5 Ingredients for Better Bedtime Snacking

Healthy, yummier, SMARTER bedtime treats that won’t blow the calorie bank!

What if a bedtime snack was the only thing standing between you and a good night’s sleep? We get why full-flavored-get-in-my-belly-kinda-food gets such a bad rap. Healthy doesn’t exactly rank high in most of the ingredient lists. And let’s face it, cheesy, chocolatey goodness – while utterly delicious – can be a recipe for a night of rocking and rolling.

If you’re like us and think the almighty bedtime snack is the best meal of the day, it’s time to healthy-up your comfort food options. Before you turn your nose up, a few simple and delicious tweaks to your favorite recipes can actually help you nod off quicker – and stay asleep longer. Good enough reason to keep reading?

Consider adding the following ingredients to your favorite recipes – or check out some of the yummy recipes we found online.

Ginger

Ginger is naturally caffeine-free and a cup of ginger tea can warm you from the inside out. Naturally caffeine-free and sourced from the root of a flowering plant native to Southeastern Asia, it’s health benefits including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But there’s so much more you can do with ginger than just using it in tea. Try these recipes on for size:

• Jamie Oliver’s ultimate gingerbread
• Quinoa ginger pecan muffins
• Ginger-nori popcorn

Almonds

Almonds are a sleep superstar. They contain magnesium and tryptophan, which both help to naturally reduce muscle and nerve function while also steadying heart rhythm. Hello sleep! As well, they’re rich in protein, which will help you maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping. Try these bedtime recipes:

• Rosemary roasted almonds
• Almond butter cookies
• Vanilla almond snack bars

Tart cherries

Cherries boost melatonin naturally. If you’re not familiar with melatonin, it’s a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep cycle. Sip a glass of tart cherry juice or scoop some cherries into bowl to munch on before bed. Or try one of these recipes:

• Chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies with cherries
• Mini cherry cheesecakes
• Cherry almond snack cake recipe

Dark chocolate

The cacao bean is a chalky, nasty-tasting disease-fighting bullet. The serotonin in it makes it a sleep over-achiever. While milk, sugar and butter make it taste better, they also add a heap of calories and reduce effectiveness. Substitute milk instead of cream, low-fat margarine instead of butter and stick to chocolate that’s at least 70% cacao. Reap the rewards of dark chocolate with these recipes:

• Warm double-chocolate pudding
• Chocolate hazelnut bark
• Salted dark chocolate popcorn

Bananas

If your mom fed you bananas before bed, she was onto something good. They contain the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan, which encourages relaxation. Nosh on these delish ideas:

• Cinnamon crisp banana bread
• Peanut butter, banana and chia seed sandwich
• Banana and sesame biscotti

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potato toast, a great source of potassium, magnesium and calcium, can be a great bedtime snack to help you relax.

• Sweet potato toast recipes 4 ways
• Sweet potato toast in the toaster
• Sweet potato toast with nut butter

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:

• Our favorite breakfast in bed recipes
• Smoothie recipes that promote sweet dreams
• Slow-cooker breakfasts you’ll be dreaming about all night long