How do I eat working at a hospital...?

KafeAyiti
KafeAyiti Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I started working at a hospital so I no longer have the free time to eat healthy all day like I used to at my previous job. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    What do you mean "free time to eat healthy all day?" I'm a teacher and I don't have a lot of time, but I do bring my lunch and I do eat a wide variety of healthy food that I bring from home. If you have a break room with a fridge and microwave, you are all set.
  • jamilynn_8890
    jamilynn_8890 Posts: 48 Member
    I don't think anyone here has "free time to eat healthy all day". We just do it.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Bring your food, should make no difference where you eat it.
  • katejhowarth
    katejhowarth Posts: 14 Member
    I'm a nurse. It's tough. Nuts, fruit, granola, and yogurt. Just grab quick food that you can eat on the go.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    In the last year my job went from mostly at a desk for 8 hours per day to being a lot more hectic. I don't eat as many fruits and veggies no as I do then.

    If possible, try to keep the calorie low while you're at work, that will give you plenty of room in the rest of the day to make up for whatever you missed.

  • MyLovesMyLife
    MyLovesMyLife Posts: 424 Member
    The hospital I work at has a cafeteria(most do) and it has a great salad bar! Im sure yours does to, just avoid the dessert area :)
  • LaVie13
    LaVie13 Posts: 143 Member
    Do you work 3 days on 4 off? That's the schedule we have at the hospital I used to work at. I would take the day before my shifts started and make a menu for them days. Also I would go ahead and log the food on the days i work so i wouldn't have to worry about it later.Then I would cook the meals and pre portion then in bowls . I would also go ahead and pack my lunch bag for the next day. I had a system of what times I could eat and had my snacks when charting. When it came time to eat , i would just run in the break room throw one of the meals in the microwave then tie up loose ends before i sat down to eat. Of course working in the hospital it is eat as fast as you can or you may not get anything. It is a little hectic at first , but soon you will have a routine . I also took me several water bottles with me so i wouldn't have to waste time filling them up. Just grab and go.
  • KafeAyiti
    KafeAyiti Posts: 7 Member
    LaVie13 wrote: »
    Do you work 3 days on 4 off? That's the schedule we have at the hospital I used to work at. I would take the day before my shifts started and make a menu for them days. Also I would go ahead and log the food on the days i work so i wouldn't have to worry about it later.Then I would cook the meals and pre portion then in bowls . I would also go ahead and pack my lunch bag for the next day. I had a system of what times I could eat and had my snacks when charting. When it came time to eat , i would just run in the break room throw one of the meals in the microwave then tie up loose ends before i sat down to eat. Of course working in the hospital it is eat as fast as you can or you may not get anything. It is a little hectic at first , but soon you will have a routine . I also took me several water bottles with me so i wouldn't have to waste time filling them up. Just grab and go.



    Thanks.... I just started so my schedule is weird right now. I pack my meals but I end up going home feeling super hungry and drained of energy. Im prepping my meals right now for tomorrow. im thinking of carrying stuff around in two Ziploc bags in my scrubs.

  • KafeAyiti
    KafeAyiti Posts: 7 Member
    SherryTeach wrote: »
    What do you mean "free time to eat healthy all day?" I'm a teacher and I don't have a lot of time, but I do bring my lunch and I do eat a wide variety of healthy food that I bring from home. If you have a break room with a fridge and microwave, you are all set.

    I'm coming from a job where as long as I did my job and there weren't any customers I could eat whenever I needed to. now it seems like it is crunch time. I was so hungry last week. lol and that was with me packing my meals.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    caribbeanmiss67 wrote: »
    I started working at a hospital so I no longer have the free time to eat healthy all day like I used to at my previous job. Any suggestions?

    Carefully, and probably in the hospital cafeteria.
  • KafeAyiti
    KafeAyiti Posts: 7 Member
    katejhowarth wrote: »
    I'm a nurse. It's tough. Nuts, fruit, granola, and yogurt. Just grab quick food that you can eat on the go.

    I will have to try this this week. I was packing full meals last week. What about carrying small stuff in Ziploc bags in my scrubs?
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    I work in a hospital. If you have a fridge just bring a packed lunch full of small items that you can eat quickly. I'm not a nurse but I do have a busy job and don't often get a full lunch break/get called away. So I divide my lunch into pieces that I can eat through the shift-- Yogurt, cheesestring, some fruit, protein bar, etc. Also, I pre-log my food so that I know if I'm going to get the right amount of calories. Personally I try to stay away from the cafeteria but some places are better than others.
  • LaVie13
    LaVie13 Posts: 143 Member
    With it being so fast paced I was also coming home starving. I upped my calories at work. I would have about 75% of my calories at work. That helped with not be starving when I came home. Being drained of energy is just part of the fast pace at the hospitals. Working with the sick public isnt easy. Just try to take you some time to unwind when you get home. Just be careful what you carry in your pockets. Make sure it cant be smashed. Also , dont carry food in your pockets when state is there. :) Sounds like you are on the right track. Be careful of the cafeteria , what seems healthy down there isnt.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    caribbeanmiss67 wrote: »
    katejhowarth wrote: »
    I'm a nurse. It's tough. Nuts, fruit, granola, and yogurt. Just grab quick food that you can eat on the go.

    I will have to try this this week. I was packing full meals last week. What about carrying small stuff in Ziploc bags in my scrubs?

    Depending on what you do, I would not carry food in your scrubs. The potential for contamination gives me the willies just thinking about it. Pack a meal and a good supply of snacks that can be eaten quickly.
  • oxers
    oxers Posts: 259 Member
    I actually work in a hospital lab, which means I work in a biohazard area, which means absolutely no eating, drinking or putting anything in my mouth whatsoever unless I do it in the one designated break area in the building. As you know, medical work means "breaks as the work allows," so I almost never take anything more than my 30 minute lunch, either. What this means is I have to compensate hardcore. Dinner is a big ol' serving of lean protein - salmon or pork or maybe stirfry with chicken - and some veg, maybe a carb if I need it badly. I also delay eating before work until about fifteen minutes before I leave to minimize time between meals, and I always bring beef jerky and a granola bar just in case. If I get weak or lightheaded, I take five minutes and go bolt some down.

    It's just part of working in health care, unfortunately. Make sure your day is planned out meticulously and make sure you are CHUGGING water whenever you have the opportunity. I can now drain a 20 oz bottle in about a minute and a half, thanks to my boss apparently hating happy, hydrated people.

    It gets easier.
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    PrizePopple wrote: »
    caribbeanmiss67 wrote: »
    katejhowarth wrote: »
    I'm a nurse. It's tough. Nuts, fruit, granola, and yogurt. Just grab quick food that you can eat on the go.

    I will have to try this this week. I was packing full meals last week. What about carrying small stuff in Ziploc bags in my scrubs?

    Depending on what you do, I would not carry food in your scrubs. The potential for contamination gives me the willies just thinking about it. Pack a meal and a good supply of snacks that can be eaten quickly.

    ^^ This.. infection control! Keep your snacks at the nursing station, at least. Those scrubs can get spattered with god knows what no matter what area you work in.

  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
    If you're hungry keep some protein bars around; they're a lifesaver when you get busy.
  • KafeAyiti
    KafeAyiti Posts: 7 Member
    Okay.. NO FOOD in the scrubs. thanks ladys!!!
  • Mof3wc
    Mof3wc Posts: 126 Member
    PrizePopple wrote: »
    caribbeanmiss67 wrote: »
    katejhowarth wrote: »
    I'm a nurse. It's tough. Nuts, fruit, granola, and yogurt. Just grab quick food that you can eat on the go.

    I will have to try this this week. I was packing full meals last week. What about carrying small stuff in Ziploc bags in my scrubs?

    Depending on what you do, I would not carry food in your scrubs. The potential for contamination gives me the willies just thinking about it. Pack a meal and a good supply of snacks that can be eaten quickly.


    Not just could your food be contaminated, but if decide to pack nuts or trail mix or something in your scrubs you could cause someone with an allergy a lot of problems.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    caribbeanmiss67 wrote: »
    SherryTeach wrote: »
    What do you mean "free time to eat healthy all day?" I'm a teacher and I don't have a lot of time, but I do bring my lunch and I do eat a wide variety of healthy food that I bring from home. If you have a break room with a fridge and microwave, you are all set.

    I'm coming from a job where as long as I did my job and there weren't any customers I could eat whenever I needed to. now it seems like it is crunch time. I was so hungry last week. lol and that was with me packing my meals.

    Maybe you just need to pack bigger meals or more snacks. Meal replacement shakes could also help fill the void.
  • maoribadger
    maoribadger Posts: 1,837 Member
    I work 12 hour shifts in a hospital as an emergency department nurse and am the opposite. By the time I come home I have no appetite. I usually get 10 mins in the morning then a lunch break so I take usually some salami, crackers or seeded bread with some honey to toast and grab a small chocolate bar. Then at lunch which I often take early to make sure I get one as afternoons are heaving and if you leave it too late you miss out (I work 7-715 and usually have brekkie at 830 and lunch at 12 then work through til 7) I have a micro meal, usually one of the WW ones and some fruit gummies. Thats it til I get home, I find as long as I have packed it all in by 12 Im not hungry in the afternoon and usually have toast and fruit. I work saturdays and sundays and usually its the bulk of my weekly loss that occurs those days. I'd reccomend dried fruit, seeds or seeded bread. Pasta based lunch stuff is good. My WW meals are usually a pasta bake or spinach lasagne. The main thing that helps me is drinking plenty. We have a water fountain behind the nurses desk and I buy those mini bottles of concentrate shots and keep it in my top pocket and try to chug 400-600ml every cpl of hours.

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