Best Healthy Late-Night Snacks, According To An Expert - Forbes

Cakes and Cookies

If you love cookies, cake, brownies and other gooey, delectable baked goods, but you tend to eat more than you need, see if you can find recipes or pre-packaged versions that you enjoy but are less likely to trigger overeating.

For example, you might discover great recipes online for cocoa bites made with nuts and dates or cookies and brownies made with almond or oat flour. Other sweet options include fruit with yogurt and granola, baked cinnamon apples, homemade granola bars and banana or pumpkin bread made with whole grains.

The options are endless. Just don't give up. Keep looking until you find something nutritious that satisfies your cravings.

Ice Cream

As mentioned above, frozen yogurt can be considerably less dense than ice cream. Sorbet and popsicles made with real fruit juices can be great options as well. There are also lots of non-dairy ice creams, but don't assume they're necessarily low-fat or low-calorie. Look at the labels to make sure you're truly making a healthy swap. Buying individually packaged frozen bars can help with portion size.

Pizza and Pasta

Several pizza and pasta brands are substituting white flour with tasty, high-fiber, high-protein options. Look for brands made with alternative flours, such as lentil, chickpea, whole wheat or quinoa. Of course, there are cauliflower crusts as well, but I know cauliflower pizza is sacrilege for some people.

Crackers and Chips

Welcome to the crunchy, savory zone. Alternatives include microwave popcorn, whole grain cereals, baked chips, veggies dipped in hummus and celery with nut butter. I'm sure you can come up with even more ideas of your own.

There are also many packaged chips made of the same alternative flours listed above, as well as flaxseeds and sweet potatoes. If you shop around, you might be surprised by the wide variety of lentil chips or whole grain crackers that offer traditional snack flavors like barbecue, cheddar or sour cream and onion. You may not like them all, but you're likely to discover some great options if you keep looking.

Soda

Are you a fan of bubbles and the sweetness? If so, try adding a splash of fruit juice to bubbly water or experiment with the many brands of seltzer that include hints of flavor and sweetness.

Alcohol

For alcohol alternatives, check out my previous column on how to drink less alcohol, including options for non-alcoholic "cocktails" and CBD drinks.

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