Getting a balanced breakfast every morning can be hard, especially as a college student with limited time and space. Jack Urness, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Utah, is working on a solution. He is the founder of Up&Oat, a company making an overnight oat mix that only requires milk or water.
Urness struggled to find time in the mornings to eat a breakfast that met his nutritional needs. He started making overnight oats, which are rolled oats soaked in milk overnight, to save time in the morning.
“Up&Oat was created to solve my breakfast problem, but I found it’s a problem that I share with many other college students,” Urness said. “I thought if I had a good recipe, maybe people would buy it. I started perfecting a dry mix where all you have to do is add liquid and let it sit overnight.”
After months of work, Urness has created a mix that contains 23 grams of protein per serving, has no added sugar, and uses whole ingredients. While overnight oats are usually made with milk, the Up&Oat product contains nonfat milk powder, so the customer can use water and retain the flavor. The result is a tasty, dorm room friendly breakfast.
“It’s been hard to find a sustainable way to package and create a product in high volume as a student living in a dorm room,” Urness said. “I’m excited to have an official, packaged product.”
If you’re looking for a quick, filling breakfast, keep an eye out for Up&Oat.
More articles like this in ‘Student Innovation @ the U!’
Find this article and a lot more in the 2025 “Student Innovation @ the U” report. The publication is presented by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to celebrate student innovators, change-makers, and entrepreneurs.
