The Most Nurse-Friendly Overnight Oats Recipe
Have you ever been at work and it is 0900h at the start of your nursing shift and you’re STARVING because instead of making an elaborate breakfast the night before, you were busy binge watching the fifth season of OITNB? So, you reluctantly grab a slice of cold pizza from the break room (from the previous night shift) and wolf it down during your coffee break because God knows you need those carbs to face the call bell happy C. Diff patient. A few hours later, lo and behold you are hungry again, feeling more sluggish than when you first woke up and dreaming of your next cup of coffee.
After reading this, what I just described to you should never happen again because I am going to introduce to you the most revolutionary shift-work-friendly recipe known to nurse kind… Overnight Oats. Easy to throw together in only a few minutes, packed with protein to keep you full, fiber to keep things moving, and a surprising amount of taste, Overnight Oats will change the way you will eat breakfast at work. So everyone grab your favorite hipster mason jar and follow along with me.
Base Overnight Oats Recipe by @thisnursemealpreps
This is a recipe that I modified through trial and error, however, feel free to mix it up and substitute whatever feels right for you! This recipe makes enough for one jar.
- ¼ cup of organic rolled oats
- ½ cup of almond milk (or any kind of milk you like)
- ½ cup of 0% Greek yogurt
- 1-2 tbsp of chia seeds
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
And that’s it! The idea is that you prepare this in a jar the night before and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to let the oats and chia seeds soak up the moisture from the almond milk and yogurt to make a yummy creamy pudding texture. You can add anything you like to change the flavor; the possibilities are endless! Strawberries, blueberries, banana, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, juice, raisins, shredded coconut, cereal pieces, peanut butter, pumpkin, cocoa, flax seed, etc.
Feel free to create and be inspired to make it your own! If you’re at a loss for ideas, here are a few creations of mine:
Chocolate Overnight Oats:
- Add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder to the base recipe
- Add honey or maple syrup to sweeten
- Throw in a small handful of dark chocolate chips
Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats:
- Add a splash of fruit juice to the base
- Top with fresh or frozen strawberries
- Sprinkle crunchy flax seed on top of the strawberries and drizzle with honey
Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats:
- Add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder and 1 tbsp of honey to the base recipe
- Stir in or drizzle peanut butter (or any nut butter) on top
The best part about this recipe is that you will feel accomplished by making a healthy meal that will keep you full and fueled throughout your nursing shift AND still have time for some Netflix before bed.
About the Author: Josie, the creator of @thisnursemealpreps Instagram account, hails from Western Canada and is a newly graduated Registered Nurse currently learning and working in an emergency department. Her passion for inspiring other nurses to eat well stems from her own struggles with figuring out what to eat while on the job and seeing other nurses have difficulty fueling their bodies at and after work.