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Banana overnight oats are a no-cook breakfast made by soaking oats in milk and yogurt overnight, then stirring in sweet mashed banana. Five minutes of prep tonight means a creamy, ready-to-eat breakfast waiting for you all week, no stove required.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- No stove required: the oats soak up the liquid overnight and soften into a thick, pudding-like texture.
- Ripe (spotty) bananas matter here. They’re sweeter and mash more smoothly than yellow ones, so you don’t need any added sugar.
- Meal-prep friendly: make one batch and portion it into jars for up to 5 days of grab-and-go breakfasts.
- Naturally filling: with 9g of protein and 6g of fiber per serving, it holds you over better than a typical bowl of cereal.
- Endlessly customizable: the base recipe is simple on purpose, so you can change the flavor daily with different mix-ins and toppings instead of making a new recipe each time.
“This is so delicious! Wow wow wow! So simple and the whole family loves!” – Shelby
For a smoother texture, try blended overnight oats. For more texture and an extra omega-3 boost, overnight chia oats or coconut chia pudding thicken up beautifully and are just as easy to customize.
Once you’ve got the base down, add extra fruit like in strawberry overnight oats or mango overnight oats, or use up leftover grains in overnight quinoa oats.
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Overnight oats for baby and toddlers
You can serve this to your baby as soon as they’re developmentally ready for solids, usually around 6 months – go by readiness signs, not just the calendar. Not sure if your baby’s ready? Grab my free readiness handout.
A few reasons this recipe works especially well for babies and toddlers:
- Works with any feeding method. It introduces flavor and texture regardless of which feeding method you’ve chosen.
- Makes choking hazards safe. Nuts and dried fruit soften right along with the oats – just grind or finely chop them first.
- An easy way in for top allergens like dairy, and a good vehicle for iron and other key nutrients toddlers need most.
Also check out: Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Babies
Key Ingredients
- Rolled Oats – old-fashioned rolled oats give the best chewy-but-soft texture. Quick oats work too and soften faster; steel-cut oats need a longer soak (8+ hours) and stay noticeably chewier. Making this for a baby? Here’s how to make baby oatmeal.
- Ripe Banana – the riper and spottier, the sweeter. One medium banana per serving.
- Milk – dairy, oat, almond, or soy milk all work. Not sure which to use? Here’s the best milk for toddlers.
- Yogurt – adds creaminess and protein. Use dairy or a plain dairy-free yogurt; see the best yogurt for babies for picks.
- Chia seeds – optional but recommended; they thicken the mixture and add fiber, iron, and omega-3s. Whole or ground both work – more on chia seeds for babies here.
How to Make Banana Overnight Oats
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Mash the banana in a container. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
Step 2: Store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Expert Tips
- Scale it up or down – Halve the recipe for one serving, or double it to have breakfast covered for several days.
- Portion it out – Split the batch into individual jars right after mixing, or store it as one big batch and scoop out portions as you go – whatever’s easier for your routine.
- Stir before eating – The mixture separates slightly in the fridge, so give it a good stir once you take it out.
- Add toppings right before eating – Toppings will soften and go a bit mushy if mixed in ahead of time. That’s actually a plus if you’re serving a baby – see below.
Variations & Topping Suggestions
This base recipe is intentionally simple so you can change it up all week:
- Peanut butter banana: stir in 1 tbsp peanut butter before refrigerating. Any nut butter works, or use this homemade sunflower seed butter to keep it nut-free.
- Chocolate banana: add 1 tbsp cocoa powder and a pinch more sweetener.
- Banana bread: add ¼ tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of nutmeg alongside the cinnamon.
- Berry banana: top with fresh or mashed strawberries or blueberries just before eating.
- Higher protein: stir in a scoop of vanilla protein powder or an extra tablespoon of Greek yogurt.
Or top it with:
- Finely chopped or ground nuts and seeds
- Grated carrots
- Mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash
- Fruits – like mangoes, peaches, strawberries, blueberries
- Granola – try this homemade no added sugar granola
Serving Suggestions
For babies: if you’ve mainly done purees, this is a great way to introduce texture. Feeling anxious about it? Start with quick oats instead of rolled for a smoother consistency. Hard toppings like raw grated carrot can go in with the rest of the ingredients so they soften overnight.
This spoon is easy for tiny hands to hold – preload it and let your baby self-feed if they’d rather use their hands. Messy eating is part of learning to self-feed.
For toddlers: let them choose their own toppings. Toddlers love a sense of control, and offering options is an easy way to give them some.
Is your toddler becoming picky?
Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
Banana Overnight Oats FAQs
These oats keep well for up to 5 days in a sealed container or mason jars (with these reusable lids) for toddlers. Portion into individual jars for grab-and-go mornings.
While these are meant to be enjoyed straight from the fridge, if you’re craving something warm, then either:
Microwave for 45-60 seconds or transfer to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
Quick oats work and give a smoother texture. Steel-cut oats need a longer soak (8+ hours) and will stay chewier – they don’t fully soften in a standard overnight soak.
Yes, either can be used in place of milk of choice. If using formula, use within 24 hours or freeze the remainder.
More EASY Breakfast Ideas
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Banana Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (60g) rolled oats
- 2/3 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup Yogurt
- 1 banana, mashed
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- Optional: cinnamon
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a container and stir well. You can portion into smaller containers or just store the entire mixture.Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove from the fridge and give it a good stir. You can add a bit more milk if it's too thick for your liking. Top with whatever toppings you wish!
Such a quick and easy way to get breakfast on the table! My 2 year loves it!
Sooo easy and my 9 month old twins LOVED it!
I’m so glad!!
So easy and so delicious!
Hi,
Do you need to cook the oats for toddlers or just use them straight out of the box for this recipe?
No need! That’s the beauty of this recipe ;). Hope you enjoy!
Just made this last night and served to my 2 picky eaters this morning. They ate it without complaints! It’s tasty as is, but obvi you can add whatever toppings, which I did—raisins! I did this to entice them, but I don’t even think I had to lol! Thanks MJ 🙂
Haha the things we do for our little ones ;). Thanks for sharing! So glad you guys enjoyed this and the hulk pancakes!
These have become a staple in my fridge/freezer. It’s a great way to use up extra breastmilk, old Bananas and still load on the nutrition. My 7 month old son loves them
Truly is such an easy and nutritious option! So glad he loves it so much!
Thoughts on adding fresh or frozen fruit? Should I do it overnight or in the morning? Thank you!
Hi! I would add it right before serving as it will get soft, which may not be a bad thing if you are serving crunchy or not fully ripe and soft fruits, like apples, to your baby
Can I use baby oatmeal or instant oats instead?
Thank you.
Sure! Will be softer which may not necessarily be a bad thing
Huge hit with my 1yo!! He ate the whole portion by himself and didn’t even care about his strawberries which are otherwise his favourite! Definitely making it again soon!
Aww makes me so incredibly happy to hear! Don’t you love how easy it is to whip up too? 😉
I use the base overnight oats recipe weekly with our kids. It is a favourite for everyone, even the parents.
So glad to hear! Thanks for sharing! This really is a super versatile recipe, isn’t it?