Whats in YOUR lunchbox???

[SweetLemon]

I work nights and am getting to a place where I got to start packing my lunch. Too many nights watching my waist get thicker while my wallet gets thinner. SO what do you guys pack for lunch just wanted a few ideas before I truck off to the store.:) I am always so sleepy by the time I make it over there I have zero creativity.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Oatmeal, peanuts, cookies and a cup of tea.

[PedsRN1001]

I always try to make sure I make a little extra when I make regular meals at home, then I put the leftovers in single-serving size containers and put in the freezer or fridge. And in my pantry I always keep these tuna or chicken salad meals; you can buy them by the tuna/canned meats. I try to keep them on hand for times when I just don't have anything else to take.

In retrospect, when I worked nights, I never was real hungry. I would always take snacky stuff like veggies and ranch dressing, cheese, and fruit; easy to eat things that I could eat and chart at the same time.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

When I do pack like I'm supposed to, I throw in an apple or bananna, a yogurt (with granola if I have it), a sandwich or some lunch frozen thing (this week lean cuizine was on sale, just had the santa fe rice which was really good and different). Also in my locker I have some fat free chocolate pudding and a healthy choice microwave pasta dish for the occasional night shift where I didn't pack enough.

[fsaav]

My favorite lunch is Campbell's Select healthy request mexican style chickekn tortilla soup, sliced avocado, and orange or red bell pepper. The soup has about half the amount of salt of regular canned soups. It's so good and it only takes me about 2 minutes to prepare.

[casi, ASN, RN]

I mostly pack leftovers. A lot of meals I find myself making extras so I have leftovers for work.

Otherwise I'll do sandwiches. I rarely have sandwich meat so I find myself falling back onto the old PB&J very often.

I also love Lean Cuisines, but only when they are on sale. I'm still a poor college student surviving on a CNA's wages so Lean Cuisines get spendy.

To pack with my sandwich or left overs I pack a bag of veggies such as carrots or grape tomatoes and I try to pack a fruit cup as well. Sometimes when I have something to microwave I'll just throw some frozen veggies into the container since I do love steamed veggies.

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

1 water bottle w/ filtered water

1 sm. thermos coffee

fresh berries covered in plain yoghurt w/ splenda sprinkled on

Fresh cauliflower

Sometimes a sandwich instead.

Also, I get hungry on the way home after a shift so I have an emergency protein shake (like the special K ones) to hand so I don't raid the fridge like an animal (or get fast food on the way home).

I feel your pain...the cost of a healthy salad at my place is $6. The crappy food is cheaper. I had gained about 15 lbs and have lost 6 so far just by doing this. I refuse to go up a size in scrubs!!!!!!

[floatRN]

I like to pack a PB&J sandwich, fruit, some cheese and a granola bar. It usually hits the spot and gives me enough energy for the rest of the day.

[lucky1RN]

I work Friday, Saturday, Sunday every week.

On Thursday, I buy a rotisserie chicken, eggs, yogurts, nuts, fruit, and a bunch of different vegetables.

I hard boil the eggs, pull the meat of the chicken, and cut up the vegetables (except for those I leave whole...pickles, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, etc.). I pack 6 plastic containers...3 protein (chicken and eggs), and 3 veggie. Then, in the am on my way to work, I grab 1 protien and 1 veggie container and some snacks (nuts, yogurt, fruit). This food is my breakfast, lunch, and dinner on work days. I tend to graze vs eating actual meals (it's easier to find 5 minutes to grab a bite several times a day than 30 minutes in one sitting)

This only works if you're working 3 in a row...the veggies won't keep any longer than that once they're cut.

[S.N. Visit, BSN, RN]

I never eat during the night shift...well maybe a banana or graham cracker if my stomach starts growling. During the day's I work 7a-7p. , I will take a couple "Lean Cuisine's" or "Weight Watchers" frozen meals.. one for lunch & one for dinner. (I love the LC's Panini sandwiches..mmm). I usually pack some fruit like: grapes, bananas, clementines and/or a yogurt for snacks.

[heaverboo]

Usually pack leftovers. Try cooking the day before I go to work so i'll have the leftovers avaliable. If not I always fall back onto tuna from under the cabinet, or just buy a wrap at work.

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

i work Fri, sat, sun too (14-16 hrs on sat/sun). i take2 Slim Fast drinks per day (breakfast and afternoon snack). I also have a box of cereal and some dry oatmeal at work. i take some lean protein like turkey and make lettuce wraps or roast some chicken breasts and make chicken salad using celery, boiled egg, grapes and sometimes nuts. instead of all mayo i use Hellman's dijonaise which is a creamy mustardy mayo thing with like 5 cal/tbsp. i also have a few buddies at work that bring stuff too. we usually decide on friday what we will eat over the weekend so that between all of us we have a whole meal of stuff with enuf to last the whole weekend. i take grapes in zip lock baggie so they can sit on the desk with me while i chart. i take celery to put a bit of peanut butter on on other days. i try to make sure i get more proteins and veggies than carbs, but sometimes i do splurge and make us a whole wheat pasta salad with red peppers, zuchinni, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes with fat free italian dressing.

i love to cook so i like to try new things and take them to work to share. my chicken salad was such a huge hit that somebody stole it out of the fridge.

i also keep a small ziplock bowl and spoon at work for my cereals/oatmeal. that way i always have it.

bananas/apples are always in my bag too.

if nothing else, i pop by the grocery store on my way and get a rotisserie chicken and some cheese.

we used to eat out every weekend. but we always felt awful no matter what we ate. since we've started bringing our food, we are all doing much better.

[regularRN]

I like to make a sandwich with whole grain and seeds bread - I layer hummus with salad, egg and salad, cheese and salad and mayonnaise. Then I squash it down, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge as soon as I get to work. There's so much salad in the sandwich that it feels healthy (not so sure about the hummus, cheese and mayonnaise) and it's delicious....