Overnight Oats: compare the 2 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Easiest Classic VanillaEasy like the other, but 4 steps against 7.
- Lightest Classic VanillaAbout 340 calories a serving, against 460 calories for the other (an estimate).
- Kid helper Peanut Butter BananaA child can do 6 of the 7 steps: no knife, no heat.
- Make it ahead Peanut Butter BananaMake up to 3 jars at a time for the work or school week.
Side by side
| Classic Vanilla | Peanut Butter Banana | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 6 hr 5 min | 6 hr 5 min |
| Prep | 5 min | 5 min |
| Level | Easy | Easy |
| Steps | 4 | 7 |
| Serves | 1 jar | 2 jars |
| Key ingredients | old-fashioned rolled oats, milk and plain or vanilla Greek yogurt | banana, milk and greek yogurt |
| Only in this one | vanilla extract | banana, peanut butter and ground cinnamon |
| Dietary | ||
| Calories | 340 | 460 |
| Protein | 15 g | 19 g |
| Carbs | 49 g | 60 g |
| Fat | 10 g | 18 g |
| Cleanup | None | 5/5 1 thing to wash |
| Kid helper | Yes, 3 of 4 steps | Yes, 6 of 7 steps |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.