Training & Nutrition - Easy to eat foods to stay fueled thru the work day?

I'm a pharmacist for Walgreens and one problem I have at work is trying to eat enough. I don't get any type of break during my shifts and pretty much have to stuff my face between customers/doctor calls/other stuff. This has gotten even worse now that I'm giving flu shots.

For the next 4 weeks I will be working almost exclusively 8-4 shifts which means I have to ride in the afternoon. The past week I've had a couple days where I literally ate nothing during a 10-12 hour shift.

Anyone else out there in a similar situation? I need some ideas for food that is healthy, doesn't need refrigeration (fridge is at other end of store and not allowed to bring bags in the pharmacy), and will leave me ready for a good ride in the afternoon.

Cheese and meat won't go bad 6hrs into a shift. If you're really concerned, you can buy a lunch box that is insulated.

Otherwise: pop-tarts (organic at costco), apple, banana, PB&J sandwich, raisins, etc, etc.

Just go down the food isles at your grocery store. If it isn't in the refrigerated section and doesn't need to be cooked, it's edible while at work.

http://www.jayrobb.com/jayBars.asp


Try these

Another ideal thing is trail mix. A couple of handfuls and you have a couple of hundred calories. Try to use unsalted nuts and include lots of unsweetened dried fruits and granola.

I'm a pharmacist for Walgreens ...

I'm sorry.

Dried fruits(figs, dates, apricots, grapes etc.), Sandwiches(my 2 favorite are honey/almond butter/sunflower sprouts or avocado, hot peppers, onion, sunflower sprouts, onion sprouts. Both on sourdough or sprouted grain bread of course), nuts(cashews, almonds, walnuts etc.), lar bars (date and nut candy bars. Healthiest energy/candy bar you can buy imo). Hope my list helps

PB&J on whole wheat
Bananas
granola or Kashi bars

hmm ... just the kind of person I want filling my prescriptions, someone who is dead tired and malnourished. seriously break times (am & pm coffee breaks and lunch breaks) are protected by the law here in the US. take your breaks and eat like you should.

Well you are going to have to trot down to the other end of the store to get food that has to be refrigerated and I would suggest a clear storage bag with ice packs if they are concerned about bags in the pharmacy area. Also, try putting a meal replacement bar in your pocket and replace as you eat it. A bowl of fruit under the counter that you replenish before the start or each shift. If you are intent on riding then you are going to have to make time for nutrition. I would also suggest some MRP drinks as well....a sandwich that does not require refrigeration is another option. I too work a job like this but I put my foot down when it came to my health and not always getting my nourishment...no one wanted me to be a B*#&%.

Eat a good amount of fiber in the morning with breakfast, fiber not only makes feel full, it slows the absorption of carbs into the blood stream. Which will give you sustained energy for the day.

hmm ... just the kind of person I want filling my prescriptions, someone who is dead tired and malnourished. seriously break times (am & pm coffee breaks and lunch breaks) are protected by the law here in the US. take your breaks and eat like you should.

Only if you work a forty hour+ week. My company circumvents this by having us work 37.5 hours a week. No coffee breaks for us.

Cheese and meat won't go bad 6hrs into a shift. If you're really concerned, you can buy a lunch box that is insulated.

Very good idea. Or mix up a smoothie at home with some whey or soya protein added and keep it in a vacuum flask.

Only if you work a forty hour+ week. My company circumvents this by having us work 37.5 hours a week. No coffee breaks for us.
Might want to check that, local laws vary, but here in Alberta, they have to give you minimum 30 minutes for a shift that lasts more than 5 hours.

They don't have to be paid breaks though. ( most are )

I notice you live in FL? I worked part time at a Sam's Club in FL (oh god it was horrible) and we were protected under law if we worked 6 hrs or more to have a 30 min lunch break (unpaid) and two 15 min breaks (paid). If you work 12 hrs then you get double this. With a corporation such as Walgreens I have a very hard time seeing how they could avoid this. Sam's Club was paranoid about lawsuits, and I actually got a letter this past year from a firm trying to sue them for interupting people's breaks. There's some serious money to be found this way.

anyways I would give DIY powerbars a read (in this forum). I made some and they have a good amount of calories to keep you fed and full.

Actually, its not looking so good for you on the legal side.
http://www.humanresourceblog.com/2008/02/18/florida-break-law/

man thats messed up. somebody needs to take it to the man

Almonds / other nuts are good

salads, made at home in a ziploc, shake 'em up w/ the dressing, will last till lunch time

I keep a big ol plastic soda cup from a fast food place on my desk - but I fill it with water - excellent for energy.

Walgreens has a house brand "energy powder" that competes w/ Emergen-C. I dump that in my water, it's mainly vitamin C and B, helps with the afternoon crash.

I feel your pain, I worked (very briefly) at a telemarketing job with similar fun, 33 hour work week, 5.5 hour day 6 days a week. The half hour break was nowhere near long enough and I hated riding home afterward... I took sandwiches and salads while everyone else went to the local fried chicken place. I sucked at telemarketing and left and now... work 12 hour 4/3 shifts at a datacenter with a 4 mile bike commute on one end before or after an hour on the metra. I have a local butcher hook me up with a variety of meat and Im back to sammiches and salads when Im too lazy to cook. But a busy day at the datacenter can easily mean me taking 5 minutes to wolf down food (I love the job though!) which makes that 4 miles back to the train something I dread some mornings (did I mention I'm the zombie shift?)

The other side of the coin is I've gotten back into biking and I find myself wanting to do a simple work out in addition with winter coming, thus my reading through this sub forum =) Now I just need to kick smoking *sigh*.

Savory oatmeal. Cook up some steel cut oats mix in some cheese, and cooked sausages, salt, pepper to taste. Doesn't have to be refrigerated and is very filling.

UD