If we weren't meant to eat late at night, why is there a light inside the refrigerator? Besides, there are times when you’ve just gotta have something. The trick is to be prepared. Because the main problem with nighttime nibbles has less to do with when you're eating than with what you tend to eat after hours. Instead of reaching for a pint of mint-chocolate-chip or a slice of day-old pizza, stock up on the following -- there's something here for every midnight muncher.

If you're burning the midnight oil . . .
You could mainline coffee to get your PowerPoint project done overnight, but that'll just leave you with a world-class case of jitters the next morning, when it's time to run your project by the boss. A better bet, believe it or not: a salad of dark greens and chopped veggies. The complex carbs in the veggies will give you energy, and they're full of folate, which new research suggests helps your brain work faster.

If you're just tossing and turning . . .
Starchy carbs may help you nod off. Why? Foods that quickly raise your blood sugar also raise blood levels of the amino acid tryptophan, which the brain converts to mind-soothing serotonin. So unless you have diabetes, try microwaving a potato, warming up some instant rice, or popping an English muffin into the toaster, and then wait for the ZZZs to happen.

If you're on a diet, or you’re just plain hungry . . .
Give that rumbling tummy a little protein, such as a low-fat cheese stick, some lean turkey, or even an egg-white omelet. Getting about one-third of your daily calories from lean protein keeps you feeling full, and there's new evidence that it may also help you burn a few extra calories while you sleep.

If you're stressed to the max . . .
Rich, sugary comfort foods actually do short-circuit stress, but they also contribute to belly fat. So try to resist the chocolate chip cookies and grab a handful of unsalted almonds instead. The satisfying crunch will help you work off your anxiety, while the B vitamins and magnesium help your brain make relaxing serotonin. And at only 160 calories for about 22 almonds, you won't add weight worries to your woes.

If you're pregnant . . .
Forget the pickles, but have the ice cream. Extra calcium is excellent when you're eating for two.

Baby-and-Me Smoothie
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream (or 8 oz. nonfat vanilla yogurt)
1 banana
1 cup frozen, unsweetened strawberries
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate.

Puree everything in a blender until creamy. Then, put your feet up and enjoy every sip, knowing that you're getting about 340 mg of bone-building calcium -- more than 20% of the recommended daily value -- plus a bunch of vitamins and minerals, so the 373 calories are anything but empty. Even better: The milk protein and banana contain a bit of sleep-inducing tryptophan