Oats aren't boring

Maybe you're just out of ideas

I hate meal prep. I think it’s such a stupid concept. How on earth can you eat the same thing for lunch five days a week? Aren’t you going to be bored by Tuesday? Jokes aside, I understand why people meal prep. It’s a convenient way for busy people to feed themselves (like students and families), cuts down on food waste (kale won’t spoil if you cook it all on Sunday), and is good for your wallet (see point #2). I’ve tried preparing a few meals on Sunday that will last me throughout the week, but I live by myself — I’m the only one eating my leftovers, and by the time I have to repeat a meal, I’m bored. My one exception to being anti-meal-prep is overnight oats.

I’ve been a huge fan of oatmeal for years. On most mornings in high school I’d have a bowl of it every morning, and if I didn’t have it in then, I packed overnight oats for lunch. When I moved back home in March 2020, making a bowl of oatmeal — topped with frozen berries, granola, and bee pollen — offered a sense of routine to a rather unprecedented time. Last Sunday, I happened upon an old BA recipe for overnight oats from Claire Saffitz that sparked my meal-prepping tendencies.

They say the world is opening up again; with the openings comes a lot of noise. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m the eat-breakfast-every-day type, and food is something I’m not willing to sacrifice in the morning. My classes transitioned back to in-person learning last week, so I made a batch of overnight oats to ease myself back into “real life.” By the way, life has felt very real and wonderful lately — I’ve eaten lots of great food with people I love! Getting back into old routines can be tricky though, especially when you’re a student. I’ve been leaning into the busyness, as this is the last academic chapter of my life. I’m still taking time to practice self care, and food is one of my favorite ways to show myself (and you guys) some love.

The oats

The overnight oats equation is so simple I could do it in my sleep. And I practically have — it’s close to midnight on a weeknight and you remember overnight oats make you happy, so you schlep yourself to the kitchen and whip up a batch.

serves one

The great thing about OOs is that you never have to follow the same equation twice, which makes for endless breakfast options. (See this issue for more on swapping ingredients!) I often add ground flax seeds to mine as well, and I think agave and honey are great subs for the syrup if you’d rather save yours for pancakes. If you want more depth, try adding a scoop of cocoa or protein powder. My favorite flavor combo is banana and peanut butter. I told you — the options are endless.

My go-to base: oats, flax meal, and chia seeds

Tahini is what made last week’s batch special. Just mix it into your wet ingredients before combining with your dry. I also added some pumpkin pie spice, which reminds me that pumpkin puree is another great addition to oats.

If the idea of old goopy oatmeal is bothersome, you can always throw them in the microwave for 45 seconds.

More great flavor combos

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Reese’s PB Cup: 2 teaspoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Double chocolate: 2 teaspoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon chocolate chips

Berries & cream: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1-2 diced strawberries

When you’re looking at a bowl of oatmeal, ask yourself if it resembles a sweater your grandfather would wear. If the answer is yes, then you’re in for a treat. With this in mind, the picture below is as pretty as these oats are going to get. After a good overnight soak, remove your batch of OOs from the fridge and scoop ’em right into a bowl. Although meal prepping is all about saving time, I did zhuzh mine up with more syrup, cinnamon, and sesame seeds.

Mmm, oatmeal.

So there you have it — a simple, easy breakfast that practically cooks itself! If you enjoyed this issue of Party of One, please give it a like. Life has been quite busy with school, work, and job applications (Happy Senior Spring to my friends graduating soon!). I haven’t had the chance to cook all that much, but when I do, you’ll be the first to know. Thank you for the support, and enjoy your week!