Best late night snack

Latley I have been waking up in the middle of the night craving peanut butter and crackers. I give in and eat a whole row of saltine soup crackers. Is that really bad for me?! And also what would be a better alternative for a really late night snack that wont make me FAT!

Yeah...midnight snacking really is pretty bad for you.  You eat a lot of food and then do nothing but sit there, so the food never gets worked off.  Especially since youre eating really high carb stuff like crackers.  I don't get midnight hunger pangs, so I don't have any personal tips, but I know people here are firm believers in a glass of water.  Go in the kitchen, drink a full glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see if you REALLY want that snack.  If you still do, just make a few on a plate and get out of the kitchen.  Grabbing a whole sleeve of crackers is a great way to overeat.  If you put a portion on a plate or bowl and say youre only going to eat THAT amount, it reduces the risk of overeating.

Yeah, late night eating is pretty bad. I would suggest not only the portion control like finewine suggested but maybe a change in your choice of crakers. I find unsalted heaver crakers like watercress turn off my appitite because I end up sitting there with a heavy, chewy, totally gross, moist wad of craker in my mouth(have you lost your appetite yet?)

or...

you could have a few whole wheat or reduced fat wheat thins or triscuits to help you get that little bit of extra fiber in you which will hopefully help you pass more of the food you just ate instead of it all beaing broken down and easily absorbed by the body. Just be careful I find these extremely addicting...especially with a little muenster cheese.

From what I've been reading (from multiple resources), time of day does not matter when taking in calories.  All that matters is that you are using more calories than you are taking in.  That said, a row of saltines is probably around 250 calories.  Not terrible, but if you're putting peanut butter on them, that can get calorically expensive really quick.  Half a cup of peanut butter to go on those 20 crackers is 750 calories.

I would highly suggest setting a limit.  Maybe keep your peanut butter to no more than 2 tbsp.  If you set the limit before you get the craving, it will be much easier to make the right choice when you wake up in the night.

Another way to lessen hunger cravings is to be very strict with yourself for about 2 weeks.  This method may not be for everyone because it takes a lot of wilpower, but when I started my diet I did not allow myself to cheat.  After two weeks my stomach had shrunk enough that I was able to get full by eating significantly less.

When I get hungry late at night I always try to opt for cottage cheese - it's filling and has lots of protein. sometimes with some fruit or just alone. and then there are those other times I reach for the oreos. Which is why they are no longer allowed in my house!

Yeah , but then what else should I grab!? I need an alternative.. its soo hard to walk away. Whats a better snack? Cereal?

I cut up fruit into small pieces and eat them slowly with a big glass of water. When I REALLY need something sweet, I allow myself a Mars bar periodically, providing it still fits within my calorie limit for the day.

Another thing that sometimes helps is a flavored rice cake....

Oh yeah, half a milky way midnight is my candy treat about once every 2 or 3 weeks.

so bad, yet SO SO GOOD!

If you're going after crackers, and that's what you're really craving, buy yourself some whole wheat crackers and Smuckers sugar free jam to go on them instead of the peanut butter. It's still a high carb snack, but whole wheat crackers are at least a little better for you. There's a brand called Carrs that makes a whole wheat cracker that almost tastes like a cookie and would probably fill you up faster than saltines (so you'd eat less of them). They are a little more expensive than regular saltines though.

On a side note, those same whole wheat crackers put in a ziplock and crushed, make an excellent bread crumb substitute when baking chicken or porkchops or fish.

I suggest organic peanut butter and a sliced apple. About 2-3 hours before bedtime, I make myself a full coarse snack. I use 4-5 little 1/2 cup and 1 cup bowls and I put it on a tray. You can see a picture in my blog, second picture down, www.ix.com

I put healthy things like cottage cheese, strawberries, grapes, almonds, broccoli, boiled egg whites, popcorn with a little salt and a little real butter (it's a really small bowl), mangos... even a broth soup. Sometimes I treat myself to two pieces of good quality dark chocolate. I make myself a hot cup of herbal tea and relax for the last couple of hours of the day.

HI - I used to have PB & saltines as a snack too, switched to two rye crackers (high fiber & low cals), with some feta cheese crumbles on top - I stick in the micro until the cheese gets kinda melty & spread around - the feta is tangy & just tastes great with the rye -  this takes care of my snack craving! 

Hi I eat oat bran before I go to bed because it's slow burning and it's filling.... and I just like it. 

The glass of water is the best idea from what I've read. You really don't want to be eating just before bed because that food is only gonna sit in your stomach with nowhere to release its energy. I don't eat 2-3 hours before bed time now. If I get a little niggling to snack I go make a cup of green tea or if Im craving sweet stuff I make a hot Milo (Aussie chocolate milk mix stuff thats low GI). 1 teaspoon of chocolate mix and half boiling water, half low fat milk. Its not too sugary, rids and craving and is low GI so Im less likely to want to grab soemthng else.

Filling up on fluids is the best way (providing those fluids arent too sugary).

Sugar Free jello is my midnight snack. It has very few calories and it satisfies my want for something sweet. Sometimes I add a piece of fruit or a little cool whip free. Another way to help may be to get rid of the saltines completely. Knowing there are not in the house will help you accept another alternative. Then once your free of your habbit you can put them in your cabinet again.  

I know its already been said, but late nite snacking is not the best. And yes it should not matter as long as your output (calories burned) is more than your input (calore intake).But if you refrain from eating 3 hous before bedtime, as your sleeping your body will be in a "fat burning" mode  which means it will access your stored fat for energy. So, instead drink a cup of hot green tea (which by the way helps with your metabolism).

Wait, are you eating because you're hungry? Or just because you crave? If it's the former, there's no harm in eating before bed. Choose something easy to digest. Like unsweetened yoghurt (preferrably no-fat or low-fat).

If it's craving, then I concur with others: make a cup of hot tea (although you might want to avoid the caffeinated teas and stick with herb) or drink a glass of water.

Dude, peanut butter has got to be the WORST choice, you might as well just eat a chunk of butter instead, pure fat!

Now when I get a craving at night, first thing I do is throw down a big cup of decaf coffee (gourmet shiznit) with splenda and skim and/or 1% moo.

If I am still craving after the joe, I do some fresh fruit -- half an apple is only about 50 kcals; compare that to your calorie-laden PB!

Finally, if I must have some fatty food, I'll do some lo-chub mozzerella, still less than 100 kcal/serving. 

This stuff will fill you up something nice, with little effect on that gut action, yo!
Happy snacking, stay away from the starches, dog, AT ALL COSTS! All things in moderation, brother.

>Organik<

If you know you're going to be hungry late at night, then calculate what you know/think you'll want to eat into your daily allowance.  That way if you do eat it you won't feel guilty, because it's in your allowance and if you don't eat it, you've eaten a few less calories.  It doesn't matter that you want to eat at night as long as you don't over eat.  I used to work shifts and some days wouldn't finish until 9:00pm so would have to eat late at night, so would that be wrong just because it's late? no of course not.

im a 1st timer on this site  but all i can say is "eat whatever u want wen u want it!!"  iv been skinny all my young life and wen i started puberty i worried bout all kinds of food based things      &nb sp; as a kid id only eat bout 6 diff things      &nb sp; now im 27 yrs old (nearly 28) and i eat just bout everythin u cud name    i love pasta (wich i never ate as a kid) and il happily try different things    the only things i truly dnt like/wont eat r sweetcorn, mashed potato (cant stand the sloppy texture) coconut and anythin sloppy or mashed/pureed in texture       im nt keen on lots of greasy fatty food either      im approx 8 stone in weight wich is slightly underweight for my height of 5 ft 5 but due to the fact i spent 2 yrs combinin studyin fulltime for a degree working p/t to earn a tiny bit of cash to pay bills/food etc and nursing my dad thru cancer i dnt think im looking too bad   try to eat real food nt lowfat/skinny alternatives and allow urself a glass or 2 of wine/takeaway once or twice a week

if u need comfort food in the cold weather i suggest potato wedges and mega hot spicy chilli (either veggie or meat based)

Actually, after nearly 4 years of losing weight (yes that's slow, but it's off and staying off) I've found it doesn't matter what I eat or when, only how much.  I do have to watch the sodium though.

A better snack would have been peanut butter eaten off a spoon and a glass of milk to balance it out and help you go to sleep.  The sodium in the crackers might make you retain water, if you are prone to that, and can keep you awake.

A bowl of cereal is also a good snack anytime, especially high fiber cereal.  I have been know to make a bowl of oatmeal at night but then you know how crazy I am.

Just track all your calories and don't go over your limit, and you'll be fine.

Original Post by healthnut101_old:

Yeah , but then what else should I grab!? I need an alternative.. its soo hard to walk away. Whats a better snack? Cereal?

Frozen strawberries. Mmm I love that stuff. I buy huge bags in Costco.

UD