The Ultimate Shift Work Meal Plan

Not everyone works a 9-5 job, and irregular work schedules can make it harder to both prepare and plan your meals for the day. For example, if your diet plan is intermittent fasting, your 10-hour window of eating mightn't fit as well into your schedule as it could if you were working 9-5. This kind of inconvenience makes it easier to slip up! 

It's all about finding the right times to eat and choosing good foods that fit into your plan to keep your progress going. Here are three examples based on irregular working hours of what a healthy, balanced diet should look like.

If you have to work overnight, you not only have to change your sleep schedule, but your meal schedule too. For example, if you’re not starting until 9:30pm, you’re having your morning coffee when most people are unwinding well after dinner. So, what should your meal plan look like? Here are our recommendations.

• Breakfast: The ultimate breakfast, even once the sun is set, is always going to be The Lady Shake! You know the drill, it’s a whole meal in a shake that’ll keep you full and energised until your next meal. 

• Snack 1: Now, we all suffer from the mid-morning crash, but for the night shift ladies, that would come around midnight. The best type of snack to have for this would be something high in protein. The Lady Bar is ideal for your first snack since it’s loaded with protein to tie you over for longer. Another great snack would be Greek yoghurt with berries, or celery with hummus. They’re both easy, portable snacks that’ll keep you sustained.

• Lunch: We recommend lunch be your biggest meal of the day, you’re about halfway through your shift and as usual, your meal should be high in protein to help keep your energy levels up. 

• Snack 2: Here comes the afternoon crash! For the night shift ladies, this is probably happening at the crack of dawn, but it’s inescapable. Some good snack ideas are a small bag of butter-free, unsalted popcorn, a small can of tuna or a piece of fruit. 

• Dinner: Since your shift leaves you a bit time poor, and you’ve got to head to bed soon after arriving home, keep your dinner light. We highly recommend having your second shake for dinner. It’s a good idea to prepare your shake a little bit earlier and drink it on the way home because going to sleep on a full stomach could cause some sleep disturbances. Alternatively, a high-protein light meal like a chicken or turkey salad is ideal. 

If you’re a lady working in the mines, or a factory worker, then you mightn’t even have access to a break room with a fridge! This can make mealtimes even more difficult, so you’ll have to strategise. 

• Breakfast: The Lady Shake should be your go-to for breakfast; it saves you time and it’ll give you the energy you need until your next meal. 

• Snack 1: The Lady Bar is ideal for your second snack, there’s a great range of flavours to choose from so you won’t get bored!

• Lunch: Again, lunch should be your biggest meal and it should be high in protein. If you don’t have access to a fridge, then this can be tricky. One idea is a high-protein soup — a typical thermos will keep food hot for a minimum of 5 hours. Pre-packaged soups are a great time saver, but make sure you turn over the product and read the nutritional information as it’s common for sugars and preservatives to be added to extend shelf life. Lentil soup and chicken soup are great choices because they’re packed with protein and fibre to keep you fuller for longer. If you’re working in the heat though, soup mightn’t sound all that appealing! So, make sure you invest in a cooler! You can make a high-protein chicken salad with veggies and keep it in the cooler until it’s time to eat. 

• Snack 2: For your second snack you’ll need something shelf-stable so a small can of tuna is a great idea. If you’ve got your cooler then Greek yoghurt with berries is another great option, or a mixed bag of unsalted nuts like almonds, cashews and pistachios. 

• Dinner: Have your second shake now! Your second snack has worn off and you’ll need a high-protein meal. Alternatively, a high-protein salad is a great option, so don't forget your cooler!

If you work 10-12 hours, then work alone consumes half of your day! With having such little time to yourself, how are you supposed to keep your diet on track? Long days can easily lead to boredom-eating, even when you're occupied with work, so it’s important you practice mindful eating! 

• Breakfast: The Lady Shake, it will help combat mindless eating because it’ll keep you fuller for longer.

• Snack 1: It’s time for The Lady Bar! 

• Lunch: Make sure lunch is your biggest meal here. If you’re working over 10 hours, no matter what time you take your lunch break you’ve still got a long time until you’re able to eat dinner, so opt for high-protein meals with veggies.

• Snack 2: Some healthy snacks could be a small can of tuna, Greek yoghurt with organic oats, or a piece of fruit.

• Dinner: Working 10-12 hours leaves you incredibly time-poor, so make something light and easy for yourself to save time and make sure you don’t go to sleep on a full stomach. The Lady Shake is perfect if you have to sleep not long after you get home. If you don't want your shake for dinner, make sure to keep your dinner light to prevent disrupted sleep. Some good ideas are high-protein soup or salad. Don't skip out on the veggies!

Eating well and sticking to your diet with such an irregular schedule can be tough, but it’s not impossible. We recommend you meal plan because it takes the stress out of worrying about what you’ll have to make the next day, and if your work schedule takes up half of your day, you don’t have time for much else. Check out our range of recipes here! We always recommend high-protein meals and it’s not just for sustenance, it’s because you need it to lose weight.