3 Simple Overnight Oats for a Calmer Morning

Three easy breakfasts you can prepare the night before, so your morning starts with one less thing to think about.

Mornings can be a little chaotic.

Especially when you're trying to get yourself (and perhaps everyone else) out of the door.

Breakfast can easily become an afterthought.

A piece of toast while standing at the kitchen counter.

A coffee that goes cold.

Or, my personal favourite, a mouldy banana at the bottom of the nappy bag.

But what if breakfast could be one less thing to think about?

Enter: overnight oats.

They take a few minutes to prepare the night before, require very little effort and can be changed up endlessly depending on what you have in the kitchen.

And there’s something quite lovely about waking up knowing breakfast is already waiting for you.

Here are three of my favourites.

1. Blueberry & aLMOND BUTTER

Fresh, simple and a little bit creamy.

You'll need:

• 40g rolled oats

• 100ml milk of your choice

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)

• A handful of blueberries

• A drizzle of honey or maple syrup, if you like things a little sweeter

The night before:

Add everything to a jar or container and give it a good stir.

Pop it in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, add a few extra blueberries and enjoy.

No cooking.

No rushing.

No breakfast decisions required.

2. Apple, Cinnamon & Nut Butter

This one tastes a little like apple crumble.

Which is always a good thing.

You'll need:

• 40g rolled oats

• 100ml milk of your choice

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp chia seeds

• ½ an apple, finely chopped or grated

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp peanut or almond butter

• A drizzle of maple syrup, optional

The night before:

Mix the oats, milk, yoghurt, chia seeds, apple and cinnamon together.

Leave in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, stir through the nut butter and add a few slices of apple on top.

You could also add a sprinkle of chopped nuts for a little crunch.

3. Chocolate & Banana

Because sometimes breakfast needs to feel like a treat.

You'll need:

• 40g rolled oats

• 100ml milk of your choice

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp cocoa powder

• ½ a banana, mashed

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• A little honey or maple syrup, if needed

The night before:

Mash the banana in your jar.

Add everything else and mix well.

Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, top with the other half of the banana.

If you're feeling fancy, add a spoonful of nut butter.

The mindful bit

There's nothing particularly complicated about overnight oats.

And that's exactly the point.

Mindfulness doesn't always have to mean meditation, journaling or sitting quietly for twenty minutes.

Sometimes it looks like making a small decision the night before that makes tomorrow morning a little easier.

It's creating a tiny pocket of calm.

It's noticing that you are hungry and choosing to nourish yourself.

It's sitting down for five minutes instead of eating while simultaneously answering emails, finding someone's shoes and wondering where you left your keys.

You don't need a perfect morning routine.

You just need small moments that help you feel a little more grounded.

So tonight, make yourself some oats.

Put them in the fridge.

And tomorrow morning, give yourself permission to enjoy them.

Even if it's only for five minutes.

Mindful Moment

When you eat breakfast tomorrow, try doing just one thing at a time.

Put your phone down.

Take a breath.

Notice the taste and texture of your food.

And give yourself permission to simply be there.

No multitasking required.

One Small Practice

Prepare one thing tonight that your tomorrow-self will thank you for.

It could be overnight oats.

It could be filling your water bottle.

Putting your clothes out.

Or simply writing down the three things you need to remember tomorrow.

Small acts of preparation can create surprisingly big pockets of calm.