21 Ways to Enjoy Overnight Oats All Year Long

As much as we love an elaborate brunch, plates stacked high with pancakes, most days breakfast is a simpler affair. Something hearty enough to keep us full until lunchtime, but easy enough to grab on the way out the door. Enter the make-ahead breakfast, something you can whip up at the beginning of the week or the night before and heat up or eat as-is in the morning. Overnight oats are the perfect make-ahead breakfast — they’re super affordable and endlessly customizable based on seasonality or what you have in the house, so there’s no chance of the dreaded breakfast rut. Give overnight oats a go with Food Network Kitchen’s base recipe and then choose your own adventure with three flavor profiles: Spiced Mango, Chocolate-Hazelnut or Strawberry-Banana.

While peaches are perfect simply as-is, when you realize some are ripening much faster than you can consume them, consider making this peach compote. (Using overripe peaches also allows for fewer sweeteners to be added.) Simply stir all the ingredients together in a saucepan, and in less than 10 minutes you've got yourself a scrumptious topping to spoon on overnight oats, pancakes, waffles, ice cream — you name it!

Bev Weidner says, "I'm about to make your kids absurdly happy. First of all, this is basically a jar of nourishment for breakfast, in a dessert costume. I'd never realized that overnight oats are a ridiculously easy way to swindle your littles into eating something, dare I say--nutritious? And have their dang chocolate chips, too!"

Throw together this healthy oatmeal the night before and enjoy it the next morning. We love it cold, but if you prefer a little warmth, remove the lid and microwave the oatmeal until hot, about 1 minute.