Brittney Wilson, BSN, RN, a bachelors-prepared registered nurse, is the founder and owner of The Nerdy Nurse® and TheNerdyNurse.com. Every lunch needs protein. It can go into the oven like this, or you can cook it faster in the Instant Pot (which I love…seriously; Best. I began pursuing my lifelong dream of a nursing career at the age of 41. Meal Prep Ideas for Nurses. Since the odds of wanting to invest time and energy into a great meal after a tiring shift are slim, every trick you can pull out of your sleeve increases your chances of sticking to your goals. There are so many easy ones. Weird hours be damned, I’m gonna help get you healthy. Just grab your lunch bag and go. What foods to avoid on a 12 hour or night shift. She is the co-founder of Health Media Academy and is an award-winning author and blogger, international keynote speaker, and influencer in the nursing and healthcare technology communities. After you have your meals planned out, you can make a shopping list and create a list of how you are going to pack them. Just make sure and pick the ones packed in water, not syrup, in case you are watching your weight or calories. It can go into the oven like this, or you can cook it faster in the Instant Pot (which I love…seriously; Best. Your email address will not be published. He’s lost 80 lbs so far and I’m so proud of him! Next, fresh fruits and vegetables will give you a natural source of sugar for extra energy. Sit down and plan the week together Take some time at the beginning of your week to plan a dinner for each night. My husband is doing the Code Red Diet (similar to keto). I did some research and found a lot of different lunches for nurses that either requires a little preparation the night before or can be made and ready the morning (or evening) before a shift. Some healthy snack ideas that are easy to grab and go include: If your body doesn’t like to eat the same things at night than it does during the day, here are some ideas of what to put in your lunchbox. I’ve lost 70 pounds and I’ve reclaimed my life. We strive for accuracy, but cannot be held responsible for the current validity of data as best practices are ever-changing. We will never spam you. All depends on the mood. Adopting a ‘grazing’ approach towards eating while working the night shift is also suggested, meaning a nurse consumes smaller, more frequent light meals with raw salads, nuts, fruit, and vegetables. Write down what you are going to pack for your lunch every day for a week. View all posts by tarabren. Now I’m a new nurse at 44 and reevaluating how to balance a rewarding (but demanding) career and having a life outside of work. I’m here to shout from the rooftops about the night shift nurse essentials that will make your life so much easier. However, she also spent two years working 12-hour night shifts. Learn how your comment data is processed. I usually start with chicken. For example, they might put some chopped chicken on a bed of lettuce one day, and make a chicken caesar wrap the next. By consuming any of our content, you agree that you will hold us harmless for actions you made as the result of the data. See who can fill a row first! I’m Tara Bren. If you do this right, you should be able to make all your meals for the week in one day. When you are short on time but still want to eat healthily, meal prep is the answer. The most time-consuming part of meal prepping is cooking the meat. Pistachio and dill chicken salad from Mom Unleased; Tuna avocado lettuce wraps from Flour On My Face Some people prefer to just cook up one type of meat because it’s easiest. The best meal prep tip I can give you is to do what fits your lifestyle. Sit down and make a plan. You can save lots of time by preparing an entire week’s worth of lunches on your day off. We do a lot of salads so it meets his diet needs and we can both grab one to pack for lunch or as a quick snack. It feels like we never have time for ourselves. You’ll be less likely to grab drive-through food when you actually enjoy what you packed yourself. This it my night shift nurse routine before my 3 nights in a row! Meal prep for night shift nurses (or any shift workers) is not as hard as it might seem. What liquid calories will help your 12 hour or night shift. I usually prep one light option and one heavy option so that I feel like I have a bit of choice. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. If you're working a night shift, try having your "main meal" before you leave, between 5-6 pm. Nursing students, you have an entirely different challenge when it comes to meal prep. My husband and I have been meal prepping for about a year now, on and off. That’s why meal prepping is such a lifesaver! Here are some more nurse lifestyle articles you’ll enjoy next! See our disclaimer for more information. Invention. Others find some adjustments that work for them, and will do what they can to have a “normal” schedule when they aren’t working. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Instead, pack some low-carb snacks that won’t go bad in your lunch bag. Early shift - click here (6am - 2pm) Late shift – click here (2pm - 10pm) Night shift – below (10pm-6am) If your shift hours are different, adjust meal timings on the plans appropriately. To stop yourself from turning to junk foods and unhealthy foods, it’s wise if you can have a batch of healthy freezer meals on stock. Ever.). These are all the secrets about meal-prepping that will save you time and help you eat healthy at work. But they wash well and get refilled quickly. 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