Lunchbox Oatmeal Muffins (Made with Leftover Oatmeal)
If your mornings look anything like mine, you probably know the feeling of rushing to get everyone fed, dressed, and out the door while still trying to make a wholesome breakfast happen. Oatmeal is often my go-to—quick, hearty, and filling—but sometimes my eyes are bigger than my kids’ stomachs, and I end up with a pot of oatmeal sitting in the fridge.
Instead of letting it go to waste (or scraping it into the compost), I started experimenting with ways to use it up. Enter: Lunchbox Oatmeal Muffins. These muffins are soft, naturally sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup, and they’ve become one of my favourite ways to transform leftovers into something new.
The best part? They’re completely lunchbox-approved. Made with eggs for binding and protein, but without the “eggy” smell, these muffins are perfect for school snacks and meals.
Why You’ll Love These Lunchbox Muffins
There are a lot of reasons these muffins have earned a permanent spot in my meal prep routine. First, they solve the problem of food waste. Leftover oatmeal often doesn’t get much love the next day—it can turn gummy and unappetizing. But when you repurpose it into muffins, suddenly it’s a whole new snack your kids will actually be excited about.
Second, they’re just so easy. Truly. Ten minutes of prep, one mixing bowl, and you’re on your way to warm, homemade muffins. For a busy parent, that’s the kind of recipe you want in your back pocket.
And finally, they check the boxes for both nutrition and kid-approval. Between the oats, bananas, chia seeds, and eggs, you’re getting fibre, protein, and healthy fats all in one. But your kids won’t care about any of that—they’ll just taste a soft, sweet muffin that feels like a treat.
Toss a couple into a lunchbox, pack one for yourself with a coffee, or serve them up as an after-school snack. They’re as versatile as they are tasty.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short, simple, and forgiving. You’ll need leftover cooked oatmeal (cold is key here—freshly made is too moist), bananas, eggs, chia seeds, maple syrup, and cinnamon. That’s the base. From there, you can make them your own by folding in your favourite toppings—berries, chocolate chips, coconut, pumpkin seeds…the options are endless.
I love letting my kids choose their own toppings because it gets them involved and more excited about eating the final product. My daughter almost always goes for coconut and chocolate chips, while my son is a frozen blueberry guy through and through. It’s an easy way to make one batch of muffins feel totally customizable.
How to Make Lunchbox Oatmeal Muffins
Making these muffins couldn’t be simpler. Start by preheating your oven and greasing a muffin tin (or lining it with parchment liners). Mash your bananas in a big mixing bowl, whisk in the eggs, and then stir in the leftover oatmeal, chia seeds, maple syrup, and cinnamon until everything is combined.
From there, scoop the batter into your muffin pan, sprinkle on your chosen toppings, and bake until the muffins are set and golden. One important step: be patient and let them cool fully in the pan before removing them. They’re delicate when hot, but firm up beautifully as they cool.
Storage and Freezing
One of the things I love most about these muffins is how well they store. On the counter, they’ll keep in an airtight container for up to three days. I like to leave a few out for quick grab-and-go breakfasts, snacks between activities, or lunchbox fillers during the week.
But where they really shine is in the freezer. These muffins freeze beautifully and thaw quickly, which makes them a dream for meal prep. Once cooled completely, wrap each muffin individually or pop them into a freezer-safe bag. They’ll last up to three months this way.
In the morning, I can toss a frozen muffin straight into a lunchbox, and by the time lunch rolls around, it’s thawed and ready to eat. No sogginess, no weird textures—just a soft, delicious muffin. It feels like such a parenting win to know I’ve got a stash of wholesome snacks ready to go whenever we need them.
More Lunchbox-Friendly Egg Recipes
Eggs are one of my favourite ingredients for quick, protein-rich snacks. But let’s be honest—nobody wants their kid opening a lunchbox that smells strongly of hardboiled eggs. That’s another reason these muffins are so great: they’re made with eggs but don’t carry that sulphur-y smell.
If you’re looking for more egg-based recipes that are safe bets for school lunches, check these out:
- Chocolate Pudding made with Hard-Boiled Eggs – rich, creamy, and packed with protein (your kids will never guess the secret ingredient).
- Mini Frittata Puffs with Cheese and Broccoli – bite-sized, veggie-packed, and perfect for freezing and reheating.
Parent Tip
If you’ve got a child who’s on the fence about oatmeal, this recipe is a way to reintroduce it in a form that feels fun and new. My kids may pass on reheated oatmeal in a bowl, but they never turn down one of these muffins. And when they’ve chosen the toppings themselves, there’s almost zero pushback.
Lunchbox Oatmeal Muffins (Made with Leftover Oatmeal)
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 2.25 cups leftover oatmeal made with steel or large flake (rolled) oats
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup toppings of choice chocolate chips, fresh or frozen berries, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Grease a 12 cup muffin tin
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well
- Scoop mixture into muffin cups (fill to about 3/4 full)
- Top with toppings!
- Transfer to oven and bake for about 25 minutes (until golden brown on top)
Video
Notes
Sarah Remmer, RD, is a registered dietitian and mom of three, specializing in family and pediatric nutrition. She’s the founder of Centred Nutrition Collective and has nearly 20 years of experience helping families feel confident about feeding their kids.
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This recipe looks fantastic! Curious to know if it can be made with leftover steel cut oats as well?
Yes, absolutely!
Sarah, I made these muffins this morning with 2 cups of oatmeal and they turned out quite eggy and very, very flat and small. I used blueberries on top and walnuts in the batter. They tasted o.k. but were anything but attractive. Any ideas?? More oatmeal needed, maybe? Or more add ons on top??
Hi Dianne. Thanks for trying them! Sorry they turned out unexpected. You can try to add more oatmeal to combat the “eggy” texture. And make sure you’re using large flaked oats :). Please let me know when you try them again!