National Oatmeal Day: Best Recipes for Socceristas

Overnight oats are the nutritional savior of every Soccerista out there. They’re an easy to make, on-the-go, single container breakfast that will give you all the fuel you’ll need for a day of soccer. Maybe the best part about overnight oats is how customizable they are, so to celebrate National Oatmeal Day here are a few of our favorites. 

The key to a great jar of overnight oats is the base. This formula is our go to, but feel free to adjust if you like it a little thicker or milkier. My go to milk base is almond milk but this works with anything from good old fashioned dairy milk to hemp milk. 

1/2 cup Milk of any kind + 3/4 Tbsp Chia Seeds + 1/2 cup Rolled Oats

Banana walnut 

If you love to stack your plate high with fancy banana nut pancakes or French toast, give this one a shot! Add a teaspoon of vanilla and about a tablespoon (or more if you like it sweeter) of maple syrup to your base, mix it up, and then top it off with banana slices and walnuts. 

Chocolate chips

This one is so simple but absolutely delicious. Whip up your base, add a teaspoon of vanilla, a tablespoon of honey, a pinch or brown sugar and salt, and any size and flavor of chocolate chips you’d like. You can mix your chips in or leave them on top to keep them a bit more firm. 

Berry blend

If you’re like me, you could eat berries every day for the rest of your life. Berries are like nature’s candy and go with just about everything so of course you can pair them with oats. Put a little vanilla in your base and then plop some of your favorite berries on top. You can do fresh strawberries or a frozen berry medley, whatever you want! 

Pumpkin spice

‘Tis the season, the pumpkin spice season. There are a few options for toppings with this particular recipe, so get ready to do some experimenting. In your base, you’ll toss in a teaspoon of vanilla, a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie seasoning and mix that up. Next, you can take either two tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling and mix that together or toss some toasted pumpkin seeds on top, or both! 

Power protein 

Overnight oats are already pretty high in protein, but if you need a few extra grams give this recipe a taste. This one will have a bit of a different base, rather than a milk you’ll throw ½ cup of your favorite protein shake in there. I usually add a bit more milk to this one the next morning if it gets too thick. Top with your favorite nut butter and maybe some almonds for a little crunch. 

Autumn apple

If you love fall but pumpkin is not your favorite flavor we recommend this comforting apple blend. With your go-to base, add a dash of vanilla and cinnamon. Slice your apple in to chunks (I love a honey crisp/red delicious blend) and toss them on top, and dust them with cinnamon. For a little extra something, pop this in this microwave for 15 seconds to get the apples soft and the milk warm. 

Carrot cake 

The only kind of cake that gets you a serving of vegetables, this is the perfect dessert breakfast. Your base will need vanilla and a dash of cinnamon to start and then you’ll start on your “icing.” There are a couple of options here, you can use your favorite yogurt, if you prefer a plain yogurt we recommend sweetening with honey. You’ll add a layer of that icing on top of your base, next comes the nuts, and then the carrots on top of that. You want to keep the carrots on top to keep them nice and crunchy. 

Overnight oats are really a game changer. They can be built to your taste and work for everyone, from procrastinators to major meal preppers. For National Oatmeal Day this year pick yourself up a pack of mason jars and some bulk oats and figure out your perfect recipe. 

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