11 Healthy Late Night Snack Ideas That Are Good For You

Let’s be honest, I’m sure most of us have had those moments where we are so hungry after dinner, we can’t help raiding the pantry. 

If you notice that you’re always really hungry before bed, that might be a sign that you aren’t eating enough during the day. Try to make sure you are eating some lean protein in your evening meal — it can help to satisfy your tummy and keep hunger at bay.

Jump to:

• Yoghurt and fruit
• Hummus and veggie sticks
• Bliss balls
• Medjool date with peanut butter
• Trail mix
• Baked chickpeas
• Pita triangles with dip
• Chocolate popcorn
• Nice cream
• Banana and peanut butter
• Whole grain crackers

If you still find yourself reaching for late night snacks, try to make them a little bit healthier. 

My favourite healthy late night snacks

When reaching for snacks late at night (after your main meal) try to choose a snack that provides your body with nutrients. 

These are a few of my favourites:
 

Yoghurt and fruit

If you are looking for a late night snack to satisfy a sweet craving, it is hard to go past yoghurt and fruit! As a bonus — it is so simple to make! 

Stick with a plain healthy yoghurt variety that doesn’t have added fruit flavouring (this is usually hidden sugar). Try to find the best quality Greek yoghurt you can find so that you get a nice creamy texture. 

You could even heat some berries in a saucepan so that you end up with a sweet berry sauce! It tastes so delicious mixed in with the yoghurt. 

Hummus and veggie sticks

When you’re searching for late night snack ideas that have a little crunch, look no further! 

Make one of my healthy hummus recipes and keep it in your fridge during the week. Next time you get hungry, reach for the hummus and some of your favourite veggies. I love sliced carrots, cucumber or some capsicum (bell pepper). Get dipping and, if you like, sneak in some extra vegetables too. 

Bliss balls

I’m sure it is no secret to anyone that bliss balls are a favourite snack idea of mine! The endless variety of flavours means you never get bored — you simply switch up some of the ingredients to make a different batch. 

It doesn’t get easier than these 4-ingredient bliss balls, which you can whip up in just a few minutes. They keep in the fridge, so you can simply grab one when you are feeling peckish. Yum!

Medjool date with peanut butter

If your late night snack cravings tend to be for something sweet, you should definitely try this one! Simply cut one side of a Medjool date, remove the pit and add a teaspoon of peanut butter into the date. Enjoy it as is or sprinkle a little coconut or sea salt over the top. Yummy!

Lots of my healthy recipes use Medjool dates as a natural sweetener, like my cookies and cream protein shake. The only thing is, you want something to balance that natural sugar so that you don’t give yourself a blood sugar spike (followed by a crash!). Using some natural peanut butter can help your body to slow down the absorption of the sugar, so you get a gradual release instead of a quick sugar hit!

Trail mix

A healthy homemade trail mix is ideal when you want something quick to snack on. It gives you a pop of something sweet while being filling and providing some crunch too. Trail mix is a great way to give your body extra nutrients as well, like healthy fats and fibre!

Try out my easy trail mix recipe or customise your own to suit your taste. Not only do trail mixes make a tasty late night snack, but you can also use them as a topper for a bowl of oats or a smoothie bowl. 
 

Baked chickpeas

Skip the unhealthy late night snacks and reach for a crispy, healthy alternative! Having a batch of baked chickpeas in your pantry means you can snack on something that has protein, fibre and lots of vitamins and minerals. 

Check out my spicy baked chickpeas recipe to learn how to make your own.

Pita triangles with dip

Do your late night snack ideas all lead to potato chips? Then you should give pita triangles a try! They take only a few minutes to get ready and the pita is so yummy when it’s still warm — or you can eat them cold. 

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Grab your pita and cut it into triangles. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes. One pita cut into triangles is usually more than enough for me but you might like to make more if you plan on sharing your snack. Once baked, have the pita with your favourite dip — hummus or baba ganoush is delicious with pita!

Chocolate popcorn

This is another super easy snack that will keep a sweet tooth happy! It does take a little time to prepare so you may want to make some and keep it in an airtight container. 

1. Place 160g dark chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at medium heat for 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir. Continue warming the chocolate for 30 seconds at a time until it is melted and smooth, stirring in between and being careful not to burn the chocolate. 
2. While the chocolate is melting, spread some air-popped popcorn on a baking sheet.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, immediately drizzle it over the popcorn and wait for it to set. This can take around 1 hour. 

This is such a simple way to make popcorn an even tastier snack. 

Nice cream

If reaching for a bowl of ice cream is your go-to late night snack, it’s time to try a delicious healthy alternative — nice cream! Made with frozen bananas, nice cream is just as good, if not better than the real thing!

I have some super simple nice cream recipes you can make and keep in the freezer when you need a healthy midnight snack idea!

Banana and peanut butter

This is a classic flavour combination and it has to be on my list of late night snack ideas! Just like the peanut butter and date combination above, adding some peanut butter to the banana helps to slow down the metabolising of the natural fruit sugar. That way, not only can you skip the blood sugar rollercoaster, you should also find the snack more filling!

Slice a banana into rounds or lengthwise and spread the banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. You may need to soften the peanut butter a little to make it spread easier. You can also add some blueberries or chopped up strawberries on top of the peanut butter.  

Whole grain crackers with low-fat cheddar cheese and some grapes

There is nothing better than late night snacks that you can throw together in a few minutes. Try to choose whole grain crackers, instead of flavoured biscuits, as they tend to be lower in salt and whole grain versions may retain more nutrients. 

Take a couple of whole wheat crackers and top with some slices of low-fat cheese. Serve with a handful of grapes — that way you have something sweet to complement the sharpness of the cheese. Think of this as a mini cheese platter that you can have all to yourself!

Try some of these late night snack ideas!

While this list is full of healthy snacks, they still count towards your food intake. So if weight loss is one of your goals, try to be mindful of how many snacks you are having and how large the servings are. 

Sometimes when you think you need a snack, you might be thirsty. Try drinking a glass of water and waiting five minutes. If you are still hungry, then feel free to have one of the late night snack ideas above!