In my dream world, I’d be writing this post in a beach chair with the sounds of the ocean in the background and a delicious piña colada in my hand, but alas, none of those things are true—so what’s the answer? Bring the beach to me with these Healthy Tropical Coconut Overnight Oats!
These pineapple and coconut overnight oats mix up in just a few minutes and result in a delicious and creamy grab-and-go breakfast that brings a little bit of the islands to your kitchen. Welcome to the magic that is overnight oats!
What are overnight oats?
Making overnight oats is a no-cook method for making oatmeal. You make them by combining rolled oats with liquid and other ingredients, and letting it rest in the fridge overnight (hence the name!). In the morning, you can eat it cold like a pudding, or you can heat it up if you prefer. If you’re new to making overnight oatmeal and want a full primer (plus lots of other easy-to-make recipes), check out our Overnight Oats 101 post.
What makes overnight oatmeal so great?
Everyone in my house is a huge fan of overnight oats (I love these coconut ones, but my husband and daughter are especially keen on the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ones). So what makes them such a great part of your weekly meal prep?
- They are so decadent and delicious that even kids love them. The oats soften up in the fridge to make a thick and sweet pudding that is totally yummy. My kid devours overnight oats!
- You can customize them to fit your preferences. Make them gluten-free, vegan, or in whatever flavor you’d like. We’re covering the pineapple and coconut flavor in this post, but once you get the idea of overnight oats down, you can go wild making your own creations!
- They can be super healthy. You are in control of how healthy or decadent (or both!) these oats become. Reduce the added sweeteners, mix in some protein powder or collagen peptides, or add in some superfoods like hemp seeds or chia seeds. The possibilities are endless!
- Overnight oats are great for meal prep. Spend just a few minutes in the evening, and you’ll have a grab-and-go breakfast in the morning!
- Overnight oats are easy to make in bulk. They are a staple of many meal prep menus for good reason—you can mix up an entire week’s worth of breakfast in just a few minutes.
Don’t make this (yucky!) mistake with these overnight oats!
Most of my overnight oats recipes can be made days or even a week in advance, but I only recommend making this recipe the night before you eat. Why? Well, fresh pineapple has an enzyme in it that breaks down protein, which in turn makes it taste bitter—not good eats! You can avoid this by only making this the night before you plan to eat it. Canned pineapple also solves the problem since the enzyme has been deactivated by the high-heat of the canning process. I’ve had good luck with making this recipe 3-7 days in advance if I stick with canned pineapple.
Can you make substitutions to these oats?
Sure can! You can easily make swaps to suit your preferences. It’s simple to make these oats vegan, gluten free, and low- or no-sugar. We cover all the substitutions you can make in our in-depth overnight oats post,but here are some specific swap ideas for these tropical coconut overnight oats:
- Make it vegan: Use plant-based yogurt and maple syrup for sweetener.
- Make it sugar-free: Drop the sweetener and use a whole banana. Or use stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of the maple syrup or honey if you prefer.
- Make it gluten-free: Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Can you heat up overnight oats?
Not into cold oatmeal? No problem. Just warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently, or in a small saucepan on the stove until heated to your liking.
Where can you find more overnight oats recipes?
We’ve got you covered when it comes to simple and easy overnight oats recipes! Here are some of the most well-loved recipes on Wholefully.
Healthy Tropical Coconut Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
Pineapple and coconut come together to make an island-style treat for breakfast in these healthy, dairy-free Tropical Coconut Overnight Oats!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or plant-based yogurt
- 1/2 cup (heaping) rolled oats
- 2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (in the can)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax meal
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 0–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple
- 1/3 cup chopped ripe mango
- 1/2 ripe banana, chopped or mashed
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Spoon into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Close and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before eating.
Notes
Most of my overnight oats recipes can be made days or even a week in advance, but I only recommend making this recipe the night before you eat, or the enzymes in fresh pineapple will make these oats bitter. If you want to make this further in advance, use canned pineapple in place of fresh, up to 7 days ahead of time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 562Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 8gSugar: 58gProtein: 15g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
