It’s another late night study session and hunger hits you. You’re not sure if you’re actually hungry or if the candy bar in your desk drawer is just calling your name. We’ve all been there where it was easier to reach for a bag of potato chips that will last forever in your dorm room or apartment rather than try and keep stock of fresh, healthy alternatives. But did you know that late night snacking can actually help your brain? Scroll down below to see some healthy snack items that you don’t have to worry about going bad AND won’t make you feel guilty in the morning.
1. Nuts:
Almonds are great for helping you maintain your energy, especially when you’re staying up throughout the night and walnuts aid in memory production. Both are easy to find at local grocery stores and can last between 6-9 months if kept in the pantry. Best thing is, these nuts fall under the healthy fats category and are a great source of protein for your diet.
2. Dates:
Dates are a great way to curb hunger in the middle of the night as they can supply quick bursts of energy and have been particularly known to help with eye health. So if staring at a screen at all hours of the night is starting to become an issue, eating a date or two could help support a better eye system. Refrigerating the dates is the best way to preserve them and they can last up to 6 months.
3. Whole Grain Toast with Peanut Butter:
Grab a slice of whole grain or whole wheat toast if you’re feeling like nuts and dates wouldn’t be enough. Pair it with some peanut butter for a double duty hit of protein and fiber to help keep you full and energized at night. While whole grain bread won’t last very long, maybe a week to two weeks, peanut butter is known to last for up to a year!
4. Soup:
How surprising right? Light soups packed with veggies last a long time and are easy to pull out when it’s the middle of the night and you’re not sure what to make. Plus it’s a simple way to add more veggies to your diet, particularly if you got dumplings earlier that day and want to balance out your diet.
5. Edamame:
Low in calories but high in fiber and protein makes this snack easy to reach for, especially when you can buy frozen packets and steam them in your microwave to eat when ready. By freezing the edamame you can extend the freshness of it by up to 10 months. Add a sprinkle of salt at the end to make an effortless salty and crunchy snack.
6. Large glass of water:
Sometimes you’re not really hungry at all and instead your body is just dehydrated. Try drinking a large glass of water (or two) to take your mind off eating and give your body some much needed H2O. Splurge a little on a great water filtering pitcher and incorporate water into your nightly study sessions.
7. Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds in particular are great for helping increase your memory drive as you cram for your upcoming exam, but sunflower and flaxseeds are also great choices to keep in mind. Buying small packets of seeds from your local grocery store make it easy to carry around too if you’re pulling an all-nighter in Clem. Keep the seeds refrigerated if you want them to last longer than 3 months.
Remember, late night snacking does not have to mean junk food. These seven choices are an easy way to substitute your favorite chips or candy bar and help keep you energized to finish off your studying. The lifespan of these snacks is an added bonus so that you don’t have to keep rushing to the grocery store every week or so for fresh fruits and vegetables. By incorporating some of these snacks into your daily (night) diet, it can help balance out and maintain energy levels and increase your memory skills. If you’re going to munch at night, make sure you reach for a brain-approved snack to really benefit.