Overnight Oats With Frozen Fruit

Wondering what to do with a bag of frozen fruit? While you may not enjoy eating thawed fruit on its own due to the slightly mushy texture, that thawed fruit texture actually works PERFECTLY when stirred into a bowl or (in this case) a jar of oatmeal!

Benefits for using frozen fruit in overnight oats? Everything comes together super fast and there’s no need to wash or chop up any fruits! You can place them directly from the freezer bag onto your oats.

Frozen fruit is also a great option when certain fruits aren’t in season. They’re more affordable, less likely to go bad, and are equally as nutritious!

I add them right when I’m prepping the oatmeal – straight from the freezer into the jar! That way, the fruit thaws in the fridge at the exact same time as the oatmeal softens in the yogurt and milk.

After about 2 hours (or overnight), both the fruit and oatmeal are soft enough to eat. Just stir everything together and dig in 🙂

There are SO many benefits to this nutritionally-balanced breakfast. As a dietitian, overnight oats are one of my all-time favourite breakfast options (they basically got me through grad school and early mornings at my dietetic internship!!)

1. Oats are an excellent source of fiber-rich, complex carbohydrates that give you energy. Their high soluble fiber content helps to slow digestion (keeping you feeling full), improve blood sugar control, lower LDL cholesterol, and promote digestive health. Beyond fiber, oats are also a source of plant-based protein and many micronutrients, like B-vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron.
2. Chia seeds are also good sources of dietary fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids, plant protein, and micronutrients like magnesium, calcium, and iron. (Here are 30+ more ways to use chia seeds!)
3. Plain Greek yogurt is an excellent source of quality protein, B-vitamins, vitamin A, and minerals like selenium, phosphorus, and calcium. (Learn more about Greek yogurt’s benefits and uses!)
4. Frozen fruit is just as (if not sometimes more) nutritious than fresh! Frozen fruit is picked and frozen at peak ripeness, when nutrition is at its highest. The best part is that those nutrients are maintained when frozen! While the nutrition benefits vary between different types of fruit, frozen fruit is a great source of dietary fiber, micronutrients (like vitamin C and potassium), antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds (phytonutrients).

Want more inspiration for what to do with oats? Check out my roundup of 30+ easy, healthy recipes using oats for more ideas!

All you need to make this overnight oats recipe are 9 simple ingredients (plus toppings as desired):

1. Rolled oats: I like to use old fashioned, rolled oats for overnight oat recipes. That said, this will work with instant oats if that’s what you have on hand! Nutritionally, there isn’t a big difference. Instant oats are simply more processed, so they will digest faster and you may not feel as full for as long. While oats are naturally gluten-free, if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet you will need to ensure that you use certified gluten-free oats for this recipe as sometimes oats can come into contact with gluten during manufacturing.
2. Chia seeds: These little seeds have a unique “hygroscopic” property, meaning that they attract and hold onto water molecules from their surrounding environment. This is what makes them absorb some of the liquid around them and gives them their gel-like coating and unique texture. You may use either black or white chia seeds.
3. Plain Greek yogurt: Unlike regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is strained to remove most of its whey and liquid content. This results in a thicker yogurt with about twice as much protein per serving. I like to use plain yogurt as it won’t contain any added sugar. If you’re dairy-free or vegan, you may swap greek yogurt with a dairy-free alternative.
4. Unsweetened milk of choice: You may use any type of milk – from regular cow’s milk, to almond milk, coconut milk, etc. If you’re vegan/dairy-free and using a plant-based alternative to Greek yogurt, you may consider using soy milk to increase the protein content of these oats.
5. Vanilla extract: Used to add a delicious touch of vanilla flavour to the oats!
6. Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds the perfect touch of warming spice to oatmeal. Along with vanilla, I find cinnamon creates a sweeter flavour, without any added sugar. If you’d like, you can also add a touch of cardamom!
7. Frozen fruit: Feel free to use ANY frozen fruit you’d like – frozen berries (like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a blend), frozen mangos, pineapples, peaches, cherries, etc. These will all taste great with the other flavours in this recipe.
8. Salt: While it may sound counterintuitive, a pinch of salt helps to bring out the sweetness of the other ingredients!

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Oatmeal isn’t the same without fun toppings!

Not only do these toppings add extra flavour and texture, but they can also add extra nutrition. My personal favourites are always a scoop of nut butter and a sprinkle of raw (unsalted) seeds for added crunch.

1. Nut or seed butters, like peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter
2. Nuts or seeds, like raw pecans, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
3. Maple syrup or honey, if added sweetness is desired
4. Raw cacao nibs, for a bit of a chocolatey taste
5. Coconut flakes, because coconut always tastes great with fruit, especially tropical ones!

How long do overnight oats last?

Can you heat up overnight oats?

While designed to eat cold, you can heat them up in the microwave if you’d prefer them hot! I have done it on cold winter days 🙂

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• Blood Orange Bircher Muesli (Overnight Oats)
• Apple Bircher Muesli (Overnight Oats)

Did you give these Overnight Oats With Frozen Fruit a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!