Low Calorie Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds and Almond Milk
Some mornings you just need breakfast to handle itself. That is exactly what these low calorie overnight oats with chia seeds and almond milk do. You spend five minutes stirring things together the night before, and by morning you have a thick, creamy, genuinely filling jar of goodness waiting in the fridge. No cooking, no stress, no sad desk-side granola bar. Just real food that actually keeps you full until lunch.
What makes this version stand out from the hundreds of overnight oat recipes floating around the internet is the focus on real nutrition, not just low calories. A lot of so-called light overnight oats just use less oats and call it a day, which leaves you hungry by 10am. Here, unsweetened almond milk keeps the calorie count down without sacrificing creaminess, while a scoop of plain Greek-style plant protein powder bumps the protein up to around 22 grams per serving. The chia seeds are doing serious heavy lifting too. Two tablespoons give you roughly 8 grams of fibre, healthy omega-3 fats and a gel-like texture that makes the whole jar feel indulgent even though it is light. A small handful of rolled oats provides slow-release carbohydrates that steady your blood sugar instead of spiking it, and a tablespoon of natural almond butter adds a little richness along with extra protein and healthy monounsaturated fats.
The flavour profile here is warm and subtly sweet, with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon running through every bite. Fresh or frozen blueberries stirred in the night before soften beautifully and release their natural sweetness into the oats, which means you barely need any added sweetener at all. A tiny drizzle of raw honey or a few drops of liquid stevia is genuinely all you need, keeping the sugar content well below what you would find in most shop-bought overnight oat pots. If you are calorie counting or following a structured eating plan, you will love that this jar comes in under 280 calories while still giving you complex carbs, fibre, healthy fats and a solid protein hit, all in one go.
Meal prep is where this recipe really shines. You can line up four or five jars on a Sunday evening and have breakfast sorted for the entire working week. Each jar stores neatly in the fridge for up to four days, and the texture actually improves on day two once everything has had more time to meld together. Top each jar just before eating with a small sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for crunch and a few fresh berries for colour. It takes about thirty seconds and makes breakfast feel like something worth looking forward to, which, honestly, it should be.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats if needed)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds (white or black both work fine)
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla plant-based protein powder (approximately 25g, pea or brown rice protein works well)
- 3 cup unsweetened almond milk (use a good quality barista or original variety)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt (or any plain dairy-free yogurt for extra creaminess)
- 1 tbsp natural almond butter (smooth, no added sugar or salt)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp raw honey or liquid stevia (optional, adjust to taste)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (stirred in before chilling)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (added just before serving for crunch)
Instructions
- 1
Add the rolled oats, chia seeds and plant-based protein powder to a clean 500ml jar or airtight container. Give them a quick stir to distribute everything evenly before adding any liquid.
Mixing the dry ingredients first stops the protein powder from clumping when the liquid goes in.
- 2
Pour in the unsweetened almond milk, then spoon in the coconut yogurt, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sweetener if using. Stir everything together firmly until no dry patches of protein powder or oats remain at the bottom.
A long-handled spoon or a small whisk makes it much easier to reach the bottom of a tall jar.
- 3
Fold in the blueberries gently. If using frozen berries, add them straight from the freezer as they will thaw overnight and release a lovely natural purple colour and sweetness into the oats.
Frozen berries are often more nutritious than fresh out-of-season ones and they cost less too.
- 4
Seal the jar with a lid or cover tightly with cling film. Place in the fridge and leave to set for a minimum of six hours, though overnight, which is roughly eight hours, gives the best thick and creamy texture.
- 5
In the morning, remove the jar from the fridge and give it a good stir. The oats should be thick and creamy. If you prefer a looser consistency, splash in one or two tablespoons of extra almond milk and stir again.
The oats thicken considerably overnight, especially with chia seeds present, so do not be surprised by how dense they look when you first open the jar.
- 6
Top with the pumpkin seeds and any additional fresh fruit you like. Eat straight from the jar cold, or if you prefer a warm breakfast, transfer to a bowl and microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway through.
Cold overnight oats have a lower glycaemic index than hot oats due to resistant starch formation during chilling, which is an added bonus for blood sugar management.
Nutrition per serving
275kcal
Calories
22g
Protein
28g
Carbs
9g
Fat
12g
Fibre
8g
Sugar
130mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
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Do not skip the stir before adding liquid. Mixing dry ingredients first prevents protein powder from forming lumps.
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For best texture, use rolled oats rather than quick oats. Quick oats go mushy and steel-cut oats will not soften fully overnight.
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Taste before sealing the jar and adjust sweetener now rather than in the morning when flavours are harder to incorporate.
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If your protein powder is already sweetened and vanilla flavoured, you can skip the vanilla extract and sweetener entirely.
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Batch prep four jars at once on Sunday and stack them in the fridge for a full week of ready breakfasts.
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Eat within four days for the best flavour and texture. The chia gel continues to firm up over time.
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Adding a pinch of sea salt brings out the sweetness of the berries and rounds the whole flavour profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Swap almond butter for natural peanut butter and stir one teaspoon of raw cacao powder into the liquid before chilling. Top with a few cacao nibs in the morning for extra crunch and a hit of antioxidants.
- •
Mango Turmeric
Replace blueberries with diced frozen mango and add a quarter teaspoon of ground turmeric and a pinch of black pepper to the mix. The turmeric gives the oats a golden colour and a subtle anti-inflammatory boost.
- •
Apple Pie
Stir in two tablespoons of finely grated apple, a quarter teaspoon of mixed spice and an extra pinch of cinnamon. Top with a small handful of crushed walnuts in the morning for texture reminiscent of a crumble topping.
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Strawberries and Cream
Use sliced fresh strawberries instead of blueberries and increase the coconut yogurt to three tablespoons for extra creaminess. A drop more vanilla extract ties the whole thing together beautifully.
Substitutions
- •Plant-based protein powder → Plain low-fat Greek yogurt (dairy) (Use 3 tablespoons for a similar protein boost. The oats will no longer be vegan or dairy free but the protein content stays comparable.)
- •Unsweetened almond milk → Unsweetened oat milk or soy milk (Soy milk adds more protein. Oat milk adds slightly more carbohydrates. Both work well texturally.)
- •Coconut yogurt → Unsweetened soy yogurt or skyr (Skyr adds more protein and is lower in fat. Soy yogurt keeps the recipe vegan and dairy free.)
- •Almond butter → Sunflower seed butter (A great nut-free alternative that still provides healthy fats and a mild creamy flavour.)
- •Raw honey → Maple syrup or liquid stevia (Maple syrup keeps the recipe vegan. Stevia adds zero calories and is ideal for very low calorie targets.)
- •Pumpkin seeds → Hemp seeds or sunflower seeds (Hemp seeds are particularly high in protein and blend softly into the oats rather than providing crunch.)
🧊 Storage
Store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add toppings like pumpkin seeds only just before eating to preserve their crunch. Do not freeze, as the texture of the oats and chia gel deteriorates when thawed.
📅 Make Ahead
This recipe is designed for make-ahead preparation. Assemble up to 4 jars in one sitting on Sunday evening and have breakfast ready every morning through Thursday. Each jar stores individually, making it easy to grab and go without any morning prep required.
