ER Nurse's Smart Meal Prep Hacks for Long Night Shifts

A Day in the Life: Meal Prep for a Busy Nurse In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging, especially for those working long, irregular hours. This is particularly true for nurses, who often work night shifts or extended hours. One ER nurse and NP student, known online as "tez | daily life of a nurse 🤍", recently shared her chaotic yet efficient meal prep routine on TikTok. The video, uploaded on May 24th, 2025, shows the nurse packing a variety of foods for her 3 PM to 3 AM shift. She includes fruits like grapes, cherries, strawberries, and blackberries, emphasizing their importance during the summer months. Her main meal consists of turkey bolognese, which she meal-prepped the previous night. She also grabs leftover Spanish rice, rotisserie chicken, and cornbread from a local restaurant, highlighting the practicality of using leftovers. For snacks, she packs pineapple fruit snacks, yogurts, brownie brittle, almonds, and Unreal dark chocolate quinoa gems. Throughout the video, she emphasizes the importance of a spill-proof lid for her large drink, stating, "It's really hard for me to open as much as I love it, but it is a spill-proof lid, which I love because I throw it in my backpack and I'm on my way." The video offers a glimpse into the life of a busy healthcare professional, showing how even with a demanding schedule, a balanced and thoughtful approach to meal preparation is possible. The nurse's practical tips and relatable struggles resonate with viewers, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking for inspiration on how to manage their nutrition effectively.