Tips for Eating Well on a Travel Nursing Assignment

by Premier Medical Staffing Services on October 12, 2022 in Travel Nursing

 

As a nurse, you always encourage patients to eat a well-balanced diet to maintain a healthy body. But do you struggle following your own advice? Eating well on a travel nursing assignment can be challenging for some clinicians. Between 12-hour shifts, commuting, and getting used to a new city, it’s easy for healthy eating to fall to the wayside. But we’re here to help you make nourishing your body a priority, and most importantly, an easy goal to achieve on a travel assignment.

Designate one day a week as “grocery day”

Hate coming back from work with no food in the fridge? You’ll never let your fridge go empty when you designate one day a week to restocking your necessities. Eating well on a travel nursing assignment means always having nutritious food staples stocked.

If going to the store is a hassle for you, try a grocery delivery option like Instacart and let the groceries come to you.

eating well on a travel nursing assignment
Subscribe to a meal delivery service

If you’ve been looking for an alternative to meticulously planning out your dinners each week, a meal delivery service may be a good solution. Services like HelloFresh and Blue Apron will send you healthy, pre-portioned ingredients for meals you pick each week, and most can be ready in 30 minutes or less. This is a great way to cut down on grocery trips, reconnect with your inner chef, and eat delicious, restaurant-quality food.

Meal prep

Many nurses rely on meal prepping to take the guesswork out of eating well on a travel nursing assignment. Prepping your lunches or dinners for the week ahead allows you to ensure you’re getting adequate nutrition for your day without having to worry. Set aside one day to prep easy meals and be good to go for the week. For some meal prep ideas, head to this article.

Set attainable nutrition goals

No matter what “eating well” means to you, you should always make it a priority to put your body’s needs first. Whether you’re working on gut health, mindful eating, or simply fitting in more greens, write down your goal and put it somewhere visible in your kitchen to keep your objective in mind when choosing what to eat. This is as simple as putting a post-it on the fridge that says something like “don’t forget your veggies!” Practicing one meatless day a week is another great goal for nurses who are looking to become more eco-conscious while eating healthfully.

Choose local

Who doesn’t love ordering delivery? Eating well on a travel nursing assignment doesn’t always have to involve cooking and meal prep. If you’re treating yourself to a delivery meal, make sure to support local restaurants. For delicious local food on the go, hit up a food truck. If you’re in a town with a farmer’s market, hop over there to grab your produce and other essentials. Not only is locally grown food fresher and more delicious, but you also support local agriculture by shopping at the farmer’s market.

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