Late night snacks

I have to stay up late pretty often to finish my school homework. Unfortunately, i tend to snack A LOT during the night and i keep blowing my diet. Telling myself that i should NOT snack doesnt help at all since my will power is practically non-existent, and i've turned to raisins for help. Raisins really help to control my inner snack monster cause i take forever to eat a few.

But i'm getting a little sick of having to snack on raisins all the time. Is there any other snack you guys recommend that's low calorie AND takes some time to eat?

Try chewing some sugar-free gum. It will provide you with flavor and keep your mouth busy for a while and all for (usually) not more than 5 calories.

Popcorn, especially the homemade, air-popped kind.

Carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper, etc.  Even if you have to dip it in light ranch, it is very low-cal.

Frozen fruit like grapes, cantaloupe, peaches - takes forever to eat if you leave it frozen.

Sunflower seeds in the shell.

Sugar free popsicles...the tropical flavors ROCK!  I eat five or so every night!

some awesome snacks: frozen grapes, steamed carrots (great with salt, pepper, and garlic powder), no sugar added fudgsicles (only 40c a pop!), smartdogs (vegetarian, high protein and low cal)

Cut up tomatoes, baby carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli...etc and dip in light italian dressing. Or add lettuce to that and just make a huge salad. Drink a lot of water with it. That fills me up pretty fast. Also, when Im hungry at night but dont want to eat I will drink flavored carbonated water. They sell them cheap, like 50 cents for a liter bottle. I of course only do this at night because those drinks make me feel bloated and full....gotta sleep it off.

What about cereal? If you have it though with a protein it may help keep you satisfied.

Soy crisps or rice cakes with pb/hummus

Frozen fruit dipped in yogurt

I second the gum suggestion.  And I know what you mean about snacking on raisins, I used to be addicted.  I'd eat like a pound in one sitting.  The solution?  Stop buying raisins, or any other food you feel you can't control yourself around.

Next, are you actually hungry when you're eating at night?  Or is it more of an "oh I'm bored oh look candy" kind of eating?  If so, ask yourself before you grab the food "am I really hungry?"  If you are, sit down with no homework to distract you, and eat.  If not, don't eat.  And never eat while distracted.  You will eat much more food than you realize.  It just disappears.  

Now, here are some snack ideas:

• cottage cheese with fruit
• raw vegetables (with dip if you want, like hummus)
• low sugar yogurt
• high fiber cereal with low or non fat milk
• oatmeal
• cup of hot tea or milk
• english muffin with 1 TB peanut butter
• smoothie
• pretzels and a cheese stick

1.   I second the plain popcorn. Air popped. Or by plain kernels and in a brown paper bag pop it in a microwave. A good sized bag is healthy and under 100 calories if nothing is added. Boring but does the trick.

2.  Cheerios. A bowl of dry Cheerios is low calorie. I sit and take one at a time like a kid but it lasts for hours and is harmless in total calories and other factors like fat and sodium.

I quite like a glass of ice cold milk and something like a spoonful of PB. Or a couple of weetabix with milk. Nothing too salty or sweet coz I think that gives you a dry mouth and makes it hard to go back to sleep. Always loads of water or herbal tea too.

I personally wouldn't want to have loads of raisins either just because they aren't great for your teeth!

It may help to make something earlier, maybe even leftovers from dinner that you plan to have if you're hungry later, think of it more as a mini meal? Alternatively if you're not that hungry but want to feel like you've eaten then cut up veggies and miso soups might be good.

a chilled glass of milk with dried fruit or you could opt for a small tub of yogurt(flavoured or natural) its good calcium and easy on the tummy:).