Spooky Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding: An Easy Protein + High Fiber Snack for Kids

If you’re looking for an easy high protein and high fiber snack for kids, chocolate chia seed pudding has become one of our current favorites. It tastes like a chocolate dessert, takes just a few minutes to stir together, and the chia seeds pack an impressive amount of fiber into a small serving (something a lot of kids, and adults, could use more of!).

Since it is spooky season, I decided to give our usual Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding a Halloween upgrade: yogurt ghost cups!

The spooky cute ghosts are made by spreading a little vanilla yogurt onto the inside of a clear glass with the back of a spoon. Add a ghost face to the outside of the glass with a permanent marker, fill the glass with chocolate chia seed pudding, and you have a cute Halloween snack for kids, or parents!

A Protein + Fiber Snack Kids Actually Want to Eat

I’m always looking for snacks that has both protein and fiber, and actually keep my kids full. And that my kids actually like! Chia seeds are particularly great for fiber, while milk adds protein.

If you use whole milk (we usually do, but have used almond milk and soy milk before), the pudding has approximately 13–14 grams of protein and 11–12 grams of fiber per serving.

Spooky Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

Makes 1 serving (or 2 servings for younger kids)

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk (or milk of choice)

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

• Yogurt, for the ghosts

Instructions

In a bowl or jar, whisk together the milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and a pinch of salt until well combined.

Stir in the chia seeds.

Let the mixture sit on the counter for 10 minutes, then stir it really well again. This second stir is important—it helps break up any clumps of chia seeds and gives you a more even pudding texture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready to serve, use the back of a spoon to spread a small amount of yogurt onto the inside of a clear glass, creating a simple ghost shape. Use a Sharpie to draw two eyes and a little mouth on the outside of the glass, lining them up with your yogurt ghost.

Spoon the chocolate chia seed pudding into the glass and serve!

Why We Love This Snack

This is one of those snacks that checks a lot of boxes in our house. It feels like chocolate pudding to the kids, but the chia seeds make it a fiber-rich snack, and the milk adds a meaningful amount of protein.

It also takes almost no time to make. I mix everything together at night, give it that second stir after 10 minutes, and stick it in the refrigerator. By the next morning, snack is ready.

The yogurt ghosts are completely optional, of course, but they're such an fun way to turn an everyday chocolate chia seed pudding into a Halloween snack without changing the recipe.

And honestly, sometimes putting a ghost face on something is all it takes to make a regular snack much more exciting in October.