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We all love to munch on snacks. Healthy snacks keep our hunger in check and our metabolisms fired up until our next meal.
When I work with my clients I find that many tend to skip a meal because they are so busy. By doing this, however they are not feeding their metabolism and the body starts to hold on to their fat to "survive".
By having a snack between meals you will also keep the body from going into starvation mode.
Remember, ideally you want to eat something every 3-4 hours.
Here are some healthy snack ideas to help you lose weight and keep you on track with your health goals.
Healthy Late Night Snack Ideas
Late at night can be a time when you may have the most cravings. We all have those moments where we've already had dinner and are either ready to go to bed or already in bed when hunger strikes and we end up munching on anything we find.
If you need to have a snack at night, it is better for you to go for protein-rich snacks and avoid carbohydrates.
Here are some healthy snack ideas that you can go to late at night.
Protein Balls (Energy Bites)
Little protein balls are perfect because 1 ball will provide protein and healthy fats to satiate you AND they're absolutely delicious.
The most popular ones involves no baking. These protein balls have an amazing chewy texture that is similar to peanut butter cookie dough. You can add chia, peanut butter, oats, and flaxseed to prepare them. Try out this recipe and of course there's tons of other protein balls or bites if you search for them.
Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are another good choice when you are looking for some bright and healthy snack ideas that can help you with weight loss. Emerging research suggests that chickpeas (and hummus!) may play a beneficial role in weight management and glucose and insulin regulation.*
Roasted chickpeas are used in a couple of ways in my 7-Day Blender Cleanse Program.
If you'd like to try them I recommend this roasted chickpeas recipe.
Chia Pudding Parfait
Chia seeds are a good source of fiber. Fiber is a bulking agent that increases the feeling of fullness after eating. Feeling fuller after eating a snack can help lower your caloric intake.
They are also good for your heart's health as they reduce inflammation. Chia seeds don't have a flavor of their own, but they do form a jelly-like consistency when you soak them in water for some time.
If you meal prep a nice sized batch of chia pudding ahead of time, you can eat a few spoonfuls on its own, add layers of fruit, seeds, nuts, granola or stir in 1 tablespoon of nut butter!
My simple basic chia pudding recipe. This makes 1.5 cups of chia pudding with 1/2 cup serving size. Double or triple when you meal prep if using all week.
CHIA PUDDING RECIPE
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup coconut milk or favorite milk substitute
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup or raw honey
pinch of sea salt
Stir, cover and put in fridge. Stir again in 30 minutes to remove any clumps.
Nuts/Trail Mix (Small Handful)
Frequent nut consumption has been associated with better metabolic status, decreased body weight as well as lower body weight gain over time.**
Moderate amounts of nuts helps in losing weight. Nuts have a balance of fiber, protein, as well as healthy fats. At night they will satisfy a crunch and hunger. As they don't need refrigeration, you can also use them on the go too.
Note: Nuts are best eaten RAW rather than roasted and/or salted.
Pumpkin Seeds (Small Handful)
If you're looking for a good seed to buy for snacking, look no further. Pumpkin seeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids (aka healthy fats) as well as protein with very little carbs.
Just 1/4 cup (small handful) provides 150 calories, 15 grams of fat and 8 to 10 grams of plant protein!
They're also high in magnesium, iron, zinc as well as anti-oxidants.
Protein Shake
For a protein shake, you can use unsweetened almond milk, a scoop or half scoop of quality protein powder, just a pinch of stevia if needed and some ice. Just blend until the shake is smooth.
Avoid adding fruits but if you wanted to toss in a handful of greens you can't go wrong!
For meal replacement protein smoothies (not late night snacks!), you can also check out my popular High Protein Smoothies eBook - on sale now!
Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are a great high protein recipe that you can make a good sized batch of and use for a healthy snack as well as breakfast.
Add lots of variety with vegetables like green pepper, red pepper, mushroom, baby spinach, and yellow onion.
You can also check out these 7 egg muffin cup recipes with printable.
Also, a simple hard boiled egg is a quick and easy choice too!
Shrimp Cocktail
Almost all types of seafood are great for weight loss, and shrimp is no different. Shrimp are high in protein and low in calories. So having a few shrimp as a late nigh snack will make you feel full without adding much to your daily intake.
Meat + Cheese
You can also make a quick snack with just some meat and cheese - minus the bread or crackers. You can make a "sandwich" with just these two ingredients.
You can simple add some mustard to your cheese and meat sandwich or if you're feeling adventurous these anti-pasto tacos require a little more work but are absolutely delicious!
Healthy Snacks that Have a Crunch
Many people like to have a little crunch in their snacks. Now you don't have to do much to add crunch to some of the healthy snacks. Here are some ideas:
Celery with Peanut Butter
You can use celery with peanut butter or any other nut butter (I like almond butter!). You can sprinkle some coconut flakes or raisins if you want to try something different.
Veggies with Hummus or Greek Yogurt Dip
Americans do not eat enough vegetables, and particularly legumes, each day, despite their well-established benefits for health. Consumers of chickpeas and/or hummus have been shown to have higher nutrient intakes of dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron as compared to non-consumers.*
You can also try a range of different combinations of veggies with hummus for a healthy snack.
If you don't have or don't like hummus, you can replace it with Greek yogurt + dill or dried herbs and try it as a dip.
Apple with Peanut Butter
Try an apple with peanut butter or any other nut butter. Apple is great for weight loss, and nut butter is protein-rich. Both these ingredients are excellent for a satiating and crunch snack.
You could also try bananas and peanut butter for something equally satiating but without the crunch.
Brown Rice Cakes with Toppings
If you love avocado toast, you know there's a million topping ideas. Well now you can put those same toppings on a brown rice cake if you're looking for a low carb, gluten-free crispy vehicle.
I like to top mine with nut butter and strawberries or hummus and cucumber. The possibilities are endless!
Indulgent Healthy Snack Ideas
If you are looking for some indulging yet healthy snack ideas, then here are a few to try.
Almond or Peanut Butter Filled Dates
One of the most delicious, naturally sweet and high-fiber snacks are dates filled with peanut butter or almond butter. You can also melt a little dark chocolate, dip half and place them on parchment paper and put in the fridge
Frozen or Dried Fruit/Nuts in Dark Chocolate
Dried or frozen fruits and some nuts with dark chocolate feels really indulgent but can actually provide a ton of health benefits. I make variations of this easy chocolate bark recipe.
Raw Chocolate Candies
These are similar to chocolate bark but you can also make individual pieces of some raw chocolate candies as your healthy snack that can satisfy your cravings. Great for kids too!
Here's the official recipe but you just need three-quarters melted coconut oil and the same quantity of sweeteners like honey, coconut nectar, or even raw sugar.
Also, add raw cocoa and a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter along with some pure vanilla essence, a couple of coconut flakes, and some salt to taste. Just mix all the ingredients using a blender.
And then, pour the mixture into small candy molds and place the molds into the freezer for 20 minutes.
Favorite Healthy Store-Bought Snacks
Here are some healthy store-bought snacks that you can consider for your weight loss regime,
RXBars
These are very nutritious protein bars that you can include in your daily routine. You can use these RXBars if you don't have much time to create your recipes. These are six different flavors available too.
KIND Bars
The KIND bars are available in different flavors and ingredients. These bars are gluten free and are enriched with a good source of fiber and low sodium.
Sahale Snacks
Sahale Snacks are good because these snacks are non-GMO, gluten free, and have roasted nuts and fruits.
Bare Baked Crunchy Chips
If you are looking for some crunchy snacks, bare baked crunchy chips will serve you well. These chips taste delicious and only include baked ingredients. You can choose from 4 different flavors.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! Late-night munching doesn't have to add weight to your body. In fact, choosing the right healthy snacks carefully can help you to lose weight! We hope you have found these suggestions helpful and will try these healthy snack ideas rather than go hungry.
What healthy snacks do you enjoy? Please share in the comments and we will happily update this post!
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188421/
** https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26586104/
