Night shift dinner time

[kantuta]

Hi there,

I was wondering what do night nurses eat during their shift? (when they are lucky enough to enjoy couple minutes of dinner time) If I would look at your lunch-bag what kind of snacks could I find in there?

[Kunzieo]

12h nights:

1815: A Greek yogurt in the car on the way in (150 cal.)

1800-2200: Diet Coke 20oz #1

2200: a banana or string cheese or carrots and dip or a pack of animal crackers (80-160 cal)

0000-0300: Diet Coke 20oz #2

0200 : a Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice/Kashi frozen meal (usually either the Santa Fe rice and Beans or Tortellini or Southwest style chicken) (280-310 cal)

0400: Bag of Skittles for a little pick-me-up :) (250 cal)

0300-0800: 20oz bottle water.

0800: Protein Plus Power Bar peanut butter and 20oz water for the car drive home (300 cal)

Sleep: 0900ish-1700ish. Get up, lather, rinse, repeat :)

Calorie total for the day: about 1200.

Exercise: none. I don't do "organized" workouts. I'm active at work; clean, garden, and sometimes walk my dog on my days off.

Value of the above plan:

-can all be bought at convenience store, all pre-packaged, nothing to prepare or cook.

-easy to keep track of calories (I'm the kind that very easily gains weight working nights)

Possible downsides:

-All pre-packaged foods. I'm not too picky about what chemicals go in my body/ environmental impact etc. but I know some people are.

-some people might say there is too much Diet Coke in the above "menu." Obviously, I disagree :) and I don't drink coffee.

-some people also might argue with my lack of an exercise plan. Again, I disagree. It works for me.

[BuckRN]

I never get to eat at the same time each night. Sometimes eating a meal just doesn't happen, so I always bring string cheese and almonds to snack on. Also, I can't work out after my shift because then I have a hard time sleeping.

[weirdscience]

I forgot my nightly Diet Coke! I find I crave coffee way less working at night, but I do drink a 20 oz. Diet Coke each night, only on the nights I work. I also bring a 20 oz. sport water bottle which I try to refill at least once during my shift.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I just made chicken cacciatore. I also have berries, oatmeal, cheese and two hard boiled eggs. Every night when I wake up, I start the day with a fruit and spinach smoothie.

Same as others, I make enough food for 2-3 days and have everything organized for the shifts I'm working in advance. I also like the apple sauce cups and pecans or almonds for snacks. Baked apples with cinnamon is a great snack (no butter or margarine.)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I must be the anomaly here because while I eat at the same time as everyone else (between 11-2 usually), I always buy food in the cafeteria.

The cafeteria is only open during daylight hours at my place of employment. It is closed by the time the night shift staff arrives.

Those of us who work nights at my workplace must either pack a lunch, have something delivered to the unit from a local restaurant, or hope that a coworker has enough time to make a 'food run' to a place that's open 24 hours.

[yooper13]

I have been trying to figure this out myself, I have been working nights for about 4 months, and I think I am getting it down! Since I usually go back to a day schedule on my nights off, I try to stay up late the day before my "Monday" so I will sleep in...so I cook that night. I find a recipe (or more than one) to make, that will be good as a "leftover" lunch...usually works on both counts, I have good, nutritious lunch, and I get sleep! Other than that, I usually bring fruit/yogurt (I keep a bag of granola in my locker to mix in). Still working it out...I sometimes eat before bed in the am b/c I'm suddenly STARVING and then realize I haven't eaten much in the last 24 hrs...it's HARD to keep some sort of semblance of a schedule on nights!!!

[canned_bread]

I eat tuna sandwich for lunch/dinner. A muesli bar for a snack. And then the rest of my stomach is filled up on coffee

I also sometimes have a bag of nuts in my locker in case I get extra hungry or overtime is sprung on me.

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

I bring stuff like crackers (cheez its, wheat thins, goldfish), granola bar, a piece of fruit, 2 of those crystal light packets for my water, and a frozen dinner, soup or a microwave ravioli. I work 12 hour shifts on weekends only. I don't drink coffee.

[linzjane88]

Their young!