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

lavenderskies, BSN · Sep 20, 2016

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha oh H...E....double hockey stick no! When I'm pulling my 12's the only thing that happens outside of work is a shower, sleep and a little pet snuggling while I'm falling asleep. :woot:

If I'm having a good week I might have possibly stocked the fridge with appealing choices for my family ahead of time but no way is there assembling or anything of the sort by me.

Someday I might get my act together enough to have ready to heat casseroles made up ahead of time...but I'm not there yet and at my age it's not looking good. :sorry:

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

No cooking for me on long clinical or workdays. I've been working for about a month now, on 8 HR days plus a minimum 2 HR commute-often closer to 3 hrs (round trip)

heres what I do: when I'm off, cook a few meals that will provide leftovers. This week, on my single day off, I cooked lentils, quinoa, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, plus a few boiled eggs. I won't have to cook again for 2-4 days.

I enjoy cooking, but, in the words of Sweet Brown: "Ain't nobody got time for that."

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

I use a ton of stuff - mostly off of pintrest, honestly. Pintrest is my addiction. However, these are both good sites to start with:
11 Freezable Slow Cooker Recipes | Once A Month Meals
17 Freezer Meal Prep Sessions That Will Change Your Life | New Leaf Wellness
Basic instructions are always the same..giant gallon freezer bag. Do all your prep work and toss in bag along with whatever liquids can freeze with it. Label bag, toss in freezer. The night before toss bag in the fridge (easier to get things out if it's defrosted a smidge). Take out crockpot in morning, pour contents of bag into crockpot, put on low and scoot out the door.
My favorite go to these days is italian sausage, sliced onions and peppers, and a couple of cans of rotel. The sauce it makes is amazing with some garlic bread.

Aww yeah. Adulthood here I come!

Beldar_the_Cenobite, CNA · Sep 20, 2016

I forgot to mention, Ruby Vee made a good point, that regardless meat you buy, if it's on the bone, it's going to fall apart juicy. I've seen some people take bbq and add things in the crock pot like Dr. Pepper or something like Coke because I guess it makes it flavorful. Why anyone would think a consumable that destroys teeth and cleans toilets would be considered flavorful is beyond me...

If you bought ribs and stuck them in the crock pot, the meat, when pulled with a fork, will fall apart with no difficulty. Kinda like Pho shops around here in Vegas. The Oxtail, which is considered top quality amongst the choices of meats, both pulls and falls apart off the bone if you play with it a little in the soup as long as it was cooked properly. I know from experience eating at Pho 87 on Jones and Twain.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

Usually the hubs cooks for me. He cooks for me if I'm hungry. Lots of times I'm not. I don't like to eat that late. Not good for my weight. I try to eat lunch late so I'm not real hungry. My shift doesn't end until 7:30, although I rarely get off at that time. Then it's a long commute home. The earliest I would get home is 8:15. Usually it's 30 minutes to see the fam, then it's off to bed, especially if I have to get up and do it all again the next day.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 20, 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.

You can stay up after work to do food prep or plan ahead and do it on your day off. I used to get up around 4pm when I worked nights to drink coffee and mindlessly cut up vegetables. I absolutely could NOT get up early when I worked day shift. But when you're getting home at 8pm instead of 8am, there are far more pizza delivery guys on the road.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

I've been doing 12 hour shifts for a long time. During this time, I added a husband and child to the mix. Hubby can't even boil water to save his life but I want us all to eat healthy. Add to it all that work is 45-60 minutes travel each way and a 12 hour shift can easily run over...no, not cooking that late at night. Child is already sleeping and my husband isn't going to wait until I get home for dinner.

I cook something that can be reheated in the microwave the day before I work for however many shifts I have to work. I plate out the meals and cover in the fridge the night before and all my family has to do is heat it up. Before a 3 day stretch I may spend a few hours in the kitchen, but at least I know it's a home cooked healthy meal that's better for them than prepackaged stuff.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 20, 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.

Nope. Doesn't burn. Meat is just falling-apart tender.

amanda.d.e · Sep 20, 2016

I rarely cook the same day. a few nursing friends and i get together once a week and meal prep. this helps us stay healthy and keeps us away from the fast food. we love it!

Alex_RN, BSN · Sep 20, 2016

Oh yes, after a 12 hr shift and long commute I come home to cook a 7 course meal for my family, and still have the energy to sew all our clothes, polish our silver, make handcrafted soap, then darn (handknitted) socks, plus homeschooled the kids, of course.

You handcrafted soap people are always intense.

StNeotser, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

No, I never do. A 12 hour shift means at least around 14 hours out of the house due to commute and giving shift report. This is when everything went smoothly. Often it doesn't.

Either I have leftovers, frozen Lean Cuisine meals or something my other half made.

nurseinthezoo · Sep 21, 2016

I have the energy to heat up the plate my wife left in the refrigerator for me when I get home.