7 Of The Best Late-Night Snacks To Munch On (And 7 You Should Avoid!)

We all get the urge to run to the pantry and grab the first thing in sight during a late-night snacking binge. But we might be grabbing something that will derail a full day's worth of healthy eating. Follow these tips to become a nighttime snacking pro!

Popcorn

Avoid the artificial butter brands and you’ll find that popcorn can be a great snack that’s packed with slow-digesting carbs (which help release tryptophan to aid with sleeping). At only 30 calories per cup, it’s good for your waist-line too.

Cereal

It may be quick and tempting, but most cereals contain high amounts of sugar that can cause your blood sugar to spike. This can lead to storing more fat since your metabolism slows down at night.

Non-Fat Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is packed full of slow-digesting casein proteins (which help replenish and rebuild muscles) and is also low in calories, coming in at just 104 per cup.

Ice Cream

Kinda obvious here, but avoid ice cream (which is packed with high amounts of sugar and fat) as your late-night snack of choice. The high fats can disrupt your sleeping and cause extra work for your digestive system.

Seaweed Snacks

If you haven’t had them before, give seaweed snacks a try! They are packed with essential vitamins and will satisfy your need for something crunchy. Plus, they are very low in calories (30 calories for 10 crisps).

Pretzels

Better than potato chips, right? While that may be true, pretzels aren’t without their faults. Made with processed white flour (which puts them very high on the glycemic index), they encourage fat storage along with spikes in blood sugar.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain melatonin (an essential component for healthy sleeping), along with a lot of protein. Limit yourself to just a handful though, as they clock in at 185 calories per ounce.

Dark Chocolate

“But I thought dark chocolate was a healthy snack?” It is, but just limit your snacking to during the day. Dark chocolate contains good amounts of caffeine and theobromine, both of which will stimulate your nervous system and keep you up all night.

Plain Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is packed full of protein (18 grams) to help your body recover from a good workout or just a long day at the office. You can add calorie-free vanilla to give it some more flavor without adding unwanted sugars.

Fruit-Flavored Yogurt

These yogurts are loaded with sugars that will counteract all the good choices you made that day. More times than not, you will get more sugar than you will actual fruit!

Casein Shake

Casein protein can help you achieve a higher metabolic rate while sleeping with a better overall fat balance (when used over time). Mix with water or add almond milk for a midnight shake that will satisfy your sweet-tooth while also being low in calories (around 170).

Fruit Smoothies

While they might be low-cal (when you make them at home, that is), most of the calories are from sugars in the fruit or fruit juice. The sugars will not only cause your blood sugar to rise, but they will also make it harder for you to fall asleep.

String Cheese

Sure, it might be processed, but this can be a great snack for the wee-hours of the night. String cheese has tons of calcium (to help keep your bones healthy) and protein (6 grams) that’s packed into just 80 small calories.

Peanut Butter

Full of protein and healthy unsaturated fats, peanut butter is a great snack — but it’s better left for the day time. Since it’s high in calories and people tend to get carried away with midnight snacking, it’s definitely not a good late night choice. Just two tablespoons of peanut butter contains a whopping 200 calories!