Ingredients
Overnight oats base
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 80 g
- 1 cup 2% milk 240 ml, plus extra to loosen if needed
- 0.5 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt 120 g
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds About 9 g
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional topping
- Sliced banana and blueberries Or diced apple and cinnamon; excluded from nutrition estimate
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Two covered containers, at least 12 ounces each
Instructions
Mix and refrigerate
- In a clean bowl, stir the milk, yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the rolled oats and chia, scraping the bottom so every flake is moistened.
- Divide between two covered containers with room to stir. Refrigerate promptly at 40°F (4°C) or below for about 8 hours or overnight, until the oats are tender.
- Stir each portion from the bottom. Add extra milk a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is thicker than you like.
- Top with optional freshly sliced banana and blueberries, or diced apple and cinnamon. Add nuts or granola only at serving time if desired.
- Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days. For travel, carry in an insulated bag with an ice pack. Discard if left out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcal
Video
Notes
Estimated calories per half batch, excluding toppings: oats 300 kcal for 80 g using a 150-kcal-per-40-g label; 2% milk about 120 kcal; nonfat Greek yogurt about 64 kcal for 120 g using FAGE’s 90-kcal-per-170-g label; chia about 45 kcal for 9 g using Harvard’s reference; maple syrup about 35 kcal; vanilla about 6 kcal. Total about 570 kcal divided by two.
Ingredient-use cost allowance: oats $0.30–0.50, milk $0.40–0.60, yogurt $0.60–0.90, chia $0.15–0.25, maple syrup $0.25–0.40 and vanilla $0.20–0.35. Rounded planning estimate, not a store quote.
Contains milk. Choose labeled gluten-free oats if needed and check all toppings. Quick oats soften more; steel-cut oats are not a direct substitute here.
Video companion: Downshiftology demonstrates refrigerated rolled oats with milk, yogurt and chia, plus several flavor variations. Proportions and toppings differ; use the written recipe for this batch.