A review of Trader Joe’s trio of vegan overnight oats.
Once upon a time, oats were simple creatures: dry, dusty, and destined for a steamy rendezvous with boiling water or milk. We’d stir, wait, and hope they didn’t glue themselves to the pot like a bad first date. Fast forward to today and behold! Modern life has bestowed upon us a new way: no heat, no pots, no culinary clean-up crises. Enter the magical realm of overnight oats, where your fridge becomes a silent sous-chef, working tirelessly while you binge your favorite shows. Why the craze? Because apparently, we’ve decided our mornings deserve a little less chaos and a lot more “set it and forget it” energy. Plus, it feels kind of fancy to say, “Oh, I prepared my oats last night.” Sounds like something Martha Stewart would approve of, doesn’t it? So, let’s see how this trendy breakfast food stacks up to homemade…
This is not the first time I have reviewed Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats. I first reviewed it way back in 2019 just as this trend started and Trader Joe’s ever the first one to hop on a trend, released just a vanilla overnight oats in a larger tub back then. I didn’t like the version 1 overnight oats because they were too mushy and sweet as compared to making them yourself at home (which isn’t really that hard is it people!?!?). I prefer oats and some flavored kefir and a dash of whole milk when I make them myself.
Today we have three flavors. Vanilla, Apple Spice and Peanut butter. I know, peanut butter? but hang with me… All over these overnight oats are vegan, gluten free and kosher! They only use almond “milk” to soak the oats.
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Overnight Oats
First up is the Trader Joe’s Vanilla Overnight Oats. All three of these overnight oats are 5.5 oz. and $1.99. This particular one is clocks in at 240 calories and 8 grams of protein. Not too shabby for a breakfast on the go that has no animal protein in it. As a comparison, your average egg has six grams of protein in it.
Visually, it looks like there they’ve added something to make the whole thing a bit brown and my guess is that it’s the dates. It kind of gives it that cinnamon oatmeal vibe but there is no cinnamon in this one.
When I stuck my spoon in it to taste it, it seemed firmer than the first version of this overnight oats. Tasting it to was not nearly as mushy and I could feel individual oats in my mouth as I tasted it. I have to say this is much better than the first time they did this. I wouldn’t be ashamed to eat this for breakfast. 12 grams of sugar isn’t bad at all and it didn’t come off nearly as sweet as the first version. My wife said she’d eat it in a second for breakfast and she is the overnight oat eater in the family.
Trader Joe’s Apple Overnight Oats
Next up we have the Trader Joe’s Apple flavored overnight oats. This one I knew was going to be my least favorite going into this review just by looking at the ingredients. Two things stood out to me. 21 grams of sugar and Cinnamon.
This one was mushier than the vanilla. The oats, as you can see, were hard to discern in the oat morass. But what really put me off was how sweet and cinnamon it was. I know people like this flavor combo because it reminds them of an apple pie, but it didn’t even come close.
Trader Joe’s Peanut Overnight Oats
I was anxious to try this one because I kept reading over the limited ingredients: Ingredients
SALT, WATER, ROLLED OATS, DATES, PEANUT BUTTER, PARTIALLY DEFATTED PEANUT FLOUR
I was like where is the almond milk like the other two, but I guess you can’t mix almonds and peanut butter for some reason so they subbed in water to kind of water it down. Because it need something to loosen it up. You can’t just put peanut butter and oats together.
Unfortunately, there are two things very wrong with this. It’s stupidly thick. Like it’s just peanut butter with some oats in it. Secondly, it’s got a weird flavor. Maybe it’s the dates in there or something but something isn’t right. Some weird chemically flavor. It is a hard pass for me.
Final Thoughts
At $1.99 each, Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats aren’t a bad choice for a grab-and-go breakfast. Sure, overnight oats are super simple to make at home, but let’s be honest—sometimes even that “simple” task feels Herculean when the couch and Netflix are calling your name. These pre-made oats take the guesswork (and the prep work) out of the equation, making them a convenient option for busy mornings.
Of the three flavors, the Vanilla was the clear winner for me. It had the best consistency, a nice mild sweetness, and a subtle but pleasant flavor. It earns a solid 7 out of 10 stars. Next up, the Apple Spice oats, which had a sugar level that made me double-check the label: 21 grams of sugar, yikes! The protein content was lower than the vanilla’s, and while I didn’t care for the overly spiced cinnamon-apple flavor, your mileage may vary. For me, they get 6 out of 10 stars.
Dead last is the Peanut Butter flavor, which felt like someone had a vendetta against breakfast happiness. It’s essentially peanut butter, dates, and oats in a texture so thick it could double as spackle. While the protein levels are great, the weird mouthfeel and odd flavor combo just weren’t worth it. This one limps in with a dismal 4 out of 10 stars.
In the end, Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats can save your morning in a pinch—but as always, taste is subjective. Grab one, give it a try, and see if it fits into your breakfast rotation!
