Overnight Oats With Chia Seeds (Printable)

A creamy, nutritious make-ahead breakfast with rolled oats, Greek yogurt, and chia seeds—perfect for busy mornings.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup rolled oats
02 - 1 cup unsweetened milk, dairy or plant-based
03 - ½ cup Greek yogurt
04 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds
05 - 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
06 - ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Toppings

07 - ½ cup fresh berries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries
08 - 1 small banana, sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped nuts, almonds, walnuts, or pecans
10 - 1 tablespoon nut butter, peanut, almond, or cashew

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl or large jar, combine rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly until well blended.
02 - Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, allowing the oats and chia seeds to absorb the liquid completely.
03 - In the morning, stir the mixture. If the consistency is too thick, add a splash of milk to achieve your desired thickness.
04 - Top with fresh berries, banana slices, chopped nuts, or nut butter as preferred. Serve chilled.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's the breakfast equivalent of time travel—make it tonight, eat it tomorrow morning without lifting a finger.
  • Chia seeds transform from tiny specks into little flavor capsules that make every spoonful feel intentional.
  • One bowl actually keeps you full, which is saying something for a meal that tastes more like dessert than nutrition.
02 -
  • Don't skip the eight-hour chill—I once tried to eat it after three hours out of impatience, and the oats were still crunchy and unpleasant, which taught me that patience isn't optional here.
  • Always add fresh toppings in the morning, not the night before, or they'll turn the whole thing into a soggy, sad situation by breakfast time.
03 -
  • A tablespoon of nut butter stirred into the base the night before adds richness and protein that makes the whole bowl feel more substantial and satisfying.
  • If you're using plant-based milk, choose one with a hint of vanilla or unsweetened cashew milk—they add subtle flavor that brings everything together more elegantly than thin oat milk alone.
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