Do you finish a nice dinner, settle into your evening routine and then find yourself raiding the fridge by 9.00pm? If you have a few extra inches around your middle, this night time munchies attack may be your problem. These tips may help you stop the calorie pile up at the end of the day.

Assess your true hunger
Ask yourself if your stomach is truly empty. Staying in touch with your true hunger takes some practice. Notice throughout the day how your stomach feels when you wake up, just before a meal and 30 minutes after you eat. Soon you will be able to answer the question, "Am I really hungry?" If you are hungry, choose an appropriate snack. You don't need a sandwich at 10pm to calm your hunger pangs. Consider the quality of your diet when making a snack choice. Choose a banana if you didn't have any fruit at lunch or yoghurt if you haven't had any dairy products that day. Keep the calories in mind as you choose your snack. Sometimes a hot cup of tea will do the trick. If you are not really hungry, ask yourself if you are bored, tired or lonely. You do not need to eat.

Make sure the kitchen does not become your evening entertainment
Are you stressed after a tough day? Burn off some steam with exercise instead of using food to suppress your feelings. Are you in the mood to celebrate with a dish of ice-cream? Try to use non-edible rewards for your accomplishment.

Your snacking may be just a bad habit
Associations you have made between activities and food could be causing you to snack out of habit, like when you crave popcorn at the cinema. Examine your after dinner routine. It may lead you directly to the fridge at 9pm. For example, if you clean the kitchen and then flop into your favourite chair to catch the news, then head for the kitchen after the news, change your routine. Stay away from the television and get busy with a hobby. Your usual snack time will come and go without you thinking of food.

Control the snack
if you must have a treat; try a glass of water to stall the kitchen raid. If your snack attack still persists, eat the snack on a plate in the kitchen or dining room. Grabbing the bag and heading to the couch in front of the TV is a sure way to reinforce mindless eating. In the light of the day, when you have more will power, shop with healthy snacks in mind. The ice cream will not be a problem if you don't bring it home. Instead, stock your kitchen with fruits and vegetables, low-fat puddings or sweets, small bags of pretzels or crunchy snacks and low-calorie hot chocolate. Also, brush your teeth and use a mint mouthwash after dinner? You might be less likely to snack later.

Serotonin
Researchers suggest that serotonin, a chemical in the brain that makes you feel relaxed and at ease, decreases as the evening progresses and we naturally look for carbohydrates to lull us to sleep. So, if you must snack, use your 200 calorie treats for that is starchy or sweet. You don't need large bags of treats to tame a little craving.