Over the last few weeks I’ve shared ideas about meal planning and getting organized around the topic. We’ve talked about the basics on how to get started and you took a peek inside my organized fridge / freezer. There’s more posts on the way including my favorite containment options and an awesome round-up of family-friendly meal planning blogs. There is a lot of help and inspiration found around the web – not only here! But I’ve been receiving lot of questions about recipes, so I’m going to mix these in from time to time on the blog as well. Since this is the first recipe I’m sharing, and breakfast is the first meal of the day, let’s start with this easy meal-prep breakfast: Low-Sugar Steel Cut Oats.

I could go on and on (and on) about the differences between oat varieties and why steel cut oats are the better choice, but PopSugar did a pretty good job summing it up for me in this article. It’s a quick read so be sure to check it out! But this little graph helps quite a bit too…

I love steel cut oats and they are the staple to my morning meal, but they take a while to cook. Not the most convenient option when you’re in a mad dash to get out the door. Prepping these in advance saves me so much time during the week. I make this recipe on Sunday and it lasts me through Saturday. No joke! And I’m about to show you how.

Carbs are something I prefer to go heavy on in the morning and then taper off by mid-afternoon. Personally, I see myself as a carb-sensitive person. Not in the sense that I have gluten issues. I mean that when I eat too many carbs all day and into the evening, the pounds quickly pack on. When I start my day with a slow-burning carb like this, I’m less tempted as the day goes on. Steel cut oats fill me up but it’s not the only thing I eat in the morning – I usually pair this with 2-4 hard boiled egg whites (for protein) and some fruit (a little natural sugar and more carbs). But oats are the “substance” I need to not feel hungry right away.

And of course, I drink tons of coffee. Ha!

Anyway, I keep my steel cut oats in this container. It holds 23 cups, keeps them fresh and it’s only $8! I’ve owned a collection of these containers for years and years. It’s one of my faves…

To make steel cut oats, you need 3 cups of water and 1 cup of oats. From there you can just double or triple the recipe. I double the recipe when I make these on Sunday’s which yields 6-7 1 cup servings – like I said, perfect for the next 6 days.

I start by boiling 6 cups of water…

When it comes to a boil, pour in 2 cups of oats and stir. Lower the temp to simmer. They will simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally…

When you hit that 25-30 minute mark, my favorite thing to do is add a teaspoon (or more) of vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk…

This makes them flavorful and creamy. After another 5 minutes, the oats are done. I let them sit on the stove for a while to cool before I transfer to these 1-cup sized containers…

These containers are the perfect size, fit nicely in the fridge (I stack them neatly, as high / deep as they can be stacked to save fridge space) and come as a set of 5 for less than $8 – love it!

To reheat my oats every morning, I microwave (if in a hurry) or warm them in a pot on the stove (if working from home). But this is my special addition each day…

Yes, I add a tiny splash of sugar-free vanilla creamer and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. Then I top with fruit I have on hand – sometimes berries, sometimes peaches. So delicious and healthy – and QUICK because you prepped them in advance. Sometimes I don’t even add anything – generally if I was in a hurry that morning – and just reheat, grab a spoon and eat as is. Prepping steel cut oats this way ensures your first meal of the day is going to be healthy…and we all know that first meal choice leads to all sorts of good eating as the day goes on.

I hope this recipe is helpful and that you give it a try yourself! More recipes to come soon!

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