If you do any online searching about working night shift, one of the most common things night shifters report is that they have a lot of trouble eating healthy. Between being awake at a time when your body wants to be asleep, sucking down ridiculous amounts of caffeine, and craving sugar nonstop (or maybe that's just me), working an off shift can have a significantly negative impact on your health.

I've been working night shift as a nurse for 2 and 1/2 years, first on an orthopedic trauma inpatient floor and now in the emergency room. I have a bunch of tips for those of you who work nights to try to make healthier decisions in the middle of the night. :)

The first tip I have is to bring your own food. You have a lot more control over what you are eating and putting into your body. Make sure you bring enough for your whole shift (and if you have extra left over, that's okay!)

I use a giant lunchbox (well, let's be real, it's basically a cooler) so that I can fit enough food for two meals + snacks. I work 10-12 hours at a time, so I need to be prepared. Also, since I work in the emergency room, I like to have a decent amount of food in case I am asked to stay late to help or I offer to stay late and help.

I love the eBags Crew Cooler 2. I have it in black and have been using it for two years. It is in great shape and doesn't show any signs of wear at all. With ice packs, it keeps my food cold for my entire shift without ever putting it in the fridge.



Add it to your cart and keep an eye on the price - it drops periodically and sometimes there's a discount available. When I bought mine, there was a "coupon" for $10 off so I ended up only paying $39.99 for it.

Some of the other things I use for my meals include:

   

I prefer to use glass containers over plastic because I always feel like my food then tastes like plastic after I heat it up. I've also started using Stasher Bags and absolutely love them! They can be frozen, heated up in the microwave, and they are dishwasher safe. These options are all in an effort to also be environmentally friendly and produce less waste.

If you want a post about everything I always keep in my eBags Crew Cooler, let me know!

Bring a reusable water bottle and keep it filled. Yes, you will be running to the bathroom pretty consistently, but staying hydrated makes you feel better and is better for your body. Along the same line of thinking, try to avoid sugary drinks and soda. I will admit, sometimes at 2 am all I want in the world is a Ginger Lime Diet Coke. There's nothing wrong with having one once in awhile, but that isn't a habit you want to form. If you like to have something flavored, you can get some of those flavor drops for your water or my favorite, try some Nuun electrolyte tablets. My favorite flavors are cherry limeade and strawberry lemonade.

I either take my Hufflepuff Blender Bottle or a S'well bottle.

 

When packing your food, make sure you bring snacks that are easy to eat. I love using Stasher bags (instead of Ziploc plastic ones) and filling them with fruits (berries, apple slices) or veggies (cut up cucumbers, carrots). I also love to pack string cheese and yogurt (my favorite kind currently is the Oui by Yoplait - has a ridiculous amount of sugar but it's so good!) with some granola mixed in.

Since I normally work until 5:15 am, I try to take a breakfast option and eat before I leave work so that I don't inhale food right when I get home and then go to bed. I love making Picky Oats - How 'Bout Dem Apples is my favorite - either overnight-style or hot with tons of extra cinnamon and cut up dates (if I have any). It's a healthy and filling option plus it keeps me from inhaling multiple packages of PopTarts in the morning.

If you have any eating healthy tips, leave them in the comments below!