Choosing the right evening snack is probably the most difficult decision one has to make regularly. Most of us feel the sudden urge to eat something around 5 p.m. The challenge is to figure out a meal that is not heavy enough to make you feel like skipping dinner but just enough to give you temporary relief. If you are feeling extremely hungry, then eating something high in protein can always be beneficial because these snacks are low in calories and still satiate your hunger.
Here are six healthy snack recipes for your rumbling evening stomach that you will try over and over again.
1. Apple and Peanut Butter
Cutting some apples and eating them with peanut butter as a dip is a great option, if you do not want to eat unhealthy food. The combination is delicious as the saltiness of the peanut butter compliments the sweetness of the apples. Both Apple and peanut butter are extremely healthy and give you the required protein content. Also, Apple is high in fibre so it is easy to digest the meal. It is not very heavy on your stomach and you can easily have your dinner within 3 to 4 hours of consuming this combination.
2. Makhana
Fox Nuts are popularly called Makhanas in India. These are white in colour and are a species of water lily that can be consumed. Makhana are very light snacks that can be enjoyed in as much quantity as is preferred. These are crunchy, airy and very light. You can simply roast Makanas in your pan without using butter or oil. Top the Makhanas with a spice mixture or just Chaat Masala for that extra kick. You can also roast some dry fruits like almonds and cashews along with Makhanas for variety. This is a very healthy snacking option and you do not end up giving any kind of weight.
3. Hummus with Vegetables
Many people think that the hummus can only be made in restaurants. But in reality, Hummus can be easily made at home by using chickpeas, lemon and sesame paste. This scrumptious dip can be consumed with grilled vegetables or you can also have it with whole grain crackers. It is also a great formal evening snack if you have guests over and want to serve them something before the actual meal. Also, there is no unhealthy ingredient involved so you can just have it guilt-free.
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4. Greek Yoghurt and Fruits
Low-fat greek yoghurt and fruits are a great combination to satisfy the sweet cravings that we get now and them. Yoghurt is high in calcium and as per the research done by the University of Pennsylvania, it even helps you sleep better. Fruits are high in fibre and naturally contain a lot of water. You do not have to add any artificial sugar to make this snack sweet as fruits add their natural sweetness to the combination. This is a great option to cure indigestion and heartburn. Instead of eating something artificially sweet, having a bowl of Greek yoghurt and fruits is the better alternative.
5. Banana and Peanut Butter
Most nutritionists and doctors always tell people to eat banana regularly as it is very high in potassium and helps us with muscle relaxation. Combining banana with peanut butter can be a great snacking option as it contains healthy fat and is very tempting. You can take the right banana and mash it lightly with a spoon. Now add some peanut butter on the top. You can also add some dry fruits for the extra flavour and crunchiness. Try to keep it in the fridge for some time before eating it. The result tastes like caramel ice cream.
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6. Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are probably one of the easiest snacks to make in the world. You don’t have to do anything other than just add the eggs to some water and let them boil for 8 to 10 minutes. You can enhance the flavour of boiled eggs by garnishing it with some chopped onions and lemon juice. You can also add some homemade mint chutney as well. Boiled eggs are high in protein and have healthy fats. Having two or three boiled eggs in the evening is a great option as an evening snack as you up your protein intake. You can follow it up with a heavy dinner.
Most of these recipes are very easy to make at home. A lot of these are no heat-recipes and can be prepared by children. None of them have any kind of saturated fats or added sugar. Other than having these recipes as snacks in the evening, you can also have them later at night just in case you feel hungry.