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Wanna know the secret to a healthy breakfast that you’ll eat over and over again? It’s meal prep! If you make your breakfast in larger batches and store them in the fridge, you will be creating delicious meals that are grab-and-go.
Chia pudding is wonderful because chia seeds are loaded with nutrition. Did you know that chia seeds help to aid in digestion, increase energy, support blood sugar regulation and weight loss, and improve brain function? They’re basically a superfood that we all should be eating more of.
And just like with overnight oats, chia pudding can be expensive when you buy them at the store. So instead of paying $12-$14 for a fancy version, you can make these at home for less than $4.
Today I wanted to show you a wide variety of flavors that you can make and enjoy this wonderful superfood recipe.
What are chia seeds?
Chia seeds are high in fiber and a great superfood. If you’ve never used them before, you might be surprised when you add them to water… Chia seeds soak up 10 times their weight in water and will produce a gel coating. This is great for digestion as it helps you feel fuller longer because they immediately expand in your stomach when eaten (1)
- How to use: Chia seeds are very versatile. They can be eaten raw, soaked in water to form a gel, or sprouted. They’re great to add to your morning porridge, smoothies, salads, yogurt… and to make chia pudding! I also have a wonderful homemade chia jam recipe here.
- Money-saving tip: Chia seeds can be a little more expensive than some of the other things on your grocery shopping list, but a little goes a long way so you don’t need to buy as much to get great results. I always purchase my chia seeds from the bulk section at the organic grocery store as that’s where I’ve found them to be cheapest. Also, from my experience, black chia seeds tend to be cheaper than white chia seeds, so I stick with those.

Is Chia Pudding Good For You?
Yes! The main ingredient in chia puddings is… you guessed it, chia seeds! They’re an excellent source of fiber, magnesium, and phosphorus. They’re also a good source of calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. To make your chia pudding extra healthy, be sure to use good quality ingredients – stick to a natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey. You can use regular milk for these recipes or a non-dairy version like almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk or soy milk.
How do I thicken my chia pudding?
Chia seeds are like natural thickeners – once you add them to a liquid, they will start to form an outer coating. But the longer they sit, the thicker they will get. So it’s best to make your chia pudding in the evening and then let them sit overnight to thicken.
How long do chia puddings last in the fridge?
Chia puddings are best eaten within 1 week of being in the fridge.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHIA PUDDING
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Prep ingredients the night before – Chia puddings are really easy to assemble. But you want to give the chia seeds some time to fully soak up the milk, and the best time to do that is the night before.
- My favorite tip – Make a big batch of chia pudding on Sunday night and divide it into 5 mason jars for the week.
- A goes a long way – No need to eat a big amount. A small serving of chia pudding will fill you up! They’re full of healthy fiber which will help with your digestion and make you feel fuller longer.
- For maximum freshness – If you’re making chia puddings in advance, save the toppings until the day you’re ready to eat. This will prevent soggy fruit on top, which isn’t that fun.
- Add your favorite toppings – Some toppings I recommend trying are berries, bananas, apples, oranges, nuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunbutter, shredded coconut, raisins, and anything else you feel like experimenting with.
- When you’re ready to eat, stir and enjoy – these are pretty straightforward to eat. Take a spoon and stir them up – then take a bite. They’re wonderfully satisfying and delicious. Chia pudding is usually eaten cold, so keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
- Make them to your own tastes – Once you try out a few chia pudding recipes and learn what you like, start playing around with different combinations. You can try different fruits, nuts or seeds, and don’t be afraid to swap any ingredients out

1. VANILLA CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: Strawberries, blueberries, shredded coconut
Vanilla chia pudding is a classic simple flavor. It’s also the base recipe that we’ll use to make every other chia pudding flavor. To make your chia pudding, simply combine milk, chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour into a mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then, add your favorite toppings in the morning before you eat.

2. CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- Optional toppings: pumpkin seeds and a few dark chocolate chips
Chocolate chia pudding is the perfect sweet treat version. To make your chia pudding, simply combine milk, chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract and cocoa powder in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour into a mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then, add your favorite toppings in the morning before you eat.

3. PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp your favorite nut butter or seed butter (I used SunButter)
- 1/4 cup homemade strawberry chia jam (or any jam you prefer)
- Optional toppings: sunflower seeds
Peanut Butter and Jelly Chia Pudding is a fun take on the classic PB&J sandwiches. Technically I’m not using actual peanut butter (I used sunflower seed butter instead). To make your chia pudding, simply combine milk, chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour into a mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Once the chia pudding has thickened, top with homemade strawberry chia jam. You might need to let this sit in the fridge for 20 minutes before adding your favorite nut butter or seed butter. Sprinkle a few nuts or seeds on top for an added crunch and protein.
**Most store-bought jams are loaded with too much sugar, which is why I made my own. See the chia jam recipe I use here.

4. BLUEBERRY CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- Optional toppings: Greek yogurt and fresh blueberries
Blueberry Chia Pudding has added antioxidants from the blueberries. To make your chia pudding, first, add the milk and 1/2 cup blueberries to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour it into a bowl along with chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract and stir with a whisk. Pour into a mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then, add your favorite toppings in the morning before you eat.

5. STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup milk
- Optional toppings: Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and fresh strawberries
The strawberries and cream chia pudding is probably my favorite. This chia pudding has two steps…
Step one // Make the bottom layer: Add the strawberries and 1/4 cup milk to a blender. Then pour the mixture into a small bowl along with 1 tsp of chia seeds. Pour into the mason jar and let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before adding the next layer.
Step two // Make the chia pudding: To make the vanilla chia pudding layer, combine 1/2 cup milk, chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour into the mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then, add your favorite toppings in the morning before you eat.

6. BANANA SPLIT CHIA PUDDING
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- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 banana, mashed
- 1/2 banana, sliced
Banana split chia pudding. To make your chia pudding, simply combine milk, chia seeds, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract, and mashed banana in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour into a mason jar and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then, add banana slices in the morning before you eat.
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Hi! What size/brand mason jars do you use? Wanting to purchase some! (:
Thanks!
The ones I used here are 8 oz. (half pint) mason jars. They come in a variety of shapes and designs!
If I make this I have clear liquit at the bodem. Why is that happening?
I’m not sure – perhaps some of the liquids from the fruit or the milk is separating. It shouldn’t be a problem, I would just mix up the chia pudding with it and it will probably be fine.
On the strawberries and cream , where does the yogurt come in? In the ingredients it has milk twice. Is it supposed to be yogurt mixed with the strawberries, not milk?
The greek yogurt is the topping. The milk is added to both the strawberry mixture (1/4 cup milk), and the chia mixture (1/2 cup milk). Then a bit of greek yogurt is just added as a topping. This part is optional (you can see the greek yogurt displayed in the photo)