Check out all of our vegan lunch ideas HERE!

What is lunch without pudding? Pudding cups are a decades-old lunch time classic. We say you can do better, though, than the pre-packaged styles at the grocery store. Get a set of re-usable pudding cups (shown, Preserve mini 8-oz. cups, made of recycled plastic) and make up batches of Chia Pudding for the week. It’s really easy – no boiling or heating is necessary as with traditional pudding. Truly, all you do is stir chia seed meal into liquid and add flavor. The chia does the rest of the work by itself!

Chia seeds are a nutrition powerhouse. Yes, these are the same things you have grown on your chia pet. But wait – give them a try! Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food. One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) contains 4 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They date back to Mayan and Aztec cultures, and are traditionally used as an energy booster in those cultures. Added to liquid, chia seeds swell to twelve times their size. Because of this, chia seed will keep you full longer than many other foods.

Chia seeds are available in black and white. Black chia seeds are easier to find and are what we used in these recipes, but white chia seeds work exactly the same and may look more like traditional pudding if you have picky eaters.

As written, the Chia Pudding and all flavor variations are vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. To find chia seeds, check in the natural foods area of your grocer, or any natural foods store. Chia seeds are usually sold in small or large bags, or in bulk bins. They are also available online at Vitacost or Amazon. We have seen great deals on chia seeds at both Costco and BJ’s Wholesale clubs. You can even buy bags of pre-ground chia seeds if you need to save time.  Looking for the natural food colorings we used? You can pick up both India Tree and Color Garden at Whole Foods or online.

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the dirty hippie and the bohemian girl

the dirty hippie and the bohemian girl are working artists based in Baltimore. They write an eco-aware, flower power, neo-hippie, vegan blog that features travel profiles, original recipes and candid book & product reviews. They are excited to join forces with Sister Eden!

To visit the dirty hippie and the bohemian girl's website, click their byline. To read the rest of their posts on Sister Eden, click their tag at the top of the post.

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