I’m a huge fan of overnight oats, and I’m happy to report that I’ve passed this love onto my boys. This recipe for Banana Chia Overnight Oats is one that I’ve been making for years – way before we even had kids. They were my go-to to bring to class when I was in grad school, to work when I was working full-time as a physical therapist, and now I love being able to quickly grab breakfast
What is in Banana Chia Overnight Oats?
A basic overnight oats recipe contains oats (usually old-fashioned) and milk. That’s really all you need! In this recipe, I use mashed bananas to add some sweetness (plus some honey if you’d like it a little sweeter), chia seeds, and Greek yogurt for some protein. This combination results in my absolute favorite overnight oats!
What are the benefit of chia seeds?
Chia seeds are loaded with health benefits, which is why I love adding them to our family’s diet whenever I can. Whether it’s sprinkling them on top of yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal, or making chia pudding or overnight oats with them – it’s a great added nutritional boost.
Chia seeds are full of omega-3’s, nutrients, and antioxidants. They are also high in “quality” protein and fiber, which is always great to sneak into kids diets.
How Do You Make Banana Chia Overnight Oats?
This recipe for banana chia overnight oats is really very simple! You basically combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and then refrigerate it overnight.
The next morning, you simply transfer a serving into a bowl, and top it with whatever you’d like! I love topping mine with more sliced bananas or frozen berries, and a drizzle of peanut butter. The combination of the oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, and peanut butter keeps me full for hours.
This makes a batch big enough for a couple of adult servings or quite a few kids servings. For us, I ate it for breakfast one morning and Lars and Soren both had it for breakfast two mornings in a row.
Substitutions You Can Make In Overnight Oats
While I typically use organic whole milk when making overnight oats for the boys, I use unsweetened almond milk in my batch. This is only because I don’t really care for cow’s milk and prefer the taste of almond milk. Any kind of milk will work!
I prefer to use old-fashioned oats when making overnight oats, but have used quick oats in a pinch. They will be a little less hearty and less chewy, just as it would be when making regular oatmeal with them. I have never made overnight oats with steel-cut oats, but I have read that it works – it just takes at least 10 hours of soaking.
I use plain organic whole milk Greek yogurt when making my overnight oats, but you can really use whatever is your favorite. If you use a yogurt that is sweetened, your overnight oats will obviously be sweeter and you might not need to add any honey. I would do a taste test before adding the honey to get it to your preferred sweetness level.
Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup, if you prefer. Again, taste test as you add to get the oats to your preferred sweetness level! It will also depend on how ripe and sweet your bananas are!
How to Make Banana Chia Overnight Oats A Portable Meal
One of the other things that I love about this recipe for Chia Overnight Oats is that you can put it into reusable pouches for the kids for an on-the-go breakfast or even a snack.
We have done this on road trips where we leave early in the morning and eat breakfast on the road. These are my favorite reusable pouches, and we have used them for everything from purees when our boys were babies, homemade applesauce, and oats!
Like this recipe for Banana Chia Overnight Oats? Check these out, too!
Strawberry Overnight Oats from greens & chocolate
Pumpkin Overnight Oats from greens & chocolate
Brownie Batter Overnight Oats from Eating Bird Food
Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats from Our Balanced Bowl
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Yields 2-4 servings
8 hr, 20 Prep Time
8 hr, 20 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup milk (I like to use unsweetened almond milk or organic whole milk)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use whole milk yogurt)
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (depending on you and your kids preference of sweetness)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- dash of salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the mashed banana, oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to mix.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, divide into 2-4 servings, depending on your kids appetites.
- Serve topped with sliced bananas, nut butter, or granola.
- Enjoy!
Notes
The prep time includes letting it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
