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

Prep for nighttime cravings with this list of good-for-you nosh.

There are plenty of late-night snacks that will satiate, but not all are created equal. Before you go running to the pantry and scarfing down the first thing you can find, hear us out. If not chosen properly, your innocent late-night snack could send you into an insomnia spiral. Even worse? Some “healthy” snacks are laden with hidden sugars and oils that’ll wreak havoc on your digestive system.

But you don’t have to go to bed hungry. We did the legwork and sourced the best late-night snacks backed by science, with some even going so far as to help you fall—and stay—asleep. These late-night snacks are all nutrient-dense with clean labels free of added sugars, preservatives, fillers, gums, stabilizers, and colors.

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1. Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars

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.

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars

Unreal

$18

SHOP

at Amazon

2. Simple Mills Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies, Chocolate Chip

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.

Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies, Chocolate Chip

Simple Mills

SHOP

at iHerb

3. SmartSweets Sourmelon Bites

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).

Sourmelon Bites

SmartSweets

$19

SHOP

at Amazon

4. Undercover Quinoa Crisps Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt

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.

Quinoa Crisps Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt

Undercover

$27

SHOP

at Amazon

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5. Whisps Cheese Crisps - Asiago & Pepper Jack

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.

Cheese Crisps

Whisps

$10

SHOP

at Amazon

6. Spudsy Sweet Potato Fries

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.

Sweet Potato Fries (6 Pack)

Spudsy

$30

SHOP

at Spudsy

7. Seapoint Farms Dry, Roasted Edamame

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.

Dry, Roasted Edamame

Seapoint Farms

SHOP

at iHerb

8. LesserEvil Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn (12 Pack)

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.

Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn

LesserEvil

$16

SHOP

at Amazon

Best Filling Late-Night Snacks

9. BetterBrand The Better Bagel (4 Pack)

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.

The Better Bagel

BetterBrand

$16

SHOP

at Eat Better

10. Happy Belly Deluxe Pistachio Mix

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.

Deluxe Pistachio Mix

Happy Belly

$10

SHOP

at Amazon

11. KIND Nut-Butter Filled Snack Bars (16 Pack)

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.

Nut-Butter Filled Snack Bars

KIND

$13

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at KIND

Best Low-Fat Late-Night Snacks

13. Nature’s Garden Tart Cherries (2 Pack)

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 Better Bagel

BetterBrand

$36

SHOP

at Amazon

14. Chobani Nonfat Greek Yogurt

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.

Nonfat Greek Yogurt

Chobani

$10

SHOP

at Amazon

Best High-Fat Late-Night Snacks

15. SkinnyDipped Cups (4 Pack)

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.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

SkinnyDipped

$22

SHOP

at Amazon

16. Hippie Snacks Avocado Crisps, Guacamole

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.

Avocado Crisps, Guacamole

Hippie Snacks

SHOP

at Amazon

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

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References

Yoda, Koichiro et al. “Association between poor glycemic control, impaired sleep quality, and increased arterial thickening in type 2 diabetic patients.” PloS one vol. 10,4 e0122521. 14 Apr. 2015, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122521

St-Onge, Marie-Pierre, et al. “Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, vol. 12, no. 01, 2016, pp. 19–24. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5384.

Nisar, Maheen et al. “Influence of Dietary Intake on Sleeping Patterns of Medical Students.” Cureus vol. 11,2 e4106. 20 Feb. 2019, doi:10.7759/cureus.4106

Lindseth, Glenda, and Ashley Murray. “Dietary Macronutrients and Sleep.” Western journal of nursing research vol. 38,8 (2016): 938-58. doi:10.1177/0193945916643712

“Losing Weight with a High-Protein Diet Can Help Adults Sleep Better.” EurekAlert!, www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/691688. Accessed 29 Apr. 2022.

Xie, Jiayu, et al. “High-Salt Diet Causes Sleep Fragmentation in Young Drosophila Through Circadian Rhythm and Dopaminergic Systems.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 13, 2019. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.01271.

Keene, Alex C., and William J. Joiner. “Neurodegeneration: Paying It Off with Sleep.” Current Biology, vol. 25, no. 6, 2015, pp. R234–36. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.02.003.

Arab, Arman, et al. “The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: A Systematic Review of Available Literature.” Biological Trace Element Research, 2022. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1.

Losso, Jack N et al. “Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms.” American journal of therapeutics vol. 25,2 (2018): e194-e201. doi:10.1097/MJT.0000000000000584

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