It used to be thought that eating anything at night made you put on more weight than eating the same food during the day, but it increasingly looks as if this may not be true - it's more that people tend to eat more calorie rich foods at night than they would at breakfast, for example.

So really, the same rules apply for late night snacks as for any other eating - fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses and a little protein are better than anything fatty or sugary. However, a lot of nutritionists recommend a milky drink at night, perhaps more than at other times, as it can help you to sleep.

Healthy night snack suggestions can include plain yoghurt, something with egg in it (though this is too heavy for some people), cereal or porridge with fresh fruit. Some also recommend special bars such as protein or cereal bars, but check the labels of these carefully - they are often high in salt, sugar or fat.