Foods to keep you awake

Can't stay awake? Lift yourself up with these energy-boosting snacks, drinks and light meals, packed with seeds, nuts, protein and fruit.

Cheesey scrambled eggs with bacon
(Image credit: Future)

Can't stay awake? Lift yourself up with these energy-boosting snacks, drinks and light meals, packed with seeds, nuts, protein and fruit.

Feeling tired? Lift yourself up with these energy-boosting snacks, drinks and light meals packed with plenty of protein and slow-energy releasing carbs which are sure to lift the spirits.

Everyone gets tired every now and then and sometimes we need a quick boost of energy to get by. One way of getting an energy boost is through eating. Some foods are bursting with energy and are the perfect choice when you’re feeling drowsy but still have a long day ahead of you.

A sip of coffee, a bowlful of walnuts or even a bite of dark chocolate can give you that well needed boost. We’ve even suggested some recipe ideas for each food too just in case you fancy getting creative.

Click through to see all of our foods that are sure to keep you awake…

Seeds

Breakfast muffins

Avoid the mid-morning slump with these muffins packed with dried fruit, honey and berries but most importantly, seeds which are full of protein which will give you a slow-release of energy.

Try seeds in this recipe: Breakfast muffins

Spicy foods

Spicy peanut chicken

Feeling tired? Spice up your day with curry, chilli or our peanut chicken. Either way, spicy food is a great way to give your energy a boost, that's if you can take the spice of course!

Try our spicy recipes like this: Spicy peanut chicken

Banana

Pomegranate, raspberry and banana smoothie

Give yourself a new lease of life by whipping up a delicious fruit smoothie. Make sure you've got some banana in the mix as it's packed full of natural sugars which take longer to metabolize than the processed sugars you'll find in chocolates and sweets.

Try banana in this recipe: Pomegranate, raspberry and banana smoothie

Egg

Cheesey Scrambled Eggs with Bacon

Treat yourself to a tasty high-energy breakfast thanks to the egg and bacon combo. Serve on wholemeal toast for an extra boost.

Try eggs in this recipe: Cheesey scrambled egg with bacon

Walnuts

Walnut and honey tart

Did you know that walnuts have the most omega-3 concentration of any nut? This makes them a great energy builder during the day, whether its a handful or a whole tart!

Try walnuts in this recipe: Walnut and honey tart

Coffee

maple coffee

(Image credit: photo by Charlotte Tolhurst)

Need a quick boost? Coffee is the answer! We don't recommend relying on coffee every day or in the afternoons but the caffeine in coffee is a quick fix that's sure to make you more alert and focused.

Try coffee in this recipe: Maple coffee