Low FODMAP Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a classic and timeless low FODMAP breakfast, especially during the warmer spring and summer months.  This IBS-friendly low FODMAP overnight oats recipe has been a staple for me many years now!

(Recipe and post updated June 29, 2023)

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links* for my favorite food products that we use at home. As an Amazon Associate, I may make a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you!

Let’s talk about oats

I love oats for a multitude of reasons! They’re whole grain, high in soluble fiber and prebiotics for gut health, rich in micronutrients, hypoallergenic (for most people), budget-friendly, tasty, and very versatile from a culinary standpoint – even for those of us on a low FODMAP diet.

Whole grain and rich in fiber

As  wonderful GI-friendly whole grain, oats provide us with a nice source of soluble fiber for a healthy digsetive transit time.

Prebiotic

Oats are a natural food source of prebiotics – specifically due to their phytochemicals. This means they feed and support the growth of good probiotic microbes in the gut. (Read more about prebiotics vs probiotics here!)

Nutrient-dense

Oats are satiating and packed with micronutrients like B vitamins and minerals (such as phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, potassium, thiamin, zinc, copper and pantothenate to name a few!). They’re also a source of complex carbohydrate and protein for energy sustenance.

Gut-friendly and hypoallergenic

Technically, oats are inherently gluten free and low FODMAP. This makes them relatively easy to tolerate for most people with gut issues.

However, if you struggle with tolerating gluten and/or wheat, you’ll want to make sure you opt for oats that are certified gluten free to avoid cross-contamination.

Easy and budget-friendly

Another reason I love overnight oats so much is because they’re pretty low maintenance, non-perishable, easy to make in bulk, and very budget-friendly at ~$0.20-0.25 per ounce.

Tasty and versatile

When properly prepared, oats are delish!  They’re also versatile in that you can make them into lots of different things.

For example, hot cooked oatmeal with baked apples, cinnamon and pecans is a completely different experience from overnight oats with berries, yogurt and nut butter.

And when you soak oats in a liquid (i.e. a low FODMAP milk or milk substitute), they swell up and take on a pudding-like texture.

There are infinite ways to make overnight oats, even when following a low FODMAP diet protocol!  Oats go great with all different types of fruit, cinnamon, chocolate chips/cacao nibs, coconut, nuts, seeds, maple, honey, protein powders, and more.

Low FODMAP overnight oats: the recipe

I’ve made these dozens of different ways depending on what I feel like (and what I have on-hand in my kitchen).  Below is a very basic, standard overnight oats recipe which you can use as a base, and feel free to tweak it to fit your individual needs and preferences.

Ingredients

Oats

For this recipe you can use rolled oats, or I’ve also been loving One Degree Organics sprouted quick oats* which allow me to make this recipe in about 10-15 minutes versus overnight.

To heir on the side of caution, I also recommend opting for certified gluten free oats.

• I find some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are extra sensitive to the high FODMAP fructans in wheat, or the high gliadin levels of gluten in the United States which is genetically modified and not great for leaky gut. (Read more about wheat vs gluten here if you’re interested!)

Lactose-free milk or milk substitute

For this recipe I recommend using a lactose-free and unsweetened low FODMAP milk or milk substitute of your choice.

As a holistic dietitian and former IBS sufferer, my favorite brands of milk substitutes (while not all low FODMAP in 8-ounce servings) are generally Malk*, Elmhurst*, and Rise* because they don’t use a lot of added refined sugars or fillers, which tend to disrupt the gut microbiome.

It’s also important to keep in mind that just because a milk or milk substitute is low FODMAP doesn’t mean it’s IBS-friendly!

• Feel free to read more about the best milks for IBS sufferers here.
• Or if you’re feeling ambitious, and you love maple pecan, I invite you to give my low FODMAP maple pecan milk a whirl!

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are a type of naturally demulcent food which turn into gel-like consistency, swelling and creating more of a pudding-like texture when mixed with a small amount of liquid. From a culinary and foodie standpoint, chia seeds add a nice texture to overnight oats (in my opinion).

Not to mention, they’re a wonderful low FODMAP source of extra fiber, essential fatty acids, plant-based protein, and antixidants for sustenance and vitality! (Read more about what yours truly had to say about the many benefits of chia seeds via Real Simple and Forbes!)

Low FODMAP add-in’s (optional but encouraged!)

To make your overnight oats tasty and balanced, I recommend picking one thing from every category! (Don’t pick more than 1 from each category to avoid FODMAP stacking.)

Herbs/spices (choose as many as you’d like)

• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Apple pie spice
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Nutmeg
• Cacao nibs
• Vanilla powder / vanilla beans

Healthy fat

For extra satiety and sustenance, prinkle in some low FODMAP nuts, seeds, peanut butter, or coconut toppings such as:

• Almonds or hazelnuts (up to 10)
• Almond butter or hazelnut butter (up to 1 TBSP)
• Walnuts or walnut butter
• Natural peanut butter
• Sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter
• Pumpkins seeds or pumpkin seed butter
• Ground flax seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Coconut flakes
• Pecans or pecan butter

Protein

• Collagen peptides
• Natural peanut butter
• Brown rice protein powder
• Pea protein powder
• Truvani protein powder*
• Hemp seeds

Fruit

• Strawbereries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• 1/2 banana
• Pineapple
• Canned pumpkin

Sweetener

• Real maple syrup
• Turbinado sugar
• 1 teaspoon or less of raw honey

Probiotics

• Consider adding a dollop of low-lactose yogurt or dairy-free yogurt for some probiotics to make these oats extra gut-friendly.

How to make them (step-by-step instructions)

Step 1: combine

Combine the oats, milk/milk substitute, and chia seeds in a bowl or mason jar. Mix well.

Step 2:  refrigerate and store

Store the sealed container of your oat concoction in the refrigerator (10-15 minutes for sprouted quick oats/plain instant oats, or ~8 hours/overnight for rolled oats).

Step 3:  top with fixings & enjoy!

At this point, your oats are ready to enjoy! This recipe makes one serving. You can enjoy these oats right out of the bowl/jar.

The additional toppings are optional but highly recommended if you’d like a 5-star overnight oats experience on a low FODMAP diet. 😉

Get as creative as you’d like, or refer to my suggested combinations below.

Suggested combinations

The sky’s the limit, but here are a few examples of how you can combine the above ingredients to make all different types of magical low FODMAP overnight oats concoctions:

• Overnight oats with cinnamon, cacao nibs, natural peanut butter, 1 teaspoon honey, and some sliced bananas
• Overnight oats with allspice, real maple syrup, vanilla Truvani protein powder, strawberries, cacao nibs, and sliverered almonds
• Overnight oats with collgen peptides, turbinad sugar, vanilla powder, fresh pineapple, and dried coconut flakes
• Overnight oats with real maple syrup, collagen, pumpkin pie spice, pecans, and a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin

This base recipe makes a single serving. You can double it or make it in bulk, adjusting the ingredient ratios according to your desired texture.  I encourage you to get creative and try out your own flavor combinations too!

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best oatmeal for IBS?

There are lots of wonderful options! But generally my personal favorite go-to oatmeal options for people with IBS are any oats that happen to be organic, gluten free (just in case of cross contamination with wheat, which contains FODMAPs and gluten that you may or may not react to), and/or sprouted (sprouting makes grains like oats easier to digest).

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats*
• One Degree Organics oats (all)*
• Purely Elizabeth Original Superfood Oats*

I tend to use and recommend lots of other Bob’s Red Mill* and Purely Elizabeth oatmeal products* as well, for my IBS clients, even when they aren’t 100% gluten free, sprouted or organic.

More low FODMAP resources & recipes for you

If you enjoyed this recipe, there’s more where that came from!  Feel free to browse the following recipes and articles to learn more about FODMAPs and IBS.

Articles

• Is Oatmeal Low FODMAP?
• What’s the Best Milk for IBS Sufferers?
• Expert Guidance on Finding & Choosing a Low FODMAP Bread
• 15 Tasty & Healthy Low FODMAP Breakfast Recipes (Round-Up)
• Ultimate Guide to Finding & Choosing a Low FODMAP Cereal
• The Best Low FODMAP Granola for IBS
• 15 Simple & Delicious Dietitian-Approved Low FODMAP Lunch Ideas
• 19 Simple and Healthy Low FODMAP Dinner Ideas & Recipes (Round-Up)
• 50+ Tasty Low FODMAP Snacks for IBS
• Holistic Dietitian Advice for Navigating Low FODMAP Sweeteners

Recipes

• Low FODMAP Butternut Squash Pancakes
• Low FODMAP Prebiotic Potato Salad
• Low FODMAP Maple Glazed Carrots
• Low FODMAP Bolognese
• Sweet & Savory Low FODMAP Teriyaki Chicken Wings
• GI-Friendly Low FODMAP Pumpkin Pie