If you are going to eat after dinner, you should make sure they are late night snacks that are good for you. We’ve all been there. You are up in your room and the clock is close to striking midnight, but for some reason or another, your body is calling out for something to eat! Late night snacking is one of life’s greatest secret pleasures, but the problem is that the kinds of foods that most people choose to enjoy when the moon is out aren’t always the healthiest and most nutritional! There is something about the dark of night that makes being naughty feel, well, less naughty, but you need to see that having a midnight snack doesn’t have to mean loading the calories! Here are some late snack ideas that are good for you!
Popcorn is a delicious, moreish snack that is filling and low in calories at the same time. Of course, I’m not talking the kind covered in butter or in sweet syrup, but you can always add healthy flavour with things like herbs and spices, or even a light shaving of dark chocolate if you are looking for a sweet fix.
And speaking of dark chocolate, nothing goes better with it than a sweet, juicy strawberry! This combination will satisfy your sweet tooth whilst still keeping the calorie count relatively low. You will also be able to get some of the antioxidant benefits that dark chocolate has over milk chocolate.
Something that you should try is a nice glass of kefir that is spiked with a little vanilla and cinnamon, it changes from something kind of boring and basic in to a healthy version of a milkshake! Rich in protein and much healthier than a normal shake, it’s definitely something to consider.
You don’t always have to go for candy when you are looking for something sweet late at night. If you don’t mind the loud noise of the blender past midnight, then the perfect thing is a smoothie filled with all of your favourite fruits. Cherries in particular would be good for this, because they are a source of melatonin which helps with sleep!
If you are looking for something salty and satisfying that isn’t potato chips, why not try a nice handful of pistachio nuts instead? They take longer to eat thanks to their shells, which means you won’t consume as many in a sitting, and they also contain lots of healthy fats and fibre.
If you want to be a little more fancy and combine some ingredients together for a late night snack, then you should try out chopped sticks of celery with a delicious nut butter spread. It is a simple snack but it makes a big impact both taste wise and health wise. Not only is nut butter a great source of fibre, but it’s also a great source of things like Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, iron and zinc!