Blueberry Overnight Oats {Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free, Lactose Free}
With busy summer schedules, quick, convenient food is really helpful. Unfortunately, most convenience foods are ultra processed and do not support a healthy lifestyle. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In just five minutes in the evening, you can make a jar of Blueberry Overnight Oats that will be ready to eat first thing in the morning. This nourishing recipe complies with a low-FODMAP diet for those struggling with IBS and is therefore gluten and lactose free as well. I also didn’t include any added sugar because the ingredients make it mildly sweet on its own.
What do I need to make Blueberry Overnight Oats?
The ingredient list is short and simple, but I’ll dive into each one to help you choose the most nourishing products at the store. You’ll need milk (lactose free if needed), old fashioned oats, chia seeds, nut or seed butter, cinnamon and blueberries.
Milk
I used Organic Valley lactose-free whole milk to make my Blueberry Overnight Oats. If you aren’t lactose-intolerant don’t worry about that part and just use regular milk. Organic Valley is my favorite source for dairy. It is a cooperative based right here in Wisconsin! The farmers take great pride in what they do and follow strict animal welfare standards–meaning the cows get outside on pasture and don’t consume antibiotics. This milk is much more nutrient dense than conventional, commercial milk, as the cows eat a rich, varied diet.
My other note on milk is that I used whole milk. Any fat percentage will work for the recipe, but whole milk contains all the macronutrients naturally occurring in milk. Milk is relatively high in carbohydrates, so balancing it with the protein and fat makes it a more complete food and slows the sugar absorption. Besides the health benefits of eating real, quality fats, they add flavor and richness to the oats.
Oats
My go-to oatmeal is always One Degree Organics sprouted rolled oats. One Degree is excellent at transparency and have QR codes on all products to trace them back to the farm source. They also provide farmer bios on their website so you can get to know your farmer even if they aren’t local. These oats are certified gluten free, for anyone concerned about contamination are also free of glyphosate which is the toxic component in herbicides. The sprouting process makes the oats easier to digest which is critical in this recipe because the oats are only soaked and not cooked.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter) is a critical ingredient in Blueberry Overnight Oats, so it’s important to use a high quality product. One of my favorite peanut butters is Crazy Richard’s. They keep their products pure by only using peanuts. Nothing more. What really frustrates me about the food industry (actually there are a lot of things) is how there is no regulation on the word “natural”. It’s just another marketing scheme and doesn’t mean anything nutritionally. Even though other “natural” peanut butters don’t contain hydrogenated oils, there are still many that contain sugar, palm oil, and other excess ingredients. A little added salt is okay, but anything else is totally unnecessary. Crazy Richard’s really keeps it clean and simple by strictly using peanuts. Definitely, give their products a try!
If you’re allergic to peanuts, an alternative is SunButter. They’re products are free of the top allergens. Make sure you get the organic or no-sugar added varieties because they only contains sunflower seeds and salt. Their regular varieties have added sugar/oils, so be sure to read labels.
Blueberries
When buying blueberries, always opt for organic if possible. Of course eating conventional fruit is better than eating no fruit at all, but it’s always ideal to reduce toxic load whenever you can. If you’re able to source local berries from a farmer’s market in the summer, that’s even better. Even if they aren’t certified organic, ask the farmer about their practices! Chances are they don’t use all the chemicals, but just don’t have the official USDA certification. Another great berry tip is to pick your own wild berries or stock up from a local farm and freeze them to enjoy in the off season.
How to Make Blueberry Overnight Oats
Making Blueberry Overnight Oats is extremely simple! Just mix all the ingredients in a mason jar and refrigerate. In six hours, they’ll be ready to eat! Either make them before bed to enjoy for breakfast the next day, or mix them up in the morning and they can be ready by lunchtime. Feel free to experiment with ingredients too. Try different fruits like bananas or raspberries. Flax or other seeds could be used instead of chia. Personally, I think this recipe is plenty sweet from the berries, milk, and peanut butter, but if you need a little more, try a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Enjoy!
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