Nightshift

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mookkababe
mookkababe Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Any suggestions on what to eat on nightshift? Often people bring in nibbles which I now try to avoid. I however crave carbs because I get so hungry I feel sick and need to eat something filling. I can't just eat fruit or yogurt. Thanks

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  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    Low fat microwave popcorn? Healthy nut bars? Cheese sticks and some ritz crackers? A protein bar with a big glass of water? Walmart sells pure protein bars which I like.
    If you work different shifts I have heard taking melatonin 1/2 hour before bed helps.
  • mayburcm1
    mayburcm1 Posts: 14 Member
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    I have exactly this issue. I am currently on an overnight shift, and I decided to experiment and eat the meals that I'll miss from being asleep during the day (breakfast and lunch). I find hydration is super important though in helping with nightshift.
  • cjw6
    cjw6 Posts: 94 Member
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    A proper meal at about 2am with plenty protein. I usually take a steam micro meal but aim for chicken or fish with veggies. And a decent snack for the 5am slump when the vending machine beckons. I like mini houmous pot with mini breadsticks, a pack of dried fruit and nuts (Whitworth sold in tesco if u in UK), miso soup. But take something you'll actually want otherwise the call of the vending machine will win. Banana for the way home.
    Refined sugar is tempting but the enemy, the crash 1-2 hrs after makes u so much more tired and makes u crave more.
  • cjw6
    cjw6 Posts: 94 Member
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    I have no idea how anyone could do a nightshift without a good meal midway- you wouldn't do a day shift that way. You don't eat as much in the daytime so cals work out. Better eating a mral and planning than succumbing to the evil night shift snacks!
  • epicstapler
    epicstapler Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm a night auditor at a hotel and I agree with above comments. A good meal about halfway through your shift (I have chicken breast, green veggies and mashed potato). I generally don't need anything else after that and when I go home have breakfast and lunch as normal.
    However the above suggested healthier snack alternatives would be fine if you need them :)
  • adoette
    adoette Posts: 181 Member
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    Rice cakes, sugar free pudding, microwave popcorn, cheese sticks. Think of the things you usually like to snack on and find a better alternative. Rice cakes and popcorn give me the crunchy chewy so I stop eating chips, and sugar free pudding does a great standin for a chocolate bar.

    I eat "lunch" around 0130-0200. A snack around 2300 and a snack around 0500 and I'm set. I usually eat right before I come in at 7p and just sleep when I get home. Working nights is just like working days, meal wise. Just that our meals are around 12 hours shifted!
  • lexiJ95
    lexiJ95 Posts: 22 Member
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    I really struggle with this too. I work days, eves and nocs between multiple jobs and i really struggle with eating well due to different schedule eveey few days.
    When I work nocs I try to eat at 0330 and do what I would normally eat for lunch so usually a lot of good protein and green veggies. I sleep on and off during the day but I don't usually eat much, I do try to get in lots of what we though.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Sorry if this is a dumb question but why not eat whatever you'd have eaten if you were working the day shift?
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
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    I would say eat a well balanced meal and not just carbs. It is easy to just nibble, but that isn't healthy.
    When I worked night shift I found that the best thing for me was to treat it as if it was a normal shift. That meant eating normally and sleeping normally as well.

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