Good "late night" snacks

Does anyone else have a problem falling asleep due to being hungry? I have a very fast metabolism and I get hungry every 2-3 hours like clockwork. Every night before I am ready to fall asleep, I get so hungry!! I can't fall asleep when I am hungry either. I just end up tossing and turning thinking about how hungry I am.

What foods do you eat at night when they are hungry and can't fall asleep?

Tortilla chips and salsa. :0 Ten calories a chip and salsa is 10-15 calories a tbsp.

It's crunchy, keeps my mouth busy, and filling. It's nice. :)

I could eat salsa before bed in college - can't do that now or I regret it all night long.

We have dinner between 5 and 6 in my house, so by the time 9:00 rolls around, I'm hungry, so I almost always have a snack before bed.  My usual bedtime snack is a boiled egg and a glass of milk, and maybe some bread with jelly.  Cottage cheese is also good.  Something relatively low cal, low fat, and high protein works well for me.

If I eat around 5 or 6, between 8 and 9 I usually have either some low-fat, low-cal ice cream, or a mini bag of popcorn (100 cals per bag).

If it's super late (midnight or so) I used to have a glass of chocolate milk and it really helped, but I have to stop chocolate and any chocolate products for a while (esophagus problems) so that's out.

Sometimes I have a serving of cereal, with or without milk.

I too have this problem, as well as going to sleep then waking up hungry later in the middle of the night.  I have recently tried to start eating lower calorie when I wake up, as it is a daily occurence.  You might try plain rice crackers and sprinkle the top with nacho cheese flavored popcorn seasoning, or vegetable soup (I just made some yesterday, and ate it early morning, but I am pretty sure that I over-ate, so be cautious if you are watching your weight).

I have this problem too! I'm starving ALL DAY the next day if I don't eat something before bed.

I usually go for a bowl of oatmeal with a few almonds or walnuts and some skim milk (and sometimes some maple syrup!). With the low glycemic index and soluble and insoluble fibre I find it stays with me until the morning.Occasionally I'll have some toast with natural peanut butter. I try to have a bit of protein and fat but for me too much protein right before bed (e.g. cottage cheese, egg) is too heavy.

ive tryed having protein before bed and it makes me dream or have nightmares

i usually have weetabix and a digestive biscuit and some milk i would have oatmeal but im always to tired to make it . i have a sweet tooth but try and avoid them as this makes me hungrier and sluggish in a morning

I had this dilemma this evening too ... i was hungry, and wanted a snack .... but didn't fancy anything in the fridge.

I opted for a hot milk, with sweetener, nutmeg and cinamon (excuse spelling please!! ) and so far its worked like a dream. soothing, filling, sweet, and low calorie.

if it works night after night i'm onto a winner!!

i always have an instant packet of reduced apples and cinnamon sugar oatmeal.

one packet + 2/3 cup of water into the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds ..delish and keeps me into the morning!

I'll usually have one of these:

• apple or pear sliced up with 1 TB crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese with cinnamon mixed in and a banana
• Smoothie:  1 cup skim milk, frozen fruit & a bit of cottage cheese (for protein)
• A brownie flavored Gnu bar (I microwave it for a full brownie effect)
• Celery with 1 TB peanut butter
• Raw veggies (baby carrots, celery, etc) dipped in fresh salsa (trader joe's is my favorite)
• 1/3 c old fashioned oats cooked in water with cinnamon, cocoa powder and splenda mixed in
• tea--decaf, I find it very satisfying and it puts me to sleep with zero calories!

I have the same issues with always being hungry and follow a low carb diet. My metabolism is fast because I do 300 pushups incline/decline, 150 ab workout reps, and heavy dumbell exercises every other day. A lot of the suggestions are great that I see from others.

I usually eat 4-6 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with hot water and splenda for breakfast along with a two egg omelet, 1,000 milligrams vitamin C supplement and a Multivitamin then drink a small sized sugar free redbull on the way to work. This will keep you full and running for 4 to 6 hours even under heavy physical activity.

(For a snack on the go) planters smoked almonds or peanut packets (or) a few handfulls of peanuts or regular almonds from any source , EAS Carb Control bars, Met RX Bars, Atkins Bars

(For a snack at home late night) Scrambled eggs made in "Move Over Butter" <<GOOOOOD, Leftover Dinner like stirfry or chicken wrapped in a low carb wrap, Sliced block cheese wrapped with lunch meat like the oscar myer Roast Deli Roast Beef, or 2 TBSP. natural peanut butter stuffed in a low carb wrap and eaten with some ice cold diet Dr Pepper. So these are some of my ACTUAL ROUTINES.Maybe they will help ya.

A filling dinner I like is to get out the cutting board and thin slice 1/4 a cabbage and place it in a colander above a pot filled 1/4 the way with water to make steamed cabbage "Get the cabbage going over high heat. Fresh cutting board again....Slice some mushrooms, bell pepper, about 4 thin onion rings, minced garlic, and yellow/zuccinii squash and chill for a few while you Get a broiler pan going in the oven for about 15 minutes with the oven door closed for good grill marks. Start on your vegetables stir fry on the stove top made in about 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and seasonings of your choice. After they get simmiring protect your hands and take out the broiler pan and place the meat on it immediently and put it back in the oven with the oven door cracked and cook it. This is a low fat and filling meal that will not leave you so hungry at night.

i usually save up about 350 calories for night time so i can have a big, filling snack of popcorn and a nice mug of hot chocolate.

i absolutely second the huge bowl of popcorn (made in a hot air popper or a paper bag in the microwave - not in a qt of oil like my bf makes it...). I hate to go to bed hungry, so I usually lighten my dinner a little to account for a bowl of cereal or some yogurt  (or both) around 9.

Popcorn does it for me also, If its butter Popcorn you like a few sprays of the spray type butter usually does it.

A glass of skim milk and some All-Bran crackers.  These crackers have the highest fiber I've found.

My doctor told me to eat an apple before I go to bed. Does not help. I need more. I have graham crackers and soy milk. That works.

Eric  AND  swimfan have the key.......a snack should contain some protein which will hold you over. Diabetics know this trick. THUMBS UP FROM A THIRTY YEAR DIABETIC WITH FEW COMPLICATIONS.

PATTEER 

THUMBS UP FROM

I too have this problem... but I struggled with it for years thinking I shouldn't eat after 7:00pm. At first I tried eating later, that didn't work. Then I tried drinking hot tea, but that didn't help with the hunger. I find that I can't eat carbs after about 5:oopm or they get stored, so this summer I started eating watermelon as my before bed snack. 1  cup has less than 50 calories [sometimes I have 2 cups] and I find it not only filling, but it hits the sweet tooth as well. Downside- if you have a small bladder, you may have the go the potty at 3Am problem , but I don't always, and it is a small price for me to pay. I'm not really sure what I will do when it goes out of season.... Good luck. Hope this helps! Liz

Try (if you like it) cottage cheese with pineapples (mixed usually by vendor). Its low in calories, high in protein and low in 'bad' carbs. Great go to bed snack. Ciao 

I do a bowl of special K... well actually the Winn-Dixie brand "Fit Flakes." :)

I only have about 11-12% body fat due to being a long distant runner. My metabolism is extremely high and my body doesn't have much to work with... So, if I don't eat near bed time, I find myself waking up and my body will not let me go back to sleep until I give it something. Special K brakes down easy and doens't leave you feeling sick the following morning. The protein in the milk helps the simple carb. maintain until you awake in the morning.

That's what works for this chick. Hope it helps.

~HannahBo

1% Cottage Cheese does it for me.