Slimming Friendly Evening Snack Ideas
Let’s talk about snacks! No matter what diet plan you’re following, you’ll need a good supply of healthy, low calorie snack recipes up your sleeve to help you stay on track, especially during the evenings. It’s always when you curl up with a book or chill out in front of the telly with a cuppa, that those snack cravings start to creep in.
Whether you’re tempted by sweet or salty, crunchy or cakey, the calories in your evening snacking can quickly ramp up. A little bit of what you fancy always does you good though – and we’ve got plenty of low calorie snack ideas that the whole family will love!
Quick snacks
If you’re feeling a bit peckish later on in the evening, you won’t want to spend ages rustling something up. While grabbing a bag of crisps or the packet of biscuits stashed at the back of the cupboard might be the easiest option, with just a few minutes’ effort, you can make yourself something far healthier.
This Cheesy Garlic Bread is only 85 calories a slice, but it’s oh-so-satisfying. It only needs about 10 minutes in the oven and then you can sit down and enjoy the crunchy ciabatta topped with all that gooey golden cheese.
Why not take the cheesy goodness one step further and snack on some pizza? Maybe you ate your dinner early and you need something a little bit stodgy to nibble on while you catch up on your shows. This French Bread Pizza is just the ticket.
Ready in 10 minutes, you can quickly throw it together in the kitchen and then get comfy. It’s perfectly snack-sized and far healthier than ordering a takeaway. Best of all you can add whatever toppings you like – just don’t forget to adjust the calories accordingly.
Prefer a pickier type of snack? You can’t go wrong with carrot sticks and a dip when you fancy a healthy option. This Spinach and Pesto Dip is full of green goodness, and you’ll only need a spare 5 minutes to whip it up.
It’s herby, vibrant and light – exactly what you want from an evening snack. Chop up some carrots, celery and cucumber or toast a pitta bread and cut it into fingers to dip in. So simple yet delicious!
Make-ahead snacks
When you just want to settle down for the evening, the thought of making a snack from scratch can feel like too much of an effort. As well as the time it takes to make, there’s the washing up to think of too!
If you know you’ll fancy a snack later on, get ahead and prepare something in advance. Batch cooking doesn’t just have to be for your main meals! There are plenty of delicious low calorie snacks that you can make ahead of time.
Why not have a go at making a big batch of these Sausage Rolls at the weekend? They’ll keep in the fridge for three days, and they freeze well too. Just warm one up in the microwave when you start to get peckish and then the big decision – will you dip it in ketchup or brown sauce?
Craving a late night cheesy, crunchy treat? Rather than reaching for the cheese and crackers, make a load of these Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip to have on standby. They’re good in the fridge for a few days, plus they’re freezer-friendly.
We love the dip that’s included in this recipe – it goes with so much more than just the pizza twists. Try it with veggie sticks or some Sweet Potato Fries!
If you fancy something a little sweeter, this Greek Baklava keeps well in an airtight container for around three days. It’s so easy to make, only needing three ingredients, and you’ll be surprised how much flavour you get.
The crunchy little bites are sweetened with low calorie syrup and dusted with a coating of pistachios. We always like to have a box of these ready for when the evening snacking craving kicks in!
Fruity snacks
If you didn’t quite get to your 5 a day before you settled down for the evening, snacking on some fruit can help you reach your goal, as well as satisfy your sweet tooth. These Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries are always a winning snack option. They’ve been one of our favourite treats for a very long time – so you know they must be special!
Filled with soft, sweetened cream cheese and topped with crumbs of biscuit, these are cheesecake-y bites that are good for you. They don’t need any time to set, so in just 10 minutes you can have a few ready on a plate to enjoy while you scroll through Netflix.
Craving a slice of sugary cake to go with your evening cup of tea? How about a fruity muffin instead? We love the combo of banana and peanut butter, and when you mix it up with oats and a few other ingredients you get a snack that’s tasty, filling and fibrous.
Grab one of our Banana and Peanut Muffins when you start feeling peckish and it’ll tide you over until the morning. It only takes 25 minutes to make a batch, and then you can keep them in an airtight container for a few days, or freeze some for snack emergencies.
Dreaming of your favourite bakery treats but trying to stay on plan? We’ve got the perfect solution for you. These Cherry Pie Turnovers are a fruit-filled sweet treat that make for a cosy evening snack.
The frozen cherries we’ve used create such a delicious, syrupy centre and there’s no high calorie pastry in sight – a low calorie tortilla wrap is all you’ll need. It bakes until it’s crispy, golden and every bit as satisfying as a traditional turnover.
Baked snacks
If the thought of an evening bakery treat has set your cravings into overdrive, fear not – we have plenty of other baked snack ideas. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and you really only need FOUR ingredients to make our zingy Lemon Drizzle Cake.
At 73 calories a slice, it’s light, lemony and one of the most slimming friendly cakes you’ll find. Snuggle into your favourite spot on the sofa and get stuck in – just what you deserve after a long day!
Been thinking about chocolate all day? If you’ve made it to the evening without falling face first into a bar of Cadbury’s, you can get your chocolate fix AND stay on track with these Double Choc Chip Cookies.
It really doesn’t get better than chocolate on chocolate, so we’ve thrown some milk chocolate chips into the cocoa-infused cookie batter. You can always experiment with white or dark chocolate chips if you fancy too – just bear in mind that this might add a few extra calories.
Whatever diet plan you’re following, even if you don’t have many Points or calories left to indulge at the end of the day, you’ll have room for one of these Cinnamon Swirls. If your sweet tooth is begging you for a treat, one little swirl is only 34 calories – so there’s no reason to deny yourself!
These are unbelievably easy to make, with that warming cinnamon flavour that’s so cosy and comforting. If you fancy making this recipe into a bigger, more indulgent snack, pop a couple of the swirls into a bowl and add a scoop of low calorie ice cream. Delicious!
What’s your go-to evening snack?
What do you turn to when you get peckish on an evening? Let us know all your favourite snack ideas over in our Facebook group. You’ll be joining a community of almost 1 million members, sharing inspiration and motivation for every step of your slimming journey.
Plus, did you know that you can now share your hints, tips, quotes and photos in our PON Gallery? It’s an all-new space on the website to show off what you’ve been cooking up. Psst…there might even be some SWAG up for grabs for our favourite submissions!