When working in travel nursing, you will encounter some difficulties in making your own healthy meals and find yourself around many unhealthy, easy options. Eating healthy during travel nursing can mean a lot for your mental and physical health. A healthy diet helps decrease the chances of burnout and can deter illness. The temptation to eat unhealthily is definitely something you might struggle with, but with these tips, you may find that eating healthily is easier than you thought. 

Healthy Travel Food

When traveling, you will often find that most travel snacks available at gas stations or convenience stores are not the healthiest. You might want to prepare in advance by seeking out healthier snack options from a grocery store. If not, avoid snacks entirely, or check the nutritional values on the snacks you are considering.

In Travel Nursing, Know What You’re Working With

Before you move into your hotel or place of living, make sure you know what there is in terms of appliances in advance. You may find that you do not have a refrigerator to store food in or perhaps you do have a refrigerator, but it is too small for all of your supplies. You could find that you have a stove or microwave available to you, which means meal preparation and cooking, in general, is possible for you. 

Pack Cooking Supplies 

If there is a chance you will have a microwave or stove available to you, you will want to pack cooking supplies. Not only will cooking at your place of living prevent you from going out to eat, but it will allow you to relax and enjoy cooking your own meal after a hectic day of work. While some may not entirely enjoy cooking their own meals, they will certainly feel a sense of accomplishment by producing them. 

Travel Nursing Requires Storage

While they may initially seem like extra bulk to pack, bringing reusable storage for your food can be very effective. This means that you can cook in bulk and store it throughout the week or store a meal you were not able to finish. Fresh ingredients can also be kept in these storage containers to maintain their freshness. 

Cook Ahead 

In travel nursing, having a place to cook a full meal may be hard to find. If you have the resources to cook a meal, plan one that will last you the entire week. Are you making a protein-filled lunch, like chicken? Instead of cooking one chicken breast, cook a few and store them in plastic containers. There are many types of meals that can last you the entire week. Having these meals available will dissuade you from taking the easy route of eating out.

Research Your Options When Working in Travel Nursing 

Using your phone or laptop, you can locate the various restaurants and grocery stores in the area you will be working in. Not only this but with many restaurants, you will find that you can access their menu online. By doing this, you can research to see what places have healthy options that may interest you. 

Stay Hydrated

One of the most important things that you can do for your body while working as a traveling nurse is to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated will help you avoid fatigue and will help your brain function well. You may not be able to avoid eating out in some circumstances, but you can always opt for water. If you are worried about drinking tap water wherever you may stay, investing in a water jug with a filter can be a great help. 

Resources and Information

Eating healthy as a traveling nurse is highly rewarding and benefits your mental and physical health. For more information and resources on working as a traveling nurse, check out New Directions. Not only do we hire traveling nurses nationwide, but we deeply invest ourselves in helping them find their pathway to success.