This simple no-cook refrigerator oatmeal recipe is great in the summer months and is packed with nutrition- high in fiber, calcium, low in fat and sugars, but absolutely bursting with flavor! As if all that wasn’t enough, it only costs about .14¢ to .66¢ per serving, depending on the flavor you choose!
Whether you call it summer porridge, muesli, overnight pats or fridge oatmeal- this grab it and go, time and budget-friendly breakfast recipe will become an instant favorite.
The base of the recipe is pretty simple- you’ll need oats, almond milk, yogurt and chia seeds. The almond milk is high in vitamins E & B, blood sugar friendly, great for the skin and very low in calories. We add chia seeds for several reasons, first, it’s extremely high in Omega 3’s and Omega 6, higher than fish oil capsules as a matter of fact!
They’re also naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and antioxidants. You can opt for black chia seeds or white chia seeds, although the nutritional content is the same, it’s entirely dependent on your visual preference.
The chia seeds in our recipe offer high nutrition, but in addition, also serve as a natural thickener, much like the texture of tapioca and provide a natural feeling of being full and satisfied for hours- which makes it a fabulous aid in weight loss.
In all of our refrigerator oatmeal recipes, we choose to use vanilla yogurt. If you want a protein boost, you could opt for greek yogurt, but we prefer the flavor and texture of low-fat vanilla yogurt instead.
These easy grab and go jars are perfect single serving size, make several flavors ahead of time and leave them in the fridge for a fast, healthy and inexpensive breakfast or snack. They’re best eaten COLD, but they can also be warmed in the microwave for a slight change of pace. Remove the lids and heat the jar for about 30 seconds, stir before serving.
Refrigerator Oatmeal Basic Recipe
You’ll Need:
1/4 c. Old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
1/3 c. vanilla almond milk (Homemade or store bought)
1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
2 tsp chia seeds
(see below for various flavor choices!)
Assemble your ingredients:
Measure the rolled oats, chia seeds, yogurt, and almond milk into the mason jar, put the cover on, seal and shake to combine.
Uncap and add your choice of fruit & flavorings from the list below. Replace the lid and attach the jar sealer (or use resealable plastic mason jar lids)
Seal tightly. You should be able to invert the jar like this:
Once vacuum sealed, screw on the band and place them in the fridge for at least 6 hours before consuming.
They can be left sealed in the fridge for up to 7-10 days without any problems if they have been vacuum sealed. If using regular mason jar tops, use within 4 days.
Refrigerator Oatmeal Amazing Flavors:
- Apple Cinnamon Pecan Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Apricot Ginger Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Banana Cocoa Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Banana Nut Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Cranberry Pecan Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Espresso Delight Refrigerator Oatmeal (Mocha)
- Harvest Peach Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Mandarin Orange Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Mango Almond Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Peach Melba Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Strawberry Burst Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Raspberry Vanilla Swirl Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Tropical Delight aka Pineapple Coconut Refrigerator Oatmeal
Supplies we use to Make these:
1/2 Pint Mason Jars– these make the perfect size grab and go jars! OR Ziploc 1 Cup containers
Organic Chia Seeds– these offer a Huge Nutritional boost of vitamins and Omega 3 & 6, Fiber and more. Amazon also happens to have them cheaper than any other place we’ve found (they’re also GMO free!)
Powdered Peanut Butter– High in protein but 85% lower in fat, this peanut butter gives all the flavor and packs a punch in refrigerator oatmeal
Freshsaver Handheld Model– use this to vacuum seal your jars as you make your grab & go oatmeal in various flavors. This prevents your fruit from getting mushy and makes them easily last 5-7 days in the fridge without any issues.
Notice that all of these supplies are reusable and environmentally friendly!
Chia Seed Nutrition Sources: Sources: Dr. Weil, NutritionData, LiveStrong
You mentioned this is gluten free. Is oatmeal gluten free alo? Thank you
Hi, I’m from the UK and have never heard of dry peanut butter… Besides these oatmeal recipes how would it be used and could I just grind up some nuts of choice instead?
Thanks, in advance, for the info… Jinnty
Oats are guten free but can not be certified guten free because of other grains that may have come in contact during the growing, transportation or processing and packaging process. (Doesn’t that sound redundant?). But you can buy oats that are certified, just make sure they are marked certified guten free. That means they are not near any guten grains at any time.
I make these all the time and love them. To Jinnty – Yes, you can use whatever nut paste choice you would like. I use regular peanut butter or nutella. I also use regular milk or soy when I do not have almond milk.
Try Chocolate almond milk with banana or cherry – AWESOME. Keep in mind, the calorie count will go up, but it sure is tasty.
Does it have to be almond milk? Some people have allergies so I was wondering if regular milk would be fine.
What size Mason jars are you using?
Recipe states:
Supplies we use to Make these:
1/2 Pint Mason Jars– these make the perfect size grab and go jars! OR Ziploc 1 Cup containers
What can you use besides yogurt? I am very lactose intolerant.
You could try almond milk or coconut milk or rice dream rice milk, etc.
I made these last night for the 1st time and not really sure if they came out right! I used 1 cup bowls with lids(like a soup mug) is this recipe suppose to soften the oats or are they suppose to be like hard tasting?
They’re very soft. You Must let them set overnight.
You say you use PB2 powdered peanut butter to make these, but I don’t see it listed as an ingredient in any of the recipes. How much and with what recipe do you use it? I made a bunch of these tonight and my husband is excited to try one for breakfast tomorrow!
I am wanting to double check, is the recipe for one serving. I am also wondering if you could substitute the oats for quinoa. I had a taste of this at a friends yesterday and it was delicious. I have PCOS and really have to limit my carb intake and quinoa would be a better choice for me.
Thanks for your help.
I love eating oatmeals for breakfast and I can’t wait to try all these refrigerator oatmeal recipes. Thank you for sharing this. They all look so delicious and healthy.
Thanks for the detailed post, it helped me decide!