By eating something regularly, your body's metabolism keeps going. Our advice is to supplement the 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with healthy snacks. Not by adding snacks as extras to your diet, but by spreading your calorie intake more evenly throughout the day.
Not only between the main meals, but also after dinner you will likely get hungry again. Pizza, ice cream, and chips are obviously not the best choices for your body then. Just before going to sleep—when your body is resting and will burn very few calories—you better choose the right snacks.
No worries! A little hunger before bedtime can be perfectly satisfied without worrying about gaining weight. We’ll help you get started!
Snacking before sleep
Try, just like during the day, to stay ahead of hunger by eating regularly. Feeling hungry will quickly make you reach for unhealthy alternatives.
Some general principles:
- Avoid snacks with too many calories
- Avoid added sugars & fats
- Avoid caffeine
- Choose proteins & fibers (which provide a feeling of fullness)
- Eat in moderation, don’t make it a second dinner
- Eat half an hour before going to bed
- Choose ‘fresh’
Some examples
‘Low-fat’ yogurt with fruit
Low in calories, low in fat, and packed with vitamins! As an alternative to fresh fruit, you can choose frozen fruit. An ideal alternative to ice cream.
You can alternate low-fat yogurt with low-fat quark.
Eggs in any form
Eggs are full of protein and help repair your muscles. They are also rich in many vitamins: A, B2, B12, D, E & K.
A handful of ‘pure’ nuts
A handful of ‘pure’ nuts or a nut bar: these contain a portion of antioxidants before bedtime that help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Thanks to the healthy fats and fibers, they quickly provide a feeling of fullness.
Whole grain bread or cracker with topping
Choose something lean as a topping like chicken breast, low-fat cheese...
Vegetables
Like fruit, raw vegetables are an ideal choice for any time of day: fibers, vitamins, and low in calories.
Popcorn if you want a little more
And we’re not talking about the popcorn you buy in stores or at the cinema, because both salty and sweet varieties contain quite a few calories. Also, it goes without saying that you should avoid both sweet and too salty snacks before bedtime.
Just make the popcorn yourself and season it with paprika powder, garlic powder, or other healthy herbs you like. Limit the amount of popcorn to 2 or 3 small cups.
A healthy snack bar
Tasty, easy, and delicious. Choose snacks that contain enough fiber and protein. Discover the JustBite range or contact one of our snack experts.
What tasty and healthy snacks do you eat before going to sleep? Let us know by leaving a message on this page.