Make Delicious Overnight Oats by Avoiding These Common Mistakes (2024)

FAQs

Make Delicious Overnight Oats by Avoiding These Common Mistakes? ›

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

Add a pinch of salt, then sweeten or spice your overnight oats. For a little kick of spice, try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cocoa powder or matcha powder. Or if sweet is your thing, stir in C&H Sugar, C&H® Light Brown, C&H® Dark Brown Sugar. Mix everything together, taste and adjust flavoring until perfect.

Make sure you have at least double the liquid per each serving of oats (so, 1 cup of milk to ½-cup of oats), increasing the amount if you want a soupier texture. We love the chewy, hearty texture of steel-cut oats, but they're too firm to use for overnight oats.

According to a 2021 review published in Foods, oat beta-glucan has positive effects on hyperglycemia, lowering blood lipid levels and reducing weight. "The fiber content of oatmeal is filling and satiating, which in turn can help with eating fewer calories throughout the day and managing your weight," says Michalczyk.

Overnight oats usually contain more calories than traditional oats, which is not ideal for individuals following a low-calorie diet or looking to cut back on calorie-rich foods. Note: Eating raw oats is generally safe, but may cause digestive issues or increase the risk of foodborne illness.

There is no particular time to eat oats. You can consume the oats at lunch and dinner too. This cereal, however, is consumed in breakfast mostly. It contains fiber, magnesium, complex carbohydrates, etc, which help in keeping your tummy full for a longer time, thus, reducing overeating.

Whatever you do, steer clear of the worst offenders: dried fruit with added sugars, like Craisins or dried pineapple. "These are almost always made with added sugar, if not also an artificial sweetener, says Pennsylvania-based RD Gina Consalvo. "Always choose a fresh fruit instead." Need hard proof?

Ball Mason Jars are a classic choice for preparing overnight oats, and as an added bonus, they're generally inexpensive to buy. These 8-ounce versions come in a pack of two for just $10, but you can also buy sets of 12 jars if you want to stock up.

In a large glass jar, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup or honey, chia seeds, vanilla cinnamon, and sea salt. Stir well to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and stir.

What liquid to use for overnight oats? ›

The only ratio you need to remember when making overnight oats is 1:1. You'll soak one part rolled oats with one part liquid overnight. Use less liquid if you want thicker oatmeal, more if you like it runny. You can use water or any type of milk (like almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc.)

You only need to let the oats soak and rest in the fridge for 2 hours. But, it's ideal if you soak it overnight…hence the name overnight oats! The next morning you have a ready-to-eat, delicious, creamy bowl or jar of “oatmeal.” The consistency is like a porridge or pudding.

If you don't add enough liquid, your oats will be dry and clumpy in the morning, making them less enjoyable to eat. Make sure to add enough milk or yogurt to fully cover your oats and give them a creamy consistency.

Why do you put chia seeds in overnight oats? Chia seeds up the nutrition content in overnight oats. They're loaded with good-for-your-gut fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which help calm inflammation in your body and may protect you from chronic disease. They also add a nice protein boost to this recipe.

Overnight oats are perfectly safe to be eaten every day. You may even eat them every morning if you like. However, some say that they feel oats give them digestive issues; overnight oats are not unsafe for those without medical conditions that affect digestion.

Using the wrong oat-to-milk ratio: If you don't add enough milk, some of the oats will soak up all of the liquid before the rest of the oats can absorb any, creating an uneven texture. Some oats will be very soft while others might still be chewy.

While overnight oats are a healthy breakfast option, they can taste bland if you don't add any sweetener. Some people skip the sweetener altogether, thinking that the fruit they add will be enough. However, a little bit of honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar can go a long way in making your oats more enjoyable.

Overnight oats will begin to deteriorate after the 2nd or 3rd day in the fridge, mostly due to the other ingredients added to the batch; and, they usually lose their texture and go bad after the fourth day. Make sure that you're storing them in an airtight container in the fridge.