Nothing, and I mean nothing gets my day started better than waking up before kids in order to enjoy a little bit of breakfast. While I consider myself a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal, one thing has remained a constant in my life – Quaker Oats.

As a child, my mom would prepare my almost daily bowl of Quaker Old Fashioned oatmeal, side of fruit and chocolate milk with a chalky Flintstones vitamin on the side. I ate this meal religiously, and happily. It was my favorite, and 30 years later Quaker Oats oatmeal is STILL a family favorite. It’s my quick yet healthy go-to meal for breakfast, and sometimes lunch and dinner.

While we greatly enjoy flavors like Maple & Brown Sugar, Apple & Cinnamon to Raisins & Spice, there’s something about Quaker Old Fashioned Oats that feels like a warm bowl of home. But unlike my breakfast 30 years ago, there are ways of making something that’s already great, even better!

So how does one take their Quaker Oats to the next level?

It started when I felt the breakfast god’s smile down on me as I randomly received a shout out from Quaker Oats saying they wanted to send me a gift. I don’t know how they found me or why I was chosen. But, one thing was sure, I knew they were gonna send me my favorite food of all time, little did Quaker know, they hit jackpot when reaching out to me.

Well, the joke was on me as that gift was more than what I had originally expected. First off, it was heavy. I thought it was several months supply, to which I would have been utterly grateful. But something more was in that box. There staring back at me was an old-fashioned wooden crate filled with two canisters of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, a ceramic mug, tote bag, a fancy decorative cloth napkin, two Quaker mason jars, a small spoon, eye mask and six recipe cards.

It was a box of comfort food and ways to help me enjoy it. They did everything but cook it for me.

While my entire family enjoys Quaker oatmeal this box of relaxation would be completely indulged by me. Well, most of it. Kids never let you fully enjoy everything. And since sharing is caring…

Anyhoo, out of everything, it was the recipe cards that got me the most excited. They provided six new ways for me to enjoy my morning meal. They are super easy and take no more than 10 minutes to prepare. But the key was you prep them the night before giving you more time to enjoy it the next day.

The next time you’re at your local grocer get some of these ingredients and try one or more of these single serving recipes for yourself.

Summer Berry Overnight Oats

1/3 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/3-1/2 cup of milk of choice
1/3 cup mixed berries
1 tbsp of chia seeds
pinch of cinnamon
1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt
Pinch of kosher salt

Once everything is mixed in one bowl and stirred place in the fridge overnight. In the morning top with something with crunch and something with healthy fats – like nut butter or nuts.

Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats

1/2 cup of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup sliced bananas
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tsp of chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey

Combine oats with milk and vanilla. Add a layer of blueberries and banana slices. Top with chia seeds and drizzle honey. Refrigerate overnight enjoy in the morning.

Pina Colada Overnight Oats

1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp shredded coconut
1/4 cup diced pineapples

Make a foundation of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and milk in a jar. Toss in honey, coconut, and pineapple and refrigerate overnight. In the morning top with almonds or something crunchy.

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup sliced bananas
1/2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp honey

Combine Quaker Old Fashioned Oats with milk, vanilla extract, chia seeds and cinnamon. Alternate between layers of peanut butter and layers of sliced banana. Drizzle honey. Place in refrigerator to soak and enjoy in the morning.

Overnight Oats Banana Split

1/3 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/3 cup of milk of choice
1 tbsp chocolate nut or seed butter
1 (or more) tbsp Quaker Real Medley’s Dark Chocolate with Almond Granola
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
Sprinkle of cinnamon
A drizzle of chocolate sauce
Pinch of salt
1 Ripe banana
3 cherries

In a jar or bowl, combine Quaker Old Fashioned Oats with Greek yogurt, milk, salt and cinnamon and allow to sit overnight. Mix the chocolate nut or seed butter with a few tablespoons of milk. Set overnight. In the morning assemble banana split by pouring overnights oat mixture onto the banana, and adding granola, chocolate sauce, and cherries.

S’mores Overnight Oats

1/2 Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1tbsp marshmallow
1 graham cracker
1 tbsp chocolate chips

In a jar, mix Quaker Old Fashioned Oats with low-fat milk, and place in fridge overnight. The next morning, top off with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham cracker. Enjoy an old favorite snack inside, minus the campfire.

For even more recipes visit the Quaker Oats recipe page.

Which Quaker Old Fashioned Oats recipe are you gonna try?

*The complimentary gift box I received from Quaker Oats included all items shown excluding the bowl. All thoughts are my own.