Is Eating at Night Bad for You?
Many people claim that any food you eat after 8 p.m. won’t be burned off and will directly lead to weight gain.
This is a myth. It doesn’t matter what time of day you consume calories — your body continues to burn energy even after 8 p.m.
What matters most is the total amount of calories you consume, the quality of your food, and how active you are.
So if you feel hungry in the evening, it’s perfectly fine to have something to eat. Just opt for healthy choices like fruit, raw veggies, or a slice of whole grain bread with a topping.
Here are some tips if you really find yourself craving an evening snack:
1. Choose foods from the “Five Food Groups”
Heading to work, school, or the gym? Pack some fruit, snack veggies, a currant bun, or a whole grain sandwich in your bag. That way you’ll satisfy your hunger with foods from the “Five Food Groups,” offering you plenty of healthy snack alternatives.
2. Keep it small
Want to indulge in a real snack? Then keep it small — ideally under 110 kilocalories. It also helps to buy portion-controlled packs at the supermarket. Another good tip: if you open a pack of cookies or bars (like “Sultana” or “Evergreen”), don’t eat them all at once — save half for later.
3. Snack mindfully
Snacking is fine — as long as you do it mindfully. Avoid grabbing a cookie absentmindedly just because you walked past the cookie jar.
4. Avoid temptation
We all know what’s in our pantry — and where the candy jar is at work. So avoid those places. Store chips and candy in the back of your cupboards at home. And at work, position yourself away from the candy jar or snack table — the further you are, the less tempting it becomes.
5. Set snack-time agreements with yourself
Decide in advance when you’ll have your snack — for example, with your coffee or tea at 10:30 a.m. or 3:00 p.m.