Last Updated on July 20, 2025 by Mandy Tyler, M.Ed., RD, CSSD, LD
What to Eat After a Workout at Night
Knowing what to eat after a workout at night can be a challenge for athletes. It’s common for athletes to wonder if they should eat a meal, drink a shake, or just head straight to bed.
Let’s take a look at the recovery nutrition needs of athletes. Then we will explore meal and snack ideas to help athletes refuel and recover after an evening workout.
Recovery Nutrition Following a Workout
Following a workout there are three key areas that athletes should focus on to support their recovery nutrition needs. These include:
- Rehydrate: Consume fluid and electrolytes to replace sweat losses
- Refuel: Consume carbohydrates to refill energy stores
- Build and Repair: Consume protein to build and repair muscle
When athletes have limited time between workout sessions (< 24 hours), I encourage them to make recovery nutrition a priority.
Pro Tip: If an athlete has a night workout and plans to train or compete the following day, it’s important they have a recovery nutrition plan in place.
What to Eat After a Workout at Night
When planning what to eat after a workout at night, athletes should prioritize carbohydrate-rich foods as well as foods containing protein.
Refuel with Carbohydrates After a Workout at Night
Similar to gas for a car, carbohydrates provide athletes with the energy need to train and perform at their best.
When athletes exercise, they deplete their carbohydrate stores. Thus, after a workout it is important for athletes to consume foods high in carbohydrates that will help to replenish these stores.
There are a variety of ways that athletes can add carbohydrates to their post-workout meal or snack, including:
- Grains: Bread, bagels, wraps, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereal
- Fruit: Fresh, frozen, dried, canned in natural juices, 100% fruit juice
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, beans, lentils
- Milk and yogurt
Pro Tip: Carbohydrates should be at the foundation of an athlete’s meal or snack following a nighttime workout.
Build and Repair with Protein After a Workout at Night
In addition to carbohydrates, it is important for athletes to consume protein following a workout at night.
When athletes exercise, they break down their muscles. Consuming protein following a workout provides athletes with the building blocks needed to build and repair their muscles.
Easy ways for athletes to add protein to their post-workout nutrition plan include:
- Chicken, turkey, seafood, lean cuts of red meat and pork
- Greek yogurt
- Low-fat milk, high-protein milk
- Cottage cheese, cheese
- Tuna fish
- Deli meat: Turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef
- Beef or turkey jerky
- Nuts, nut butters
- Seeds, seed butters
- Soy milk, tofu, edamame
Pro Tip: Athletes following a plant-based diet should check out my blog on vegetarian post-workout ideas.
What About a Protein Shake Following a Workout at Night?
Some athletes are not hungry following a workout. However, they are hot and thirsty and often willing to drink a shake.
I find that in this situation protein shakes can be a convenient recovery drink option. When selecting a protein powder to use in a shake, it’s important for athletes to choose a powder that is third-party tested.
In addition, athletes should be mindful that protein shakes are often low in carbohydrates. Athletes should pair the protein shake with a high-carb snack to help refill their energy stores following the workout.
Pro Tip: A post-workout smoothie can be a nutritious way for athletes to meet their recovery nutrition needs after an evening workout. Athletes can build a power-packed smoothie using a variety of frozen fruits, sliced bananas, Greek yogurt, and high-protein milk.
Enjoy Anti-Inflammatory Foods After a Workout at Night
I also encourage athletes to include anti-inflammatory foods with their meals and snacks following an evening workout.
Ideas for foods that can help reduce inflammation in the body and enhance recovery include:
- Berries and cherries
- Tart cherry juice
- Leafy greens, avocados, tomatoes, broccoli
- Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pistachios
- Seeds: Chia seeds, flaxseeds
- Fatty fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines
- Olive oil, turmeric, ginger
Pro Tip: Tart cherry juice is a great addition to an athlete’s evening snack following a workout. Not only are tart cherries a great anti-inflammatory food choice, they also provide a natural source of melatonin (1, 2). Thus, tart cherry juice can support athletes with recovering from their workout as well as help promote quality sleep (3).
Ideas for What to Eat After a Workout at Night
Putting this all together, below are a variety of ideas that can help athletes to refuel and recover after a night workout.
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana, high-protein milk
- Turkey, cheese & avocado wrap, fresh fruit cup, low-fat milk
- Tuna pita pocket, grapes, pita chips, tart cherry juice
- Burrito bowl with grilled chicken, brown rice, black beans, guacamole
- Grain bowl with salmon, quinoa, hummus, grilled veggies
- Protein toaster waffles with nut butter and banana slices, chocolate milk
- Greek yogurt and mixed berry parfait with protein granola
- Cottage cheese, chia seeds, pineapple, breakfast bars
- Hard-boiled eggs, cheese stick, grapes, graham crackers, tart cherry juice
- Grilled chicken sandwich, roasted sweet potato wedges, low-fat milk
- Ham sub sandwich, pretzels, apple slices, 100% fruit juice
- Whole grain cereal with sliced strawberries and high-protein milk
- Protein overnight oats with low-fat milk
- Fruit smoothie, granola bars
Pro Tip:If athletes have time to eat dinner before going to bed, that would be my preference. However, if time is limited, don’t underestimate the value of eating a balanced snack providing protein and carbohydrates before going to sleep. Bottom line – don’t go to bed without fueling!
Foods to Avoid After a Night Workout
Some athletes struggle with indigestion or reflux. These athletes may find that eating certain foods close to laying down can trigger their symptoms.
In addition, these athletes may experience reflux symptoms when eating a large meal close to bedtime (4).
Although each athlete is unique, foods that commonly cause symptoms of reflux include (5):
- Fried, greasy, or fatty foods
- Spicy or sour foods
- Garlic, onions
- Acidic foods (oranges, tomatoes)
- Chocolate, coffee, tea
- Carbonated drinks
Tips to Minimize Reflux Symptoms at Night
To help minimize symptoms, I recommend athletes aim to eat a smaller meal or snack following their evening workout.
Choosing calorie-dense foods can help athletes meet their recovery nutrition needs in a smaller quantity of food. Items such as dried fruit, nuts, nut butters, trail mix, protein granola, and bars can all be great options.
In addition, athletes should choose foods that are less likely to cause reflux symptoms such as:
- Whole grains: Brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain bread
- Lean proteins: Fish, chicken, turkey – grilled, baked, or roasted
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans
- Non-citrus fruit: Bananas, melon, pears, apples
- Healthy fats: Avocado, nut butter
Finally, athletes should make sure to hydrate with their post-workout meal or snack. This will help athletes to replace the fluid lost in sweat and can also help to minimize reflux symptoms.
Pro Tip: Athletes that experience reflux can benefit from working with a sports dietitian nutritionist. The sports dietitian can work with the athlete on developing a recovery nutrition plan that supports the athlete’s individual needs.
What to Eat After a Workout at Night: Tips for Athletes
You are now set with ideas for what to eat after a night workout to refuel and recover.
For additional sports nutrition tips for athletes, make sure to check out my blog with ideas for what to eat before morning practice.
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About the Author
Mandy Tyler is a Sports Dietitian Nutritionist in the San Antonio, TX area. She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Licensed Athletic Trainer, and is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. Mandy has experience working with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. She believes the key to reaching one’s full potential, both in everyday life and in sports performance, relies on a healthy nutritional foundation.
If you are looking to take your performance to the next level, make sure to check out my new Sports Nutrition Game Day Guide. This downloadable guide is written to help athletes develop an individualized plan to achieve peak performance on game day.
