Best meal replacement to stuff in your white coat while on busy rotations?

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Lonelion87

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Hey All-

For when you are on those those uber-busy rotations (Surg, IM) and are constantly on the go, what do you rely on to get you through the day?

Meal replacement milkshakes (e.g. Boost?) Fruit? Cliff bars?
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Lonelion87 said:
Hey All-

For when you are on those those uber-busy rotations (Surg, IM) and are constantly on the go, what do you rely on to get you through the day?

Meal replacement milkshakes (e.g. Boost?) Fruit? Cliff bars?
Click to expand...

I liked raw almonds.

Replacement shakes and non-dry fruit aren't going to be convenient to carry around. Cliff bars, or similar, are a good option.
 
If you choose to get your energy in bar form, pick one of the softer bars. Those Nature Valley bars taste great, but once they've been beaten up in your bag or white coat, they resemble a fine granola mist. Cliff or Power are better, although Power bars a kind of an acquired taste.

Me? I used to snap into a Slim Jim on the wards as a med student, and revel in the funny looks.
 
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Clif bars are okay tasting, but I prefer Detour bars (caramel and peanut sort of tastes like a snickers)...I think both have a little bit of a bad aftertaste though.
 
typhoonegator said:
If you choose to get your energy in bar form, pick one of the softer bars. Those Nature Valley bars taste great, but once they've been beaten up in your bag or white coat, they resemble a fine granola mist. Cliff or Power are better, although Power bars a kind of an acquired taste.

Me? I used to snap into a Slim Jim on the wards as a med student, and revel in the funny looks.
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like the idea of a slim jim! I usually go w/ a peanut butter sandwich. Raw almonds are good too (and so much better than roasted). Lol at someone drinking a slimfast on the wards.
 
Cliff bars work pretty well, but if you can find them, Probar is where it's at...

http://www.rei.com/search?query=probar

They are literally a meal replacement, and they're delicious.

Also, I carry Starbucks Via in my pockets. I'm not a big Starbucks fan, but the hospital coffee on the floors is horrible and if I don't have time to run to the cafe, the little instant coffee pouches do in a pinch.
 
Never seen those before. They don't look terrible, but they have a ton of fat in them. It's probably monounsaturated/plant fat, but 20 grams is still a load.

For the record, you have to be careful which Big 100 bar you buy. Some of them have a bunch of fat in them, too. The rocky road cookie dough ones are currently my fave and clock in at 8g fat (3g saturated), 49g carbs (26g sugars), and 28g protein plus about 40% of a bunch of vitamins. 380 calories in total.
 
MilkmanAl said:
Never seen those before. They don't look terrible, but they have a ton of fat in them. It's probably monounsaturated/plant fat, but 20 grams is still a load.

For the record, you have to be careful which Big 100 bar you buy. Some of them have a bunch of fat in them, too. The rocky road cookie dough ones are currently my fave and clock in at 8g fat (3g saturated), 49g carbs (26g sugars), and 28g protein plus about 40% of a bunch of vitamins. 380 calories in total.
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Honestly, I'd be more concerned about the amount of sugar than the amount of fat. The Big 100 bars are really high in sugar, which is why I stopped using them a long time ago.

On a peripherally related note, this is why most "Low Fat" options of foods are generally WORSE for you. The number of calories are generally still approximately the same, but they replace the fat with sugar. For instance, most peanut butter is ~200cal/serving. "Low Fat" peanut butter takes out a chunk of good fat and replaces it with sugar, resulting in 200cal/serving but with a worse nutrient profile.
[/rant]
 
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I go with FiberOne bars, usually Oat and Peanut Butter, and I think they actually improve after a few days in the coat. They get nice and densified.
 
I think for something like surgery where you're burning calories like whoa, the extra sugar is probably a good thing. In any case, I'd rather have that than fat, but whatever works.
 
ZonePerfect nutrition bars. I'm a diabetic so I have to eat all the time but the most "bang for my buck" so to speak. I also like trail mix and the 25% less sugar Quaker oats bars.
 
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So the other thing I always have in my coat is True Lemon packets. If you've never heard of them, its basically powdered lemon juice, each packet equivalent to a wedge. This may sound weird, but a few of my friends and I will just down one when we need a little pick-me-up. It's like the first hit of a warhead, without the sweetness. They have a big bin of them in the cafeteria by the coffee/tea, and I embezzle them every time I go by.
 
BigRedder said:
So the other thing I always have in my coat is True Lemon packets. If you've never heard of them, its basically powdered lemon juice, each packet equivalent to a wedge. This may sound weird, but a few of my friends and I will just down one when we need a little pick-me-up. It's like the first hit of a warhead, without the sweetness. They have a big bin of them in the cafeteria by the coffee/tea, and I embezzle them every time I go by.
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Haha, back in highschool I had a friend who used to eat Arby's Sauce packets when he was tired.
 
Do your self a favor and get Clif Builder bars. 20 some grams of protein, variety of flavors and they taste great (better than all other protein bars, I have tried most of them at some point in time). Most definitely saved me from several hypoglycemic episodes during ICU rounding and 8 hr surgeries, so I highly recommend them.
 
If you hate the weird aftertaste of some of those protein and energy bars, you can customize according to your tastes/preferences and create one at youbar.

http://youbars.com/

Check it out... awesome site. Prices of the bars is comparable to the cost of many protein bars out there on the market.
 
Localnative said:
If you hate the weird aftertaste of some of those protein and energy bars, you can customize according to your tastes/preferences and create one at youbar.

http://youbars.com/

Check it out... awesome site. Prices of the bars is comparable to the cost of many protein bars out there on the market.
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With shipping, a box of thirteen "popular" 45g bars is over $40. I worked it out, and that comes to over $30/lb. It's about $3 per bar. Maybe a bit pricey for a snack. A comparable total weight of Mini Clif bars costs about $23 from Amazon (with free shipping), about $20/lb. And those are in 1 oz (~30g) bars. The bigger bars cost less per unit weight.

They do look good though...
 
GuyWhoDoesStuff said:
Honestly, I'd be more concerned about the amount of sugar than the amount of fat. The Big 100 bars are really high in sugar, which is why I stopped using them a long time ago.

On a peripherally related note, this is why most "Low Fat" options of foods are generally WORSE for you. The number of calories are generally still approximately the same, but they replace the fat with sugar. For instance, most peanut butter is ~200cal/serving. "Low Fat" peanut butter takes out a chunk of good fat and replaces it with sugar, resulting in 200cal/serving but with a worse nutrient profile.
[/rant]
Click to expand...

Thank you for stating this. I have no idea how medical professionals still subscribe to the, "Ooh, high fat, gotta cut that fat outta my diet!" approach to nutrition. Certain fats (omega-3, monounsaturated, medium chain fatty acids) are anti-inflammatory, fire up those CCK receptors to slow gastric emptying (keep you full longer) and have a lower glycemic index (syndrome X, anyone?).

TL;DR Sugar is killing you people. Eat more fat. It will keep you full with a much better nutrient profile while not giving you cancer and diabetes.
 
BigRedder said:
With shipping, a box of thirteen "popular" 45g bars is over $40. I worked it out, and that comes to over $30/lb. It's about $3 per bar. Maybe a bit pricey for a snack. A comparable total weight of Mini Clif bars costs about $23 from Amazon (with free shipping), about $20/lb. And those are in 1 oz (~30g) bars. The bigger bars cost less per unit weight.

They do look good though...
Click to expand...

I don't know how you guys eat Clif bars. They taste like ass. I've yet to find one that I can take a bite of without heaving.

I also like this better because you know every ingredient going in there. I think I'm going to give it a try.
 
Cliff Bars are awesome, because you can just put one in your butt pocket of scrubs, and sit on it, etc all day, and it doesnt matter.....it still looks like a little poop; wont get all messed up like the other bars, and tastes great!!!
 
Lara bars have a couple ingredients each and are great tasting- I usually take about 1 bite per hour so it keeps my glycemic index pretty even. The amazing tasting cherry bar has dried cherries, dates, and almonds- nothing else!
 
Luna bars. Good protein, not a lot of calories but enough to tide you over. Good tasting to boot.
 
What about Boost milkshakes? Small and they have a decent nutrition profile...anyone try lugging those around?
 
Lonelion87 said:
Hey All-

For when you are on those those uber-busy rotations (Surg, IM) and are constantly on the go, what do you rely on to get you through the day?

Meal replacement milkshakes (e.g. Boost?) Fruit? Cliff bars?
Click to expand...

Try a banana. It's healthy, cheap, and you don't have to wash your hands after you eat.
 
I try not to snack between meals. However, if I know it's going to be a long time between meals, I'll carry around a small package of Snackwell's cookies.
 
hothause said:
Luna bars. Good protein, not a lot of calories but enough to tide you over. Good tasting to boot.
Click to expand...
I second this. They're made by the people who make Cliff bars, but I like them better and they have better flavors. They're not quite as dense as Cliff bars.

Basically, I'll buy whichever I can get cheapest at that time. Target's usually got each of them for $1/bar.
 
I used to carry these things called Suncakes with me. I grabbed one at a local whole foods co-op one time and it really stayed with me when I had to didn't have time to get a meal between work and school. They were heart shaped. I think you can buy them on bulk online. A couple of the flavors sucked but some were really good like Apple.
 
I've been thinking about this. Great thread. I like protein/fat-rich snacks because they satiate me for a long time. If I really can't sit down for a meal, I've been thinking about making homemade jerky. The good jerky you get at places like Whole Foods (organic, grass-fed beef or other animal) is usually super expensive. I'm going to buy some of the same quality meat in bulk and make a lot of jerky for the wards. Buy some bulk nuts too. Possibly some dried charcuterie and stuff too, but I'm afraid that might stink my coat up and tick off the patients. 🙂
 
I think the key to satiety is the protein content...but it is hard to come by portable + tasty + nutritious protein.
 
Fiber One Bars!

But actually, on the teams I work on usually the attendings/PAs just steal Shasta ginger ale cans and eat saltines from the floors.
 
Coffee also suppresses your appetite. I am totally going to get a stomach ulcer one day.
 
VisionaryTics said:
Thank you for stating this. I have no idea how medical professionals still subscribe to the, "Ooh, high fat, gotta cut that fat outta my diet!" approach to nutrition. Certain fats (omega-3, monounsaturated, medium chain fatty acids) are anti-inflammatory, fire up those CCK receptors to slow gastric emptying (keep you full longer) and have a lower glycemic index (syndrome X, anyone?).

TL;DR Sugar is killing you people. Eat more fat. It will keep you full with a much better nutrient profile while not giving you cancer and diabetes.
Click to expand...

👍👍👍

VisionaryTics nailed it. Fats keep you full longer. HFC on the other hand... not so good.

The Met-Rx bars look good. I'm currently eating a Zone bar with lunch (they are small, and don't taste terrible). What is everyone's current flavor of Met-Rx big 100?
 
Clif Builders baby. That's where it's at.

Or you can snag an Ensure from one of your sleeping critically ill patients. (Kidding).

However, you can sometimes get them from the nurses (not kidding).
 
Mace1370 said:
👍👍👍

VisionaryTics nailed it. Fats keep you full longer. HFC on the other hand... not so good.

The Met-Rx bars look good. I'm currently eating a Zone bar with lunch (they are small, and don't taste terrible). What is everyone's current flavor of Met-Rx big 100?
Click to expand...


As I stated above, if you're concerned about your sugar intake (and you should be), the Met-Rx bars should probably be avoided. I know the cookie dough ones (which admittedly taste great) have around 25-26g of sugar.

I've been big into bodybuilding for going on 8 years now, and I used to make my own protein bars way back in college. I don't even remember the recipe since it's been so long (and they get kinda messy sometimes), but the basic ingredients were whey, oats, and peanut butter. As for commercial bars, the Labrada bars or the Detour low sugar bars are good.
 
I carry different bars around pretty much constantly because...I'm always friggin hungry. It takes a lot to power my sasquatch self. I try to avoid anything with the chocolate coating. Not for health reasons, but because I hate when stuff gets all melted and the one time I can't wash my hands immedietly will inevitably be the time it looks like a gave a gloveless DRE....or little bits crumble off into random areas to leave nice little brown spots on my clothes or white coat. These kind of things only happen when I least want them to.

I've been on a macrobar and KIND plus kick lately. Don't crumble all over but also don't melt (although the KIND bars can get a little flimsy) and healthy-ish. I'm always hesitant to say "healthy" because there are much better options usually. I do like almonds as well, but I recently had an almost explosion in my backpack, so that is going to be on hold for a little bit.
 
here's a really good recipe for homemade protein brownies that takes 20 minutes to make a batch of 8, if you are looking for some healthier macros and to save some $$$ (protein bars on average are very expensive, over a dollar per bar). I eat one every day and they taste way better than any packaged stuff

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=131489703

use only half a cup of milk though for the batch, and they will dry well and not be sticky when you wrap them...and use some pam spray on the tray
 
Fourth vote here for Clif Builder's Bars. They're full of protein and keep me full for at least a few hours. Delicious too.
 
patel2 said:
here's a really good recipe for homemade protein brownies that takes 20 minutes to make a batch of 8, if you are looking for some healthier macros and to save some $$$ (protein bars on average are very expensive, over a dollar per bar). I eat one every day and they taste way better than any packaged stuff

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=131489703

use only half a cup of milk though for the batch, and they will dry well and not be sticky when you wrap them...and use some pam spray on the tray
Click to expand...

Epic! ty!
 
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