18 Late Night Snacks for Weight Loss

Written by Marixie Ann Obsioma, MT, undergrad MD on July 06, 2022

Anyone who’s ever been on a diet or is trying to lose weight has experienced feeling hungry on an all-nighter or just feeling hungry late at night. Feeling hungry at night, just before falling asleep is an annoying feeling that can prevent us from getting that much-needed shut-eye. At the same time, we can’t just eat anything we would want to eat because that can easily ruin all our efforts in dieting.

Eating at night is a bit more impactful when it comes to weight gain as you are most likely to be less physically inactive, thus better underlining the importance of having.

Here are healthy snack ideas you can check the next time you’re feeling the munchies late at night. We’ve included easy-to-make healthy snacks that you can prepare beforehand or in some cases just a few moments before you want to eat.

1. Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream

Do you have a sweet tooth? Try ice cream! Contrary to popular belief an ice cream maker is only a preferred tool and not a necessity to create your own frozen yogurt, a high-speed blender can easily substitute for an ice cream maker. Frozen yogurt is a sweet and chilly delight that is not only low on carbohydrates but also low in calories.

Frozen yogurt is easy enough to do, first, you’ll need the following ingredients:

3 cups of plain Greek yogurt. Make sure to use non-fat or traditional Greek yogurt.
2/3 cups of Granulated sweetener of choice. Allulose is our recommended sweetener as it doesn’t yield itself to providing a grainy texture.
A Teaspoon of Vanilla extract. An optional choice to include this ingredient but can really add that familiar vanilla flavor we all love.

Instructions:

Mix all your ingredients together into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer in small containers and freeze until solid.
Once solid, place them back into the blender and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
Serve immediately.

TIP: You can try and experiment with flavors by adding cocoa powder, using fruit-flavored Greek yogurt or using fruits such as berries and even mango or peach!

Nutrition:

Each serving contains 46 calories, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 8 grams of protein.

2. Frozen Sherbet Watermelon

Here’s a refreshing healthy snacks for weight that you can pre-make for hot summer evenings. Each half-a-cup serving has 132 calories, 3.1 grams of proteins, and 24 grams of carbs.

Ingredients:

6 1/4 cups of cubed seedless watermelon
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
⅓ cup lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Place your watermelon on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place in a freezer for 4 hours or overnight
Puree all the ingredients in a food processor, until smooth, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large container, cover it and freeze until firm (usually around 4 hours).

3. Honey Popcorn

Popcorn is a satisfying snack that is not only easy to make but is also healthy and filling! Just make sure you skip putting in butter and replace it with sea salt or in our case honey. Popcorn is always a great pick-me-up snack as it is quick and easy to prepare. Just pour the corn kernels into a microwaveable corner and pop them into the microwave for a few minutes and tada! You got an all-time favorite snack that's easy to flavor however you like it. Popcorn is also great for satisfying your cravings for something crunchy if that's your usual snack. At only 90 calories per serving

4. Carrots and Dip

Baby carrots or carrots, in general, are a great easy-to-make snack in and of itself. Just wash them and chop them and you already have a delicious and crunchy healthy snack. Pairing it with hummus or a creamy salad dip such as blue cheese dressing can help you have a better appetite for the carrots.

Alternatively, A 100-gram serving of baby carrots with 30 grams of blue cheese dressing can serve as a light snack containing about 180 calories.

5. Whole Wheat Crackers and Tuna

Canned fish, such as canned salmon, sardines, and tuna, may not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of snacks, but it’s a fantastic option that requires no refrigeration.

Plus, salmon and sardines are incredibly high in omega-3 fatty acids, which decrease your risk of heart disease, inflammation, and other health problems (1).

Topping a piece of whole-wheat toast with canned fish will give you a highly nutritious snack that will leave you feeling full until your next meal. For something smaller, try a few whole-grain crackers with tuna or salmon.

6. Coconut Chips

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the coconut flakes with sea salt. Spread the chips into a thin, even layer. Airflow is important for even baking, so if you’re planning to make chips from multiple coconuts then you’ll need multiple baking sheets.

Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried, crisp, and lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Store cooled coconut chips in an airtight container.

7. Hard Boiled Egg and Crackers

Eggs are one of the healthiest and most weight-loss-friendly foods you can eat. They are incredibly filling, thanks to their protein content (2). Although their high cholesterol levels gave them a bad reputation for years, recent studies suggest that moderate egg intake — defined as 3–4 eggs per week — may benefit arterial stiffness, a risk factor for heart disease (3).

Additionally, hard-boiled eggs are a convenient way to enjoy a high-protein snack while on the go. Keep the yolk to get important nutrients like vitamin D and choline (4).

8. Trail Mix

Though store-bought trail mixes are convenient, making your own is simple and cost-effective. Plus, it gives you the ability to make favorite flavor combinations that aren’t available in stores.

Combine your choice of seeds, nuts, and dried fruit and add smaller amounts of dark chocolate, coconut, grains, and spices until you create the perfect blend. Most trail mix blends deliver around 140 calories per 1/4 cup (30 grams).

9. Roasted Chickpeas

Even though it is considered a nutritional powerhouse, chickpeas are not often top of mind for great superfoods. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans and are legumes. This snack has about 130 calories, 4 grams of protein, and 17 grams of carbohydrates. It also has some fiber. It will keep well if you store it in an airtight container or reheat it with an air fryer or in the oven to make it crispy again.

Roasted chickpeas are a great snack that packs protein and fiber.

Ingredients:

A can of chickpeas
A tablespoon of olive oil
your own mix of spices such as cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, and pepper. (A premixed store-bought taco seasoning can also work well for this.)

Instructions:

Prepare the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees.
Take out your can of chickpeas, open it and drain and rinse your chickpeas
Get a clean kitchen towel, set your chickpeas on the towel, and pat away. Make sure to do this gently and carefully, taking extra care that each piece is totally mixed in the olive oil.
Put your chickpeas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt or whatever seasonings you would like.
Spread them evenly on the baking sheet to get evenly roasted chickpeas.
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast to your liking. It is usually safe to check in at around 20 minutes, but depending on your tastes and preferences, might take up to 30 minutes to make them extra crispy.
Remove from the oven, and add additional spices until it’s to your taste. Enjoy!

TIP: It’s important to make sure that your chickpeas aren’t damp before putting them on the baking sheet. Damp chickpeas won’t turn out crispy. Make sure to remove and discard loose skins as well.

10. Kale Chips

Kale chips are a nutritious and easy snack to prepare. They’re known to be filled with fiber and antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Aside from that, they also contain calcium and phosphorus. (5)

They’re a great savory snack that doesn’t compromise on nutritional value. Our quick and easy recipe below is estimated to provide only 150 calories.

Ingredients:

1 cup of bite-sized kale leaves
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1;/4 teaspoon of salt

Instructions:

Thoroughly wash and dry your kale.
Carefully separate the tough stems and tear the leaves into smaller, preferably bite-sized, pieces.
Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle a bit of oil, preferably olive oil, and add some salt.
Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until browning on the edges happens.
Enjoy your tasty, crunchy, and healthy Kale chips.

TIP: Make sure to watch your kale chips in the oven, they can easily get burnt and overcooked.

11. Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds contain healthy fats and are a great addition to any diet. Research has shown that it's jam-packed with nutrients and loaded with antioxidants. Due to their rather bland taste, they are also easy to add to any meal. (6)

A quick and easy recipe is adding chia seeds to pudding.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1/3 cup of a dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice
1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder for flavor
1/2 cup of mixed berries
1 or 2 teaspoons of honey, if desired

Instructions:

In a small bowl or jar, combine your chia seeds and your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk.
Cover your container and refrigerate for a minimum of thirty minutes. You can add and stir in your cocoa powder or mixed berries or any other flavorings you have in mind.

12. Edamame

Edamame beans are a vegetarian-friendly snack that contains an impressive amount of plant-based protein and fiber.

A ½-cup (75-gram) serving of cooked edamame delivers only 105 calories but 9 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, making these beans an extremely healthy and filling snack.

Enjoy edamame on their own sprinkled with sea salt, or toss them on a green salad for a boost of plant-based protein.

Edamame is a dish of steamed unripened soybeans that makes a great snack for anyone following a vegan or vegetarian diet. It’s a fiber-rich food that’s considered a complete, plant-based protein source (7). One cup (155 grams) of edamame provides around 18 grams of protein and 13 grams of carbs, 8 of which come from fiber (8).

Bring the water to boiling and then add the frozen edamame, then boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
Drain well, then mix it together with grated garlic right into the bowl, toasted sesame oil, and a generous seasoning of salt.

13. Celery Sticks with Cream Cheese

Celery sticks with cream cheese are a classic low-carb snack that can help keep you feeling full.

This duo will have you enjoying a fiber-packed snack that combines a crunchy texture from the celery with creaminess from the cheese. Try celery sticks with peanut butter or almond butter for another crunchy and creamy combo.

Snacking on 5 small celery sticks with about 1 ounce (30 grams) of cream cheese provides roughly 100 calories (9).

14. Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut butter is another healthy fat option. Every two peanut butter balls have 174 calories; 4.4 grams of protein, and 18.2 grams of carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (see Tip)
1 cup natural peanut butter or other nut butter
½ cup honey
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

Combine oats, peanut butter (or other nut butter), honey, chocolate chips, and coconut in a medium bowl; stir well.
Using a 1-tablespoon measure, roll the mixture into balls.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

15. Muffin Baked Blueberry & Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

Muffins don’t have to be dense with empty calories! They can be a nice treat and they keep well in the refrigerator. They only have 181 calories per serving.

Ingredients:

3 cups oats
1 ½ cups low-fat milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

Prepare the oven by preheating it to 375°F
Coat your muffin tin with cooking spray
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, and fold in the blueberries and pecans.
Pour in the mixture between the muffin cups.
Insert a toothpick inserted into the center, this will be a helpful indicator to know when to move the cupcakes out of the oven.
When the toothpick comes out clean, which would take around 25 minutes, go ahead and cool the pan for 10 minutes.
Turn out the muffins unto a wire rack
Serve warm or at room temperature

As the preparation time suggests, making muffins is not as quick and as easy to do as our other entries in this list and will require some foresight and preparation.

16. Roasted Eggplant Dip

This has about 40 calories and is easy to make. It takes about 45 minutes to make. Though most of it is the cooking time for the eggplant

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
½ garlic clove
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chopped fresh chili
¼ - ½ teaspoon salt to taste
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil more for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to the hottest setting. Place the eggplants onto a baking sheet and poke them with a few holes using your fork.
Put the eggplants into the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes until tender. Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Once you can handle them carefully remove the flesh from the skin.
Put it inside a food processor, add your garlic along with your spices and salt, and pulse it while adding your olive oil.
Check your seasoning and add more salt to the taste.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until needed. Ideally, you want to allow it to reach room temperature before you serve it.

17. Oatmeal

Not many know but oats are a natural source of melatonin, so they can help you fall asleep. (10)

Oats also contain a good deal of necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Oats are also easily prepared with minimal cooking required but at the same time offer a great deal of flexibility in terms of what can be added.

You can prepare oatmeal with fruits and milk for a sweet meal but you can also combine it with eggs and more savory ingredients for a savory meal.

18. Hummus and Veggie Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of whole-grain bread
3 tablespoons hummus
¼ avocado, mashed
½ cup mixed salad greens
¼ medium red bell pepper, sliced
¼ cup sliced cucumber
¼ cup shredded carrots

Instructions:

Spread one slice of bread with hummus and the other with avocado.
Fill the sandwich with greens, bell pepper, cucumber, and carrot. Slice in half and serve.

Tips To make ahead: Refrigerate sandwich for up to 4 hours.

The Bottomline

Late-night snacks aren’t limited to processed food, junk food, and products with added sugar. There are healthier alternatives that make a great deal of change to your overall diet by just adjusting what you eat.

Healthy snacking includes those that are high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals can improve your health and even help you stay on track with your weight loss efforts.