Questions for shift workers

sabinavaughan

Hi all,

This is actually a question for my hubby, he wont' join but hears about all of you all the time lol

So here is the issue we are trying to work out for him. He is a shift worker. He works 7 on 7 off. He is up by 3:00 (am or pm) showers, shaves, eat breakfast, dog out and off by 4:15...he grabs another 1 1/2 hours sleep on the bus to the plant..then home by 8:30 (am/pm). So heres our issue...he can take a lunch but there is alot of time in there that he doesn't eat..more than 6 hours..which I know doesn't do much good, not to mention if something happens he might not get a chance to sit and eat. So I need ideas for snacks. His job does supply the boys bottles of water and granola bars kinda stuff but actually only feeds them on the Tuesday NIGHT shift.

My hubby loves crunchy stuff like crackers, of course we are talking Ritz here and nuts and veggies, but like he told me he doesn't want to eat veggies all the time for snacking. Any ideas for crunchy stuff like Ritz but better for him?

What do you shift workers do?

Thanks a million!

Atarahh

Granola with yogurt, granola bars, baked chips

jeankh

special K cracker/chips

Shelgirl001

Maybe popcorn without butter?

MsTonyaRenee

I work swing shift and although I am supposed to get three breaks a shift (12hrs) it doesn't always happen if things arent running well. I try to eat high protien and high fiber stuff. Lately I have been relying on nuts, mostly almonds, and greek yogurt. I also do alot of fruit although that doesnt hold me over as well. Shift work is hell on trying to eat right

annie_banannie

The best crunchy, healthy food I've found is freeze-dried (not just dried!) fruit & veggies. They are delicious, nutritious and VERY crunchy. My favorites are the freeze-dried strawberries, bananas & corn.

They are available at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, where they are quite expensive, or you can find them *much cheaper* at wholesale places like Sam's Club or online (Honeyville is a good source). Just google "freeze dried fruit" to find suppliers.

Many online merchants, especially "survivalist" sites, sell them in bulk in big cans or buckets, but as long as you keep it tightly sealed they last just about forever. For snacks, just portion some out into a ziplock bag.

One note: don't treat freeze-dried fruit & veggies like the more familiar "regular" dried fruit. Treat them like chips, because they can get crushed and broken.

sullykat

I pack my husband a HUGE lunch because he is in the same boat. If they are loaded down with work, he just doesnt have the chance to sit down for 30 min and eat, some nights he only has time to grab something small out of his lunch.

I pack 3 different fruits, a granola bar, a salad or leftovers sides from somethign I have made, cold roasted meat on the side in a baggie (if he wants to he can put it with the meal, or just it is as is), a whole pepper sliced up, I bought halloween candy and give him 2 pieces (i feel like with the kind of work he does, 2 small peices of chocolate will be burned off pretty quick, it satisfies his sweet tooth, and provides him a bit of an energy boost), and a tortilla smeared with peanut butter and a banana rolled in it... seriously... his lunch is enormous!

He never eats everything though, and whatever is left over just gets packed in his lunch for the next day, or he eats on his way home as a snack.

sabinavaughan

thanks everyone...definately going to give your suggestions a try!

sabinavaughan

I pack my husband a HUGE lunch because he is in the same boat. If they are loaded down with work, he just doesnt have the chance to sit down for 30 min and eat, some nights he only has time to grab something small out of his lunch.

I pack 3 different fruits, a granola bar, a salad or leftovers sides from somethign I have made, cold roasted meat on the side in a baggie (if he wants to he can put it with the meal, or just it is as is), a whole pepper sliced up, I bought halloween candy and give him 2 pieces (i feel like with the kind of work he does, 2 small peices of chocolate will be burned off pretty quick, it satisfies his sweet tooth, and provides him a bit of an energy boost), and a tortilla smeared with peanut butter and a banana rolled in it... seriously... his lunch is enormous!

He never eats everything though, and whatever is left over just gets packed in his lunch for the next day, or he eats on his way home as a snack.

Exactly what happens to my hubby....something goes wrong and they are lucky to sit down at all for that twelve hour shift....thanks for the ideas! I'm going to make his lunches with the kids lunches at night so he has it for next day.