This Simple Trick Will Make Your Overnight Oats Taste Better

Overnight oats are a great way to prep for breakfast in the morning and a convenient option if you don't like the hassle and mess of cooking your oatmeal. Simply Recipes notes that overnight oats are generally mixed with milk — sometimes water — and stored in the refrigerator until morning. While you are sleeping, the oats soak up the dairy or other liquid of choice, making for a creamy and easy breakfast cereal when you wake-up. These oats don't have to soak overnight, however. Per Feel Good Foodie, overnight oats can be ready to eat in as little as two hours, but preparing them the night before is advantageous, especially if you don't want to have to think about making them while you are getting dressed for your busy work day.

Overnight oats are also a really healthy breakfast option. According to Eat This, Not That!, overnight oats can help you feel fuller, serve as an aid in weight control, while providing your body with greater nutrients and the ability help increase your metabolism to burn fat quicker. Overnight oats sound great on paper, but how do they taste? This answer depends on who you ask, but most people will tell you their taste is meh. The Kitchn notes that overnight oats have to be seasoned and flavored properly or they will taste bland. But we've scoured the internet and found a trick that will make your overnight oats taste delicious.

Where do you go when you want to find out how to make your overnight oats taste good? If you answered Reddit, you probably already know the trick. One Redditor wrote: "This morning I tried a batch with old fashioned oats, chia seeds, milk, a little protein powder, and berries. The texture was like a wet box. Any suggestions for improvement?" Boy did they. Over 350 responses were posted, offering suggestions and tested knowledge. Turns out, this one ingredient can be the game changer: salt. One responder wrote, "No matter how many things you throw into oats they'll be bland without a little salt." The Kitchn concurs, suggesting that you stir in a pinch of salt, along with your sweetener, before you pop your oats in the refrigerator for the evening. 

Still others in the community offered that adding peanut butter and banana to overnight oats can step up your breakfast game, adding both texture and sweetness. The Redditor tried the suggestions and found the board did not steer one of their own wrong. Peanut butter and banana were indeed the "winner" of the taste tests, and the member noted that all the prep could be accomplished the night before, with the exception of the banana, which was added in the morning and mashed into the oats. The Kitchn observed that this is a good choice because your fruit gets too mushy if you allow it to soak overnight with your oats.