Name: This dietitian's no-cook breakfast packs in a whopping 40g of protein per serving—here's how to make it
Yield: Makes:

By Lou Mudge

published 5 August 2024

in Recipes

Overnight oats are popular because as well as being delicious, they are convenient and easy to prep ahead of time. You can make a big batch at the beginning of the week and, because they last up to five days, not worry about what you’re going to have for breakfast until the weekend.

If you portion them out into jars or other containers you can put in your bag on the way to work or the gym and have them on-the-go.

This overnight oats recipe from registered dietitian Lauren Twigge packs in 40g of high-quality protein and features a delightful date caramel sauce (you will need to make this yourself, but it only needs three ingredients and you can make it in bulk). Here's how to make it.

Lauren Twigge

Lauren Twigge strives to provide evidence-based, practical nutrition advice so her clients can make informed decisions that keep as many food groups on their plates as possible. Her qualifications include a master's in clinical nutrition from UT Southwestern Medical Center and she is registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Ingredients

½ cup date caramel sauce
2tbsp chia seeds
1½ cups dairy milk
1 cup rolled oats
2 scoops vanilla protein powder

Twigge uses Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey, French vanilla creme flavor. It's a great choice which features on our tried-and-tested selection of the best protein powders for weight loss.

If you want to keep the recipe high in protein but don't want to use protein powder, you can alter the ingredients as follows.

½ cup rolled oats
5.3oz vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup water
1tbsp chia seeds

Method

Get two small containers of equal size for your overnight oats. Evenly distribute the date caramel sauce at the bottom of each container.
In a medium bowl mix together the oats, milk, chia seeds and vanilla protein powder until well combined. Evenly distribute the oat mixture on top of the date caramel base between the two containers.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least four hours. Enjoy cold or warm in the morning!

Can I heat up overnight oats?

Overnight oats aren't just a great grab-and-go breakfast, but can be heated up and had warm, perfect for colder mornings. "If your overnight oats have been made with milk, peanut butter, Greek yogurt or another type of protein powder then they can be warmed in the microwave or slowly on the stove," says Twigge. She does, however, caution that some protein powders, particularly those made from whey, are not heat stable, so overnight oats made with whey are better enjoyed cold.

Why is protein important?

"Protein intake is critical for health and plays a role in growth, development, weight maintenance, appetite management, satiety and more," says Twigge. "When coupled with regular exercise and resistance training, protein also helps promote muscle growth, preserve muscle mass and support muscular function as you age."

How much protein should I be eating?

"Protein recommendations are not one size fits and are dictated by many factors including exercise level, age, disease states and more," says Twigge. "The current recommendation for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or 10-35% of your daily calories should be coming from protein foods."

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet's Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.