This post about healthier late night snack ideas is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Weight Watchers, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #WWFoodsAtShopRite  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Hubby and I often work into the wee hours of the night. We try not to eat past 7pm, but because we tend to eat dinner very early, we both always need a snack as the evening progresses. Snacking in and of itself is not bad, what’s bad is eating a calorie laden meal late at night.  But you don’t have to give up your snack entirely.  The key here is to stick to a healthier snack option when you eat something. You just have to make smart choices. So now, instead of warming up that leftover pizza or eating the last piece of chocolate cake, we have moved to healthier choices. It hasn’t been easier because I have a sweet tooth, but if I can do it, you can too! Here are some healthier late night snack ideas that you can try. I found all of these items at my local ShopRite store:

Healthier Late Night Snack Ideas

Eat popcorn instead of potato chips.

5 cups of Healthy Pop® Butter popcorn is only 100 calories. Not only is it lower in calories, it is also more filling. It’s also a good way to add more whole grains to your diet as 5 cups of this popcorn equals one serving of whole grain. If you are following the weight watchers program, you’ll be happy to know that this snack has a SmartPoints value of 3. 

Eat dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate does not have nearly as many calories as regular chocolate, so it is a wiser choice. It is also loaded with nutrients that may positively affect your health. Cocoa is a fabulous source of flavonoids, a special class of antioxidants that are the primary reason chocolate is now considered to be a good-for-you treat. Weight Watchers Chocolate Candies by Whitman’s like these Double Chocolate Mousse candies that I tried, have just two SmartPoints^™ value per piece. 

Try snack sized ice cream bars.

Perhaps one treat that is the hardest to resist is a bowl full of delectable ice cream. I love ice cream and if I could, I would eat a nice big bowl of it everyday. But of course I cannot. There is a solution though. You can simply purchase snack-sized ice cream bars or cones. These are small enough to keep you loyal to your diet plan yet big enough to satisfy that sweet tooth. Weight Watchers’ Snack Sized Salted Caramel Ice Cream Bars are only 80 calories, contain 2 grams of saturated fat and are free from artificial sweeteners.

The key is to always stay in control. When you overeat before bed, your body is much more likely to store those calories as fat. I try to adhere to a couple of rules: stick to less than 300 calories—anything more is a meal. And make sure to eat it at least an hour before hitting the sack.

When you shop at your local Shoprite between 9/11 and 9/24, you’ll receive a coupon for $5 off your next purchase when you buy $15 worth of Weight Watchers snacks while supplies last. Select stores will have a sampling event on 9/18 between 10-4, stop by to try great products and get a coupon!