Meal Prep Chia Pudding

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Ready to meal prep some chia pudding? Chia pudding is great for breakfast (or any meal of the day) and it’s even better when you can make a large batch, freeze it for several weeks and then just thaw as needed. Yes, you can freeze chia pudding!

This recipe is based on my basic Chia Pudding recipe and also includes my Chocolate Chia Pudding. With those two bases and a variety of toppings, you have endless flavor combinations.

Chia pudding meal prepped into glass containers.

You know I love chia pudding. But want to know what I love even more? Meal prepping chia pudding for an easy, healthy breakfast, lunch, snack or even dessert.

Months ago I made an extra large batch of chia pudding but knew I’d never be able to eat it all within 5 days. Nor did I want to eat the same thing 5 days in a row. So I decided to test if chia pudding could be frozen, then thawed and still retain it’s texture and flavor. The result? It sure can!

From that point on, my approach to making chia pudding was completely transformed. Because instead of making a single batch as needed, I started making 5-10 individual servings of chia pudding and freezing them. I now had up to 10 healthy meals that would last for weeks in the freezer. All I had to do was thaw and enjoy. Talk about delicious meal prep.

How to Meal Prep Chia Pudding

I’ve included the amount for an individual serving of chia pudding in the recipe card below. But you can adapt it to any quantity. Want to make 4 servings? Just multiply it times 4 (hint: that’s 1/2 cup of chia seeds and 2 cups of milk). You get the idea.

  • Add: the chia seeds and milk to a container. Depending on the type of milk you used, you can add a sweetener or leave it off.
  • Mix: all of the ingredients together until well blended.
  • Wait: 15 minutes or until the chia seeds have started to gel. Then stir again.
  • Add: your favorite toppings (I’ve listed some ideas below).
  • Secure: with a lid and place in the fridge or freezer.

It’s that easy! If you’ve frozen the chia pudding, just remove the individual container of chia pudding from the freezer and place it in the fridge the night before you’d like to enjoy. It will thaw overnight. Sometimes, if your fridge is really cold it may not thaw completely. If that happens, just leave it on the counter for 5-10 minutes. Give it a stir and enjoy!

Now here’s the even more delicious part. You can do this same thing with my Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe. So instead of meal prepping breakfast, you can meal prep dessert. It’s perfect for when you get a chocolate craving but don’t want to overindulge. Sort of like whipping up my individual Chocolate Mug Cake.

Watch My Meal Prep Chia Pudding Video

While it’s easy to make this recipe, it always helps to watch a step-by-step video tutorial. Give it a watch!

Using Fresh Fruit Versus Frozen Fruit

If you’ve grabbed some fresh fruit from the market, by all means use fresh fruit. But you can certainly use frozen fruit as well. My favorite is a bag of mixed berries. All you have to do is open the bag and pour on top of the chia pudding. And you don’t have to worry about the berries being frozen because it’s going straight back into the fridge or freezer.

Using frozen berries is a great way to save money on organic fruit as well. I love both the organic mixed berries and organic tropical fruit blend from Whole Foods.

Chia pudding meal prepped with fresh fruit in glass containers.

What Topping are Best?

This recipe is extremely versatile with an endless amount of flavor options. I love using fresh fruit, but you could also use fruit purées, nut butters (like my homemade almond butter), dried fruit and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom are great).

Just refrain from adding nuts and seeds before storing as they’ll go soggy. Add nuts and seeds after the chia pudding has thawed and right before serving.

The topping combinations I show in the video above are:

  • Strawberries + blueberries + raspberries
  • Mango + shredded coconut
  • Nectarines + candied ginger
  • Pineapple + mango + kiwi
  • Blueberry puree + almond butter + blackberries
  • Raspberries + shredded coconut (on the chocolate chia pudding)

Chia pudding meal prepped with fresh fruit in glass containers.

How Long Will The Meal Prepped Chia Pudding Last?

It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge or for several weeks in the freezer. I also recommend using containers that aren’t too big, so you have less air. The 1/4 liter Weck Jars are my absolutely favorite storage containers for this. There’s enough room for the chia pudding plus a good amount of fresh fruit toppings. They stack beautifully as well!

Which Milk Should You Use?

You can use any milk you’d like, dairy or dairy-free. My favorite is my homemade cashew milk, but you could use almond milk, banana milk, coconut milk, hemp milk or any other milk you prefer.

Because I add sweetener and vanilla extract to my homemade cashew milk, I don’t add any additional sweetener to the chia pudding recipe. But if you buy an unsweetened milk, it’s up to you. Sweetener is certainly not needed when you’re adding all that delicious fruit.

More Chia Seed Recipes You’ll Love

Chia seeds are loaded with health benefits and I love making recipes with them. Here’s a few of my favorites:

I’ve also got a bonus for you! If you’re on my email list you’ll get a fancy PDF of this recipe that you can stick to your fridge or keep in your kitchen.

If you’re not yet on my email list, make sure to sign up here. You’ll also receive downloadable PDF guides of my entire meal series, including my original meal prep ideas, meal prep for spring, meal prep for summer and meal prep for winter. Meal prep for fall is coming this year!

Chia pudding meal prepped with fresh fruit in glass containers.

Meal Prep Chia Pudding

4.98 from 46 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Meal prep some chia pudding! You can make a large batch, freeze it for several weeks and then thaw as needed. It's easy, healthy and delicious.

Ingredients 
 

Basic Chia Pudding

  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp (optional) maple syrup or other sweetener
  • 1/2 tsp (optional) vanilla extract

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Optional Toppings

  • Berries
  • Mango
  • Pineapple
  • Peaches
  • Nectarines
  • Apricots
  • Kiwi
  • Cherries
  • Oranges
  • Fruit Purées
  • Nut Butters
  • Dried Fruit
  • Cacao Nibs
  • Spices
  • Shredded Coconut
  • Candied Ginger
  • Nuts and Seeds

Instructions 

  • Add the chia seeds and milk to a small glass jar and stir together.
  • Let the chia seeds sit for 15 minutes (they should start to thicken and gel), then stir again.
  • Add your favorite fruit and toppings, then secure with a lid.
  • Place the chia pudding in the refrigerator or freezer.

Lisa's Tips

  • If your chia seeds don't gel and thicken after 15 minutes, it's likely you've got dud chia seeds. Chia seeds can go bad if they've been sitting in your pantry too long or not stored in an air-tight container. Just buy new chia seeds and try again! 

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chia pudding, meal prep
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

 

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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150 Comments

    1. Oh my gosh this recipe is sooo good. I made the chocolate raspberry one and jt turned out amazing. I topped it with some shredded coconut and a few cacao nibs and it was so delicious. Its not super sweet which I love, but it still satisfied my dessert craving.5 stars

      1. Happy to hear this was a success Anna! Loved the idea of adding cacao nibs as well :)

  1. Hello from Australia!

    I’ve never heard of chia seeds before this month but somehow my YouTube account decided to recommend your channel to me. After watching a few of your videos I’m fascinated, handy because I have 2 daughters aged 10 and 12 who have been getting used to snacking on chips, chocolate and lollies as an after-school snack.

    So I’ve bought some chia seeds and containers but I have a question.  We often have frozen fruit to use in smoothies but when the price is right I’ll get fresh strawberries as they are so delicious. I’ve watched your video on prepping chia puddings and freezing them but couldn’t see anywhere whether it’s ok to freeze fresh fruit or not. Of course it makes complete sense to freeze already frozen fruit but not sure how things like fresh strawberries and blueberries would go?

    Would love to hear your thoughts on this (especially as I’ve been watching about 15 other YouTubers with their chia pudding recipes but not found any others that mention freezing them) as I would very much like to convert my husband and children to healthier eating options 😀

    Thank you in advance and apologies for the long email (this is what lockdown due to covid does!)

    Tarsha Graham 

    1. Hi Tarsha- Welcome to the Downshiftology community! Excited to hear you’ve found me on Youtube and can’t wait for you to start making some of my recipes. As for freezing fresh fruit, that’s totally fine :)

    1. Hi Joanne – that’s coming mainly from the milk. Different varieties of milk would have different nutritional profiles.

  2. Hi, I loved your video on chia prep. However, I cand not print the PDF, I signed up but I don’t see where I cand print. Please let me know how I can obtain the PDF form for these recipes.

    Thank you kindly,

    Frances4 stars

    1. Hi Frances- You will have to sign up to my email list to gain access to all the downloadable PDF’s. Let me know if you have any troubles doing so!

  3. Hi Lisa
    I saw you and this video for the first time last night. I immediately subscribed, ran to the kitchen and dug out the chia seeds from the back of the cupboard (this was about 10pm lol). I had just enough seeds and soy milk to make a serving! Alas no fruit, I did however have some chocolate protein powder that I added to it and it turned out pretty darn skippy this morning. I’ve now been binge watching your videos. I’m looking forward to trying many more recipes, following some of your tips as well as tomorrow’s trip to the grocers.5 stars

    1. Hi there! Welcome to the Downshiftology community :) I’m so glad you’re enjoying all my content so far and can’t wait to see what recipe you try next!

  4. Batched my first chia pudding yesterday! Making a maple vanilla blend and toping w/ nectarines, blueberries and candied ginger. I did add an additional scoop of vital proteins collegen powder and was SO HAPPY with my result! The ginger added the perfect touch of flavor and the added protein kept me from reaching for a mid morning snack! #winwin Thank you #downshiftology !5 stars

    1. So glad you enjoyed your first batch of chia pudding! Now you can always have an easy and healthy snack on hand :)

  5. What size Weck jars are you using for this Meal Prep Chia Seed Pudding recipe?
    I made the Chocolate one and it was delicious!
    Thanks
    Stephanie

    1. Hi Stephanie – I’m using the 1/4 liter Weck jars! You can find these in the Shop page on my website. Just search for Weck jars or head to the Meal Prep/Storage section :)

  6. Hi! My name is Michelle and I’m in heaven with all your ideas, videos and recipes. This make me feel so much better. I love eating the things you eat but I always run out of ideas. 

    Chia pudding is the best. Also making milk from raw cashews, wow! I can’t eat dairy and if I do, sorry bubble guts..hate that! This is so perfect..

    And I have to say, I love white too…

    Thank you, Lisa.5 stars

    1. Hi Michelle- I’m so glad you’re enjoying all my content so far and that they’re giving you new inspiration when it comes to healthy eating!

    1. Hi Chelsea – Yes! Bananas are okay to use in chia seed pudding. You can mash it up and mix it in with the mixture.

  7. So delicious! I make the night before in a mason jar and grab and go in the morning. I love all combinations but my favorite so far is the nutbutter w jam.  Thank you Lisa for making my mornings easier and healthier. 5 stars

    1. Hi Nubia – It’s the best for meal prepping isn’t it! Makes for a healthy and delicious option in the morning :)

    1. Hi Dianna – You can use plastic if you’d like! I just prefer to use glass as they are more durable and freezer friendly.

  8. Hi Lisa!
    I saw you and this video for the first time last night. I immediately subscribed, ran to the kitchen and dug out the chia seeds from the back of the cupboard (this was about 10pm lol). I had just enough seeds and soy milk to make a serving! Alas no fruit, I did however have some chocolate protein powder that I added to it and it turned out pretty darn skippy this morning. I’ve now been binge watching your videos. I’m looking forward to trying many more recipes, following some of your tips as well as tomorrow’s trip to the grocers.5 stars

    1. Hi Reenie – Welcome to the Downshiftology community :) I’m so glad you’ve been loving all my videos so far and I can’t wait for you to try more new recipes!

  9. Lisa, this is another firm favourite in our house – both varieties! I even purchased the weck jars to do the recipes justice.
    Love these.5 stars

    1. Hi Alayna – The Weck jars are the perfect size for these in my opinion! But happy to hear this is a household favorite.

  10. Hi
    I have just found your blog, it’s fab
    I am in the Uk 

    Could you send me the PDF for meal prep chia pudding, an d your FB group?
    You have introduced me to Chia pudding and I love it 😀

  11. Hi Lisa!

    This is amazing simple recipe! I came across this searching meal prep on YouTube. It’s simple and easy and you can change and substitute certain sugars. I use manuka honey! Your ideas has given me inspiration on eating healthier and your facts about certain ingredients are super educational. I have many intolerance for certain food especially dairy.

    Kim5 stars

    1. Hi Kim – I’m so glad you discovered my channel and that you are loving the recipes so far :) Definitely check out the “dairy-free” section on my website as well!

  12. Hi Lisa,

    I just discovered your blog, it is amazing !
    I have a question about this recipe, is it possible to use flaxseed instead of chia ? In my country flaxseed is less expensive than chia seed.

    Thanks for your answer.

  13. I have shared this recipe with so many people! Everyone is really surprised about being able to prep and freeze. Love love love. 5 stars

    1. Hi Janet – Thanks for spreading the word about this recipe! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed it, especially the freezing part :)

  14. I tried Lisa’s chia pudding for the first time today, on my Whole30 3rd day breakfast. To be honest, my first thought when I tasted the plain version was “I ate more tasteful things!”. The texture also surprised me. I coated it with my home-made cinnamon apple-sauce, kaki, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and dry mulberries. The kaki fruit was a first as well. After having seen Lisa’s seasonal video, I dared giving it a try (thank you, Lisa👍🏻) : it’s delicious! And so the magic did its work : loved the combined dish!!! 😋 Now, I’m planning to try the chocolate chia mousse and all the other recipes 😉5 stars

    1. Hi Sylvia – I’m so glad you’re enjoying chia pudding during your Whole30 journey! Just make sure not to add any additional sweeteners :) Can’t wait for you to try the chocolate chia mousse next month!

  15. I LOVED this. Was perfect snack in these hot days here in Australia. I had my friend over. She was so tired. We both had babies in August. So she was sitting on a couch half awake and half sleeping😹 and after I gave her one jar she was a whole new person!!!😀 I am not lying! She loved it! She said it was better than having a coffee😃 she praised this chia puddings and made them herself the next day😁5 stars

    1. Hi Assem – Congrats on your new babies! I’m thrilled to hear you both love the chia pudding recipe :) Can’t wait for you to try my chia mousse as well for a more dessert like dish!

  16. It really changed muy breakfast. Now I feel full without having to eat a lot again after a few hours. It’s super yummy! 😍5 stars

  17. Looking forward to making these chia puddings but have a question about the Weck jars. When I click the link you kindly provided, it takes me to Amazon with multiple jar options. You state 1/4 ltr jars (so I was looking at the jars that are 290ml), however they don’t look big enough. There is another jar listing that says 370ml (1/4 ltr) but 370ml is way more than 1/4 of a litre. I don’t want to buy the wrong size. Can you tell me how many ml your jars hold? Apologies if I have missed something obvious. Thanks ever so much.

    1. Hi Jacky – The link should take you directly to the Weck 741- 0.25 Liter Mold Jars! Those are the correct ones :)

    1. Hi Danu- I would let them defrost for about 10-15 minutes or so. Or you can put them in the fridge the night before.

  18. Is the calcium content quoted in the nutrition statement from the Chia alone or is it including a fortified milk?

  19. Great recipe!  I always have variations of these around. Love the idea of freezing them. It’s so convenient to pull one out the night before. Thank you!5 stars

  20. This is on a regular rotation at my house.  I use this meal prep recipe with her PB&J chia pudding.  SUPER DELISH!5 stars

  21. Thank you Lisa. Your basic chia recipe is my go to. I love having fun with it. My daughter who is 10 and very health conscious loves making it as a healthy snack. We all love watching your channel too x5 stars

    1. Hi Emanuela – Aw, I’m so glad you and your daughter love watching my channel :) Chia pudding is definitely a recipe to keep on hand for breakfast or as a quick snack.

  22. I adore the chia seed pudding options for meal prep! I had heard of chia pudding before, but did not try making it until I discovered your easy, healthy recipes, so thank you so much!!!5 stars

    1. Hi Paula – So glad you’ve started to incorporate this into your meal preps :) It really is the perfect snack and breakfast!

  23. So incredibly easy and delicious!! Especially since it’s a healthy breakfast it’s a perfect “on the go” meal. Yum!! Thanks! Also, I’ve used coconut almond milk and it makes is taste even more delicious!5 stars

    1. Hi Tessa – This really is the perfect on-the-go meal :) I’m glad you love this recipe. Plus, coconut almond milk sounds amazing!

  24. Meal prep chia pudding is part of my life now thanks to this post! I honestly cant think of a better health snack for my work week than this.5 stars

  25. sounds like you use whole chia seed and not ground? my research suggests ground is better for you because the nutrients are better absorbed in a ground state. are you able to clarify what you use and if the recipe differs with ground? thanks

    1. Hi Traci – for normal chia pudding, I have used whole chia seeds as they better absorb the milk to create the pudding like texture. If they are ground, they won’t absorb as much liquid. Hope this helps!

  26. Hi Lisa,

    I bought my chia seeds recently so they should be good, but the pudding still did not gel. Are there any other tricks?

    1. Hi Kim – Make sure the ratio is correct with 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and 1/2 cup milk. Sometimes if there is too much milk, it won’t gel up as fast!

      1. Thanks Lisa – I will give it another go and really watch my measurements! :) Thank you for responding!!

    1. Hi Suzy – You can either put it in the fridge the night before to thaw, or you can just let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes :)

  27. I love these recipes for chia pudding! What size are your containers and where did you get them? And how long will the pudding last in the fridge once you make it?

    1. Hi Anita – You can find the link to the containers in my shop page :) You can also store them in the fridge for up to a week, or place in the freezer for a few more weeks!

  28. Hi! I stumbled across your chia seed pudding meal prep video on YouTube while in the midst of making some for the first time and came to your blog to check it out. Just wanted to say you made a simple math mistake in the blog portion of this – quadrupling the recipe means you’d use just two cups of milk, not four as stated in your hint. I imagine that’d make a really watery chia… soup! Anyway, I actually started with another recipe that I’d quadrupled which called for just a quarter cup of milk per two tablespoons of chia seeds and added another half cup to mine to see how a 3-1 ratio works. I suppose it’s all about experimenting!

    1. Hi Yvonne – thanks for the catch! You’re right, it should have been 2 cups of milk – I’ve fixed it. :) Hope you enjoy your chia pudding!

    1. Hi Julie – I’m so glad your son loves it! Such a great healthy snack/meal to give to your kids :)

  29. Love this recipe! I’d never even thought of meal prepping chia pudding. It’s such a great healthy snack and it’s so much easier now that I can make it in bulk. Lisa’s favour suggestions are amazing. Thanks Lisa!5 stars

    1. You’re more than welcome Rebecca! I’m so happy you’re making more than one serving now and meal prepping it. Such a time-saver isn’t it? :) Enjoy!

  30. I have made chia pudding before but never came back to it. However, your recipe, your beautifully simple presentation and the help of videos has inspired me and I’ve made it for the last three days in various flavors. My three kids are thrilled! You have a real talent in showing how simple and satisfying healthy eating can be. I am grateful for your inspiration!5 stars

    1. Oh yay! I’m so happy you gave it another try Emily. And that’s wonderful your kids loved it as well. Thanks so much for your kind words! :)

  31. My all time favorite. Super easy. Great ideas to transform it from just plan chia pudding. Love. Never knew about chia pudding until I found this site. Thank you, Lisa. 5 stars

    1. I’m glad you’re now a chia pudding convert! ;) And there’s so many ways you can modify it to keep it interested. Happy you love it!

  32. Lisa,
    This is the first time that I have written a comment on anyone’s blog relating to food, but I just couldn’t keep silent.
    Today was the first day that I watched one of your videos. I had been curious about chia pudding and tried it once before, but I wasn’t sold on it–
    I’m not sure what happened ?
    However, recently my health has demanded that I take a much more active approach to food consumption (especially in regard to gluten, dairy milk, and sugar), which all seems so overwhelming when those items truly touched on about 90-95% of my eating. So, in light of that, maybe you can imagine my elation at having your channel and now blog as a resource.

    I literally just now got done making some chia pudding according to your simple but delicious recipe, using what I had on hand (coconut milk, frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple, lychee, fresh golden kiwi, unsweetened shredded coconut and homemade ginger honey that I made a while ago) and I am sold! Both on the chia pudding and on your guidance. I ended up making 3 more servings that I put in the freezer ?
    In all of the servings I used coconut milk and ginger honey (to include the chocolate pudding)
    In the chocolate pudding, I used 1/2 & 1/2 dutch and regular chocolate. And put some shredded coconut on top with the intention of putting some raspberries on top (the berries you put on top of yours looked divine!)
    With one of the other regular chia puddings I put some frozen pineapple, lychee and shredded coconut.
    With another I put the small amount of frozen blueberries and fresh golden kiwi.
    The serving I just ate had golden kiwi and nothing else and it was practically perfect! I love that it isn’t too sweet but sweet enough that it captures my attention–
    I am taken by the peaceful and thorough videos and I look forward to expanding my personal perspective through your experiences.
    Thank you for what you bring–
    Its exactly what I needed.5 stars

    1. Hi Jewel – thanks so much for your kind words and I’m thrilled you love my recipes and videos. I’m also happy you gave chia pudding another try and now love it. Yay! Thank you for your comment and I wish you all the best!

    2. Jewel…could you share your Ginger Honey recipe please…I love both of those ingredients! Thank you in advance ?

    1. Hi Julia – thanks so much for letting me know! I had a little website glitch the other day. It should be working again now. :)

  33. Another awesome video Lisa, I’m about to make dessert for tonight’s dinner – thank you :-)5 stars

    1. Awesome! I hope you enjoy the chia pudding dessert. It’s definitely one of my favorites. :)

  34. hello
    I too suffer from anti-inflammatory disease (UC) ULCERATIVE COLITIS
    would love if you can post new kind of recipes for anti inflammation..
    thanks

    1. Hi Farah – everyone is unique when it comes to inflammation and autoimmune diseases, but I’m glad you’re loving my recipes. :)