This Recipe is Turning Me Into a Meal Prep Pro (Kinda)

This quick-and-healthy yogurt-based recipe is sure to be your favorite breakfast on-the-go.

I know I’m preachin’ to the choir on this, but adding a breakfast routine to your daily diet/regular routine is one of the best things you can do for your bod.

… Just in case you need a quick refresher on the benefits, though: Breakfast. All good things, really: Not only will it fill you up (’til lunchtime, if you do it right), it’ll enhance your productivity, boost your energy and over time, better help with weight loss and management.

Making this a pattern for me, personally, has been a bit of a challenge — mainly because I’m in a serious relationship with that snooze button and seemingly, I’m always in a rush to get out the door on weekdays.

“Duh, Hallie! Meal prep… Right?”

I know.

But admittedly, I’m not exactly a professional meal prep’er… And by that, I mean I tend to get lazy. (Like I’ve said, my intentions are there, though!)

(*Hallie’s note: I wrote this post a few weeks ago, and just this week my fridge/freezer had shut off overnight, forcing me to meal prep EVERYTHING in them. Kitchen karma, man! LOL!)

Anyway:

In an effort to make this more of a healthy routine that sticks, I’ve gotten back into the habit of tossing together one of my all-time favorite breakfasts: Overnight oats.

Have you heard? Or mastered the art of making them yourself?

They’re super simple to prepare, easily portable (if you need ’em to be), inexpensive, nutritious and delicious.

Here’s the deets on my of-the-moment Overnight Oats recipe:

Let’s start with the basics and work our way up…

The container

Anything with a lid will do, really. Of course it looks more aesthetically pleasing (read: Instagram worthy) to use a mason jar or container such as this, but you can certainly use plastic Tupperware if that’s more convenient for you.

The base

Whole oats, gals — don’t use quick oats. (That’s an order!) I use 3/4 – 1 cup, depending on what else I’m adding (granola, nuts, etc — we’ll get to that).

The liquid

For today, I used a Drink Chobani Strawberry Banana beverage instead of (almond) milk.

As you can see, the liquid itself is thicker and denser than the alternative, and I like that it gives the finished product a creamier base, packs a sweeter-tasting punch and also sneaks in a handful of extra protein into the meal. I typically use half of the bottle to divvy up the nutrients — or the equivalent of how much of a “dry base” I put in (ratio details are below), so one bottle will usually last me two meal preps.

The toppings

I’ll usually add any additional “dry” toppings before I toss this in the fridge — for today, I included chia seeds (for their many health benefits) and a small scoop of almond butter. Low-sugar cereal or granola works too, but note that if you’ll want more of a crunch in the AM, save ’em until you’re ready to chow down. (Be cautious about portions, too — granola is often highly caloric and can be full of sugar, so read the labels before you buy!)

If you’re adding fruit (and why wouldn’t you), you can layer it on top of your additional dry ingredients/granola or save it for the morning — whatever your palette’s preference. (Or rather, whatever your self-awareness levels on just how much of a rush you might be in the following morning.)

The ratio

Once you get the hang of it, you can ultimately eyeball your ratios. Again, as a good starting point, though, use a 1:1 ratio — so one cup of liquid for every one cup of oatmeal (and the like).

One of the reasons I love making overnight oats — beyond the minimal effort required — is how customizable the meal is, especially with all the different flavors that Drink Chobani comes in. (I’ve been test-driving all of ’em this year — Mix’t Berry, Apple Cucumber, Pineapple Coconut, Vanilla, Strawberry Banana — you name it.

Next week I’m going to use the Vanilla flavor as a liquid base with chopped apples, walnuts, slivered almonds and cinnamon mixed in… Kinda reminds me of warm apple pie, but — well, the healthy version. Sounds delish though, right?

Consider this recipe a blank (breakfast) slate to which you can customize to your heart’s content  — and if you’ve got any, I’d love for you to share your breakfast recipes/oatmeal concoctions in the comments below.

Happy Friday, friends… To say the least, huh?

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Iron & Honey Photography