Meals for nurses -- any ideas?

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GetSkinnyMindy
GetSkinnyMindy Posts: 7
in Recipes
I am a nurse, and I get up early in the morning -- I leave about 6:00, and most of the time I don't get to eat lunch and probably not a snack, even) until 1:00 or 1:30pm. I need breakfast that I can grab quickly in the morning that will last me a long time. I like the Jimmy Dean's Delights sandwiches and the Chobani yogurts. Does anyone have any ideas for breakfasts that I could grab and go, even if I have to make them the night before?

Same goes with lunches. If/When I get a lunch break, I try to pack that with protein as well, as dinner is not until about 8:00pm, when I get home. I try to make dinner light because it's close to bedtime, but it's hard to do that when I'm starving because my lunch didn't last long enough. Lunch needs to be microwavable and able to be eaten relatively quickly in case I don't have a long time to eat. Any advice/ideas would be great!

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  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
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    I've obtained a bunch of 2 c pyrex baking dishes with snap on lids from wherever and used them to bake meat and veggie fritatas. Once they're out of the oven, I slap lids on everything, and it's a nearly instant high protein meal, preportioned for me to enjoy. I average about 385 calories per fritata. They take about 45 seconds to a minute to reheat in the microwave, and then they are a lovely, filling meal.
  • julysbaby
    julysbaby Posts: 97 Member
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    I've obtained a bunch of 2 c pyrex baking dishes with snap on lids from wherever and used them to bake meat and veggie fritatas. Once they're out of the oven, I slap lids on everything, and it's a nearly instant high protein meal, preportioned for me to enjoy. I average about 385 calories per fritata. They take about 45 seconds to a minute to reheat in the microwave, and then they are a lovely, filling meal.
    great idea!!! I have been preparing frittatas and other healthier meals and transferring to a plastic bowl, but the idea of a glass bowl in which the meal is prepared is a greater step to convenient food prep. Thanks for the tip.
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
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    The breakfast that fills me up the most is 2 hard boiled eggs - and they can be eaten while taking report from the night shift. For lunches, I usually end up with cold stuff - chicken breast, yogurt, carrot sticks, etc. I also make sure I have a snack in the car while driving home (I have a 34-40 minute commute).

    It sounds like you work 12-hour shifts. In addition to a lunch break, you should be able to take a few minutes to have a small afternoon snack. If that's not the case, I would talk to your nurse manager - if we don't take care of ourselves, we can't take care of our patients.
  • Dianaka
    Dianaka Posts: 48 Member
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    Hi! I am anurse too!
    I prepare all my food for the day the night before and pack it in sparate bags labeled "breakfast"," lunch", "snack". That way its easier for me to find in the fridge among other people's staff. My breakfast is typically oatmeal-preped the night before and proportioned in separate containers, or boiled eggs with toast, yougurt, cottage cheese, fruit, string cheese. I usually have my coffee on my way to work as well as a bite of something, as breakfast usually does not happen until 10-11.

    Snack is usually nuts, fruit, soymilk(individually packed). Some days I don't get to eat it until i am driving home...

    Lunch is salad-mixed the night before with some kind of protein( fish, chicken, beef), or left-over dinner, cut-up fresh veggies.

    Good luck! Being on our feet for 12 hours isn't easy, so we have to take care of our bodies 1st before we take care of patients!
  • booboo68
    booboo68 Posts: 302 Member
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    Me too! Here's what I do on work days:

    Breakfast: (I do one of the following)
    1) GNC Lean Shake that I make myself (25 grams protein)
    2) Quest Bar (chocolate chip cookie dough is my favorite (21 grams protein I think)
    3) 2 boiled eggs and an apple
    4) 2 Sargento Reduced Fat cheddar cheese sticks and Dannon Greek Yogurt

    Lunch:
    1) Chicken breast, carrots, celery and greek yogurt
    2) Oscar Mayer Deli Select Chicken or Turkey breast on Nickles 35 calorie wheat bread a reduced fat cheddar cheese stick,
    clementine or serving of almonds
    3) GNC Total Lean Shake and a piece of fruit
    4) Leftovers from the night before (ie, chili, chicken and veggies, chicken and rice, pork tenderloin and veggies)
    5) Quest Bar and piece of fruit

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