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

Natalie513 · Sep 21, 2016

i haven't read all the comments yet, but have you tried those meal kit delivery boxes? i think they taste a lot better than delivery and some of them are super quick. Blue Apron is the most well known and it does take a good amount of prep work, but I find it kind of relaxing after working 12 hours (i'm not a nurse yet but work 10-12 hour days at my job, as well as have a 12 hour hospital volunteer shift). depending on where you are located, there are meal delivery kits with a lot less work. Gobble is one, it only takes 10 mins and 1-2 pans. good luck!

Natalie513 · Sep 21, 2016

oh, and they are kind of expensive but most of them offer huge discounts for first time users or groupons. since there are so many companies, i've had weeks and weeks of them for 50-100% off, you just have to shop around :)

dharlow · Sep 21, 2016

When I did shift work (days or nights) I had no desire whatsoever to come home and cook/clean. I now am M-F 0830-1700 office worker who does legal nurse consulting/nurse paralegal for a firm; however, I do still use my crock-pot regularly! I use the liners so clean-up is easy. It was all I could do (especially getting older over a 20 year nursing career) to do much else besides take a bath, soak my tired feet, brush my teeth, feed the dog, throw a load of scrubs in washer if needed and crash! My weight yo-yo'd so much over my 12-hr shift days. Would take me a whole day to recover from the pounding and lack of sleep over-stimulated caffeine rush before I could do anything but be a slug. It was not what I had envisioned when I was in nursing school all those years ago. But I did it because that is what I wanted to do! I still suffer from circadian-rhythm issues to this day from flip-flopping between day and night shifts!

Lot of great recipe books out there and tons of them on the Internet - I would recommend a nice crock-pot and liners! LOL

Debra

Debra L. Harlow, RN, BSN, LNC | [email protected]

Nurse Paralegal

$C:\Users\dharlow\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg$

502 West Sixth Street | Tulsa, OK 74119

Office: 918-587-3161 | Fax: 918-587-9708

chunkalunk, ADN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

I've been tempted to try blue apron. I actually was close to ordering it the other day. Then I started to think about how much money I don't have. Haha maybe one day soon

Natalie513 · Sep 21, 2016

if you know ANYone who has blue apron, they probably have free boxes to give away. Ask around, or if you are on NextDoor, make a post and see if anyone has any. Blue Apron regularly gives users three free boxes to give away and get others to try the service. That's the best way to try blue apron - $0 :). The introductory offer is also good, definitely a lot off, but with Blue Apron the free boxes from another user are the best way to go. Once you sign up, immediately skip all of your upcoming deliveries after your first one. That way, you won't be charged if you forget to cancel your account right away after your free delivery. If you like it, you can unskip some of those deliveries, but that way you won't be locked in.

ChangingPaths · Sep 21, 2016

I would definitely recommend spending a bit more money to get one that can be programmed, especially if you continue working 12 hour shifts. I have a Power Pressure Cooker that my father-in-law got for me. I can toss everything in (usually frozen meat, so nothing that might spoil) and set a time for it to start cooking so that it finishes not too long before I get home. After it finishes cooking it automatically goes to its warming setting. I linked to Bed Bath and Beyond because you can use a 20% off coupon there, but you might be able to find it for a better deal.

Good luck!

Emergent, RN · Sep 21, 2016

I would definitely recommend spending a bit more money to get one that can be programmed, especially if you continue working 12 hour shifts. I have a Power Pressure Cooker that my father-in-law got for me. I can toss everything in (usually frozen meat, so nothing that might spoil) and set a time for it to start cooking so that it finishes not too long before I get home. After it finishes cooking it automatically goes to its warming setting. I linked to Bed Bath and Beyond because you can use a 20% off coupon there, but you might be able to find it for a better deal.
Good luck!

I heard homeland security is requiring background checks and a waiting period to buy pressure cookers. You need a special permit to own one.

The National Pressure Cooker Association is challenging this in court. They are a bunch of fanatics though, as you probably already know.

ChangingPaths · Sep 21, 2016

Damn! I hadn't heard about that, but I had seen an article about how pressure cookers have been used for explosive devices.

Leave it to crazy people to use a home appliance for devastation. I got mine less than a year ago with no issue or hoops to jump through, but I guess that could change if people are buying them with cruel intentions. Sadly, if they make it harder to get pressure cookers, bad people will just find another way and people who just want a convenient kitchen appliance will have to jump through hoops.

Right now, at least in Florida, you can still easily purchase a pressure cooker or order one from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, etc.

sunnyskies9 · Sep 21, 2016

heck no I'm always completely worthless after a 12 hour shift. if you don't have one, invest in a crock pot. they are my best friend!

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 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.

Yes, I didn't say anything (write anything), but I was thinking this too. My crockpot would scorch and maybe burn anything in that time. I'd worry about a fire. There is only so much fluid you can put in it. I guess mine could be set for 8 hrs and it would shut off?

YeXinZhi, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

I normally just eat a salad at work with boiled eggs, drizzled with olive oil and lime/lemon, a sprinkle of goji berries, salt and pepper and it always fills me up and I always look forward to eating my salad. Might not work for other people but I recently just discovered that I can eat healthy and not have to spend a lot of time prepping my work lunch/dinner.

KarenMS · Sep 22, 2016

Damn! I hadn't heard about that, but I had seen an article about how pressure cookers have been used for explosive devices.
Leave it to crazy people to use a home appliance for devastation. I got mine less than a year ago with no issue or hoops to jump through, but I guess that could change if people are buying them with cruel intentions. Sadly, if they make it harder to get pressure cookers, bad people will just find another way and people who just want a convenient kitchen appliance will have to jump through hoops.
Right now, at least in Florida, you can still easily purchase a pressure cooker or order one from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, etc.

I would note the "wink" emoji in the prior post. There are no special conditions to buying pressure cookers :)