It’s 4PM and those dreaded hunger pangs strike you out of the blue. Lunch is long gone and dinner is far away. You desperately need something to get you through the day. But you’re also trying to lose weight and don’t want to snack on something unhealthy. Some healthy evening snacks that aid weight loss are exactly what you need. But do such healthy snacks even exist? And where on earth will you get them? So much easier to just grab that bag of chips you’ve been craving for. Or the chai pakora in the office canteen. Or Maggi, or a burger or……
Sounds familiar? Been there, done that? I have! I’m usually really good with sticking to healthy eating for the most part of the day. But come evening, despite my best intentions, I often end up giving in to temptation. Sometimes it’s a colleague’s birthday at work, and who can resist that delicious chocolate cake? Or I go to the canteen and it’s raining and there are bhajias being served as evening snacks and…you know the rest.
It’s not too different when I’m working from home either. Usually the kids get hungry and ask for snacks. And healthy snacks for kids can be tricky! So much easier to make that quick Maggi. Or have some cookies, just this once. And of course when Maggi and cookies are involved, I can’t help sneaking a bite. Or several.
Snack attack!
And then there are the late night snack attacks which are even worse. These usually happen when the husband is at home and there’s a match on TV. We can’t watch this exciting match and NOT have snacks, declare the husband and children. We MUST have chips! Or popcorn. And before you know it, Zomato has been summoned and we are loaded with snacks that are far from healthy. And guess who’s stuffing her face despite having lectured the aforementioned husband and kids just minutes ago?
So what is a woman on a weight loss mission to do? Are there any healthy evening snacks for weight loss that fit the bill? Healthy snacks that can compete with chips, fries and Maggi? Well as a matter of fact there are! And what’s more we’ve compiled them into a neat little list for you. So the next time a snack attack strikes, you know what to do.
Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss: A Ready Reckoner
1. Yoghurt Covered Strawberries/ Creamy Yoghurt Dip With Fruit
It really does not get easier than this snack. Take a bunch of ripe, fresh, juicy strawberries. Remove the green leafy tops. Dip them in Greek yoghurt. Or hung curd that’s nice and thick. Make sure the strawberries have a nice, thick coating of yoghurt on them. Now line a tray or plate with parchment paper and place the strawberries on it. Freeze for a couple of hours. And that’s it! Your delicious, healthy snack is ready. And it tastes like ice cream!
Variations: You can mix in honey and vanilla essence in the yoghurt if you like. You can also substitute strawberries with blueberries or raspberries. Not a berry person? We have a fix! Take that Greek yoghurt or hung curd. Add in the vanilla essence and honey. Sprinkle over some cinnamon if you’re feeling cinnamon-y. Now spoon this creamy goodness into a nice bowl. Your healthy yoghurt dip is ready! Have it with any fruit you fancy. Apples. Sliced bananas or peaches. Pineapple chunks. Even sliced oranges and grapes go well with this. Do give this healthy evening snack a try and tell us what you think.
2. Apple Doughnuts
This one is my favourite and it tastes even better than it sounds. And it’s as easy as cutting an apple. Actually that is pretty much ALL you have to do. Slice off the top and bottom of an apple, or four. Cut the apple into round slices, about half an inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to make holes in the centre of each slice. Or you can just carve it out with a knife. Your apple doughnuts are ready. Almost!
Now, slather over the apple slices with peanut butter. Or almond butter. OR, you can even use that creamy yoghurt dip from the previous snack. Take your pick. And now for the toppings! I like mine with crushed walnuts or almond slivers. Or dried cranberries. Or pistachios, yum! And now your apple doughnuts are ready!
Pro tip: This is a super healthy snack for kids too. So make sure you hide it from them. Just kidding! If your kids like this, you can even make a version with a healthy chocolate spread. I am in LOVE with Chef Chinu Vaze‘s Zanutella. Like she says, you’ll never need to buy Nutella again. So head over to her Insta profile to check out the recipe and try it out if you like. You can also get creative with the toppings here. My kids like sliced strawberries and granola. And chocolate chips, if you’re feeling indulgent.
3. Hummus with vegetable sticks
There are SO many reasons to love hummus. It’s great for your gut health because it is rich in fibre and protein. In fact, hummus is a great source of plant based protein. Plus, it is also anti-inflammatory and can help manage blood sugar levels. And it tastes SO good. There are so many things you can do with it too. You can have the plain vanilla version, or you can mix things up a bit. This sundried tomato hummus version is one of my favourites. Then there’s bell pepper hummus. Achari hummus (yum!). There’s also beetroot hummus which is super healthy and brilliant if you want to get your haemoglobin levels up.
We consider ourselves to be somewhat of hummus experts here at Team Wellthinest, so if you’d like us to do a hummus recipe, let us know. Coming back to our snack, first of all prep your hummus. This is one of my favourite hummus recipes, if you’d like to try. Or you can always get this roasted garlic hummus from Flax, which we love. Next, prep your veggie sticks. Sliced carrots, cucumbers, beets, bell pepper, take your pick. You can even assemble your hummus and vegetable sticks in a jar and store them. Makes for a great snack for a busy day or even on the go.
4. Crunchy Chickpeas
This is one of my husband’s favourite snacks and he’d be happy to have it through the week. This actually makes for a great side dish too, and can even liven up a soggy salad. And it is incredibly simple to prep. All you need to do is soak some chickpeas (kabuli chana) overnight. The next day cook your chickpeas like you normally would. Once cooked, drain the excess water. Season with some olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, finely minced garlic, oregano and paprika. Make sure the chickpeas are all nicely and evenly coated.
Variations: The above seasoning mix is the one I use most often. You can experiment with other seasonings too depending on what you have at hand. Jeera powder. Za’atar spice blend. Dried rosemary. Whatever floats your boat.
Line a sheet pan or baking tray with baking paper. Pop your chickpeas into a preheated oven at 230 degrees Celsius. let them roast for about 20 minutes. You may need to roast them for more or less time, depending on your oven. And you’re done! You can serve these absolutely lip-smacking crunchy chickpeas with a sweet chilli sauce. Or mustard. Or creamy, garlic-y hung curd dip which is my personal fave. This snack is guaranteed to become one of your all time favourites. It’s SO good it can actually become your entire meal. Pair it with a salad and it makes the perfect light lunch or dinner. So don’t wait too long and try it out already!
5. Sautéed Paneer
Another easy-peasy healthy evening snack recipe that is guaranteed to make your taste buds sing with joy. Take some paneer, home made or store bought. Cut it into cubes, chunks, fingers or thin slices, whatever you prefer. Now season the paneer with salt, freshly ground pepper, haldi, dhania and jeera powder. You can add in any spices you like too. Oregano, peri peri, paprika. Garam masala, chaat masala, kasuri methi, if you fancy. Mix all the spices and herbs together. Then coat your paneer pieces well with this mix.
Variation: You can use a hung curd dip to make this snack too. Put your choice of herbs and spices into the hung curd. Coat the paneer pieces with this.
Now heat a skillet with a little oil over medium heat. Bung in your paneer and pan fry till golden brown. This takes about 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer the fried paneer to a fancy plate, pour yourself a cup of masala chai and dig in!
Snack away…
That was a round up of 5 of our all time favourite healthy evening snacks for weight loss. They’re all super easy to prep and can be stored for whenever those pesky hunger pangs strike. So which one are you going to try first? Are there any healthy evening snacks you love that you’d like us to feature? Or perhaps, you’d like to share your own recipe with us! We’d love to feature one of your recipes or have you write for us. Get in touch at wellthinest@gmail.com! Or write to us in the comments below, or come hang with us on Instagram. We always love hearing from you!