Midnight shift

jlp3101

I work as a nurse supervisor on midnight. It is very difficult to eat every 3-5 hrs and I find myself snacking on foods that are not good for me. Any thoughts?

kaylanabaker

It's not required to eat every 3-5 hours but when you find you're self snacking on bad foods, pick up something that is good for you. Nuts or a piece of fruit.

Kendall2006

Do you pre-pack your meals? It does help when you know you will be at work for long shifts. As Kaylanabaker stated, make sure you have healthy snacks on hand.

LR856N1

Hey kendall, i like your post. if you would like can you post a discussion on my new page about healthy snacks at work. Thanks

LR856N1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/102998-motivation-station

jlp3101

I don't usually pack my lunch. I usually don't have time to eat while there.

Phaewryn

Pack healthy snacks. I'm hoping that since you're a nursing supervisor, that you can figure out how to do that on your own, but just in case:
1. Buy zip lock baggies. They are thin sheets of plastic that close together to form a pouch that will contain whatever you put inside them. You can find them in most grocery stores, they come in a paperboard box that says "Ziplock", but there are generic brands that say things like "zip-close baggies". Any will do.
2. Put healthy snacks inside them. Nuts are healthy, have protein, good fat, and are convenient to eat. You can add dried fruits if you like, such as raisins or dried cranberries, to make a healthy snack mix. You can mix several types of nuts, but as a nurse, you should probably avoid adding peanuts, since so many people are allergic to them. Alternatively, you can just make a baggie of mixed dried fruits. You can also cut up fresh fruit and put it in baggies so that it is a faster snack. Things like apples that are cut up (add a little lemon or lime juice to keep them from turning too brown), strawberries with the tops cut off (although I just eat the green tops, they are perfectly ok to eat). Small vegetables are good snacks, things like "baby" carrots, cut up broccoli or bell peppers - any vegetable that you like. You can eat most vegetables raw, or you can steam them lightly and then drain off the moisture by laying them on a pile of paper towels to cool completely before bagging them.
3. Carry the filled baggies with you, you may not have much opportunity to get to the breakroom to get to your "meals", so keep your snacks WITH YOU, in a pocket.
4. Drink water. Drinking water is healthy and there's a good chance that you're actually just thirsty if you're working so hard that you can't take your breaks.