08
May
When you get off your shift you may have trouble winding down. Eat your main meal before your shift.
Healthy fats and protein.
Healthy meal plan for night shift workers. We plan our meals ahead of shift schedule knowing exactly what we will eat and when we will eat it. The foods we eat are based off the foods that we digest well and leave us feeling good. We pick the best choices of food in order to perform our best on shift.
For introduction text please see Shift Worker Early Shift meal plan. Breakfast 630am Large bowl high fibre cereal like Weetabix bran flakes Shreddies muesli porridge etc. Healthy snacks for night shift diet plan.
Low-fat high-protein cheese or yogurt. Dont forget about breakfast. However healthy meals for night shift workers arent limited to dinner.
Healthy meals start during breakfast. If you wait until youre at work to have dinner make your calories count. Choose lean protein like poultry tuna or beans and fiber-filled whole grains and vegetables for sustained energy to help you power through as part of your night shift meal plan.
Eat Your Largest Meal First- Most workers normally eat a small breakfast before they start their day but when you work night shift it should be the other way around. Your first meal should be the largest of the day and should include plenty of protein from lean meat or fish. Support healthy digestion by incorporating these night-shift food ideas.
Sleep deprivation often leads to cravings for foods high in fat and sugar. Yet greasy foods such as fried chicken pizza and French fries are more difficult to digest and lead to indigestion. Make sure it is a high protein meal with complex carbohydrates healthy fat fruits and vegetables.
Instead of one large meal eat smaller low-fat snacks throughout your shift. Lunch should be a late-night workers main meal and the one that provides the most calories. Eat sensibly to provide your body with a steady flow of energy that lasts halfway through your shift.
Choose a light protein such as grilled chicken veal or tuna. Its a good idea to eat smaller more frequent meals to keep your energy steady all day. Night shift workers should also consider supplementing with vitamin D as reduced sun exposure can lead to deficiency.
Coupled with eating healthy staying hydrated will help keep you energized and alert. When you get off your shift you may have trouble winding down. Use this extra energy to fill a slow cooker with healthy ingredients so youll have a warm hearty meal when lunchtime rolls around.
Chili lentil soup and chicken stew are easy to put together and benefit from long cooking times. Healthy diet and lifestyle tips for shift workers. BNF has developed a resource for people who are interested in healthy diet and lifestyle tips for shift workers.
With some help from our awesome That Clean Life members here are our top tips for eating healthy when working shifts. Eat your main meal before your shift. This will help keep you fuelled for the next 12 hours.
If youre working a night shift try having your main meal before you leave between 5-6 pm. Then have a small additional meal and snacks throughout the night. Large night shift meals will make you sleepy and encourage additional weight gain.
Eat small meals or snack repeatedly on small amounts of food during your night shift. Pack fruit or vegetable juices and protein-rich foods such as boiled eggs sandwiches made with turkey or chicken or a muffin spread with cheese or peanut butter. It is important that 12-hour shift workers fuel their bodies with the very best foods for maximum energy and health.
When creating a 12-hour shift meal plan consume a diet of little to no sugar remove highly processed foods limit carbohydrates and avoid having excessive caffeine as a way of getting through your shift. Another health issue that many night shift employees face is insufficient sleep. This research found that daytime sleep is less restful and lighter than nighttime sleep.
This implies that while nightshift workers may get the requisite 7-8 hours of sleep during the day their sleep isnt as deep or as restful as it should be. For your days off try to integrate yourself into a regular and structured eating plan according to what shift youve just come off and when you like to get up. Breakfast 500am Large bowl high fibre cereal like Weetabix bran flakes Shreddies muesli porridge etc 250ml skimmed milk.
Healthy fats and protein. Incorporating more healthy fats and protein into the diet helps them night shift workers feel fuller for longer so that theyre not getting those cravings. So things like avocado cottage cheese nuts eggs and vegetable based protein.
Ms Starkey also stresses that avoiding the wrong foods is just as. So while it is a major addon to the diabetic meal plan for night shift workers the best employee badge is on your way. You can take these along with some healthy snacks in this quantity.
10-11 Pm- green tea black coffee with roasted channa digestive biscuit 1-2. Early in your shift. Small dinner meal or snack.
Late in your shift. A small snack every few hours to keep you alert and energised. Remember All meals should include a balance of protein low GI carbohydrates including fruits and vegetables.
See page 8 and 9 for some healthy shift work food ideas or head to the Healthy Shopping website. Shift work can pose a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals for a number of reasons. S hift patterns often change from day to day and therefore there is limited ability to have a regular mealtime routine.
Meals are often consumed alone in a rush and without appropriate eating environments or equipment.