With grocery prices climbing, breakfast is one of the easiest places to save — and overnight oats are about the cheapest healthy breakfast you can make in South Africa. A filling jar costs roughly R10 to R15, less than half the price of a box of cereal per serving and a fraction of a takeaway. Here’s why they’re so affordable, how to make them even cheaper, and every budget recipe on the site in one place.
Why overnight oats are so cheap
Three things keep the cost right down:
- Oats are one of the cheapest foods per serving. A 1kg bag of oats (around R35–R45) makes roughly 20 to 25 jars — that’s under R2 of oats per breakfast.
- No cooking, no electricity. They soak cold overnight, so there’s no stove or kettle adding to the bill.
- Make-ahead means no waste. You use exactly what you need and nothing spoils forgotten at the back of the cupboard.
Prices are approximate and vary by shop and season, but the maths barely moves: oats plus milk plus a simple topping lands around R10–R15 a jar. Buy the oats in bulk and it drops further.
How to make overnight oats even cheaper
- Buy oats in bulk. A 2kg bag is almost always cheaper per serving than a small box, and plain rolled oats keep for months.
- Choose own-brand oats. Pick n Pay, Checkers and Shoprite house-brand rolled oats work exactly like Jungle Oats for less.
- Use water or long-life milk. Water is free, and UHT or powdered milk is cheaper than fresh — see our guide to overnight oats without milk and other swaps.
- Skip the pricey add-ins. Chia seeds are optional; ground flaxseed does a similar job for less, and you don’t need protein powder to make a filling jar.
- Use seasonal or frozen fruit. Frozen mixed berries and in-season bananas or apples cost a fraction of out-of-season fresh fruit.
- Batch-prep the week. Making five jars at once uses ingredients efficiently and saves you from buying breakfast out — our meal prep guide shows the method.
The cheapest toppings that still taste great
You don’t need expensive superfoods to make a jar worth eating. The best-value toppings are the classics:
- Banana and cinnamon — naturally sweet, a few rand a serving.
- Peanut butter and jam — the cheapest way to a filling, satisfying jar.
- Grated apple — sweetens the whole jar for the price of one apple.
- Frozen berries — cheaper than fresh and just as good stirred through.
- A spoon of oats, milk and a little sugar or honey — the plainest, cheapest jar there is, and still a proper breakfast.
Budget overnight oats recipes
These jars are built to be cheap, filling and genuinely tasty — a ready-made rotation that won’t stretch the grocery budget:
Cheap & budget overnight oats recipes
6 creamy make-ahead recipes, proudly South African.
4-Ingredient Apple Overnight Oats
Oats, milk, apple and cinnamon four humble ingredients for a fresh, fuss-free, low-cost jar.
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Budget Banana & Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Four cheap, everyday ingredients oats, milk, banana and cinnamon for a tasty jar that costs next to nothing.
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Budget Peanut Butter & Jam Overnight Oats
Pantry-staple peanut butter and a swirl of jam make a filling, wallet-friendly jar kids will happily eat.
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Easy 5-Minute Vanilla Overnight Oats
The fastest jar in the collection five everyday ingredients, two minutes of stirring, breakfast done.
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Make-Ahead Peanut Butter Banana Oats (4 Jars)
A four-jar batch of creamy peanut butter banana oats prep once on Sunday and grab a jar all…
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Vanilla Bean Classic Overnight Oats
The simple, creamy base recipe vanilla, oats and yoghurt ready to enjoy as-is or topped with whatever you…
View recipe →Common questions
Are overnight oats cheap to make?
Very. A jar costs roughly R10 to R15 in South Africa — oats are under R2 a serving, and with milk and a simple topping it’s still one of the cheapest healthy breakfasts you can make, well below the cost of cereal or takeaway.
What is the cheapest way to make overnight oats?
Buy plain rolled oats in a 2kg bag (own-brand is fine), soak them in water or long-life milk, skip pricey add-ins like chia and protein powder, and top with banana, peanut butter or frozen fruit. Batch-prepping the week keeps waste and cost down further.
How much does a jar of overnight oats cost?
Around R10 to R15 for a filling jar, depending on your toppings and where you shop. A plain oats-milk-and-banana jar can come in under R10, while adding nuts, seeds or lots of fresh berries pushes it higher.
Can you make overnight oats with just water to save money?
Yes. Water soaks the oats perfectly well — you lose some creaminess, but a mashed banana or a spoon of peanut butter brings it back for very little. It’s the cheapest way to make a jar.
Eating well on a budget is easier than it looks. Join the free 7-Day Overnight Oats Challenge for a week of affordable, proven jars, or browse all our overnight oats recipes.
