11 Nutritionist-Approved Late Night Snacks (2024)

Maybe you ate dinner early or you stayed up late and now you're hungry again. Or you just really want a snack to go with Netflix. But you've also heard it's not great to eat right before bed, so what's the best thing to snack on when you're starving at night?

We checked in with registered dietician Abby Langer and registered dietician Despina Hyde, diabetes expert at NYU Langone Weight Management Program, to find out.

"If you go to bed hungry, you won't sleep, which is probably worse," says Langer.

But if you're noticing that you're always starving before bed, that probably means you're not eating enough throughout the day. You might be eating too few calories or not enough protein to actually fill you up, both of which can cause you to overeat later. "If you restrict too much or fast during the day, your body will tell you it's starving," says Hyde. This intense, stomach-pang hunger can lead to bingeing, especially on high-carb or high-fat foods because your body wants instant energy.

Avoid a too-big meal, since your body will have to work harder to digest, which might actually keep you awake. But if your schedule leaves you with no choice but to eat dinner close to bedtime, Hyde suggests something that's about 40% veggies, 40% carbs, and 20% protein.

And don't go immediately horizontal after you eat —spend some time sitting up reading, watching TV, doing the dishes, whatever. This reduces your risk of indigestion and acid reflux, says Hyde. If you notice any acid reflux symptoms, don't eat within an hour of laying down, says Langer.

Capsaicin, which makes food spicy, can cause indigestion and discomfort, which wrecks your sleep. And foods with a lot of oil or fat (like deep-fried anything) will also take forever to digest. Not only will this keep you up, but it also means those acidic stomach juices are around for longer while your body is horizontal, which can cause acid reflux, says Hyde.

Sugar also isn't great for sleep, so try to avoid things with lots of added sugar like candy or chocolate. If you're really craving something sweet, something with naturally occurring sugar like fruit or dairy are better options.

Serving size:

½–¾ cup high-fiber cereal (like Kashi Go-Lean, All-Bran, Fiber One Twigs)

½ cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk

¼ cup fruit (optional)

Serving size:

1 Babybel round

1 string cheese stick

Serving size:

1 banana

1–2 tablespoons peanut/almond/cashew butter

Serving size:

¼ cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)

½ cup fresh fruit or ¼ cup dried fruit

Serving size:

2–4 slices turkey breast

1 piece whole grain toast

2 tomato slices or 6 cucumber slices

Serving Size:

¾–1 cup greek yogurt

2 tablespoons granola or nuts

¼ cup fruit

Serving size:

1 oz cheese

4–6 wholegrain crackers

Serving size:

1 piece whole grain toast

1 tablespoon peanut/almond/cashew butter

Serving size:

¼–⅓ cup dry salted pitachios

Serving size:

½–¾ cup cottage cheese

¼ cup fruit or veggies (optional)