Carrot Cake Overnight Chia Oats

We are in the full swing of summer which means Jay is spending his weeks chartering fishing trips on the big lakes and I’m traveling to meet him every other weekend. After a couple summers of this, I’ve picked up some tricks to make traveling a little easier. I keep a bag packed with toiletries at the ready, books and magazines stocked up on the passenger seat, and my jeep is permanently in what I like to call ‘RV Mode.’ This means the back seats are folded down and a sleeping bag and pillow act as a makeshift bed for when I need a little nap when Jay’s out fishing and I stay behind.

This year, I’m getting a little craftier with my travel food. Jay fishes at some wonderful ports with amazing restaurants. Come September, I’m a little softer than I prefer thanks to diner breakfasts, fast food lunches, and bar food and breweries for dinner. In an attempt to save a little cash and my ever vacillating waistline, I’ve started packing a lot of my food and keeping it in a cooler for when I need it.

This carrot cake overnight chia oats is perfect to pack in a jar and take along. It keeps for a couple days and is packed with fiber and protein thanks to chia seeds and greek yogurt. The pineapple adds just enough sweetness for me, but maple syrup could be added to make this a little extra indulgent.

Let me lay out how this works. The night before I head out of town to spend the weekend on the boat, I make a batch of this and pack it in jars. At 5:00 every morning, Jay will get up and eat breakfast and I will stumble out of bed when, and only when, he starts pulling out of the dock with his customers. I’m not quite ready for breakfast this early like Jay is so I either take a nap in my car or get a quick workout in. Instead of stopping by the cafe for a coffee and a bagel when I’m finally ready to eat, I reach in my cooler for my jarred breakfast.

On warm summer mornings, this is the perfect breakfast. It’s cool, creamy, and tastes so indulgent. Each spoonful is packed with sumptuous textures and flavor. Try it out and tell me about it in the comments below!