Apple Pie Vegan Overnight Oats (Apples Apples in a Jar!)

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One apple. Two apples. Three apples. And suddenly, there are apples everywhere — on the counter, in little hands, and eventually packed into a jar of Apple Pie Vegan Overnight Oats, because breakfast can be about more than just a healthy way to start the day — it can be fun, too.

I pair each recipe post with a book — but not every recipe starts that way.

Well, this one did.

If you’ve never read Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss with your kids, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce it in a fun, engaging way right in the kitchen.

From Silly to Spilly

Okay, I don’t usually get this direct — but for this recipe and book pairing, I’m going to.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Read the book (read it right there in the kitchen)
• Grab a bag of apples
• And let your kids engage in the most silly, frivolous way imaginable

Let them:

• Try to stack the apples as high as the ones in the story, counting as they go
• Watch them fall like dominos
• Let them make a mess
• Laugh with them

And when the story is over, all the apples have been collected, and the laughing has calmed into smiles — it’s the perfect time to make these overnight oats together.

Counting, Pouring, Adding

Just like the apples in the story, this is where things start to add up.

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon applesauce
• A sprinkle of cinnamon

Each ingredient gets added one at a time. It doesn’t have to be exact. Because this is where kids start to:

• Count what they’re adding
• Pour (and sometimes spill)
• Stir everything together

And just like that … it stacks up — onto the next (and best) part.

Shake It Like You Mean It

It’s never too early to teach your kids to move their bodies freely and dance without worrying about what anyone else might think. So to match the silly energy of Ten Apples Up On Top!, put a song on and get ready for the best part of making this recipe.

Here are a few options:

• Shake It Off
• Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It
• Can’t Stop the Feeling
• Happy

Let the dancing shake the jars until everything is mixed together — just don’t forget to tighten the lid before you start!

Build It Like You Mean It

Morning is here … and now it’s go time. Open the jar, grab a spoon, and let them take the lead:

• Pile on the apples
• Pour the granola
• Scoop the nut butter
• Sprinkle the seeds

Let them build it how they want. Some toppings they can choose from:

• Fresh apples or extra fruit
• Granola
• Nuts
• Nut butters
• Seeds
• Seed butters

This isn’t just breakfast — it’s fun time. So give yourself a few extra minutes for this part, as it has a way of turning into something more — maybe another dance party, maybe flipping back through the story one more time — and that’s the entire point of the Messy Plate Method: food, play, reading, connection … all mixed together in the kitchen.

Messy Little Readers Library

Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss

The Story & Recipe Pairing

Apples Up On Top! is all about stacking, wobbling, and seeing how many apples you can pile on before things get a little silly.

This Apple Pie Vegan Overnight Oats moment brings that same energy into the kitchen. Scoop, stack, sprinkle — one thing on top of another until breakfast becomes something you build, shake, read about … not just eat.

Best For:

All ages are welcome, but it’s typically best suited for ages 2–6, especially children who enjoy repetition, rhythm, and being silly.

Read Along Focus:

• Encourage kids to notice how the apples keep stacking higher and higher
• Talk about how adding “just one more” changes the whole picture

Things to Point Out While Reading:

• Stacking can be silly
• More can be added just for fun
• Wobbly doesn’t mean stop
• Laughing is part of it

Simple Lessons (No Lecturing):

• The kitchen can be a place to play
• It doesn’t have to be perfect to be fun
• Silly moments are part of making something together

Kitchen Tie-In:

While building their oats:

• Add a topping
• Add another
• Maybe one more
• Shake it
• Stir it

Maybe even dance a little in between.

The Moment You’re Creating

Apples on top.

Granola on top.

Nut butter on top.

A dance party on top of that.

A breakfast that stacks, shakes, and grooves with every scoop — a little higher, a little sillier each time.

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