Packed with fiber from oats and chia seeds, plus the natural sweetness of fresh fruit, they’re as nutritious as they are delicious. Perfect for busy weekdays or meal prep Sundays.
Ingredients
- Base Overnight Oats
1½ cups (150 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup (40 g) chia seeds
1 apple, cored and shredded
1 banana, mashed
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
1½ cups (360 ml) milk of your choice (dairy, almond, oat, etc.)
- Apple Pie
½ apple, sliced
½ tablespoon (7 g) butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons granola or crushed graham crackers
2 tablespoons whipped cream
- Bananas Foster
½ banana, sliced
½ tablespoon (7 g) butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon rum
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
- Carrot Cake
¼ cup (30 g) shredded carrots
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon raisins
Pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg
- Raspberry Linzer Cookie
¼ cup (30 g) fresh raspberries, lightly mashed
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
½ teaspoon powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
- For the Base Overnight Oats
- In a large bowl or container, combine the rolled oats, chia seeds, shredded apple, mashed banana, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and Greek yogurt.
- Add the milk and stir well until everything is thoroughly combined and the oats are fully submerged in liquid.
- Cover the bowl or container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (8-12 hours), allowing the oats and chia seeds to absorb the liquid and soften.
- In the morning, give the oats a good stir. If the consistency is too thick, add a splash more milk to reach your desired texture.
- For the Toppings
- Apple Pie: In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and caramelized. Spoon the warm apples over a portion of overnight oats, then top with granola or crushed graham crackers and a dollop of whipped cream.
- Bananas Foster: In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced banana and brown sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the banana begins to caramelize. Add the rum and cook for another 30 seconds. Spoon the warm bananas and sauce over a portion of overnight oats, then sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Carrot Cake: Simply top a portion of overnight oats with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, raisins, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Raspberry Linzer Cookie: Top a portion of overnight oats with raspberry jam or mashed fresh raspberries, sliced almonds, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Storage: Store the base overnight oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Individual portions can be prepared in mason jars or small containers for easy grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week. Add toppings fresh each morning for best results.
Looking For More Recipes?
Check out Salt & Honey’s Youtube channel for more recipe, meal prep, and even a behind-the-scenes look of S&H! In addition to the our easy meal prep overnight oats, we have a plethora of recipes to dive into!
On top of our easy meal prep overnight oats, you can meal prep the rest of the week with our Youtube or meal prep guide recipes!
Meal Prep Guides
Not only do we empower your recipe bank with gems like our easy meal prep overnight oats but we have also developed a monthly meal prep guide. We utilize seasonal ingredients and the entire guide is centered around dishes with similar components.
Through the use of batch cooking, we want to make cooking easy, delicious and affordable. You can create the entire meal prep guide to plan your whole week or simply pick and choose which dishes resonate with you!
Make sure to check out our Youtube to find which we meal prep guide dishes we’re cooking for the week!
Take a look at our July meal prep guide!
Additional Resources
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