Late Night Munchies? Stock Your Kitchen With These 16 Healthy Snacks

Satisfy sweets cravings with this lightened-up version of the classic chocolate and coconut candy bar. With only three ingredients and a surprisingly low sugar count of just 3 grams, Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars have rave reviews and won’t send blood sugar through the roof, which is known (1) to have a negative impact on sleep. And if climate change keeps you up at night, rest even better knowing these treats are Climate Pledge Friendly and Fair Trade.

Another sweet treat with a cult following, these gluten-free cookies pack only 150 calories for four, are grain-free, gluten-free, 100 percent vegan, and free of corn, soy, dairy, gums, and emulsifiers. Pair these with a glass of tryptophan-rich organic milk (2) and you’ve got yourself a match made in heaven.

If you’re more of a gummy person than chocolate person, you probably know that conventional varieties of these sugar bombs don’t do you any favors nutritionally and are not the best choice to induce quality sleep. SmartSweets is a better alternative thanks to their low-sugar count at just three grams of sugar and 150 calories in a single bag. They also pack an impressive 13 grams of fiber per serving, a macronutrient that supports satiety and improves sleep quality (3). They are, however, not exactly a dead ringer for real Sour Patch Watermelon (to say the least).

If you’ve never thought of quinoa as a sweet thing, change your mind. These candied crisps bring the perfect blend of melt-in-your-mouth (and antioxidant-rich) chocolate coupled with a satisfying crunch. What makes these light-yet-indulgent confections an ideal late-night snack is their low-sugar content and the addition of quinoa, a complex carb proven to help drift you to dreamland—and stay there (4). With just 120 calories per serving, this snack won’t push you over the caloric edge either.

Here’s a savory treat you may not have tried: Whisps Cheese Crisps, made entirely of high-quality cheese baked into a crunch-worthy chip. Salty, rich, and a dream for low-carb, keto, and gluten-free eaters, each serving offers an impressive 12 grams of protein (and a nearly undetectable 150 calories). For those on a low-carb or keto diet for weight management, these snacks hit hard with full flavor and mouthfeel, meaning you only need a few to feel content and off to bed with the right mix of fat (5) and protein (6) for a good night’s sleep.

It was only a matter of time before someone turned our favorite pub fry alternative into a crunchy, shelf-stable treat, and these sweet potato crunchers do not disappoint. With 19 grams of complex carbohydrates coming from beta-carotene-rich sweet potatoes, these snacks satiate and support slumber. In a study examining various foods for their ability to improve sleep patterns, participants that ate complex carbs before bed were three times more likely to display better sleep patterns (4). A quarter of the bag will cost you a mere 140 calories, making these a great choice for the diet conscious.

In that same study examining foods for better sleep (4), edamame showed similar promise for Zzzs when participants demonstrated they were 2.5 times more likely to improve sleep patterns after eating soybeans. With just two ingredients—soybeans and sea salt—and only 130 calories per serving, Seapoint Farms Dry, Roasted Edamame is a versatile snack that you can enjoy alone, tossed into trail mix, or as a crunchy salad topper.

What says “evening couch snack” more than a bowl of popcorn? Popcorn is well known for being a go-to light snack, but many varieties are loaded with salt, a known sleep disrupter (7). LesserEvil Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn contains just 170 mg of sodium per serving and is a superior salt sourced from potassium and magnesium-rich Himalayan pink salt (8, 9), two nutrients that help support sound sleep.

Calling all carb lovers. If a light bite doesn’t cut it for a bedtime snack and you’re more of a sandwich, toast, or bagel guy, we’ve got something revolutionary for you. BetterBrand’s The Better Bagel contains 90 percent fewer carbs than traditional bagels yet 250 percent more protein. That’s just 22 grams of carbs compared to the typical 56 grams of carbs in traditional bagels and a whopping 26 grams of protein. This bagel upgrade will fill you up without filling you out—and send you off to sleep utterly satisfied.

It might not seem like it, but a handful of nuts packs a satisfying punch. A quarter cup of Happy Belly Deluxe Pistachio Mix contains 12 grams of filling healthy fats—an impressive amount for a 150-calorie handful. This deluxe blend containing pistachios, cashews, and almonds contains melatonin, magnesium, and zinc, all studied for their sleep-supporting abilities.

A combination of soft whole grains and nuts wrapped around a creamy nut-butter center and drizzled with chocolate is what we call an upgrade on snack bars. Best of all, this bar contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Keep hunger pangs at bay while you sleep by enjoying one of these filling bars as a late-night snack.

Reep the filling, high-protein benefits of eggs without having to bust out your frying pan and whisk. These egg bites have considerably fewer ingredients than the “other guys” and boast 15 grams of protein, only 2g of sugar, and cook up in a speedy 90 seconds.

Tart cherries have received a lot of positive press thanks to research showing they can benefit everything from muscle recovery to joint health while improving sleep. One study shows their fruit juice is particularly helpful for extending sleep time and efficiency (10). If you enjoy a sour snack, these dried tart cherries could be the perfect pre-bed popper to lull you to sleep. They also contain live culture probiotics for an added dose of gut health.

The dairy section of most grocery stores is a landmine of yogurts posing as health foods, but many are loaded with more sugar and fat than they lead on. If you’re after an easy late-night snack that’s low-fat, satiating, and sleep-inducing, this is it. With just 120 calories, 12 grams of protein, and half the fat of typical flavored yogurts, these individual cups are the perfect late-night snack.

Not just for the keto crowd, these peanut butter cups are breaking the mold thanks to their ultra generous peanut butter filling made entirely of real peanuts. According to the brand, their cups contain “waaaay more [peanut butter] than most.” And, they pull it off with 75 percent less sugar than your typical PB cup, which is what makes them a better high-fat, sweet treat before sleep.

Despite the brand name, you don’t have to grow your hair out and run around proclaiming “peace and love” to enjoy these funky high-fat snacks. Made of real avocado and pumpkin seeds, these crispy, crunchy plant-based bites pack 5 grams of sleep-supportive protein (6) per serving and expedite the chip-to-dip process into one easy step.