What do you take for lunch?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

I've never had to pack my lunch - unless of course I had some yummy leftovers that I wanted to finish. But now I have to have lunch for a 10 hour day shift and probably some snacks for a 6 hour afternoon shift. I can use a fridge (although I prefer to use my insulated tote) and microwave at the homes. What are your favorites?? I've been doing ham sandwiches or microwave meals.

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I make big batches of soup, stirfry, or stews and freeze them into lunch-sized portions. Grab one in the morning, ready to heat by noon. Homemade and delicious!

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

I always eat cafeteria food. Usually chicken salad sandwich and soup.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I make a snack pack of a boiled egg, 1/2 PB&J sandwich, cheese, and fruit. I also have protein bars and fruit strips. I also change it up and pack wraps for lunch. I also either get a flatbread salad at work or a soup and small salad. And lots of water, with an occasional 20 oz soda to get a small caffeine shot (never finish the soda, takes about 2 days) Helps me get through my 12-hr shifts! :)

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

As long as the home I'm in is clean and allows me to use the microwave, I carry microwave meals like lean cuisine and stouffers. I also keep my bag full of 100 Cal packs in case I get too hungry before my shift is over. I keep soda and water in the car so I never run out of something to drink. And I always have a bottle of Mio in my bag.

If the home is nasty, I won't eat. If I can't use a microwave or they don't have one, I'll carry lunchables.

I bring leftovers to reheat when I have them. And if I'm lucky and working in a home where the family let's me order delivery I'll treat myself one in a while.

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

I went to school with my patient so I ate when he ate. I always packed a sandwich, fruit of some sort, and a dessert. It got old FAST but I didn't really have a choice. There wasn't a microwave in the cafeteria. I think once I waited to eat until we were back in the classroom so I could use the teacher's microwave but felt really weird so I didn't do that again.

When I worked nights I would pack leftovers, lean cuisines, fruit, pretty much anything. I work in a hospital now and pack similarly except if I don't have anything I don't have to stress because I can just go to the cafeteria.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Lunch?!?!?!?!?!?!? Where do you guys work! Chewing gum while sitting on the toilet is lunch on med/surg!!!!

Oh, sorry, just saw the 'Private Duty'. Well, when I did private duty, it was ALWAYS junk food and Diet Coke. My case had dogs living inside and although I love animals, I hated the fact that they roamed through my client's room and leaving their fleas behind. So I took food that I could quickly roll up in a bag and tuck away.

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It depends on how busy I am, usually, I have leftover dinner.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
Lunch?!?!?!?!?!?!? Where do you guys work! Chewing gum while sitting on the toilet is lunch on med/surg!!!!

LOL I know this too well from my LTC days! Hence my "newbieness" on having time to eat a packed lunch :)

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

In PDN, if you don't bring your own food you are sunk. You are not allowed to go out, at least by MY agency.

I bring a cold Adkins shake to drink for breakfast, which can be consumed during the busy first part of the shift. Sometimes I drink it on the way, depending on the time of arrival, and the distance I will be driving.

For lunch or dinner, I love to bring leftovers. I plan and make enough on my last day off, for a day or so. I have brought romaine salad with raisins, chicken, etc. Really good, and healthy. I like to get that, and any snacks and drinks, ready the night before. I actually make a list, and leave it on the kitchen counter. Then in the early AM, I can just go down the list, throw it all in my cooler, add 2 "ice packs", and hit the road. I can't do any creative thinking at all before 7am.

But these meals take 2 hands to eat. If the patient needs me every minute, I bring a sandwich, and hold it in my left hand. Then I can reach out with my right, and divert him from crawling his way into trouble.

The biggest problem is that I don't burn a lot of calories working in just 1or 2 rooms...not like I did when I ran for 8 hours in LTC or the campus where I once worked. I have to be sure, in some cases, not to eat out of boredom.

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

I always bring a bulk bag of raw almonds to munch on and some fruit or a fiber or granola bar as a snack. For meals, either a frozen dinner or a small portion of leftovers. One place won't let me use their microwave (sensitive to smells of food they might not like to have linger) so I bring cereal and milk, extra healthy snacks, or chicken salad. Nearly always I bring a large coffee to reheat. I hate when the microwave is gunky and has lingering yucky smells. They usually are the same homes with sinks full of yucky stinky dishes. If this is the case, I also avoid microwave food, and the kitchen altogether!

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Specializes in peds palliative care and hospice.

subway!

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