
July 9, 2012
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No-cook oatmeal? Yes! In 5 minutes, you can enjoy a delicious way to eat a filling breakfast with fresh fruit.
If you forgot to put the oats in the fridge overnight and love the cold texture of overnight oats, you’re going to love this no-cook, raw oatmeal method!

Can You Eat Raw Oats?
While raw old-fashioned, and quick oats are safe to eat, they taste much better with milk and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Nutritionally, there is no difference between eating cooked or raw oats, it all comes down to your preference.
Some people like warm oatmeal with berries, while others prefer overnight oats or breakfasts like this: plain oats with berries and cold milk. It’s a hearty and refreshing switch from regular cooked oatmeal that holds you over for hours.
Texture of raw oat
There is no cooking involved with this method, so after 5 minutes, the raw oat flakes soften up, soak up the liquid and become thick, taking on a similar texture to muesli.
Can you eat oats raw?
Yes! There is no need to cook oats in order to enjoy them for breakfast! Cooking and heating them up is a matter of preference. The oats soften when they are hydrated with the milk giving them a semi-cooked texture.
Ingredients for Raw No-cook Oats
In theory, all you need is liquid and oats to make this. That said, you want to enjoy a nice breakfast, so I suggest:
- Oats: old-fashioned or instant, both work for this no-cook method.
- Berries: they add sweetness and flavor. You can also use any other fruit you have on hand.
- Milk: traditional o your favorite dairy-free milk to hydrate the oats.
- Honey or maple syrup: optional and adds a nice touch of sweetness!
Making Raw Oatmeal with Fruit
This oatmeal practically makes itself! No stove or oven is required, only a bowl, some oats, and your choice of milk and toppings. Here’s how to make it:
- Measure
Divide the oats among the bowls. - Add the fruit
About ½ cup or more diced berries or your favorite fruits. - Hydrate
YAdd the milk, and stir. Wait 5 minutes for the oats to soften. - Enjoy!
Drizzle with honey or maple syrup, and enjoy!
We all know the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Well, I never put a lot of stock into that phrase until I became a mother.
Feeding my kids a filling, wholesome breakfast makes all the difference in how they start their day. It needs to be filling and have enough protein to keep them from getting hungry halfway through the morning.
Packing fresh lunches is also no longer an issue since we began using the MOMables menus, but getting my boys to eat breakfast when we are in a hurry can be challenging. My 3 boys have differing tastes, so it’s not always easy to make everyone happy.
Having a variety of choices on hand seems to keep the kids a little more interested in breakfast and our mornings complaint-free.
More Easy Oatmeal Recipes
Oats are a staple for breakfast and one of the most versatile ingredients. Here are more delicious ways to serve them for breakfast, whether that’s baked oatmeal or a batch of overnight oats:
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal
- Banana Split Overnight Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Bananas Foster Overnight Oats
- Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats

Raw Oatmeal with Berries
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats old-fashioned or instant
- 1 cup berries diced
- 1 cup milk dairy or non dairy
- 2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey optional
Instructions
- Divide the oat among the bowls. Top each bowl with half of the fruit and half of the milk.
- With a spoon, stir to combine the mixture, and let it sit for 5 minutes to soak up the liquid and soften. If you can wait ten, they’ll soften up some more.
- Drizzle with honey if you want, and enjoy.
Lauri T
as i work toward reducing my cholesterol, i have found different ways to eat oatmeal. i dont cook it or let it sit overnight – but eating it raw with milk, or a protein shake, and a handful of fruit is sooo goood!! I wish i had discovered this sooner – but better late than never. enjoy!
Jen Fischer
Love how simple and healthy this is!
Laura
Thank you Jen! sometimes simple things are delicious! :) just the way nature meant it!