Overnight oats have become a popular breakfast option for many people looking for a quick, healthy, and tasty morning meal. Trader Joe’s sells convenient cups of overnight oats that are ready to eat after chilling in the fridge overnight. Here is a guide on how to use Trader Joe’s pre-made overnight oats to create a satisfying breakfast.
What are overnight oats?
Overnight oats are a simple breakfast made by soaking oats and liquid together in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the oats to soften and absorb the liquid, resulting in creamy oatmeal that is ready to eat in the morning. Overnight oats have a pudding-like consistency and can be flavored both sweet and savory.
The basic ingredients for overnight oats are:
- Rolled or old-fashioned oats
- Milk or a milk alternative like almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc.
- Yogurt or alternate like kefir or skyr
- Sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, brown sugar
- Fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, extracts, etc. for flavoring
The oats and liquid are combined in a container and left to sit overnight, allowing the oats to absorb the liquid. In the morning, you have ready-to-eat oatmeal with no cooking required.
Benefits of overnight oats
There are many benefits to preparing overnight oats rather than cooking oatmeal in the morning:
- More convenient – overnight oats can be prepared quickly the night before and require no cooking in the morning.
- Customizable – flavors and mix-ins can be easily added to the oats.
- Portable – overnight oats can be eaten on-the-go right out of the container used to prepare them.
- Versatile – both sweet and savory flavors work well.
- Nutritious – oats provide fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- Satisfying – the texture of soaked overnight oats is creamy and filling.
Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats Cups
Trader Joe’s makes preparing overnight oats even easier by selling pre-portioned cups of oats that are ready to mix with your own additions. Here are some tips for using Trader Joe’s overnight oats cups:
- Trader Joe’s has several overnight oats varieties to choose from like Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry & Peach, and Maple & Brown Sugar.
- Empty one cup of oats into a jar or container.
- Add 3⁄4-1 cup of milk, yogurt, kefir, or other liquid.
- Stir well to fully coat the oats.
- Mix in any additional ingredients like fruit, nuts, seeds, honey, etc.
- Cover and refrigerate 8+ hours or overnight.
- In the morning, grab oats from the fridge and enjoy!
Tips for Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats
Here are some tips to get the most out of Trader Joe’s pre-made overnight oats cups:
- Feel free to use non-dairy milks like almond or soy milk if desired.
- Use Greek yogurt for added protein and a thicker texture.
- Customize with your favorite fruits, nut butters, extracts, or spices.
- Top with fresh fruit, granola, coconut, chia seeds, etc.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days.
- Microwave 20-30 seconds to warm if desired before eating.
- Blend with ice to make a smoothie bowl.
- Use as a base for chia pudding by adding chia seeds.
Flavors and Mix-Ins
Trader Joe’s overnight oats can be endlessly customized with different flavors and nutritional boosts. Here are some delicious mix-in ideas:
Fruits
- Banana
- Berries – blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry
- Mango
- Peach
- Cherries
- Pineapple
- Apples
- Pears
- Dried fruits – raisins, cranberries, apricots
Nuts and Seeds
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Nut butters – almond, peanut, cashew
Sweeteners
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Cocoa powder
- Jams and preserves
Savors and Spices
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Vanilla
- Cocoa powder
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Almond extract
The options are endless for creating flavorful overnight oats with mix-ins that suit your taste and nutritional needs. Go sweet with fruits and honey, get a protein punch from Greek yogurt and nuts, or add spice with cinnamon and ginger.
Overnight Oats Recipes
Here are some tasty recipe ideas to inspire your Trader Joe’s overnight oats creations:
PB&J Oats
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s overnight oats
- 3⁄4 cup milk of choice
- 1⁄4 cup peanut butter
- 1⁄4 cup strawberry jam
- 1⁄4 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
Pumpkin Pie Oats
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s Apple Cinnamon overnight oats
- 3⁄4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1⁄4 cup pecans
Blueberry Almond Oats
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s Blueberry & Peach overnight oats
- 3⁄4 cup almond milk
- 1⁄4 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp slivered almonds
- Drizzle of honey
Tropical Fruit Oats
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s Maple and Brown Sugar overnight oats
- 3⁄4 cup light coconut milk
- 1⁄4 cup mango chunks
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Storing Overnight Oats
Properly storing your overnight oats helps them last longer:
- Keep oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Glass jars or plastic containers with lids work best.
- Consume within 3-5 days for maximum freshness.
- Oats will thicken more over time as they absorb liquid.
- Stir well before eating to redistribute ingredients.
- Can be stored in individual portions for grab-and-go breakfasts.
Conclusion
Trader Joe’s convenient overnight oats cups provide an easy base for quick, healthy, and customizable breakfasts. Simply mix with your choice of milk and further enhance the oats’ flavor and nutrition with fruits, nuts, sweeteners, and spices. Prep the night before, then wake up to creamy, satisfying oatmeal ready to grab-and-go. Overnight oats are endlessly adaptable to your tastes so get creative with mix-ins and recipes using Trader Joe’s oats cups.