Jell-O Is Releasing a New Version of Its Classic Chocolate Pudding—It’s Delightful

I was a brown bag lunch kid though and through. As a child of the ’80s, there were no fancy bento boxes or fruit shaped like flowers. My lunch was simple: a peanut butter and fluff sandwich, some pretzel sticks, and an apple. If I was lucky, I also got a quarter to buy some chocolate milk (am I dating myself yet?). 

My mom was no-nonsense when it came to snacks. We were an “ingredients” household—if we were hungry, we could make something like a sandwich, some quick pasta, or a bowl of cereal. Ahead of her time, she stuck to the outer perimeter of the grocery store, resisting the temptation of the brightly-colored snack packs we so desired.

My father, on the other hand, was a complete and utter pushover. He didn’t do the grocery shopping often, but when he did, we could talk him into almost anything. First on my list? J-E-L-L-O. I had a deep love for JELL-O pudding cups, and the days I had one in my humble brown bag lunch, I couldn’t help but smile ear to ear. 

Why I Can’t Wait To Try JELL-O’s New Chocolate Pudding

As someone who closely follows food and grocery news, there are few announcements that stop me in my tracks, but when I saw JELL-O’s new Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding, I squealed with delight. Debuting nationwide this month, JELL-O has developed a creamy, plant-based, lactose-free, and vegan pudding made from oat milk. The pudding will be sold in a four pack for $3.99. 

The pudding cups are just as I remember; they are portioned into individual servings, making them great for fancy lunch boxes and brown bags alike. While I may be pushing forty, I still need a little “lunch dessert” from time to time, just like I did as an eight-year-old. At 130 calories, these plant-based pudding cups are the perfect little sweet treat. 

While my children do not have a dairy allergy, they probably consume far too much. I love that this offers the same flavor and texture of a traditional chocolate pudding, while not adding any more dairy into their diet. Plus, packing a cute little container of pudding into their lunch boxes brings a little bite of joy into their day with no extra dishes for me. A win for everyone!