Creamy Chia Seed Pudding

# What You Need:

01 - 1/2 cup chia seeds

02 - 2 cups milk (dairy or plant-based such as almond, coconut, or oat)

03 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

05 - 1 cup mixed fresh fruit (e.g., berries, mango, banana)

06 - 2 tablespoons chopped nuts or seeds

07 - 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

01 - In a medium bowl or jar, whisk together chia seeds, milk, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract until well combined.

02 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, stirring once after 30 minutes to prevent clumping.

03 - Before serving, stir well to ensure an even pudding texture.

04 - Spoon into bowls or glasses and top with fresh fruit, nuts, and coconut if desired.

01 -

It requires almost no cooking skill, just whisking and patience, which means even on chaotic mornings you can still eat something truly good for your body.
You can make it once and have breakfast sorted for days, a rare win when life gets busy.
The texture is silky and indulgent in a way that makes you forget you're eating something loaded with omega-3s and fiber.

02 -

That initial 30-minute stir is not optional if you want a smooth pudding; I learned this by ignoring that step and ending up with a weird dense bottom layer that refused to cooperate.
The ratio of chia to milk matters more than you'd think—too many seeds and it becomes gelatinous, too few and you're basically eating sweetened milk, so start with the proportions given and adjust next time if needed.

03 -

Use a jar with a tight-fitting lid instead of a bowl if you want to shake everything together rather than whisking; it's faster and makes cleanup minimal.
The best time to add delicate fresh fruit like raspberries or banana is right before eating, not when you first assemble the pudding, so they stay bright and don't get waterlogged overnight.