This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Meal Prep Oatmeal Cups are an easy make-ahead breakfast recipe that is a total time-saver for busy mornings. The kids can customize them with their favorite fruit and nut toppings, then they are frozen until you are ready to enjoy a hot breakfast! Delicious, healthy, and gluten-free, this is a morning freezer meal that the whole family will love.
Note: Originally published Aug 28, 2014.
Easy Meal Prep Oatmeal Cups You Can Customize
We all know how hectic mornings can be. Especially school mornings when every adult and kid in the house is running in different directions getting showered and dressed, gathering homework and lunches, and trying to get off to school and work in time.
These delicious, gluten-free frozen oatmeal cups are a meal prep breakfast that everyone in the family loves! An easy, kid-friendly recipe you can store in the freezer until you need a quick hot meal on a busy morning. The kids love that they get to customize their make-ahead breakfast with their favorite toppings. Mom loves having an easy, healthy, and quick freezer meal to serve.
Oatmeal is one of the best healthy breakfast foods. Oats have a ton of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and a high amount of iron. But perhaps most importantly, oatmeal is packed with fiber. Not only is this good for your cholesterol and blood sugar, but it also keeps you full and satisfied.
As everyone is getting ready for work or school, you may not have time to cook oatmeal. Overnight oats are an option for a meal prep breakfast recipe, and I love something like Raspberry Mocha Latte Overnight Oats or Pineapple Banana Overnight Oats. But not everyone enjoys cold oatmeal, so they want it hot. And those instant packets don’t have as much fiber and are often loaded with extra sugar.
The solution is Frozen Oatmeal Cups!
Can you freeze cooked oatmeal?
Yes, you can freeze oatmeal!
Make your favorite oatmeal in a large batch at a time when you can actually pay attention to preventing boil over. Add your favorite toppings and freeze it all in muffin cups. After they are frozen pop them out and into a plastic freezer storage bag until you need them.
Just take a few pucks out of the freezer the night before or in the morning, heat them up, and you have a cozy bowl of oatmeal without any oatmeal explosions.
DIY Frozen Oatmeal Cups
These make-ahead oatmeal cups are a fun and fabulous way to bring a little creativity to breakfast. Even better, the (not-so) hard work is done ahead of time, not when you’re trying to get everyone up, dressed, fed, and out the door.
And as an added bonus, if it’s the end of summer and you have an abundance of fresh fruit, this is a great way to preserve it for a taste of summer in the winter months. You see, these frozen oatmeal cups can be kept frozen for at least 6 months!
When crazy days are right around the corner, you’ll be glad you can just pull some make-ahead breakfast oatmeal cups from the freezer. They make the perfect tummy-warming breakfast for the kiddos.
What do you need for make-ahead oatmeal cups?
- Quick-cooking oats – use certified gluten free, if necessary. If you prefer to use old-fashioned or steel cut oats, they will work just be sure to cook according to the package instructions instead of following the recipe here.
- Brown sugar – you can use coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, or a low carb sweetener like Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute.
- Water
- Milk – use your favorite dairy or nondairy milk. Everything from skim to whole will work, as will almond milk, cashew milk, etc.
- Salt
- Toppings – You can really use anythign you love. Keep reading for ideas.
What can you put on oatmeal?
Oatmeal is a blank slate perfect for adding other ingredients that not only make them taste more delicious but also add even more good-for-you ingredients.
- Fresh fruit (or frozen and thawed) – bananas, chopped apples or pears, berries like strawberries or blueberries, peaches, pineapple, etc.
- Dried fruit – raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates or figs, dried cherries, etc.
- Nuts – peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc.
- Nut butter – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc., or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free alternative
- Seeds – pumpkin, chia, hemp, flax, etc.
- Other toppings – coconut, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, etc.
How to meal prep oatmeal
Cook the oatmeal. Combine the oats, brown sugar, water, milk, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook several minutes to the desired consistency.
Customize the oatmeal cups. Divide the oatmeal between the muffin tins and sprinkle on the toppings in whatever combination you like.
I didn’t have any when I first photographed this recipe, but now I would use silicone muffin pans or line my pans with silicone cupcake liners to make them easier to remove.
Freeze. Slide the muffin pans into the freezer. Once the oatmeal cups are frozen, pop them out of the tins and wrap them up in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer storage bag. Store the oatmeal cups in the freezer.
How to reheat freezer oatmeal
- If you are able to plan in advance, pull out one or two frozen oatmeal cups per person the night before and keep in the refrigerator.
- Warm them up in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (longer if still frozen).
- Splash on some milk if you like.
Grab some Waldorf Fruit Salad or a Blueberry Smoothie and breakfast is served, even on the busiest of mornings!
How long does frozen oatmeal last?
Stored in an airtight container or freezer storage bags, oatmeal can be frozen for up two 6 months. This is primarily for the quality to ensure you have the most delicious bowl of oatmeal. It will still be safe to eat beyond that time.
Tips for Success
Make them gluten free: Frozen oatmeal cups can be made gluten free by using certified gluten free oats and gluten free toppings.
Add more fiber: Instead of quick-cooking oats, use old-fashioned rolled oats or steel cut oats. Just follow the package instructions, substituting half of the water with your choice of milk.
Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to adjust the level of sugar or use another sweetener such as honey or maple syrup.
Make summer last longer: Choose fresh summer fruits so that you can enjoy blueberries, cherries, and peaches well into the fall.
More make-ahead breakfast ideas
There are so many things you can make when you are doing you meal prep over the weekend so that you can have a wholesome and satisfying breakfast any day of the week.
- Mini Chocolate Banana Blender Pancakes can be stored in the freezer, so definitely make a double batch.
- Honey Nut No-Bake Granola Bars are perfect to make for grab-and-go breakfasts all week long.
- Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars are another easy meal prep breakfast to last the week.
- Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are another freezer-friendly meal prep idea.
- Mini Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins are always a hit with the kids.
- Broccoli Ham and Cheese Egg Muffins give you a good dose of protein that you can store in the fridge or freezer.
- Four Ingredient Fruit Yogurt Parfait Hack make yogurt parfaits perfectly portable.
Make Ahead Freezer Oatmeal Cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats (certified gluten free, if needed)
- ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut or demerara sugar, to taste
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 pinch salt
- Assorted chopped fruit nuts, chocolate chips, or other toppings
Instructions
- Combine the oats, sugar, water, milk, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, or to desired consistency. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Spray two 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners (or use a silicone muffin pan) and set out toppings in bowls.
- Divide the cooked oatmeal between the muffin cups, and top each with desired toppings.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for several hours, or until frozen.
- Once frozen, pop out of the muffin tins, loosening with a butter knife or small spatula, if necessary and wrap in sandwich bags or plastic wrap.
- Remove desired number of cups (one to three per serving) from the freezer the night before or day you plan to serve them.
- Warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (longer if still frozen), and stir in a little more milk, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakekalechip on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
Categories:
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bake is a breakfast casserole you can make ahead of time.
- Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal is warm and cozy with a sweet and spicy kick.
- Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars let you bring your oatmeal along with you as you head out the door.
Great recipe! We are enjoying oatmeal again, even better when it’s homemade 🙂 I added a stick of cinnamon while it’s cooking. It adds a nice flavor. Thanks for posting this!
I’m feasting on the second batch of these. After the first batch, I found out it’s easier if you make the add in ingredients the filling rather than the topping. I spoon in half my oatmeal, then my frozen blueberries and nuts, then the rest of the oatmeal. Tamp things down with the back of a spoon and you’ll be able to get from freezer to table with fewer lost ingredients. I reduce the calorie count by cooking with almond milk and zero calorie brown sugar substitute and using zero calorie pancake syrup as my extra sweetener. P.S. Don’t know how I lived so long without silicon cupcake liners!!
I love the way you altered the recipe, Mandy, and I’m so happy to hear that you’re able to make it fit your nutritional preferences, too. Thank you so much for your comment and for rating the recipe. Oh, and yes… silicone cupcake liners are life-changing! 🙂
I just made these for the second time. Love these! I’m taking a slightly different approach this time and only freezing the basic oatmeal cups. I have frozen blueberries, walnuts, and bananas (flash freeze then into a baggie) next to the cups in the freezer. I go directly from freezer to microwave with a handful of berries or nuts and extra milk. 2 minutes is perfect in my microwave. I like about half oatmeal and half berries/milk in my bowl and I can’t fit that many berries on the muffin cups. So this is perfect for my family. Some mornings I add fig jam after it comes out of the microwave. Love this fast, nutritious breakfast! Thank you!
Jackie, your topping options sound ridiculously delicious!! I’m so glad you are enjoying the oatmeal cups. Thanks for your nice comment and for rating the recipe.
I love this recipe! It’s so easy and customize-able so I never get tired of having it! It’s great to have on the go and it’s the perfect amount of sweetness. Love it!
I’m so happy to hear that you love the oatmeal cups recipe. My boys love them, too!
Being as I am going to freeze these can I use frozen fruit? I am reading this post in October fruits are limited, but frozen are abundant! Thanks, B.Karr
You can certainly use frozen fruit in the oatmeal cups, Barbara. Be aware that your oatmeal may be a tiny bit watery from the fruit defrosting.
This is a great way for me to speed up getting ready for work in the morning and I’m trying to follow the Eat to Live foods allowed. So I can have my steel cut oats and make them ahead. I’ll be mixing up the muffin tin sections like in the photos so it doesn’t get boring. Mixed fruit in one, Chocolate chips w/ coconut for when I’m feeling like a cheat. Banana and walnuts too as well as cinnamon w/ apples and peaches. Thanks for the great idea.
This is such a good idea for busy mornings. Seems like they would be a lot of fun to make too.
What trick do you have for popping then out once they’re frozen? I ended up losing mlst of the topping, especially my cacoa nibs, because let it thaw a little bit and turned over, and still had to pound on them… ????
Press them down as soon as you can while the oatmeal is still “moist”. Some of the toppings on the ones my son made did fall off a little, but I just threw those in a plastic baggie with the frozen oatmeal so that when I poured it in a bowl to thaw and heat, it was all there.
Oh and for popping them out, make sure you’ve coated the tins with cooking spray or anther oil and if you need to, slide a thin knife around the edges. You could also probably line the tins with plastic wrap or even cupcake liners. I ben the silicone ones would work great.
Thanks. This is a great idea :), but I had a pretty hard time popping them out of the muffin tins. Most of my topping fell. Do you have a trick/advice on how to pop them out?
Thanks again
Great idea for busy morning breakfasts! I would have never thought to freeze my oatmeal – thanks for the inspiration.
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised that it thaws so well!
such a great way to make mornings easier!
Absolutely!
This is such a great idea!
Thanks!
Genius! Such a great idea and a healthy start to the day!
And easy too!
They look absolutely divine!!!!! I am definitely trying them out tomorrow!
Hope you enjoy! So easy to change up with your favortie toppings.
Can these be made with steel cut oatmeal?
I think as long as you cook according to the package directions (since steel cut oats take longer) there is no reason the technique for freezing shouldn’t work.
Hi! I was wondering, is there a way that I could sweeten this with maple syrup or apple sauce, instead of brown sugar? I really like the taste of maple oatmeal.
I don’t see why not. You’ll just need to taste it to see how sweet you want it.
How does the oatmeal not stick to the muffin tins? Do you spray them first?
Yes, then once they are frozen solid, you can pop them out with a knife, or quickly run a bit of hot water over the back of the pan.
Great! Thanks!
What dob you wrap them in and how long do they keep In the freezer?
After I pop the frozen cups out of the tin, I just wrapped the in sandwich baggies or plastic wrap. I’ve kept them a few months actually!
I don’t use a microwave. What would you suggest for reheating?
If you pull it out of the freezer the night before, you could warm it gently in a small pot. Maybe just add a touch of water or milk.
Are these quick oats or rolled oats? I cant seem to find the chex oats anywhere 🙁 also is it 3 cups of milk AND 3 cups of water? I just want to be sure
Thanks 🙂
These are quick oats, but really you can just cook up a big batch of any kind of oats you have and freeze it in cups.
I’d put strawberries,raisins,chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs would be good too. Thank you for the great tips and giveaway 🙂
blueberries and honey would be great
The toppings I would put on my DIY Freezer Oatmeal Cups would be pineapple. cherries and pecans.
BLUEBERRIES or any fresh fruit! YummY!
I’d put some cinnamon and berries.
I would make dried cherries with almonds.
Blueberries with bananas and walnuts.
Just a note~Saw the chex oatmeal on t.v.
but no luck finding in stores yet. 🙁
frozen berrries from my freezer
I would top them with Blueberries, Pineapple, and Raspberries.
I would do cinnamon, pecans & raisins!
Hi! Our kids love raisins and flax seed.
I think I would first try some dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries and walnuts. I can think of a ton of ideas though. You could have a new one every day just to mix it up. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would add blueberries and pecans on top
i would be putting flax seeds on top of my oatmeal. thanks!
Blueberries or strawberries. My husband would put raisins and cinnamon on his
Banana and peanut butter
I would add chocolate chips to some and blueberries to the others.
Cranberries and dark chocolate chips!!
I would use some fresh chopped peaches.
Blueberries and toasted walnuts for me…mini chocolate chips for the kiddos!
I would put blueberries, strawberries, and dried cranberries!!
Thank You for the chance
id use strawberries and bananas
What a fantastic idea! I’d probably add fresh peaches from my dad’s trees with slivered almonds.
I would put brown sugar and raisins
A little homemade GF granola would be added to my GF oatmeal!
I think I would use chocolate, coconut and almonds.
I love this idea. I think we’d keep it simple and use chocolate chips!
Peanut butter and cherries
Sliced almonds, blueberries, chia seeds and white chocolate chips.
I would love to add chocolate chips but I guess I should be healthy!?!
blueberries and bananas!
I would put apricots and almonds 🙂
I would definitely have blueberries and chocolate chips in mine!
I would top mine with peanut butter, banana’s and honey.
I would do blueberry and chocolate – yum!
I would add blueberries and a drizzle of honey!
coconut, cinnamon, and pecans
I would put some apple pieces and cinnamon.
I cannot wait to make these. I need a quick breakfast for myself. It’s gonna be hard trying to figure out what to use.
cherries and almonds
Apples and cinnamon!
strawberries and bananas
Such a creative idea!
I’d put blackberries and cashews.
Raspberfies, honey, slivered almonds…so many yummy this gs!
Yum! These look so perfect! Brown sugar and cinnamon is the best ever!
I would add bananas and some Almond butter
I would add blueberries and walnuts
I would add blueberries and pepitas and chocolate chips
I would add raisins my favorite. 🙂
cranberries and almonds for me … yum
I’d put cinnamon, raisins, and apples. Or chocolate chips!
I can’t wait to make these!
I hope they make your mornings easier!
So love this idea. I have been looking for meal ideas due to multiple food issues, and this should work!!!
Oh good! Glad to help!
What a great idea!! Not just for kids, but busy adults and folks looking for portion controlled breakfasts! AWESOME! I’m totally doing this!!
Yes, so many benefits! Portion control is a great point!
Browned butter….yum!
I would add dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Great idea! I have oatmeal every single morning, and this is a quicker and funner way to put breakfast together in the morning.
It was super fun! Enjoy!
This is so clever! We love Chex and this would be a great school morning breakfast!
Thanks Lori! I am loving having them in the freezer.
Walnuts and cranberries or blueberries
what an awesome idea!! i will be making these for sure!
Great! Enjoy!
I like cheese and seeds on my oatmeal/
I would put mixed berries and coconut
I just love this idea!! oh I loce the standard apples cinnamon and maple syrup
Classic combo!
brown sugar!
What a perfect start to a busy morning! Love it!
Thanks Serena!
I’d add raisins and almonds
This is GENIUS!!! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Faith!
What a cute idea! I’d put bananas and blueberries in mine!
I love oatmeal and this is such a great idea.
Thanks!
Blueberries, sugar free chocolate chips and nuts! 🙂
Banana and pecans
Peanut butter chips and fresh berries for a “PBJ” oatmeal!
Yum!! Love that!
Sounds delicious and so easy! I would top them with strawberries!
blueberries, apples n’ cinnamon, nuts, chocolate chips, the list goes on and on 🙂
I would put chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
Apples and Cinnamon! Love that combo
mango!!
I would have to go with cinnamon apples or peaches on my oatmeal, and maybe some almonds too!
What a terrific make ahead breakfast idea! Between making lunches, breakfasts and gathering school supplies, mornings with kids can be crazy! Love this shortcut!
Thanks Liz! Yes, this will definitely help!
I would put every single kind of nut imaginable.
I would top it with apples.
Coconut, pecans and blueberries!
Mmm… blueberries + walnuts, coconut + dark chocolate chips, peaches + cinnamon…
Bananas!!
TOTALLY AWSOME IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have saved me a ton of time. Thanks for sharing.
Oh yay! So glad you like it!
Oh my, what a great idea! We would totally take advantage of summer fruits – blueberries, raspberries, peaches… The possibilities are numerous!
Thanks so much! I love the idea of having summer fruits for a fall/winter breakfast!
Great idea. I already do overnight crock pot oats. Can make bigger batches and freeze. Woo Hoo
That is perfect!!
I would choose organic dark chocolate and raspberries!
This is just genius! I love this how-to recipe! Pinned
Thanks so much, Sommer!
What a good idea! I would use coconut, almonds, & chocolate chips!
Such a great concept, Brianne – definitely going to have to try this! I think I’d stir in peanut butter in mine and THEN add the chocolate chips. 😉
Now The Bug would have been ALL OVER that idea!
Oh I love this idea for school day breakfast!
Thanks! It is so fast for those busy mornings!
I would put cherries or blueberries on.
This is BRILLIANT! The possibilities are literally endless! Love, love, love!!
I know, so many ways you can change them up!
I think you just saved my life!!! Tiffany rarely eats something else for breakfast. Oatmeal. Oatmeal. Oatmeal. If I could make her oatmeal 3 times a day she would be a happy girl.
I can make a big batch and freeze in single servings. This is brilliant!!!
I eat oatmeal everyday too! Sometimes twice a day!
I’d top them with bananas and chocolate chips 🙂
Almonds and cinnamon would be my topping
What great ideas. I would definitely use walnuts and dried fruit. So many possibilities.
I would add raisins or chocolate chips.
Almond butter, bananas, and dark chocolate chips!
I had no idea that Chex made gluten free oatmeal. That is awesome. I’ll have to check it out.
Blueberries, cranberries, coconut and chocolate, cinnamon and apples!!
I know! Isn’t it great!
I went looking for them online and couldn’t find it. Then I saw an article with a statement from Chex that they halted production of the gluten free oatmeal due to not meet performance expectations. I’m bummed! ☹️ Stock up while it’s still on your grocery store shelves!
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Torah. Bob’s Red Mill makes gluten free oatmeal cups… perhaps you can find those in your local store, or order them online from the company’s website.
Fresh fruit for sure with a few nuts.
blueberries
Looks so delicious, you have the cutest helper, I would love blueberries on mine! Twitter is being yucky and won’t let me follow anymore, can you believe they limit me?? LOL Nettie
Aww, thanks Nettie! Oh no, is Twitter the new Facebook?! 🙂
We love Chex in our house and this idea is absolutely brilliant! I can imagine this recipe will save my mornings quite often from now on. Thank you!
Thanks Kristen! It is super-helpful to have ready!
Banana and peanut butter
I have blueberries and raspberries now that I would use on these oatmeal cups!
I like to put nuts and fruit in my oatmeal. I love walnuts and apples.
I’d probably opt for craisins and dried cherries, too. Definitely some brown sugar and maybe some chocolate chips!
This is really smart, your little one is adorable and my husband eats this cereal. 🙂
Thanks Ginny! They are great to have on hand!
Cranberries and pecans and cinnamon !!!!!!!!!!
Great combo!
Brianne! I love this idea! It’s perfect for back to school! I had no idea Chex made an oatmeal, can’t wait to try it since we need gluten free! Pinned. 🙂
Thanks Laura! Yes, isn’t it great that a brand we all know is making gluten free oats available easily!
What a perfect way to start our day-these are perfect for back to school!
I just popped a couple out of the freezer this morning!
chocolate chips!
Yummy and great idea for the oatmeal freezer cups! I’d add fresh fruit on top for sure
Thanks! Yes, it is a fun way to save the fresh fruit!
Maple sugar, cinnamon and almonds! Yummy!