Fruit On The Bottom Overnight Oats

Inspired by my childhood obsession, these fruit on the bottom overnight oats have a fruity surprise under a layer of creamy oatmeal. Just 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare, making these perfect for meal prep day!

We are huge oatmeal fans, be it baked oatmeal or steel cut oats. But when we need to get our meal prep done quickly, overnight oats are where it's at!

Unlike traditional oatmeal, overnight oats do not require cooking. Simply combine the ingredients and let it sit in the fridge overnight, and you will wake up to thick, creamy oatmeal.

Fruit on the bottom overnight oats are a fun remix, with sweet mashed berries on the bottom, just like everyone's favorite yogurt cups!

Recipe video

These overnight oats are probably one of the easiest meal prep recipes on my site. Watch the video below to see how easily they come together! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

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Ingredients required

Believe it or not, there are just five simple ingredients you'll need to make these overnight oats!

• frozen fruit- I like to use a 4-berry blend, and choose frozen as they are so juicy when they thaw. We mash them with a spoon until they are pureed in the bottom of the jar
• maple syrup- just a touch is added to the fruit to sweeten the oatmeal. Play around with this to get your perfect sweetness.
• rolled oats- sometimes called 'large flake' or 'old fashioned oats', this is the whole oat that has been rolled flat. Do not swap for quick oats, which have been processed, as this will give your overnight oats an unpleasant 'chalky' flavor
• chia seeds- the key to getting thick overnight oats as opposed to watery is the addition of chia seeds. After exposing the seeds to liquid, they expand and acquire a 'gel-like' texture that is crucial in thickening the oats
• almond milk- to soften the oats and activate the thickening properties of the chia seeds. Swap for your favorite milk including: dairy, oat milk, soy milk or nut milk

Making overnight oats

This recipe is so so simple, and perfect when you want to prep your breakfasts ahead but don't have a lot of time.

1. Place thawed frozen fruit in the bottom of a 1 pint jar with maple syrup.
2. Mash with the handle of a wooden spoon until pureed.
3. Top with oatmeal, chia seeds and almond milk.
4. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

Which jars to use

You can use jars or meal prep containers to make these oats. I recommend a 1 pint jar or anything close to that size. Here are some suggestions:

• 1 pint jar- just a standard jar (I purchase mine at the grocery store and use them for everything!). Use wide-mouth jars rather than tapered so they are easy to eat out of!
• 12.5 oz Weck Tulip Jars- pictured above, they are super cute but pricier than standard mason jars
• ½ Liter Weck Jars- the straight edged jars pictured below; these ones are larger and more dynamic than the tulip jars

Recipe variations

• almond milk- swap for any other nut milk (macadamia nut, cashew milk), oat milk, or regular dairy milk
• frozen berries- swap for any 'juicy' fruit (peaches, mango, cherries)
• maple syrup- swap for honey, coconut sugar, or your favorite alternative sweetener
• add ins- you could also add in ground flax, adaptogens, hemp seeds, goji berries, nuts or seeds
• extra creamy- add a dollop of yogurt or coconut yogurt to up the creaminess

Prep ahead and storage instructions

Overnight oats are the ultimate meal prep recipe because, well, they must be prepared at least a day ahead before enjoying. I like to have an assembly line going and prepare 4 portions at a time for easy breakfasts through the week:

• fridge- store in the fridge for up to 4 days
• hot or cold- you can enjoy them cold, or warm in the microwave
• freezer- I do not believe they would freeze/thaw well, but have not tried (leave me a comment if you try it!)

Reader tips

I love it when you share your modifications on the recipe! Here are some ways readers have changed up the recipe:

• Carrie does not mash the fruit and adds a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Yoli swaps the almond milk for fat free protein milk
• Jill uses fresh raspberries + blackberries

Leave me a comment to tell us how you like your overnight oats so I can include it in our post!

More easy meal prep breakfasts

• Overnight Steel Cut Oats
• The Ultimate Breakfast Burrito
• 28 Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
• Chocolate Chia Pudding!
• Tofu Scramble