Meal Prep Chia Pudding (Freeze it for Weeks!) | Downshiftology (2024)

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 basicChia Pudding recipe and also includes my Chocolate Chia Pudding. With those two bases and a variety of toppings, you have endless flavor combinations.

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.

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 fruitpurées, 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)

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:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Chia Pudding
• Chia Seed Jam
• Coconut Chia Mango Popsicles
• Chocolate Chia Pudding
• Eggnog Chia Pudding

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!