High in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds make an excellent, healthy addition to any breakfast. Whether it's quick and easy overnight oats, a creamy chia pudding or colourful smoothie bowl, they help to balance your blood sugar levels and avoid the dreaded post-meal slump.

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Its merits don't end there, though. Use them as an egg replacement in plant-based baking such as in our vegan lemon sheet cake, or even for texture in savoury dishes such as our Japanese-inspired mackerel starter.

Learn more about chia seeds, then discover our top high protein breakfast ideas, high fibre foods, healthy lunch ideas and budget healthy recipes for more inspiration.


Chia seeds recipes

Golden milk bircher

Start your day right with a vegan breakfast bowl, made with oats and nut milk. It comes laced with golden turmeric for a hit of colour and an anti-inflammatory boost. Discover more turmeric recipes.

Two bowls of overnight oats with turmeric and other spices, topped with pomegranate seeds next to mugs of coffee and a glass of juice

Chia pudding

This creamy, lightly sweetened pud is surprisingly filling due to the soluble fibre in chia seeds – topped with quickly cooked apples, it’s a simple and healthy brekkie. Try more recipes with apples.

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Cups of Chia Pudding Topped with Apple Chunks and Raisins

Smoothie bowl

Start your day with an energising breakfast smoothie bowl. This fruity blend is delicious topped with a variety of berries, veg, seeds and any superfoods. Why not make our mango smoothie bowl next?

A colourful fruit smoothie bowl topped with a variety of berries, nuts and seeds

Overnight oats

This healthy, no-fuss breakfast can be prepped just five minutes the night before, ready for you in the morning. Customise with your choice of fruit, nuts, seeds and other toppings. For a plant-based version, try our vegan overnight oats.

a bowl of oats next to plates of berries, yogurt and chopped nuts on a red napkin

Sugar-free cookies

These small vegan cookies are a real family treat, free from refined sugars — ground almonds provide a nutty flavour and a burst of natural sweetness comes from raspberries.

Sugar-Free Cookies Topped with Jam on a Metal Cooling Rack

Healthy banana bread

A healthy glug of maple syrup is the key to this wonderfully moist vegan banana bread, flavoured with both coconut oil and desiccated coconut. Discover more banana recipes.

Banana loaf

Vegan lemon sheet cake

Use olive oil in place of butter and chia seeds instead of eggs in this beautiful grown-up take on a classic lemon cake. It makes for a much lighter (and totally vegan) bake. Try more vegan baking ideas.

A frosted sheet cake with one slice taken out of it

PBJ breakfast parfait

Peanut butter is a breakfast time staple and, as his fruity, tangy, crunchy creation proves, its potential goes far beyond simply topping toast. Get your protein fill with our high protein breakfast ideas.

Peanut Butter Dessert Recipe

Sherbati (rose, chia and almond milkshake)

This rose-flavoured almond drink is served to mark the first month of the Islamic new year. Drink ice-cold as you would a milkshake, topped with chopped pistachios.

Sherbati (rose, chia and almond milkshake) in two small glasses with a jug in the background

Rum-roasted pineapple and spice pie

Try our impressive pie recipes for an easy vegan dessert. The vegan pastry is deliciously crisp and crumbly, with extra texture from the chia seeds. Plus, it's packed with rum-soaked roasted pineapple and plenty of spice. Try more of our vegan desserts.

Pineapple Pie Recipe with Rum

Vegan flapjacks

These dairy-free breakfast bars use dates and nut butter to hold together. Experiment with different seeds and nuts in your next batch of flapjacks, and use agave for a vegan version. Try our peanut butter flapjacks for another protein boost.

Newsletter Vegan Flapjacks

Pumpkin seed butter on rye

Pumpkin seed butter makes the perfect vegan toast topper for breakfast. Serve with apple and chia seeds for an energy boosting brekkie. Add date nectar (available from Sainsbury’s and Waitrose) for sweetness, or leave out for savoury toast toppings. Discover more ways with pumpkin.

Pumpkin Seed on Rye Bread

Healthy overnight oats

Prep your oats the night before to make this quick and easy vegan breakfast for two. It may be low calorie but it'll leave you feeling satisfied and full until lunchtime. Try our favourite healthy recipes with oats.

Two Bowls of Overnight Oats Topped with Plums and Almonds

Energy balls

We’re seeing these little balls of energy everywhere – they are great to have before exercise, or when you feel you are flagging, as the simple sugars in the fruits will give you instant energy and the nuts, nut butters or oats will give you a slow release of energy. We’ve made three flavours but you can create your own using the same idea. Chill until needed, they will keep for five days. Alternatively, try our protein balls.

Peanut and butter date balls, coconut and apricot bites and pistachio and goji berry bites

Coconut overnight oats

You can soak oats in any milk overnight but we love the creaminess that coconut milk gives. This makes a few portions for the week, so you get a healthy breakfast that’s quick to make in the morning. Discover more recipes with coconut milk.

A Bowl of Coconut Overnight Oats topped with Yogurt and Passion fruit

Charred mackerel, chia seeds, dill, wakame and cucumber

This Japanese-inspired mackerel starter of charred mackerel, chia seeds, dill, wakame and cucumber from The Manor in Clapham is packed with fresh, on-trend flavours – perfect for entertaining. Try more ways to cook with mackerel.

Charred mackerel, chia seeds, dill, wakame and cucumber

Kiwi, kale and chia parfait smoothie

Try this next-level smoothie from bloggers Green Kitchen Stories. Their new book, Green Kitchen Smoothies, is a celebration of this healthy way to pack fruit, veg and nuts into your diet. This showstopping smoothie can double up for dessert or breakfast. Now try more delicious recipes with kiwi.

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Kale Smoothie Recipe With Kiwi and Chia

Turmeric and mango lassi

Turmeric, added to milk, yogurt or water, is also known as golden milk. We’ve made it with sweet mango and subtle spices to make an immune-boosting, chai-like lassi. Discover our healthiest, most colourful recipes.

Two milk bottles of yellow mango lassi

Authors

Emily MartenDigital Assistant

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