The best bedtime snacks satisfiy your craving without leaving you feeling overly stuffed, lethargic, and uncomfortable when it’s time to go to sleep. If you’ve eaten a sensible dinner and find yourself scouring the kitchen late at night, then usually instead of being hungry right before bed, you are probably just bored. However, if you do find your body is actually hungry late at night then you might not be giving it the nutrients that it needs throughout the day. Instead of reaching for sweets or high fat snacks that only derail your healthy eating goals, here are 7 of the best bedtime snacks that you can reach for instead!
1. FRUIT + NUTS
One of the best bedtime snacks that you can reach for that will keep you working toward your goals is a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts. A few good ideas include apple slices and 12 unsalted almonds, an orange and 6 walnut halves, a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter, etc. Fruit and nutsare both very high in fiber, which will allow you to go to bed feeling satisfied but still hungry for breakfast the next morning! And another plus, the healthy fat will help you sleep like a baby!
2. WHOLE-GRAIN CRACKERS + HUMMUS
Another great snack that will curb your craving right before bed is a handful of whole-grain crackers and hummus. Like fruit, both of these foods are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and will be just enough to squash that craving before resting your head. When it comes to crackers, make sure that you read the serving size on the box to ensure that you don’t eat too large of a portion right before bed
3. GREEK YOGURT + BERRIES
One of my favorite bedtime snacks is Greek yogurt mixed with frozen berries. This little treat provides the perfect sweet taste that my body is craving, along with a healthy dose of protein, as well as many disease fighting vitamins and minerals in the berries. Fresh fruit will work here too; however, frozen fruit provides that cold, ice cream like mouth feel. Whether you like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries, any of them are a great choice at any time throughout the day!
4. GREEN SMOOTHIE
While I usually like to start my day with a green smoothie, there is nothing in the rule book that says you cannot drink a green smoothie before going to bed. When I make smoothies at night, I tend to make them simpler than my morning routine and do something like almond milk, spinach, bananas, strawberries, and a little bit of almond butter. You might feel like you are drinking a store bought milkshake, but the homemade version is a much healthier option!
5. WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD + NUT BUTTER
Sometimes there is nothing better than a warm nut butter sandwich, especially with a tall glass of unsweetened vanilla almond milk right before bed! All you have to do to enjoy this snack is slice one piece of whole-grain toast in half, spread one side with your favorite nut butter, place the other half on top and put it into a Panini press for a couple of minutes. Within no time you have a warm nut butter Panini to enjoy right before bed. I also like to make this using Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread to give it a little sweet taste!
6. WHOLE-GRAIN CEREAL + BERRIES + ALMOND MILK
A small bowl of cereal right before bed is sometimes just what the doctor ordered! I don’t know about you, but for me, cereal is certainly a comfort food. Select a whole-grain cerealthat is high in fiber and low in sugar and top it with your favorite berries, then cover it in some unsweetened almond milk for a yummy snack right before bed. This snack will satisfy your craving for only a few hundred calories too!
7. DAIRY-FREE SOFT SERVE
Last but certainly not least, one of my favorite nighttimesnacks is one that anyone will enjoy! Dairy-free soft serve tastes just like ice cream without all of the calories, added sugar, and fat! All you need is one frozen banana and you too can enjoy this tasty treat! Place the frozen banana in a food processor or blender and blend until a creamy consistency has been reached (about 5 minutes). You can also try new flavors by adding frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, a little bit of dark chocolate, or some peanut butter too! This is an easy, yet oh so satisfying treat that will hush those cravings right up! Check out my favorite recipe on my site here (ashleyharperevans.com).
After a long day, it can be very easy to make unhealthy choices once you finally make it home at night. Instead of giving in to unhealthy cravings, develop a plan and decide what your healthy treat will be. This way, you can wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to conquer another day instead of waking up in a food coma from the night before! What is your favorite bedtime snack?
(Via Allwomenstalk)
