Speaker 1 0:00

Hello and welcome to another episode of A Healthy Shift the podcast , where we give strategies that help you , the shift workers , thrive and not just survive . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today we're tackling a topic that's crucial for every shift worker , and this is something that I get asked about all the time easy snacks to keep in your locker or on hand . Because , let's face it , we all know the struggle of those mid-shift hunger pangs and the vending machine siren call come to me , come to me , but fear not , I'm here to arm you with snack options that are nutritious , delicious and super convenient . So let's get into it . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigors of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love .

Speaker 1 1:24

Enjoy today's show and welcome back to A Healthy Shift the podcast , which is dedicated to helping you thrive and not just survive in your shift working lifestyle . I'm Roger Sutherland , your guide on this journey to better health and wellbeing . Now , whether you're tuning in during your commute , your break , or you're just winding down , I'm here to share practical , evidence-based strategies to boost your energy and vitality . And I've got to tell you I'm just ever so grateful that you're here and listening it is greatly appreciated . Ear and listening it is greatly appreciated .

Speaker 1 2:08

Now , easy on hand snacks are an issue for the shift worker as we get drawn into this vortex that is the vending machine . So let's give you some other ideas that you can have at the ready and , who knows , something might just gel with you and change your schnack game . Because sch ? Because snackos are important , aren't they ? And we've got to make sure , because it's just so easy for us to graze on things that we shouldn't be , which is so energy dense , like carbohydrates and fats , or high carbs and fats . Now , I'm not demonizing carbohydrates and fats , but what I am doing is I'm actually just saying that these are very energy dense and can cause us massive problems , especially if we're eating them overnight .

Speaker 1 2:54

So , first things first . Why are snacks so important for us as shift workers ? Well , the irregular hours can absolutely play havoc with us on our eating patterns , often leaving us reaching for unhealthy options out of sheer convenience or because we are so fatigued . Our body tells us oh , we need glucose , we need glucose , we need carbohydrates , so we need lollies and chips , and what we do then is we get a problem with the high that we get from it , and then we crash , and this is the problem that we have . So , having a stash of healthy snacks and I mean a stash in your locker , in your kit bag , no matter where you are , you can maintain steady energy levels , and which will keep your mood stable . It will keep your blood sugar stable and prevent those dreaded post-shift crashes that we have .

Speaker 1 3:54

So let's get into it , and here are my top recommendations for easy snacks that you can keep in your locker or in your kit bag or your handbag , whatever you do . First of all , my number one go-to is nuts and seeds . Now , nuts and seeds are an absolute powerhouse of nutrition . They're packed with protein , healthy fats , as well as fiber as well , making them perfect for sustained energy . Now , almonds , walnuts and pumpkin seeds are , without doubt , my top picks . So just grab a some in a small container that can easily fit into your locker . They have a long shelf life , but keep in mind that nuts and seeds are actually quite calorically dense as well , so we need to just make sure that we don't overeat them . We just have some and give them a chance to do their work . And this is the thing that we need to keep in mind with a lot of our eating as well , and that is , eat a small amount and wait and see what actually happens , because you'll find that we just overeat , whereas if we just had a small amount and then we waited , you'll find that your satiety will actually increase and you'll feel quite happy with it . Now , the other thing that I wanted to say and this is a pro tip for you opt for unsalted or unroasted varieties , which will be even less calories , which are much , much more healthy for you .

Speaker 1 5:28

Tip number two is Greek yogurt . Now , greek yogurt is an absolutely fantastic source of protein , but what is also important is it's full of probiotics as well of protein , but what is also important is it's full of probiotics as well , which helps us with our good gut health , With the life culture in them . The probiotics are what puts the good gut bacteria into our gut that our fruits and vegetables feed as prebiotics . Now , this is really really good for our gut health and keeps us really really well balanced Overnight . If you're eating chips , chocolate , lollies and goddamn Jenny's cake , which we talk about all the time , what's going to happen is you're going to be feeding the wrong type of bacteria in your gut , and that is where you're going to get the more cravings for , the more of those type of foods , those highly palatable foods . So if you cut those down , you will find that by restoring them with the really good ones , good foods fruits , vegetables , nuts , seeds , legumes , things like that what you'll do is you will actually feed the good gut bacteria and you will get rid of a lot of those sugar cravings as well .

Speaker 1 6:36

Now , greek yogurt you can keep in a single-serve container , which is perfect for quick and easy access . You've just got to make sure that you bring a spoon with you as well , because you know what it's like in the tea room looking for a spoon . Yeah that . And if you want to jazz it up , what about you just chop up some fresh fruit , or even put some dried fruit in , or even just a handful of granola into your yogurt . Delicious and a really , really good snack that will fill you up .

Speaker 1 7:04

My tip number three is fresh fruit . For goodness sake , do not demonize fruit . You never at any stage looked at anybody overweight and said to yourself oh , I think they've eaten far too much fruit , have you ? Let's be brutally honest here . We all know that the weight gain is not coming from people who eat fruits and vegetables . So stop demonizing fruits . An apple a day keeps the doctor away , right ? Apples , bananas and oranges are all super easy to store and they require absolutely no prep . Peel and eat or don't peel and eat , I don't care . Whatever you do , just eat it . They're full of vitamins and natural sugars . Natural sugars that's the difference . That will give you a quick energy boost without that crash . And if you have a bit more time , what about you make up a container with some pre-cut up fruits , melons , pineapple berries and just keep it in a small container and you can just help yourself to it . Nature's lollies . There you go .

Speaker 1 8:09

Tip number four is hummus and veggies . Now , hummus is excellent . It's a good source of plant-based protein and also healthy fats , excellent for our body . If you pair that with some carrot sticks , some cucumber slices , or even your bell pepper , your capsicum . If you slice that and you eat that , remember you only need half a cup of capsicum to satisfy your vitamin C requirements for the day as well . Stripping up some bell pepper , some capsicum and using it with hummus means that you are going to cover not only your vitamin C , but also your protein and your fats as well . Really good , makes it really crunchy and it's a very satisfying snack . Now you can pre-pack small portions in containers for convenience . And again , we say small containers , because hummus is also something very easy to overeat and very calorically dense .

Speaker 1 9:09

The other thing that we can keep in our kit bag , which is really important , that we have on hand as well as in our locker , is things like protein bars . Now , not all protein bars are created equal , so we've got to look out and be careful . We've got to be careful of the ones and make sure that we're getting minimal added sugars . And also another thing , particularly for overnight and for the ladies be very careful of the amount of artificial sweeteners that are in protein bars as well . Remember , they're cutting the calories down , they're making it sweet so that you eat it , but it's full of artificial sweeteners . Now , I'm not demonizing artificial sweeteners in any way whatsoever , but what I am saying is it all adds up if we continually are looking for diet foods or low-fat foods or anything that's artificially sweetened . This all adds up and may in fact , upset your gut . So just be a little bit careful of the protein bar and try different ones and see how you go on different ones . Don't just try a protein bar and go , oh this is no good .

Speaker 1 10:17

Protein bars fantastic to just carry with you , particularly while you're out and about , so that you can get a quick protein hit in . And some of them now 25 to 30 grams of protein in one protein bar , that's a lot of protein to be getting in a snack , which is excellent , all right . They will also just help you to just tide you over in between those meals . And if you get caught out and you're out on the road , if you're a paramedic or you're in the police or something like that and you're stuck out at a scene , having a protein bar to be able to snack on is absolute gold and it will really make a big difference .

Speaker 1 10:52

Number six is hard-boiled eggs . Is hard-boiled eggs ? Hard-boiled eggs are just literally an excellent source of protein and healthy fats , which means that you will stay fuller for longer and you're going to get the healthy fats from that as well . Now you can prepare these in advance and just keep them in the fridge at work . All you've got to do is sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on it and you've got the perfect snap to keep you going . And if you need a bit of revenge on your partner , have a couple of boiled eggs and you can just let them rip and sort them out at the same time . Anyway , enough on that . Dark chocolate is number seven . Yep , you heard that right . Dark chocolate in moderation can actually be a healthy snack . Now , it's actually rich in antioxidants and can satisfy that sweet tooth . But the one condition that I do have on this , and that is you've got to make sure that it is at least 70% cocoa to get the benefits without too much sugar . So just be a little bit careful of that .

Speaker 1 11:49

The other things that you can keep in your locker , and things that I used to keep in my locker all the time , are things like rice cakes , and if you keep some rice cakes in your locker , you can literally just have a jar of peanut butter , a small jar of peanut butter in there as well , or you can even have cans of tuna , and there's so many different types of cans or sachets of tuna . If you go and have a look in the tuna aisle in the supermarket , you can see there's different packets . There's different packets packed with beans , packed with quinoa . You can get all sorts of different tuna cans and things like that that you can just keep in your locker , open the can , put it onto some rice cakes and you've actually got yourself quite a good high-protein meal that you could literally just snack on , and you don't have to run off to go to the Golden Arches or KFC . You can literally eat something that's going to serve you a lot better than going off and getting that takeaway food . So , all right , I'm sorry . So there you have it . Sorry , folks . Easy , nutritious snacks to keep you fueled and focused during your shifts . Remember , taking care of yourself is the first step to thriving in your shift work lifestyle .

Speaker 1 13:09

If you enjoyed today's episode , be sure to hit , follow and share it with your colleagues and leave me a review . It's ever so appreciated and , as always , if you have a question or topics you'd like us to cover , drop us a line through ahealthyshiftcom . Until next time , keep those energy levels up . Stay healthy shift workers . I'm Roger Sutherland and this has been A Healthy Shift Take care . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .