Tropical Overnight Oats + Time-Saving Morning Tips

Even if you’re on the go,  you can start your day with a boost of nutrition with these tropical overnight oats. I’m also sharing a few time-saving morning tips I swear by to get my day started on the right foot. 

Raise your hand if you often feel pressed for time in the morning. *insert hand raise emoji* It is so easy for the morning to sneak up on us. While I definitely consider myself a morning person, I often have a hard time managing my time first thing in the morning. Even on those days I am able to wake up without pressing snooze (a rare feat), I still find myself rushing around to get out the door. I find this usually happens because I take my morning self-care routine very seriously, and on weekday mornings I refuse to go to work without having journaled, meditated and read a few pages from a book, or a few posts from some of my favorite blogs of the moment. All of those things help me get my mind right for the day, and I notice a huge difference in my attitude when I don’t do them.

Toss in a morning workout and the getting ready process (which I’ll be honest, only takes about 20 minutes because I’m not exactly having a glamour contest in my cubicle each day) on top of that, and breakfast can sometimes get the short end of the stick. I mean, trust me I love those gorgeous Instagram smoothie bowls as much as the next girl, but when you have a J-O-B…ain’t nobody got time for that. That’s why breakfasts that can be prepped ahead of time and taken on the go are key when you’re busy, or when you would rather spend your mornings getting your mind right than making a complicated breakfast.

During the summer, overnight oats and smoothies are heavy on my breakfast rotation. Not only are they cold, which is great on warm summer mornings, but they can be whipped up in a hurry. When making overnight oats I typically stick with my cookie dough variation.  I still love that recipe, but recently I wanted to venture out and try something a little more summery. And to me, nothing is more summery than tropical flavors. 

Dried mango and pineapple are absolute crack. (Insert Mean Girls quote – “Say crack again…” “Crack.”) I love them in trail mix, or as a sweet snack on their own. So it was only a matter of time before my favorite dried tropical fruits got acquainted with overnight oats. 

Another secret ingredient I have been loving in my overnight oats lately? Wheat germ. While I don’t follow any particular diet I am definitely all about getting the most bang for my nutritional buck. I started adding Kretschmer Wheat Germ to my oats to sneak in extra nutrition without making breakfast too complicated. Wheat germ is a great source of Vitamin E, Magnesium, Iron, Fiber and Folic Acid (which is especially important for women).  Wheat germ is so versatile, and can be used in smoothies, baked goods and more. I will definitely be sharing more recipes with it in the future!

I used almond milk as the base for these oats, but if you really want to get tropical you can use coconut milk. These oats are so easy to whip up, and will be waiting for you in the morning. A good breakfast that’s ready when you are? Everybody has time for that! 

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Tropical Overnight Oats + Time-Saving Morning Tips

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours 5 mins

 

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• ⅓ Cup Rolled Oats
• 1 Tablespoon Kretschmer Wheat Germ
• 1 Teaspoon Chia Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Hemp Seeds (or sub an extra teaspoon of chia)
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Dried Pineapple (no sugar added)
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Dried Mango (no sugar added)
• 1 Teaspoon Honey or Maple Syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Macadamia Nuts (or nut/seed of choice)
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and stir until well combined. Cover with a lid, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
2. If the oats are too thick after refrigeration, add additional almond milk until desired consistency is reached.

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In addition to having a nourishing breakfast waiting for me in the fridge, a few more time-saving morning tips I swear by include:

• Picking out tomorrow’s outfit the night before and hanging it on the back of the door. Avoid rummaging through your closet first thing in the a.m. The less decisions you have to make in the morning, the better! I keep a hook on the back of my door that I like to hang the next day’s outfit on before going to bed. 
• Sleeping in my workout clothes. Ok, I see you giving me the side eye through the screen. I know this sounds weird but I have been doing it for years. When I sleep in regular pajamas it takes me FOREVER to get going in the morning. I move slower, and usually just don’t feel like changing into workout clothes. Honestly, it’s all mental. If I sleep in a workout outfit, I wake up and am ready to go because I’m already dressed for a workout. 
• Keeping my keys in the same spot every day. I am basically religious about hanging up my keys every time I come home. I have a key hook near the door so they are waiting for me when it’s time to leave. There is nothing worse than not being able to find your keys when it’s time to go. Make a habit of keeping them in one (easily accessible) spot! 

Your Turn:

• What are some of your favorite summer breakfasts?
• What are some of your morning time-saving tips?
• How do you feel about inserting Mean Girls quotes into everyday conversation?

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Kretschmer Wheat Germ in partnership with Whole Foods Market. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend products I use and trust. Thank you for supporting The Balanced Berry <3