Overnight Oats Chia Pudding

When Baby Eats Mommy's Breakfast

I remember the first time I gave my son my overnight oats chia pudding. It was definitely not intentional. In fact, I wasn't planning on giving him chia seeds for a while, but he practically forced me to.

I often eat chia pudding for breakfast. With some modifications here and there for variety, but in general, oats and chia are the main ingredients. So one morning when my son was about 9 months old he was happily playing by himself on the floor, and I sat at the dining table next to him to eat my breakfast.

For the first time, he noticed my pudding and started screaming, opening his mouth and pointing to my breakfast. So I decided to let him try it, thinking that he would spit it out (at that point he wasn't keen on anything requiring much chewing!). But to my surprise, he absolutely loved it... and asked for more until he had eaten MY WHOLE BREAKFAST!

From then on, Overnight Oats Chia Pudding became one of his favorite breakfast options.

Overnight Oats Chia Pudding Nutritional Stuff

Oats are a great breakfast food because they can be combined with pretty much anything but also have a wide range of nutrients. Not only do they contain complex carbs to keep you feeling full for longer, but they also provide a good amount of fiber as well as minerals like manganese and potassium.

Chia seeds are actually a nice source of fats, but more importantly, add to the fiber and calorie content of the meal.

Raw cocoa powder has wonderful antioxidant properties which can help the body lower the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases.

If you choose animal-based milk (for those over 1 year of age), it will be a nice protein and calcium source. Full fat animal-based milk adds also to the fat content.

Plant-based milk can also be a great option for both babies younger than 1 and also toddlers, but look for options fortified with calcium and vitamin D if possible.

For those younger than 1, breastmilk is also a good option for this chia pudding.

Immediately before serving I like to add a little nut butter (hazelnut being my favorite) to boost the calorie, protein and fat content as well as flavor.

Overnight Oat Chia Pudding Preparation Tips

This is really quick to prepare, but best made the night before you want to eat it (hence, overnight oats). Prep a bowl and have breakfast waiting for you when you wake up.

As already mentioned, the milk and nut butter choices are individual – based on the baby's age and your preferences.

The raw cocoa powder is also optional but apart from adding to the nutrient content of the meal it also adds a nice chocolaty flavor.

One additional recommendation would be to add some berries on top to enhance the flavor and also add some vitamin C to the pudding.

Do you use chia? What are your go-to recipes?