Sit down, take a break, and eat a nice healthy meal. It
sounds delightful and unattainable at the same time for a busy nurse. Between a busy work schedule of 12-hour
shifts and daily life, it's seemingly impossible to plan to sit down for three
healthy meals a day. So is there a
solution? Well, you cannot put more
hours in a day, and it's not likely you will get yourself cloned anytime soon,
so it's time to search for other ways to ensure you are eating healthy. Snack type foods that you can easily take to
work and eat on the go is the obvious answer. The problem with that is, when
most people think of snacks on the go, its chips or a candy bar. It does not have to be that way, however,
with some creative thinking and planning. There are many alternatives to
conventional and easy snack choices.
Morning Snacks
Working the morning shift at a hospital is probably the
busiest time there is on a floor, other than the emergency department. Patients are admitted following surgeries,
physicians are making their rounds, patients are waking up and beginning a
brand new day, and family members are calling to check on loved ones. You have 10,000 things to do, and there is
only one you, so a big plate of scrambled eggs is like a fantasy at this
point. However, you do have to take a
break, regardless of how busy you are, and when you do, that’s the time to
start on one of those healthy a.m. snacks.
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Greek yogurt with healthy add-ins is a great
option. These can include, fresh
blueberries, almonds, and pistachios, bananas, cut up strawberries, healthy
cereal such as grape nuts, or cereal.
For the add in’s, just put them in individual snack sized bags ahead of
time, and then grab a carton of yogurt, and one of the baggies as you leave,
mix them together when ready to eat.
Yogurt is a great snack, full of protein, and healthy bacteria. Mix that with foods that help fill you up,
and you will feel like you actually did eat a full meal. Try adding fruit, and some cereal, between
the yogurt being high in potassium, calcium, and protein in the, the natural
vitamins in the fruit, and the fiber in the cereal, you are all set until you
can take another break, however long that may be.
Whole wheat bread with a natural nut spread is pretty
close to comfort food. A slice or two of
whole wheat bread with the spread will fill you up, and provide fiber, and
protein to keep you going. Pair it with
an apple to get the benefits of some additional fiber and vitamins. Whole wheat bread also works well with thinly
sliced cheese. Most break rooms have a
microwave available, so you can place cheese in one slice of bread, and roll it
up. Heat for about 15-20 seconds and you
have a cheese roll up.
-Fresh fruit and nuts make a great breakfast pick me
up. Blueberries are packed with
nutrition, and mixing them with almonds makes a sweet crunchy treat. Save a few of the blueberries and drop in a water
container to add a little sweetness to your water as you drink it during the
day.
Lunch and P.M. Snacks
You have to be a little particular about what you
consume at lunch, most people get hit by that afternoon slump, when you wish
you could just find a bed, curl up, and take a nap. Your best option is to eat a snack to will
pump you up, and not over-fill you, creating that feeling of needing to
sleep.
-A healthy sandwich made with whole wheat bread is
always a good choice. The fiber in the
bread will fill you up without overdoing it, just be cautious of what you add
to the sandwich. Keeping lettuce and
tomato in a small baggie to themselves will keep them fresh, add them to the
bread just before eating and it won’t get soggy. Select a lean turkey slice, or chicken
breast, and don’t go with mayonnaise, pick mustard, even Greek yogurt. Don’t add chips to your sandwich, add some
mini carrots or other small cut vegetables, you’ll get the crunch, but not all
the fat and calories of chips.
-A healthy roll up can be a great alternative at
lunch. Look for the roll ups in the
health food section of the grocery store.
Many are made with a vegetable base, cutting back on the amount of
processed flour. Roll ups can be filled
with pretty much anything, try turkey, or chicken. Add some black beans, and salsa, eat cold or
heat in microwave, you will think you have eaten a high fat meal, while
actually eating healthy.
Night Time Meals & Snacks
If you work the evening or overnight shift, you still
need to eat, so don’t forget to fuel up.
Avoid heavy foods if you are working the graveyard shift, the heavier
the food, the more likely you are to need a nap.
-Pack fresh veggies, with peanut butter, and dip,
celery in the peanut butter; it makes a great crunchy salty snack. Consider adding some Chia seeds to whatever
you eat. They promote the feeling of
being full, without actually adding calories.
-How about a delicious smoothie around
2 a.m. to help you make it until 7, it may just do the trick. You can make the smoothie up at home, and
then freeze at work until ready to drink.
Yogurt, fruit, Chia seeds, Flaxseed, even oatmeal are great choices for
add ins. Blueberries, strawberries, and
peaches are some very popular smoothie choices, and will help perk you up for
hours to come.
When you hear the term snack, unfortunately we think of
unhealthy, but it does not have to be.
Just doing a few swaps, such as mayonnaise for mustard or Greek yogurt,
or salsa for a spicy kick, can allow for a lot less calories and fat, while
still filling you up. Just remember to
fuel your body, just like your car, you can’t run without it.
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