--

Overnight Oats: Successful Mornings with Quaker

overnight oats

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Quaker Canada. All opinions are my own

Breakfast is a big deal in our home. My husband and I grew up in homes where a large emphasis was not put on it and I think that hungry feeling at school has left a permanent impression on our lives. That’s why we insist our kids eat breakfast every morning and have been known to bring them to school late because we didn’t want them to be hungry.

Mornings can be tough in any household and the brunt of the stress and making sure everyone is on time lays squarely on mom’s shoulders. Some day’s no matter how early we get up we still end up late out the door and on a few occasions I have seen us wake up late and leave early. It’s a gamble it seems but there are ways that you can try and make it a little bit easier on not only yourself but also the kids.

Evening Routines Lead to Successful Mornings

They say a little bit of planning can make a big difference on how your mornings play out. Something as simple as picking out school clothes and packing lunches the night before can ensure your mornings are a little bit stress-free. Yesterday I even learned a new trick of making a morning playlist so you can gauge your progress depending on the song that is playing (thanks Kortney!). The biggest issue at our house continues to be breakfast. Four kids with four completely different palates can make our morning routine a mess if not preplanned. Some mornings there is even tears if we can’t accommodate everyone’s demands and that is never a good way to start the day.

overnight oats

I had a chance to attend an event with Quaker® Canada for their Overnight Oats workshop. We spent a couple of hours listening to the Quaker team and Kortney Wilson talk about how she makes mornings bearable with overnight oats. She shared some of her kids favourite recipes and we even got a chance to try them out.

overnight oats

I learned how to take a pantry staple like oats from a brand I already trust into a delicious addition to my mornings. With so many possible flavour combinations I was so excited to take all that I learned and turn it into magic at home.

overnight oats

Now I will be getting my kids all together at night time so we can spend a few minutes putting together part of the next day’s breakfast. Not only will this cut out the tears in the morning, it may let me sleep in for an extra 15 minutes because they can grab them out of the fridge themselves.

Tips for a Successful Overnight Oats Experience

overnight oats

Quaker® carries many different types of oats, even gluten-free if you have tolerance issues. All work well for overnight oats and it is all dependent on what type you and your family enjoy. Some tips on how to have a successful overnight oat experience include:

overnight oats

Choose Your Liquids. Oats are like an open book. You can choose any liquid that you think would work. Yesterday we used yogurts, a variey of milks, and even coffee. I wouldn’t recommend coffee for the kids but the ones I made with almond milk and yogurt for my family turned out absolutely delicious. If you want your oats creamier you would use more liquid and vice versa. You can get guidelines for some overnight recipes here.

overnight oats

Toppings, Toppings, More Toppings. I feel like this is such a great way to open up your kid’s palates. Lay out an assortment of toppings ranging from fruit (fresh, frozen or dried), nuts, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc…) and even syrups such as honey, maple or agave. You can let each child choose their own topping so that even the pickiest eaters are content.

overnight oats

Make It Pretty. Let’s face it, oats can look pretty drab on their own. Simply tricks like mixing your oats and liquids in a bowl before layering it into a mason jar with your toppings can make all the difference between your kids reaching for the jar in the morning or not. Use brightly fruits to break up the layers, put some crunch granola on top to give you the perfect sweet kick you need. Maybe you have a kid who loves pb & j sandwiches? You can make an overnight oat with their favourite jam and peanut butter mixed into the liquids. Great idea right?

overnight oats

Keep It Portable. We use mason jars for absolutely everything around here because they are highly versatile and durable–not to mention you can see right through them. Somedays no matter how well we plan breakfast may happen in the back seat of the car or while you are on public transportation.

overnight oats

If you are looking for some inspiration for your overnight oats you can find some great recipes on the website. Some people work better with instructions and some of us work better on a whim. Decide which one you and the kids are and get started on making your morning easier with Overnight  Success.

overnight oats

overnight oats

 

 

Follow:
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Quaker Canada. All opinions are my own
Aneta Alaei
Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

Find me on: Web | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments

  1. Carole D
    April 27, 2017 / 6:06 pm

    Looks amazing and delicious!

  2. Brenda Lacourciere
    April 28, 2017 / 9:03 am

    I haven’t tried this but I think it would work well at camp.

  3. LILLIAN BROWN
    April 28, 2017 / 10:15 am

    I have not tried, yet but I will now

  4. Elizabeth Vlug
    April 29, 2017 / 7:29 am

    I just tried overnight oats for the first time. I am not a fan of cooked oatmeal. I find it too pastey. But when I tried overnight oats I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they tasted. Not mushy at all. Slightly chewy. And I just love the variations you can make. Thanks for posting and all the different combos I can try.

  5. kathy downey
    May 17, 2017 / 11:35 am

    I need to try these on the weekend !

  6. Elizabeth Matthiesen
    May 17, 2017 / 11:05 pm

    We used to eat a lot of porridge as kids, even as a treat in the evening. Ours always had sugar and butter on it and now I’d used maple syrup, yummy. 🙂 My sister-in-law puts a banana in hers. 🙂

  7. Treen Goodwin
    May 19, 2017 / 11:40 am

    I have never tried this yet , but everyone is bragging it up , i really have to try it out thanks for sharing 🙂

  8. Linda Fast
    May 19, 2017 / 11:12 pm

    I love anything containing oatmeal!

  9. Lynda Cook
    May 20, 2017 / 12:30 pm

    I need to give these another chance, I have tried overnight oats and wasn’t a fan of them, but maybe I did something wrong!

  10. lucy kabatoff
    May 22, 2017 / 6:57 pm

    Can’t wait to try this.

  11. Laurie P
    May 25, 2017 / 2:41 pm

    I don’t think overnight oats are for me…

  12. May 25, 2017 / 5:24 pm

    I think they look delicious and they sound like a must try for me! Thanks for the recipes.

  13. Sab Edwards
    May 28, 2017 / 8:32 pm

    Yeah I have stayed away from oats since my surgery last yr.

  14. Nate
    May 29, 2017 / 11:24 pm

    looks very tasty

  15. May 30, 2017 / 6:46 pm

    Yes! This is what I love for my breakfast.YUMMO!

  16. Kevin B
    June 3, 2017 / 2:38 am

    I have been making these the last several week. Favorite flavor so far is spiced pumpkin with caramel, topped with vanilla yogurt

  17. Nate
    June 30, 2017 / 11:11 pm

    very tasty

  18. Julie
    September 25, 2017 / 10:24 am

    My kids love oatmeal with fun toppings and I can feel great about them eating a healthy meal in the mornings that will help fuel them for the day!

  19. Sherry K
    December 2, 2017 / 6:43 am

    I do like overnight oats and there are some good ideas here to change it up.

  20. Tannis W
    January 2, 2018 / 1:31 am

    Those oats look delicious. I haven’t tried overnight oats yet… maybe this week!

  21. Tammi L.
    October 25, 2018 / 5:22 pm

    I was always weirded out just at the title… now that I’ve read this though, it sounds more palatable. I might just try them on my husband. (I don’t eat oatmeal.) Thanks!

  22. JoKing
    August 6, 2019 / 10:11 am

    This is a way to have a good for your breakfast when you least want to prepare something.