How often does it happen, when you are on a weight loss journey, you had your dinner and suddenly feel ravenously hungry at night, or should we say midnight! Your growling stomach somehow syncs with the clock; suddenly you are so hungry that you could eat almost anything. Yes, invariably you eat the first junk food that your eyes settle on. Whether it is last night’s cake or a little bit of ice cream that you thought would eat on the weekend as a cheat meal or those packets of biscuits that sit pretty on the shelves just waiting to be devoured.

Eating too late at night may disrupt your digestion and interrupt your sleep. Here’s what you can do, keep these foods right into your pantry and you’ll be glad the next day as it won’t impact your weight loss, quell your hunger pangs; you’ll also get up the next day without an iota of guilt hampering your next day happiness.

Cereal and Milk

You may think cereal and milk may be fit for a morning meal, but you can turn it into a smart midnight snack too, and it can help you sleep as well. It’s a high-glycemic food and takes less time in putting you to sleep. Although, you still have to keep a tight rein on your portion. Keep the snack under 300 calories. It can cause heartburn if you amp up your portions a bit too much. So, stick to half a cup of skim milk which has as little as 45 calories, and a cup of cornflakes that has only 100 calories. Milk also contains calcium that can induce the sleep hormone called melatonin enabling you to relax the body.

A Bowl of Berries

When midnight hunger cues come calling, it usually means that you need to satisfy your sweet tooth; for that, a bowl of berries works just fine. It is loaded with fiber, which helps fill you up and since it contains magnesium, it can help relax your nerves and muscles to help you travel to la-la land faster. You can combine the berries with some chopped nuts or granola.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Nighttime snacking can also reminiscence your childhood days. Foods like peanut butter, contain an amino acid called tryptophan that can help switch the melatonin in your brain to promote sleepiness.

But you need more carbohydrates such as bread and jelly to make tryptophan available to the brain. Hence you cannot go wrong with a time-tested formula called PB&J. Make it healthier with whole grain bread and natural PB free which does not have any extra sugar or additives.

Cheese and Crackers

When you’re hungry and you are looking for a slightly more savory option, then the best option is certainly cheese and crackers. Keep a check on the serving sizes especially if you are watching your weight because it can be pretty easy to binge on cheese and soon you will be eating more calories than your recommended calorie marker. You can also go for whole-grain crackers that have a lot of fiber. It will keep you full till the morning. You can make it healthier by adding more fresh fruits and veggies.

Fresh Fruit and Nuts

The easiest thing to toss up in the middle of the night is to combine fruit and nuts. They are easy to prepare especially if you are hungry and tired. Also, you can cash on the nutritional benefits to the table, which includes vitamins, protein, minerals, complex carbs, healthy fats, and fiber.

Get an apple with a handful of almonds, a banana with a dozen pecans, or a pear with a few walnuts. Also, when you are short on nuts just smear your banana with a generous helping of peanut butter or just add almond butter onto your apple slices in almond butter. Melt your almond butter in your microwave if it seems too stiff to attack with your spoon.

So, now you have the best options to satisfy your hunger pangs. Remember, if you are watching your waistline, it is always best to pair your protein with fat. Something like nuts, nut butter, eggs can work great. It will keep you satiated and you won’t feel hungry till it is time to brush off the slumber in the wee hours of the morning!