Dietetic Intern's Survival Breakfast

Let me hold your hand while I tell you this…

Any grad student who tells you they wake up early to cook themselves a healthy breakfast is a LIAR!!!!! They’re robots, not real people.

But don’t worry. I’ll be real with you. I’m a broke grad student who somehow always is running late. But I also can’t ignore my degree in nutrition, SO, I don’t have any other choice but to eat a nutritious breakfast (or any breakfast at all for that matter) for the sake of having enough brainpower (and willpower) to get through my 9 hour day of classes. 

So if you’re in the same boat, I gladly present to you: recipe-less overnight oats! 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats. Specifically old-fashioned because they absorb moisture without getting mushy. Oats are also very cost-efficient, being less than $10 for a bag that typically lasts me months. 

• Milk. Calcium. Vitamin D. B vitamins. Protein. Need I say more?

• Chia seeds. Amazing source of fiber and omega 3s. I’ve been raving about oats, but chia seeds might be the real reason why I stay full throughout my school day and deserve a big round of applause appreciation.  

• Yogurt. Another source of dairy, protein, and creaminess, but may also serve as the sweetener source depending on the yogurt used. 

• Ground Cinnamon. This is personal preference and I personally love the taste of it in my oats regardless of the toppings that I use. Which means that you can leave it out if you prefer to!

Toppings (the fun part):

• Fruit. I usually go with a banana because nothing beats potassium and fiber for under 30¢. Another fun fact is that bananas are prebiotic and if you pair it with a probiotic yogurt within your oats, then you have a synbiotic & gut-friendly breakfast! 

• Nuts. Yet another way to add more vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and protein to start off your day. If you can add a small handful of any preferred nut into your oats, then do it! Nuts are not necessarily the cheapest topping, but a little goes a long way in terms of nutrient density! 

Okay! So now that I’ve justified the nutrient density content of my daily breakfast, I can confidently give you the rundown of the not-so-justifiable behavior. Here’s where it gets unorganized but makes me feel free. If you want to get as much sleep as possible, then you have to quickly and efficiently learn how to speed-run the preparation. 

RECIPE-LESS RECIPE (Budget-Friendly, Saving-Time-Friendly, Type-B-Friendly): 

DISCLAIMER: This method has taken me months to master and I still actually haven’t mastered it because somehow I overestimate how much of everything I need to get me full/satisfied. Again, I blame the chia seeds. 

Prep time: 30 seconds-5 minutes (depending on how good you get at this) 

Cook time: 0 seconds 

Chill time: Overnight (duh). This time might vary depending on how much sleep the school semester is allowing you to get.

1. Take any air-tight container that you have and fill it up with oats to what looks like as much as you’ll eat. And then cut that amount in half because I promise you the chia seeds and toppings will do the heavy lifting (if you really need a measurement, I’d say ⅓ to ½ C oats).

2. Pour a layer of chia seeds on top. I personally do this by imagining a spoonful of chia seeds because we don’t measure when sleep is on the line. I would recommend 1-2 TBSP depending on how you prefer texture, satiety, and the other fat sources you might add.

3. Add the cinnamon by measuring from the heart but also remembering that a little goes a long way. I personally do a couple shakes from my cinnamon shaker and it seems to be around ¼ tsp, but I do very much enjoy cinnamon so I recommend cinnamon-ing to taste. You can add this into your oats or as a garnish for the overnight oats end product.  

4. Pour your milk over and mix! I recommend a 1:1 ratio so everything soaks nicely but is not too much to the point where it is cereal-like. 

5. If you choose to add yogurt, you can do it now or you can wait until the morning to put a couple dollops in and mix. (½ - ⅔  C or even a single-serve cup of yogurt). The yogurt that I choose to add is usually sweet enough to sweeten my overnight oats to my liking. 

6. If you prefer your oats on the sweeter side, you may add maple syrup, honey, or agave to taste.

7. Cover your oats and let sit in the fridge overnight. 

8. Once you wake up, you can add your toppings of choice! I typically quickly slice a banana and add on top. If I’m really running late, I will literally just take the banana with me and eat it side-by-side with my oatmeal. 

9. Throw a small handful of nuts on top and/or mix them in. 

10. If you like an extra little something to brighten your morning, you can add a few chocolate chips or my personal favorite are caramel baking chips. 

11. Enjoy! 

Sometimes, cooking or “mealprepping” might be overwhelming to think about while you are focused on school or just have a busy schedule wherever you are in life. Breakfast can be as simple and fast as you want it to be. I started taking off the pressure of measuring my ingredients because I know that I am doing a good job taking care of myself as long as I feed myself within the first two hours of being awake. School can be hard but eating a nutritious breakfast has helped me stay focused, attentive, and in a better mood during the otherwise tough morning. Regardless of if you choose to follow this “recipe”, I will be proud of you if you are able to get in any breakfast before school!

One day at a time :)

DK

Benefits of breakfast before school: 

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/fuel-the-school-day-with-an-a-plus-breakfast