Healthy late night snacks

Midnight Snacks

Many people enjoy staying up later at night, watching TV, reading a good book, listening to music or doing something else they like. However, if you, perhaps, had an early dinner or did not eat enough during it, you might feel hunger, while at the same time having premonitions of all the calories you are to place upon your body once you open that refrigerator door. Although, most of the times, this hunger we feel late at night comes without any specific reasons, sometimes this craving may be more serious. We might lack some nutrient, or our organism may be telling us it needs water, salt or some other important substances. Therefore, by making some simple changes in his or her lifestyle, one can enjoy these midnight snacks knowing that they are completely healthy and safe.

Tips While Feeling Hunger at Night

If you happen to feel craving for food before you go to sleep, there are a few important things you need to bear in mind during the entire endeavor. Namely, be aware that, most of the times, you are simply thirsty, but you misread your organism's message and perceive it as hunger. Drink a large glass of water and try to go to sleep. If it turns out that this did not satisfy your stomach, choose some types of food smartly. It means that you should not eat something fatty, or processed, but should rather concentrate on eating protein-rich food. Most of the fast food snacks are rich in carbohydrates which make you hungry again in no time. However, besides being healthy, protein takes more time to be digested, thus providing one longer feeling of fullness.

Healthy Midnight Snack Recipes

Depending on your late night cravings, choose some of the following in order to satisfy them.

If you lack protein and desire a snack rich in it, you can make a salad meal with chopped tomatoes, garlic or onions, with cheese, and lettuce. Add small, diced pieced of cooked chicken into the combination. Bear in mind that this portion should be smaller since you do not want to overeat this late at night. Also, other combinations involving vegetables, spices and whole grains are more than welcome.

Sometimes you may have a desire for something sweet. In such cases, adding honey and walnuts to a cereal mix will be an excellent combination. Also, you can simply add a bar of chocolate to a glass of hot milk.

Finally, you may want something less heavy and more refreshing. In these cases you might want to settle for light drinks and snacks. Eating a cold, smaller portions of chopped watermelon pieces, or drinking a mixture of sparkling water and some natural juice are all excellent choices for these purposes.

Finally, the rest is up to you. Bear in mind that these snacks have to be healthy, be creative, and enjoy your every second of guilt-ridden midnight snacking.