Five strategies to end late-night snacking

Few of us eat the standard three meals a day anymore, according to a new scientific statement by the American Heart Association published in the journal Circulation. Instead we are skipping meals (20 to 30 percent of U.S. adults don’t eat breakfast), snacking more often and eating nearly around the clock. The downsides of latenight eating go beyond the unhealthfulness of the ultra-processed, sugar- and saltladen foods we tend to munch on after dinner. The timing itself is also a major issue.

As the study highlights, our bodies metabolize foods differently at different times of the day. Eating more calories at night, as opposed to earlier in the day, is linked to obesity, increased inflammation, and greater risk of heart disease and diabetes. The good news is that late-night eating is a habit we have the power to change. Here are some strategies you can use to reset eating patterns.

Eat regular meals

Not eating enough throughout the day sets the stage for nighttime binging. Flip this pattern and give yourself a fighting chance for success after sundown by eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day, planning and even preparing them ahead so you are not caught scrambling. You don’t have to go with three square meals; it can be two or three meals and a couple of snacks or several small meals. The idea is to find a pattern that works for you and strategically plan to achieve it daily.

Pick a cutoff time

Pick a cutoff time to stop eating in the evening. About 8 or 9 p.m. seems to work for most people, but you can choose whatever time is best for you. Ideally, it should be about three hours before your bedtime, giving you enough time to digest your dinner but not so long that you are likely to get hungry again before going to sleep.

Wait and re-evaluate

If you are craving food at night, instead of impulsively raiding the refrigerator, take a 15-minute pause. Check in with how you are feeling and ask yourself whether you are really hungry or whether, perhaps, there is another way to find satisfaction. A relaxing bath, brisk walk or cup of tea might do the trick if it’s stress that is driving you to eat.

Plan an evening snack

If you tend to eat dinner early or your evening meal is on the light side and you regularly find yourself hungry at night, plan a small, healthy snack to eat between dinner and bedtime — some fruit and yogurt, a cup of soup or avocado toast, for example. The idea is to strategically snack to manage your hunger rather than let your appetite leave you vulnerable to randomly munching.