High-Protein Just-Add-Hot-Water Oatmeal Cups
These high-protein oatmeal cups only need hot water — no overnight soaking required. A warm, easy, digestion-friendly breakfast perfect for busy mornings and workout weeks.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
A warm breakfast that actually works on busy mornings! I have tried to make myself an overnight oats person… and I just can’t do it. I want my breakfast warm, I want it comforting. And I want it to sit well in my stomach — especially during weeks where my body is under more stress than normal. So lately I’ve been prepping these just-add-hot-water protein oatmeal cups and honestly they’ve become one of my favorite meal prep habits!
These oatmeal cups take 10 minutes to assemble for the whole week, they travel well, and they’re predictable. And during certain training weeks, predictable food is everything. Because the goal isn’t just eating healthy — it’s eating food your body actually handles well.
Cold oats can feel heavy for me. High fat slows me down. Too much fiber… regret.
But warm oats with protein and simple carbs? Perfect.
No cooking.
No microwave required.
No guesswork.
Just pour hot water, stir, and eat.
Why I’m eating these oatmeal cups this week
During weeks where I need steady energy (and a calm stomach), I focus on a few simple nutrition rules:
• Lower fat in the morning
• Moderate fiber (not zero — just not aggressive)
• Easy-to-digest protein
• Consistent carbs
These check every box. They give me energy without sitting heavy, and I can eat them 2–3 hours before activity without thinking about it again. That consistency matters more than any “perfect macro ratio.” Also… they’re warm. And that alone makes them feel like real food instead of meal prep.
Oatmeal cups Flavor Ideas (my favorite part)
You can prep the base neutral and decide flavors the morning of — or build jars ahead of time.
1. Maple Cinnamon Banana
Add sliced banana + drizzle honey
2. Blueberry Muffin
Freeze dried blueberries + splash vanilla + pinch extra cinnamon
3. Peanut Butter & Jelly
Powdered PB + crushed freeze-dried strawberries
4. Apple Pie
Diced apples + extra cinnamon + dash maple syrup
5. Chocolate Banana
Chocolate protein powder + banana slices
6. Strawberries & Cream
Hot milk + strawberries + tiny drizzle honey
7. Salted Caramel
Collagen + pinch sea salt + maple sugar
8. Coffee Oats
Replace ¼ cup liquid with hot coffee (so good)
Tips for digestion friendly oatmeal cups
stick with whey isolate if sensitive
keep chia small (don’t increase it)
avoid nut butters race morning
chew well (actually matters)
eat 2–3 hrs before activity
I hope this meal prep helps you! Don’t forget to follow along on social media for more Meal Prep + healthy recipes!
High-Protein Just-Add-Hot-Water Oatmeal Cups
Ingredients
Dry Mix (per jar)
- ½ cup quick oats
- ½ scoop vanilla whey or whey isolate protein powder
- 1 tbsp collagen peptides optional
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- pinch salt
- pinch cinnamon
Wet Add-ins (prep day — optional)
- 1 tbsp powdered peanut butter skip if you want ultra-easy digestion mornings
- 1 tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
Let's Make It
- Layer ingredients into jars (order don’t matter).
Morning Of Eating
- Add to jar: ¾ cup boiling water OR hot milk (If you like thicker oats: use ⅔ cup or If you like thinner: use 1 cup)
- You can use: hot water (fastest digestion), hot Fairlife milk (creamier + more protein), or half water + half milk (my favorite balance)
- Stir well
- Let sit 2 minutes
- Top with: sliced banana, drizzle honey, or fruit of choice
- Eat warm.
Nutrition Facts
(approximate per serving)
(with water, maple sugar, no PB)
Calories: ~290
Protein: 23–25g
Carbs: 38–45g
Fat: 3–4g
Fiber: ~4g
Meal Prep in 1 Hour
You can use any two of the meals in this series to get your meal prep done in just about and hour, give or take!
Having your breakfast and lunch ready for the week helps you stay on track with your nutriton, saves you time and money! I truly beleive that meal prep does not need to be over complicated, take too much time or be boring!
I always get asked- “do you ever get tired of eating the same thing all week?” and the answer is, no! Not when the food taste good! I give plenty of variety in these preps and keep it simple!
As always, thanks for being here and remember, don’t over complicate the process! Take a deep breath, you got this!
