Strawberry Chia Pudding

Looking for a healthy breakfast when time is in short supply? This Strawberry Chia Pudding has your back! Perfect for those grab-and-go mornings, it’s packed with antioxidant-rich strawberries and fiber-packed chia seeds to support reducing inflammation in the body. Sweet, in-season strawberries bring the most flavor, but if they’re not at their best, simply swap them out for frozen, thawed strawberries or opt for another fruit! No matter how you prepare it, this pudding is the perfect way to start your day. Read on for our best tips and tricks for making this easy breakfast part of your regular morning routine.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We found that rinsing the chia seeds helps wash away any residue that may make the pudding bitter. Be sure to drain them well before adding them to the milk mixture.
• Make sure you purchase coconut cream and not cream of coconut. Coconut cream is a thicker, creamier version of coconut milk that is unsweetened, typically found in cans in the baking aisle. Cream of coconut is a sweetened product often mixed into drinks or desserts. 
• We love layering the pudding with strawberries and yogurt in Mason jars that are easy to take on the go. If you don’t plan to take breakfast with you, you can layer it in a glass without a lid or skip the layering altogether and enjoy the pudding in a bowl with the strawberries and yogurt on top.

Nutrition Notes

• Strawberries are packed with antioxidants, like vitamin C, flavonoids and phenolic acids. These potent compounds help tame inflammation to reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
• Small yet mighty chia seeds are an outstanding food for heart health. They’re loaded with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an inflammation-fighting omega-3 fat that may help lower harmful LDL cholesterol and raise beneficial HDL cholesterol. They’re a good source of heart-healthy plant protein, too.