Lunch and Dinner Breaks

[AussieKylie]

Hi there

I am wondering what people take for their lunch or dinner breaks when they do their shifts? During lunch period I am not organised to bring anything in, so I go to the bistro. I would love to stop doing that and spend my money on something nice and light but filling and that is nice n tasty from the grocery store. In regards to dinner, I usually buy microwave dinner meals.

So I was wondering if anyone can share their ideas as it may open more doors to make the effort to be prepared for a decent lunch break.

thanks, I know it sound strange to ask

thanks;)

[RN and Mommy]

I usually bring a Smart Ones meal and some fruit

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

leftovers -- i love leftovers! (or, as someone said, "planovers.") i've invested in the little tiny tupperware for salad dressing, and i bring salads, too. it takes about 10 minutes to throw together a salad to bring to work as long as you keep the ingredients in your refrigerator. you really do save money and eat healthier when you bring your own meals!

[Diva Nurse Dani]

I bring either Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones (both have WW points on them :chuckle ), a naturals fruit cup, a Yoplait Whips Yogurt (chocolate whips are the best...keep me from devouring a candy bar looking for the chocolate fix!! :roll ) and a diet tea (arizona, snapple, whoever was on sale that week)

As for my mini salads...I use old medicine bottles for my dressing!!! You can reuse those things for alot more than medicine :chuckle )

But I saw some great alternative ideas here!! Thanks!!

[TexasPediRN]

I'm very lucky with my job that I normally get a lunch break as well as a snack break in the AM. I've found buying the single serve items is a lot easier, even though it costs a little bit more.

For my AM snack (around 10am) I have 1 granola bar, and a 8oz container of orange juice - tropicana makes it single serve, buy the 6 pack!

Lunch I've found chef salads are great - you can get bagged already cut up lettuce, and in the prepared lunch meat section there is already diced ham and turkey. Then i just cut up cheese and a cucumber, and im good to go! Also, I boil eggs the night before so you can add hard boiled eggs to the salad

if you like.

Also, leftovers! Rice and veggies, and those vegetable trays in the freezer section by birds eye/green giant - you can microwave them in 5 minutes and have hot vegetables with rice.

Also, single serve applesauces, yogurt, peanut butter with an apple, and tons of water!! I try and drink at least 2 bottles per 12 hour shift, but it doesnt always happen.

It does take a few extra minutes at night and in the morning to throw together lunch, but its worth it, and much healthier!!

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I pack more fluids than food, some nights, but it's always much better when I actually have a lunch in my lunchbag. I stock up on whatever canned soups I like, little applesauce containers, yogurt, etc. For fluids it's typically a sprite, a little water, a fruit juice and a smoothie type drink that I stick in the freezer at the beginning of the week. (It will be thawed by 5 am when I want to drink it.) I always carry a bunch of some type protein bar with chocolate on it, to keep me out of the vending machine. I rarely eat more than one per shift, but ya never know!

Every other week I'll make something specifically to take to work that week, in nice little containers, etc. On the off weeks it's soup at least one of the nights, maybe a frozen dinner one night, and then down to the cafeteria for something greasy one night. Well, that's the plan, the plan often goes awry though! One thing that's frozen that I really like, although it isn't much of a meal, are the hot pockets in chicken pot pie flavor. They're surprisingly good and not too messy.