Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

In the not so distant future Maddy is slated to start Kindergarten. This means there are some big changes on our horizons. On top of having a newborn. School starts at 7:55 am which means Luke and Maddy will have to get out the door much earlier than they are used to. I’m already gearing up for the struggle. We all know we will need to get out of bed earlier. Honestly though, baby girl will probably help us out with that.

As I watch the clock in the morning it is evident we need to shave some time off our morning routine. One way I plan to do this is breakfast. Sure cereal is quick but for a full day of school I would rather have Maddy start her day off with something heartier and more filling. I’ve started making lists of possible healthy make ahead breakfasts and practicing and perfecting new recipes in anticipation. Hopefully we’ll be ready for the earlier start-time kindergarten is bringing our way, and as a bonus maybe it will help us with our transition from a family of three to a family of four.

A while back a friend of mine mentioned a breakfast one of her friends was raving about. Oats soaked in yogurt overnight. It sounded easy and healthy. You know how I feel about quick, easy and healthy right? I kept the idea in the back of my mind waiting for the perfect time to try it out. Okay really I needed the motivation to try it out too. So after some trial and error, testing and tweaking I have an overnight oatmeal of my own. This breakfast meets the healthy, hearty, filling and make ahead requirements I’ve set for the upcoming school year. And talk about easy. I could make a bunch of these Sunday night and have a quick breakfast option ready to go for the week. Fantastic if ask me. In fact I think smaller portions could make a great after school snack too.

Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal Ingredients

1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flaxmeal
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries, cut large berries in half

How to Make Overnight Mixed Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

Add all ingredients to a 12 jar or tupperware container. Once all ingredients are in the jar put the lid on and shake it until thoroughly mixed.

Place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. The oats will soak up the liquid and make for a thick and creamy breakfast you can eat right out of the jar. If you do not have overnight the oats should soak for at least and hour, but the longer the better. Serve cold.

If you have a bit more time you can pour your oatmeal into a bowl and top it with a couple tablespoons of chopped walnuts or sliced almonds.

I think the possibilities are endless for mix-ins and combinations for this yogurt. Maddy loves peanut butter oatmeal with dried cranberries, so I think my next batch will be a peanut butter cranberry party in a jar. As a side note you could use any flavor yoghurt you would like. I’m a big fan of plain yoghurt because its healthy and has a lower sugar content then flavored yoghurts. If you did choose to use a flavored yogurt I would recommend cutting back – or cutting out – the honey in the recipe above.

Now all I need to do is figure out how Maddy will get the same amount of sleep while having to wake up earlier in the morning and not having her go to bed before dinner time. Any suggestions?

If your looking for some inspiration for cooking with yoghurt Mountain High has lots of recipes to check out.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mountain High Yoghurt. I received a gift card to purchase yogurt, a product kit, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.