Inside: Are you a breastfeeding mom? Make this super easy overnight oatmeal lactation breakfast. Read on for the lactation oatmeal recipe, a healthy breastfeeding-friendly breakfast.
Post originally written in 2015; updated in 2020.
I’m sure we can all agree that breastfeeding needs to be easier – on all of us. From baby having difficulty latching to struggling in maintaining supply, breastfeeding can be quite challenging.
We need to fill our bag of tricks with all the tools and life hacks available to us, and having a super healthy breakfast full of lactation-boosting ingredients is one such tool we need. Did you know you can eat oatmeal to increase milk production? That’s right, oatmeal is wonderful for breastfeeding!
Want to know how to make lactation overnight oats? Read on to learn how to make this lactation oatmeal breakfast in advance, and enjoy it and all its benefits.
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Overnight Oatmeal for Lactation Recipe
I recently learned that you can make oatmeal overnight in the fridge. I’ve been struggling with making oatmeal in the morning – you know, the non-instant kind, to boost my breastmilk supply. I don’t have the time to stir it on the stove as I’m getting ready for work in the morning, and it just explodes to death when I try to cook it in the microwave.
Overnight oatmeal make-ahead breakfast to the rescue! Rather than baking lactation cookies with all the calories, this is an alternative with similar powerful ingredients. I like to make it in a Mason jar and make more than one serving at a time. Then just heat up in the microwave and enjoy.
Lactation Oatmeal Recipe
Ingredients (one serving):
These are approximate. Please play around with the ratios to see what you like best. Add more milk if the ingredients do not absorb.
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant oats)
- 1 tbsp flaxseed
- 1 tbsp brewer’s yeast powder
- 1/2-1 tbsp brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 cup milk (regular, almond, or coconut)
- 1/4 cup Craisins (or any fruit you like)
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How do you make overnight oatmeal? Directions:
Mix the oats, flaxseed, brewer’s yeast, and brown sugar thoroughly in the milk, stirring to ensure an even mixture (you don’t want the brewer’s yeast to clump). Add in the Craisins or other fruit.
You can also add Greek yogurt for a creamier taste.
Place in a sealed container like a Mason jar overnight in the refrigerator. By morning, the oats will have softened and expanded with the milk and are ready to heat up and consume.
Are overnight oats eaten cold? No, I heat them up in the microwave in the morning.
You can add other ingredients to give it more flavor, like cinnamon, vanilla, etc. Chop up some fruit and toss it in there as well. Mix it up and make it your own.
I like to make several jars on Sunday to last me through the workweek because you know how busy mom life gets and remembering to make it every evening is not in my wheelhouse.
Are overnight oats good for you?
Yes! Overnight oats are very good for you. Oatmeal and flaxseed have wonderful health benefits for us. Non-instant oatmeal is very healthy, and when you add the other great ingredients, like flaxseed, you’re adding to the power of this breakfast.
If you’re wondering are overnight oats keto? Sorry, overnight oats are not low carb. Oatmeal itself is a carb, but a healthy carb.
So if you’re a breastfeeding mom and lactation cookies have worked for you, there’s no reason why this shouldn’t (the core ingredients are similar, after all). Even if you’re not trying to maintain your breastmilk supply, this is a good option for a healthy breakfast (just maybe leave out the brewer’s yeast, since we know that flavor is not ideal).
Do you make overnight oats? Share some ways you’ve made it.
If you liked this post, you may want to check out my Power Foods Boobie Smoothie post as well!
First-time moms: read my post about the 5 things you should know to prepare for breastfeeding.
Related: If you’re struggling to breastfeed you may want to seek advice from a lactation specialist.
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Heather says
When you say you make it Sunday night does that mean you add the milk in too? and they stay good until Friday morning breakfast?
Julie says
That’s right, it takes at least overnight for the milk to absorb, and then it’s fine all week in the fridge.
Vanessa says
This looks great! Does the taste of the yeast come through much?
Julie says
The other flavors help mask it
Shelby says
Hi there –
Excited to try this! Hopefully you see this and can answer my question –
What size Mason Jars did you use for this recipe? I need to buy some and don’t want to get jars that are too big.
Julie says
Hi! We have big ones (like bigger than the standard pickle jar, I suck at sizes and knowing oz lol) so I made them in bulk and ate all week. It doesn’t have to be exact either since you can play around with all the ingredients.
Shelby Rae Dudley says
So, you used 5 larges one, or put all five meals in one jar?
Julie says
Each jar was more like 2-3 meals. I would make a few jars Sunday night to last the week and then just scoop into a bowl and reheat.
angie church says
this is a great idea for a morning headstart Anything that saves time is awesome in my book
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Julie says
Same here! Anything that saves time and makes getting out the door easier, and healthy still heh. Thanks Angie!
Leslie says
You can use the instant kind if you want. I know most sites and books say it won’t work but I’ve used it with all three of my kids and it still makes a huge difference. I eat a quick bowl in the morning and one at night and it practically doubles my supply. If you’re using steel cut because it’s healthier than ignore my comment lol, but I just like to let people know they can actually use instant incase they’re afraid it won’t work.
Julie says
Interesting, my LC said it won’t work the same.
Lindsey says
Do you think these would freeze well if tried to make bulk?
Julie says
I’ve never tried to freeze it, but I think if you make it overnight first so it soaks up all the liquid it should freeze ok. I always made a week’s supply in the fridge on the weekend and it was fine all week.
candis says
Yeast, does fleschermann yeast work same as brewers yeast? Because its what i have in cabinet.
Julie says
I’ve only heard about the benefits of Brewer’s yeast specifically from our lactation nurses so I can’t speak to other types of yeast.
Here’s an article about all the good stuff Brewer’s yeast has.
https://www.verywell.com/brewers-yeast-breastfeeding-and-breast-milk-supply-431836
Cassie says
Does it matter whether the flax seed is still in seed form, or ground into “meal”?
Julie says
That’s probably a matter of preference. I use the milled flax because it mixes and blends in better and doesn’t change the texture of oatmeal.
Debbie says
Sounds healthy.
Julie says
It definitely is 🙂
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says
So for those of us no longer lactating, leave out the brewer’s yeast? or is that how it cooks? I’ve wanted to try overnight oats so my teen could heat it up in the morning for a quick breakfast. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinning to our linkup board and hope you found some great posts to visit this week!
Julie says
Yea leave out the brewer’s yeast (because it doesn’t taste great). The other ingredients (and anything else you want to throw in) are still good regardless whether you’re breastfeeding or not. The oatmeal “cooks” by absorbing the milk overnight in the fridge. Thanks Tanya!
Bea says
I love steel cut oats! But I usually cook them the night before since it takes so long. I am a bit confused about that part of the recipe… Do you not cook them at all? I saw in one of your comment responses below that you microwave them a little. Does that actually cook them through?
Julie says
The microwaving is just to warm it up, cause cold oatmeal isn’t so good. But it “cooks” by absorbing the milk overnight in the fridge.
Brianne says
I am so glad I found you threw the mondaymeetup! I am book marking this for the spring. I am due in May and this looks simple and yummy! Love overnight oats!
Julie says
Thanks Brianne 🙂 Glad to virtually meet you 🙂 There’s no reason you can’t eat it now too! Oatmeal is great and healthy during pregnancy. You can just leave out the brewer’s yeast since it isn’t doing any favors to the flavor heh. I still make a variation of this and my son shares it with me in the morning. I even chop up some fruit and make 3 jars so it lasts all week (I can get two meals out of each mason jar).
Emma says
What a great idea! How many servings have you made at a time and how long does it keep in the fridge? Would be great to make a week’s worth on Sunday night to help speed up my morning routine.
Julie says
I make two full mason jars on Sunday night and it lasts me through the week. I usually get 2 to 2 and a half servings from a mason jar. Lately though my 10 month old has been sharing my morning oatmeal with me, so I might need to start making 3 mason jars hehe:) Thanks Emma!
Jules Ruud says
Oh, I love oatmeal and do plan to nurse again. Thank you for sharing this recipe! #MommyMeetUpMondays
Julie says
Thanks and glad you found it helfpul 🙂
Allegra Carey says
How long roughly should it sit in the frig? Overnight is a rather short period of my for a mom of school age kids and a newborn lol. Late nights and early mornings here.
Julie says
Can’t say I timed it, but it should be soft and absorbed
Jenny says
I love this and oatmeal is my favorite. Delicious. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. Happy Easter! #sharewithme
Julie says
Oatmeal is a great breakfast, and even better when you don’t have to spend time cooking it 🙂
Angela Gilmore says
Yum! I’ve never actually made overnight oats, not sure why. When I make oatmeal I just bring the dry stuff to work with me and then add hot water from the water cooler and let it sit covered which usually does the trick. I like this idea though because it seems like it would definitely make a creamier oatmeal. Do you find that the oatmeal helps with your milk supply?
Julie says
It does make the oatmeal creamy, cause coconut milk is yum! I don’t know if it actually helps with my supply, since I’ve been having issues from the start, but it does help me be mindful of eating healthy and drinking water if I’m already in the habit of making the oatmeal, so that helps at least maintain the little supply I have.
Rabia @TheLiebers says
OK, stupid question here…do you eat it cold or do you warm it up? I like oatmeal in the morning, but like you, don’t really have the time.
Julie says
I warm it in the microwave for a minute and a half. Oatmeal doesn’t taste good cold. 🙂
Brandyn says
What a great idea! I’ll definitely be keeping this in mind!
Thank you for sharing with us at #MommyMeetupMondays!
Julie says
Oatmeal is such a good for you breakfast, so hope you can adapt this to your own needs 🙂
[email protected] says
No way! That is amazing Julie!
Julie says
Yea I had no idea you could “cook” oatmeal in the fridge like that.
Stacey says
I never thought to do this. I ate oatmeal many mornings to help with my supply and I made lactation cookies. Adding the yeast would have been helpful!
Julie says
Great that you ate oatmeal a lot though 🙂
Pam says
Interesting, I did not know that oatmeal had that kind of benefit, is it the Brewer’s yeast that give the boost?
Pam
Julie says
Oatmeal (not the instant kind), flax seed, and brewer’s yeast are all boosters 🙂 Brewer’s yeast is supposed to have the biggest effect though, but in the powder form it is quite yucky so people prefer to make the cookies with it.
Hannah McCorry says
I love the simplicity of this. Can you heat overnight oats? I’m not fond of cold oatmeal but I do like it warm. How would you thing doing that would work? Also, is the brewer’s yeast taste strong in this? Everything I’ve made with brewer’s yeast, I’ve just masked the taste with tons of chocolate chips or peanut butter ?
Julie says
Yep I would heat it up each morning in the microwave. I found if I mixed it well so the brewers yeast didn’t clump I wouldn’t really taste it.