Do you still have energy to cook after a 12 hour shift?

chunkalunk, ADN, RN · Sep 19, 2016

Unfortunately I don't have a lot freezer room. though I would like to freeze meals it make take a lot of room real quick.

I will definitely choose sleep over food any day.

I wish I had someone to cook for me! Sometimes I'll go over to my aunt or cousin's house and I eat there. :)

cherryelle07 · Sep 19, 2016

I walk through the door at 8:30PM, so if they relied on me to cook, we wouldn't be eating until 9:30pm. So my boyfriend just cooks on the days I work. I cook on my days off. It's an even trade. We both like to cook, so it gives us both an opportunity to cook. I would prep, but even with getting up at 6am, I never have time to start anything. After walking 2 dogs, getting 3 kids off to school, and getting myself ready for work, etc... It just easier for my boyfriend to cook when he gets home from work.

chunkalunk, ADN, RN · Sep 19, 2016

Wow, seems like I'm the odd duck here! I ALWAYS have food when I get home, whether night or day shift. If I don't, I feel awful the next day - moreso than I would be if I didn't sleep. I have celiac disease so I am gluten free, and our cafeteria isn't gluten free enough for me to eat without getting sick so I have no option but to have lunches ready for the next day as well. I can buy frozen GF meals, but they aren't very filling and they're super expensive.
I really heavily on bulk cooking, like a large crock pot of chili (currently cooking dried beans right now for chili tonight, then leftovers for work tomorrow!), soups, stir fries with rice, and baked veggies to throw over quinoa. I cut up the veggies ahead of time, then when I'm ready to eat I can just throw food on the stove and it's done in 10 minutes.
I'm used to this type of cooking now, though I admit that in the beginning it seems to take so.much.time. Now it's fast and easy and I feel great during my shifts knowing I'm eating good food to energize my body. The key is to figure out 5-10 SIMPLE meals that you enjoy, and rotate through them making sure you have leftovers each night.

Hmm. I eat a lot of stir frys so the idea of cutting veggies ahead of time might work! I also have a lot of frozen veggies too (since it's cheaper and I'm broke)

Rexie · Sep 19, 2016

Do you have any recipe or website recommendations for the crockpot-in-a-bag meals? I'd like to utilize mine more but the idea of getting up extra early pre-work to do food prep makes me want to cry.

I bought the crockpot liners at the supermarket though I don't use them often. I do all the prep the night before and take it out of the fridge and dump into the crockpot. I mostly do this so my husband will eat something besides popcorn and ice cream for dinner

There is no way I cook other than maybe a grilled cheese sandwich or popping mozzarella sticks in the oven. I try to eat light because I tend to go to bed not too long after eating. If there's a crock pot dinner waiting or my husband has grilled or brought home a rotisserie chicken, I have a small portion. A glass of wine and some cheese and crackers is good, too. And I try my best not to stress binge on any and all the junk food in the house. Eating well after working 12's a real challenge.

Meeshie · Sep 19, 2016

Do you have any recipe or website recommendations for the crockpot-in-a-bag meals? I'd like to utilize mine more but the idea of getting up extra early pre-work to do food prep makes me want to cry.

I use a ton of stuff - mostly off of pintrest, honestly. Pintrest is my addiction. However, these are both good sites to start with:

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FurBabyMom, MSN, RN · Sep 19, 2016

I didn't have the energy to cook when I worked 12s. I hardly have the energy to cook working 10s. I cook either on Saturdays or Sundays (depending on my call schedule) and/or my weekday day off work. I also cook a little extra than I need most weeks for my lunches and dinners. I then basically create my own "microwave meal" by freezing 1-2 portions in smaller containers. I also keep soup and some other "easy" stuff around - if I really don't want what I cooked on Sunday when I get home at the end of the week and need to eat dinner. Alternatively, I also do some protein shakes as another alternative.

ButtaflyRN · Sep 19, 2016

nope, I eat cereal and my daughter who's 19, fends for herself.

Alex_RN, BSN · Sep 19, 2016

Does eating peanut butter from the jar with a spoon count as cooking?

peachypurple · Sep 19, 2016

For everyone using crock pots, does it not burn even on low setting? If I put stuff in the crock pot before work, that's 0600 and i don't get home until 1930 (on a good day lol). It just seems that over 13 hours to cook is a long time to

me, even on low setting.

Meeshie · Sep 19, 2016

For everyone using crock pots, does it not burn even on low setting? If I put stuff in the crock pot before work, that's 0600 and i don't get home until 1930 (on a good day lol). It just seems that over 13 hours to cook is a long time to
me, even on low setting.

I have a pricier model with an electronic timer. I tell it how long to cook for and when it's done it'll switch to the 'keep warm' setting.

Feelgood RN · Sep 20, 2016

Our shifts are 12 hr 5 on 5 off 2 on 2 off. I usually have the energy to cook something, but I don't usually find the willpower to do so. Cereal and fruit or whatever else I can find and convince myself is healthy to eat is suitable at the end of the night.

Usually on my 2 days off before my 5 day I try to stock up the fridge/pantry with very simple things I don't have to think about cooking...like cereal, hot dogs(microwave/cold), fruit/veggies. On my 5th night I find that I don't mind using some energy to cook something because I've got the next day off.

peachypurple · Sep 20, 2016

I have a pricier model with an electronic timer. I tell it how long to cook for and when it's done it'll switch to the 'keep warm' setting.

Ahh that must be so nice! I might need to upgrade crock pots because mine doesn't have a timer