Cereal Milk Overnight Oats
These Overnight Oats are made with cereal milk and packed with protein from Greek yogurt. Add a scoop of protein powder or chia seeds to keep you full even longer! This is a sponsored recipe on behalf of the American Dairy Association Mideast.
A Quick and Easy Breakfast
Overnight oats are a quick and easy way to meal-prep breakfasts for your family’s busy weekday mornings.
Soaking the oats in milk and yogurt gives you a quick, no-cook breakfast that can be refrigerated up to five days in advance. There are endless variations on overnight oats, so in this post, we will outline a basic recipe ratio and a unique “cereal milk” recipe that both kids and adults will love!
How to Make Cereal Milk Overnight Oats
- Soak cereal and milk for up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Strain and store chilled until ready to use.
- Combine old-fashioned oats with cereal milk and yogurt. Add in optional protein powder, chia seeds, nuts, or sweeteners. Store in refrigerator overnight or up to 5 days. You can use vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup, or the sweetener of your choice. However, sweeteners may not be necessary, depending on your chosen cereal.
- Add any toppings such as dry cereal, nuts, sliced fruit, nut butter, cinnamon, granola, etc. Enjoy cold or warm up in the microwave for up to 1 minute. Be sure to use a glass jar or microwave-safe container and heat uncovered.
Overnight Oats Ratio
The overnight oats ratio we suggest is 1:1 oats to milk with half the amount of yogurt. For cereal milk, we suggest 1:2 cereal to milk (1 cup of cereal soaked in 2 cups of milk, etc). While customizing this recipe can be fun, don’t let the options overwhelm you! Some basic cereals that we suggest to get you started are:
- A fruity cereal such as Trix
- A chocolate or cinnamon cereal such as Cocoa Puffs or Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- A classic cereal such as Multigrain Cheerios or Frosted Mini-Wheats
You can also adjust this recipe to use chocolate milk, strawberry milk, or any dairy you choose! Protein overnight oats are so versatile!
Choose any yogurt flavor that you love. Greek yogurt is high in protein, which helps to keep you fuller longer, and it packs in essential nutrients. Six ounces of Greek yogurt typically contains 14–17 grams of protein (regular yogurt has 7-8 grams). It adds creaminess and tang, too. Find out the differences between Greek and regular yogurt.
Cottage cheese is having a moment right now in popularity due to the fact that it is low in sugar and high in protein. You can replace Greek yogurt in overnight oats recipes with cottage cheese! Use cottage cheese straight from the container or blend into a whipped and creamy consistency for delicious cottage cheese overnight oats.
Protein powder, chia seeds, and/or nut butters can be added but are definitely not necessary if you don’t have them on hand. The same is true of sweeteners. We found that cereal milk overnight oats were sweet enough and didn’t need any additional sugar.
Why Dairy?
Milk, cheese and yogurt are delicious paired with plant-based foods, including whole grains and a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables—which tend to be more affordable because they are most abundant. Pairing dairy foods with plants can help pack in nutrients that kids and adults need and often do not get enough of in their daily diets.
Dairy and plants are the ultimate power couple that together deliver calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and fiber. Research shows plant and dairy foods can also help reduce the risk for chronic diseases. Dairy foods are often recommended as part of plant-based diets because they contain high-quality proteins and often under-consumed nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and potassium.
Cereal Milk Overnight Oats
Ingredients
Cereal Milk
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup cereal
Overnight Oats
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup cereal milk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons protein powder, optional
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
For the Cereal Milk
- POUR the cereal into a jar or bowl with a lid and cover it with milk. Adjust the recipe as needed. Use the ratio of 1 part cereal to 2 parts milk.
- STEEP cereal milk in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- STRAIN the milk through a mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Discard the cereal. STORE the milk in the refrigerator until needed.
For the Overnight Oats
- COMBINE oats, cereal milk, and Greek yogurt. ADD protein powder, chia seeds, and vanilla extract if desired.
- DIVIDE into jars or containers with lids. REFRIGERATE 6 hours or overnight.
- TOP with fresh fruit, nut butter, cinnamon, or dry cereal pieces, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Greek yogurt is packed with protein- use any flavor that you find delicious!
- A scoop of protein powder or chia seeds will help keep you full longer.
- You can use vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup, or the sweetener of your choice. However, sweeteners may not be necessary, depending on the cereal that you choose.
- Adjust this recipe to use chocolate milk, strawberry milk, or any dairy that you choose!
- Overnight oats are meant to save you time in the morning. Make a bunch for your family and enjoy cold, or warm them up in the microwave for up to 1 minute. Be sure to use a glass jar or microwave-safe container and heat uncovered.
How to Store and Enjoy Overnight Oats
Cereal milk and overnight oats can be prepared and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Enjoy eating this quick and easy breakfast cold or warmed up in the microwave. After a few days of soaking, if the oats are too thick, you can add more milk; if too thin and runny, you can mix in more yogurt.
For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
