This delicious and nutritious chia pudding contains 7 simple ingredients, which makes it snack-worthy, but also a perfect nutritious treat!
I’m not sure about your kids, but my kids often ask for me to buy them pudding at the store – they mention that their friends have pudding in their lunches and they want to try it too! I’m not opposed to letting my kids try store—bought packaged foods that they’re curious about, because it often takes the novelty of them down a notch and helps them to realize they’re not as amazing as they thought. And a once-in-a-while packaged processed treat is not going to ruin their nutrition – we know this! Serving up ultra-processed foods regularly, on the other hand, is not a great idea, as it will fill precious tummy space that should otherwise be reserved for whole, nutritious foods. That’s why I love chia pudding!
Chia pudding is nutritious and delicious
Chia pudding, in my mind, is the best of both world: nutritious and delicious. And personally, I think it tastes way better than the store-bought stuff anyway! If you think your kiddos might be turned off of having black seeds in their pudding, purchase white chia seeds and grind them up (or purchase them pre-ground). Your kids won’t even notice! We’ve used chia seeds like these for a long time, so my kids are used to them. We call them black power seeds! But still, they prefer the white ground version in this pudding.
Chia seeds are versatile and nutrient-dense
Chia seeds are one of my favourite ingredients, for many reasons. They’re super versatile, taking on the flavour of whatever you pair them with, adding some texture and color to an otherwise bland recipe and, of course, adding loads of nutrition. These little tiny seeds are nutrient-dense, containing protein, fibre, Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Just one ounce of chia seeds (about 2 tablespoons) contains about 10 grams of fibre and almost 5 grams of protein—both of which help us and our kiddos feel fuller longer! The soluble fibre found in chia seeds can also help to keep blood sugar levels stable and can help protect against many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer.
Vegan? No problem!
You can easily transform this recipe into a vegan version by using a vegan coconut or oat yogurt (which you can find in most stores these days), and a dairy-free milk. For this recipe, I would use fortified coconut milk to add to the coconut flavour. If you’re serving this to a little one under one year, omit the honey (babies shouldn’t be consuming honey, or any added sugar for that matter!).
One of my favourite flavour combinations is coconut and banana – it reminds me of being somewhere hot and tropical! I hope you enjoy!
Coconut Banana Chia Pudding
This delicious and nutritious chia pudding contains 7 simple ingredients, which makes it snack-worthy, but also a perfect nutritious treat!
Ingredients
- 2 cups fortified coconut milk (original or unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup chia seeds, black or white
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla or coconut flavour)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded finely
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- sliced banana and shredded coconut for topping
Instructions
- Pour coconut milk and honey into a small saucepan and set over medium heat on the stove, stirring often until steaming (about 5-10 minutes).
- Remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl. Stir in chia seeds, shredded coconut and vanilla extract and whisk together. Let sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill for at least 12 hours.
- After the 12 hours, remove from fridge, stir in yogurt and whisk until incorporated.
- Optional: transfer to a good quality blender and blend until smooth (this might work better if you want a smoother pudding). Hint: use white chia seeds for a more pleasing colour.
- Serve in small dishes with banana slices and shredded coconut on top!
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![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
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