Diet & Nutrition
It can be hard to eat healthy while working as a nurse and hard to find the energy to cook healthy meals once at home. C3 conducted a survey at the RCN Congress about food at work with 224 nurses and student nurses. Key findings:
- 1 in 4 nurses reported that they do not have enough time to get to the canteen and eat a meal during their 30‐minute break.
- A quarter had no dedicated place to sit and eat food nor to store or heat food in their clinical setting or work location.
- 1 in 3 reported that they ate in areas where staff changed and drugs were stored.
- 25% of participants reported that they were not allowed to have water on wards or at the nurses’ station while at work
Download C3’s ‘A look at nurses’ access to food at work’ infographic.
Below are some resources that may help you incorporate healthier eating into your busy nursing schedule.
British Heart Foundation: Taking control of sugar
What is it?
You can reduce your risk of these health problems by making small and simple changes to cut back on how much sugar you eat. Becoming aware of where your calories come from is the first step towards controlling your weight and protecting your heart.
Type of resource
British Heart Foundation: Recipe finder
What is it?
Our recipe finder contains hundreds of heart healthy recipes with full nutritional analysis. You can filter your search by cuisine, dietary requirements and condition so there’s something to suit all tastes and diets.
Type of resource
Webpage
EatingWell.com
What is it?
At EatingWell, our mission is to help make healthy happen every day. We provide the inspiration and information people need to make healthy eating a way of life. Our experts offer delicious recipes, balanced nutritional advice, thought-provoking stories and new ways to make healthy choices more exciting. We are about moderation and balance-not strict rules or fad diets-because for healthy eating to become a way of life, it should be accessible, sustainable, inspiring and-above all-delicious.
Type of resource
Website
Gov.uk: Eatwell guide
What is it?
The Eatwell Guide is a policy tool used to define government recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet.
Type of resource
Mental Health Foundation: Wellbeing and nutrition
What is it?
Presented by Dr David Peters, this podcast is intended to give the listener an introduction into how a good nutritious diet can help mental health.
Type of resource
Podcast
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: DASH eating plan
What is it?
Eating a variety of delicious foods and cutting back on salt can help lower your blood pressure. What are you waiting for? Take control of your heart health with the DASH eating plan.
Type of resource
NHS Weight loss plan
What is it?
Free 12-week diet and exercise plan. The plan, which has been downloaded more than 7 million times, is designed to help you lose weight safely – and keep it off.
Type of resource
Webpage
Waitrose: Healthy recipes
What is it?
Look no further for delicious, healthy recipes. We’ve taken your favourites and made them healthier. All these recipes have less than 600kcal per portion and have no red traffic lights for fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt.
Type of resource
Webpage
BBC Food: African Recipes
What is it?
Discover diverse African recipes from Cape Malay curries and South African bobotie to family favourites like jollof rice.
Type of resource
Webpage
Know of an evidence-based resource related to diet and nutrition not on our list that should be? Email us at communications@c3health.org.
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