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Satisfy Your Evening Hunger: Plant-Based Solutions for Late-Night Cravings
Plant-Based Weight Loss For Women
Author: Plant-Based Susy
Being plant-based doesn't mean you will suddenly stop having late-night cravings. Your cravings don't automatically change because you've started making healthier daily choices.
Making healthy choices and sticking to them takes effort when you're developing this habit. A few hours after dinner, when you've settled in for the night, the desire for a little extra snack may hit. Instead of resisting these thoughts, reach for a healthy plant-based option. When you restrict yourself too much, this usually leads to binging on unhealthy food anyway.
There's nothing wrong with giving in to your late-night cravings, but instead of turning to a pint of ice cream, try something a little healthier. You can have plenty of ready-to-grab plant-based snacks on hand or experiment with preparing recipes at home.
Table of Contents:
The issue with eating late and how it impacts the body
While it's okay to give in to your evening cravings occasionally, regularly eating late at night has been linked to weight gain. We're not trying to scare you here; we want to provide some background on why you may want to snack less often in the evening. Balance is key!
In the evening, you are more likely to exceed your daily calorie needs by eating too many snacks. To lose weight, you should know how many calories you want to consume daily. Review whether you've already hit this number before turning to late-night snacking. Exceeding your calorie goal too often can lead to weight gain.
At night, we are also more likely to reach for unhealthy snacks. It's just more tricky to make healthy decisions in the evening. If you can be stronger than your cravings and switch to more nutritious options, you'll have a much easier time managing your weight and fueling your body the way it craves.
Easy, healthy, plant-based bites for your late-night cravings
First, let's explore healthy snacks that don't require any preparation. It's great to make snacks at home, but when they require a few steps, you may choose something easier, even if it's unhealthy.
These are good snacks to have at home in case you need a snack in a pinch. Add a few to your grocery list to prepare you for the sneaky late-night cravings.
Popcorn
Popcorn is more than just a salty treat for the movies; it's a simple and healthy snack you can enjoy at home. This whole grain is relatively low in calories and adds fibre to your diet. Three cups of plain popcorn is around 95 calories, and you can always add some extra flavourings and ingredients to explore different flavours.
Mayo Clinic suggests ditching the butter and switching things up with additions. For a bit of spice, try chilli powder and lime zest. Dusting your popcorn with nutritional yeast can also be delicious. This gives it a nutty, cheesy flavour with the added bonus of vitamin-B12.
On the sweeter side, you could try cinnamon, a sprinkle of brown sugar, or maple syrup and pecans or flaked almonds.
Dairy-free yogurt
Plant-based yogurt contains less sugar and sodium than dairy yogurt. These options also contain a decent amount of fibre. Almond yogurt is the most nutritionally dense yogurt option.
Plain plant-based yogurt has more protein, calcium, and potassium. If you enjoy adding tasty toppings to your yogurt, consider adding ingredients that enhance some of these nutrients. Add one topping or a sprinkling of five, whatever combination you like most.
Healthy yogurt toppings:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Raisins
Bananas
Almond butter
Vegan granola
Walnuts
Coconut flakes
Seeds (pumpkin, chia, hemp)
Cacao nibs
Plantain chips
Plantain chips have a nutty flavour that can be changed to sweet, spicy, or salty. They are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium and have more vitamins and minerals than standard potato chips. Skip the deep-fried high-fat option if you're trying to stay healthy or lose weight, and choose a baked option instead.
Dark chocolate
Chocolate, especially incredibly dark chocolate, can be healthy in moderation. The majority of dark chocolate options on the market contain antioxidants called flavanols, which are linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Dark chocolate is also lower in sugar than milk chocolate.
Eating an entire bar of chocolate might not be the healthiest choice, but having a few pieces should satisfy your late-night cravings.
Hummus and vegetables
Hummus is made with chickpeas and can be a super healthy food. Hummus options range from red pepper to garlic, which brings even more benefits. Hummus contains a decent amount of protein but is high in sodium, so choose your serving sizes accordingly.
Pair hummus with carrots, celery, or other vegetables. Carrots are a good fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and beta-carotene source. Celery is low in calories and contains lots of dietary fiber. It also contains Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium. Pairing either of these nutrient-dense vegetables with hummus is a great snack at any time.
Edamame
Edamame is a good source of soy protein. They're rich in Vitamin K, antioxidants, and fibre. Edamame has many benefits, including lowering cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and reducing menopausal symptoms. There is even some proof of a reduction in the risk of breast cancer.
Plain and lightly salted edamame can be great by themselves, but you can also spice them up by tossing them with garlic, chilli powder, red pepper flakes, or oregano.
Dried fruit and fresh fruit
Dried fruit is a good source of fibre, antioxidants, and other nutrients. However, it can also be high in calories and sugars, so it's important to watch your portion sizes when eating this snack. Read the packaging and watch for large amounts of unnecessary added sugar and syrup.
Fruit, in general, contains a large amount of sugar in the from of fructose, but it is still healthy. It is packed full of nutrients and very filling. Fruit contains fibre, prebiotics, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. It can be a great late-night treat for anyone looking to maintain or lose weight.
Homemade plant-based snacks for late-night cravings
Sometimes, you want something a little more satiating. This is an excellent place to start if you prefer prepping some healthy treats in advance, to align with your goals.
Cauliflower bites
Cauliflower bites are easy to make, and there isn’t one right way to prepare them. Start by chopping a cauliflower into florets. You can make a batter using equal parts flour and unsweetened plant-based milk. Add some spices like paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can throw them in the oven or air-fryer.
Keep them plain and dip them in dairy-free ranch or another favourite sauce. You can toss them in buffalo or barbecue sauce for another tasty variety. If you make too many of them, they'll turn into a meal, so either make a small batch at a time or spread the cauliflower bites across a couple of days.
Baked fries
Whether you use sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, both contain valuable nutrients. Potatoes are rich in the antioxidant Vitamins C and potassium and fibre. It’s not even unhealthy to bake potatoes into fries if you use a small amount of heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil and only a little salt.
Granola
Granola tends to be much healthier when you control what you put into it. You decide how much oil or sweeteners you add and can load it with tons of nutritious ingredients like nuts and seeds.
Healthy granola ingredients:
Oats
Pecans
Walnuts
Almonds
Cashews
Peanuts
Pistachios
Macadamia nut
Seeds
Maple syrup
Cinnamon
Dried fruit
Coconut flake
Dried cranberries
Raisins
There are loads of vegan granola and healthy snack recipes out there. This is one of those foods that's fun to switch up.
An easy place to start is by grabbing a large mixing bowl and throwing in whatever you want. This might be oats, nuts, and seeds. Add in some maple syrup or agave syrup and mix until everything is lightly coated. Pour your mixture into a pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 C)for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden. Once the granola is baked, let it cool. After it cools off, add ingredients like raisins and dried cranberries.
Trail mix
There are plenty of plant-based trail mixes at the store to give a try, but making your own can be more satisfying. Trail mix ingredients can contain many calories, so if you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or shed some pounds, watch your portion sizes. You can make a big batch and divide it up into reusable tubs. Typically, a ¼ cup or ½ cup is a perfect portion.
Trail mix ingredients:
Granola
Peanuts
Almonds
Pecans
Walnuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Pistachios
Mixed nuts
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Dried strawberries
Dried apricots
Dried nectarines
Dried raspberries
Raisins
Banana chips
Apple chips
Dark chocolate bits
You can make trail mixes with a wide range of ingredients. Some common trail mix ingredients, such as almonds and walnuts, have sleep-promoting properties, which boost sleep quality. Walnuts are a great source of melatonin, making them a great option to snack on before bed, so it’s good to throw them in with your trail mix.
Baked chips
Making your own chips is healthier than digging into a store-bought bag. Once you try it, you may never want to go back. You can find plenty of recipes to make crispy baked potato chips at home, but you'll start by thinly slicing potatoes. Toss them in a bit of olive oil and bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 C) for 10-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Enjoy!
Alternatively, you can try your own healthy oven-baked or air-fried veggie chips, using root veg such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, carrots and beets. Eat the rainbow 🌈
Protein bites
You can make a wide variety of protein bites (aka energy balls) at home. You can use oats, protein powder, almond butter, maple syrup, chocolate chips, and more! Sounds delicious already, right?
To make protein balls, mix your chosen ingredients in a bowl until they are well combined. Roll your mixture into balls, and that's it. Some recipes will take this further. This snack is fun to play around with until you've mastered a recipe you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to avoid late-night cravings?
When cravings strike before bed, there are some things you can do instead of grabbing a snack. Try drinking some water or herbal tea. Water is an excellent first option, as you may feel hungry, but you're just dehydrated. If you try tea, drink it slowly. You should be past the cravings by the time you're done.
It's helpful to swap unhealthy snacks at home for options that are a bit more nutritious. Late-night cravings are more likely to hit when you skip meals. Make sure you're consuming healthy foods throughout the day.
What are simple healthy snacking options to keep at home?
Great snacks at home include popcorn, fruit, and nuts. Apples with nut butter can be just as tasty as reaching for a dessert. If you need something more filling, try making a protein smoothie or having a small bowl of oatmeal. You can even create trail mix or loaded dairy-free yogurt. There are plenty of simple, healthy, plant-based snacks to enjoy at home.
Does everyone have late-night cravings?
If late-night cravings and eating loads of snacks are something you face, it might be comforting to know that this is super common. According to a study, 97% of women and 68% of men report food cravings. The circadian system increases hunger and sweet, starchy, and salty food cravings in the evening.
Why does late-night snacking lead to weight gain?
Our bodies deal with nutrients differently depending on the time of day. You are least active when you get home from a busy day of work or errands and begin to settle in for the night. Some studies show that our bodies store the extra calories from our late-night snacks as fat instead of burning them off as energy.
Are late-night snacks unhealthy?
Eating late occasionally is fine, but frequent late-night snacking may lead to weight gain due to excess calorie intake and unhealthy choices.
The Bottom Line
It's important to understand that our bodies process nutrients differently depending on the time of day. When we eat a lot of food before bed, our bodies hang onto the extra calories instead of using them as energy to complete our daily tasks. This difference remains true whether we're eating healthy foods or not.
Living a plant-based lifestyle doesn't mean being strict with yourself. Watch your portion sizes, listen to your body, and practice mindful eating. With a little planning and thought, you can still enjoy late-night cravings that pack a healthy punch.
💚 "Happy Plant-Based Eating & Exercising!" 💚
Plant-Based Susy
Plant-Based Nutrition Professional & Weight Loss Coach
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