110 smart snacks for nurses

From the Spring 2012 issue of Scrubs
In the middle of your shift, suddenly things calm down and you realize: I’m hungry. So you survey the options: A.) the vending machine (too unhealthy, to say nothing of unappealing); B.) the thank-you box of cookies made by a patient’s well-meaning spouse (too fattening and too full of sugar…and will end up sapping what energy you have left); and C.) snack du jour from the cafeteria (too time-consuming and not exactly great gourmet fare). Inevitably you end up with choice A or B, feeling guilty or dissatisfied (or both!), and wishing you had thought ahead to bring something from home—not just anything, but something delicious.

With a little planning and a few minutes for assembly, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy healthy snacks on the job. The 110 fixings that follow go way beyond the standard carton of yogurt or energy bar, making it far less likely that you’ll be derailed by the donuts that show up at your station. Even the options here that may seem like a splurge are acceptable because they’re small. So, when you pack your next snack, expand your options (not your waistline) and, yes, indulge!

Snack-on-a-stick
There’s something about a skewer that makes food fun—and easy to eat on the run. Look for small bamboo skewers in the grocery store (if you can’t find them, cut the long ones into snack-size sticks). Here are 12 kabobs worth a try:

o Mini beef, turkey or meatless meatballs (use the microwave at work to heat before eating)
o Mini bocconcini (mozzarella balls) and cherry tomatoes; slip leaves of fresh basil in between
o Green and orange melon balls
o Dried figs and squares of manchego (Spanish) cheese or ham (or both!)
o Cubed chicken with red grapes
o Chunks of angel food cake and strawberries
o Chunks of bran muffin and orange slices
o Pickles and anchovy- or pimento-stuffed olives
o Leftover roasted potatoes (pack a dipping sauce of light mayo with dill or your favorite vinaigrette)
o Cucumber, pitted kalamata olives and squares of feta cheese
o Marinated artichoke hearts and marinated peppers
o Pineapple and leftover teriyaki chicken
o Mango and leftover shrimp

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