Night shift worker needing suggestions.

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Tikkin
Tikkin Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work 7 night shifts over a 2 week pattern. Even when I work, I come home to a cereal breakfast, and then have my evening meal at 5.30pm. I've done this for years, and it'd be awkward to change those two things.

The problem lies in the stretch between 5.30pm and 7.30am. I've slipped into a habit recently of taking cereal bars and Snack-a-Jacks to nibble through the night, but, filling in the food log on here has made me realise that the calories they contain could be used to be more filling and healthy, as I can eat 4 or 5 different things, that contain between 75 and 100 calories each.

I'd probably be better with something like a meal at around 1am, and stick with that, and no nibbles. So, does anyone have a suggestion, or a recipe, for something filling, but not horrendous calories, bearing in mind, there's a microwave and kettle in the kitchen there, I do have a wide neck flask, and I'm rather lazy as far as cooking is concerned :-P

Replies

  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
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    Maybe you should look at getting pre made and packaged salads as your main meal. And take lots of fresh fruit as snacks. I would suggest having a few smaller/healthier meals or snacks rather than one big meals at 1.
  • sarakaufman
    sarakaufman Posts: 58 Member
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    Well you need to have some healthy food on hand like buy some fruit. Most fruit is easy to grab and eat like and apple or pear. Buy some carrots baby ones and have them on hand and you can grab a handful of them and eat them whenever. Fruit and veggies are filling. Breakfast should be more protien to give you more energy for the start of the day. Smartone meals are good but I need extra like veggies or fruit so I stay full longer. You could make your self a lunch box and fill it with a sandwhich on whole wheat bread. With the veggies and fruit in it plus thre easy to just grab and stick in the lunch box. Hope that helped a little.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    How about pre roasted chicken portions with a cup a soup. Remove skin,Shred the chicken, heat up in m/wave. Boil the kettle, make the soup, pour over the chicken in a bowl. season to taste.

    I do this all the time when I can't be bothered to 'cook'. It's filling and low calorie :bigsmile:

    Alternatively, a salad?

    good luck :flowerforyou:
  • Tikkin
    Tikkin Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks, not to sound awkward, I'm not a big fruit eater. I know, it's healthy, but not a big fan. But you've reminded me of my the times when I used to take canned fruit in sugar free jelly. It was reasonably filling, and not too high in calories.

    I also like the idea of the cup a soup with added chicken, it sounds filling and tasty. :)

    It's shopping day tomorrow, the first proper shop since I started on here, so I'll look at the options more carefully.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    If you don't want to cook there is always the small tuna with crackers. Cottage cheese if you have a refrigerator and can stomach it.
  • agibsonky
    agibsonky Posts: 124 Member
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    I work nights - I also eat a cereal or eggs - breakfast type foods in the morning when I get off and my regular dinner with the family in the evening - I pack several frozen dinners - lean cuisine, healthy choice, or smart ones - they are all pretty tasty - to work (and a case of bottles of water) at the beginning of the week and eat those one per night - sometimes if I have them I'll take leftovers or something, but I don't get as hungry by morning if I eat a meal than if I snack all night.
  • BMoynihan
    BMoynihan Posts: 5 Member
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    Hello mummy!!

    How about soup? I have been getting the ones from the chiller recently, and some are really nice and rather filling and are generally about 300 calories per bowl, also been on offer too.

    Also some of the tinned ones are nice too, especially the tuscan bean one that most supermarkets have in their own label.

    Also Quorn Sausages and fillets, only just over 50 calories per sausage, and 40 per fillet. You could cook the fillet with some cajun spices before you leave and warm them up in the microwave. Tasty and filling. Also with Quorn why not do a load of chilli using Quorn mince (about 226 cals per normal serving), freeze into smaller servings (so about 150 cals) and do a jacket spud (281 cals) which will only be about 400 cals for a filling meal!

    PS I dont work for Quorn, I just like it!
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
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    hi,,,
    rountine is KEY..
    healthy breakfast,if you have to go to work make your dinner up befoe you go,like ummm a pasta salad,or rice alad or something along those lines that way it will give you energy along the way....
    and try harder on those fruit and veg!!

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