4 Meal-Prepping Ideas for 12-Hour Shifts Every Nurse Should Try

What are the best meal-prepping ideas for 12-hour shifts for nurses? As a nurse, you know that meal prepping is an important part of your health and well-being. But what if you have 12-hour shifts?

Meal prepping can be challenging when you're working long hours, but it is not impossible. In this post, we will discuss four meal-prepping ideas for 12-hour shifts every nurse should try.

Meal-Prepping Ideas for 12-Hour Shifts for Nurses

Nurses have very busy schedules. Because of this, preparing meals can be quite tedious. However, it is important to note that eating healthily has a significant impact on the quality of your delivery. When you have to work 12-hour shifts, preparing meals can become even more unappealing.

The best way to ensure that you're eating well is by meal-prepping.  In this section, we will show you four meal-prepping ideas to solve this problem.

Preparing Meals in Advance

The most obvious way to make meal prep easier is by preparing meals in advance. You can do this over the weekend when you have more time and energy to devote to it. As an RN, you are probably familiar with meal-planning templates. These templates are great because they help you plan out what you will eat for each day of the week. Usually, these templates are based on what is in season or available at farmers' markets. If these templates aren't doing it for you, you can consider searching for "meal planning" on Pinterest. There are tons of ideas out there for you to try out.

Using a Slow Cooker

Slow cookers are great because they allow you to prep the night before, and then simply set it and forget it. This is especially helpful if you are working a 12-hour shift as there is no need to worry about coming home and having dinner ready for your family. There are so many slow cooker recipes online that you can try out.

Freezing Meals in Advance

Freezing meals in advance is a great way to ensure that you have something healthy and tasty to eat when you get home. The key to this strategy is choosing the right foods and using freezer-safe containers, which can be purchased at most grocery stores. You'll also want to label and date your frozen meals so they don't get lost in the freezer chaos. If you're worried about having enough time on your hands during the week, try cooking double batches of some of your favorite dishes so that they're ready for freezing when needed!

Using a Meal Delivery Service

If you are not a fan of cooking, or you don't have time to cook during your shift, consider using a meal delivery service. These services deliver pre-prepared meals that are ready to heat up in the microwave or oven. They're especially useful if you're working 12-hour shifts and need something quick and easy. Some companies offer healthy options like salads, soups, and sandwiches on their menus. However, some of them may not be as nutritious as they claim. To make sure that what arrives at your door is actually good for you consider choosing meals with ingredients like whole grains (like brown rice). You can also choose meals with lean proteins such as chicken breast over red meat.

Conclusion

This post has shown you four meal-prepping ideas for 12-hour shifts for nurses. Which ones are you already using? Please share them with us in the comments section. Meanwhile, visit Natty Nurses to check out other nursing resources that will help you grow your career.

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