MetalMedic Posted December 26, 2011 Posted December 26, 2011 Hey everyone! I know it's been a while, no excuses! I'm still at the Volly Service which I am still loving, but also just got hired for a private company as well! I'm beyond thrilled! (Since I know this will come up, I plan on staying at the Volly service too. The reason is the Volly is only BLS and when I become a paramedic, it will be a great way to keep up on my BLS skills.) Anyway, I've come to realize if I bought lunch and dinner every day I'd be spending a lot of money. I know sandwiches can and will get old fast so I'm wondering what everyone else takes for lunch/dinner. I can't really do a lot of leftovers or reheats as I don't know if I'll be guaranteed to have access to a microwave that day. So what are your favorite on the road meals?
FireMedic65 Posted December 26, 2011 Posted December 26, 2011 I usually have granola bars or trail mix for quick snacks. Sandwiches I bring but you are right, they do get old. Without having access to a microwave surly complicates and takes away many options. I suppose if you are in the hospital or something you could ask the nurses if they would allow you to use their microwave in their lounge to heat a meal? You could try salads too maybe.
MetalMedic Posted December 26, 2011 Author Posted December 26, 2011 In my area there are about 5 hospitals we go to on a daily basis, and about 3-4 others outside that area depending on where we are posted. Some of them have microwaves in the EMS rooms, but not all of them and it's a little hard to tell when we'll have access to them. I keep a bag of nuts and trail mix in my bag, which is always an awesome idea! Thanks for the tips. Keep 'em coming!
tcripp Posted December 27, 2011 Posted December 27, 2011 MRE! I've often thought of this myself! Other than power/protein bars, fruit/nuts, and peanuts butter...really can't think of too much that won't get old and fast. Each year, I do a 40+ hour gig in an ambulance (that follows runners for 200 miles) which is the only time I'm totally without heating devices for an extended period of time. I'm thinking an MRE or two might be a good addition to the standard "cold fare" I carry. Toni
BAYAMedic Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 OK, here are a few of the tricks I have picked up. Cooked chicken breast, shredded with taco seasoning, green chilis, sour cream, cheese, and black beans. Roll the mixture in a soft taco shell, triple wrap in foil and freeze individually. Place on dashboard with defroster running when you get on shift. Nice hot lunch. If anyone wants it, I can get the recipe from my amazing wife, She usually makes about 2 dozen at a time and I have plenty for a month. MRE's are good but very high in calories, and always remember to have two water bottles that day for hydrating the warmer, and the drink mix. Foil wrapped pizza boxes sit nicely in the engine compartment of Type one ambulances and Type 6 wildland engines. There are 12v plug in coffee commuter cups that will keep soup warm, but take forever to heat up cold soup. (Maybe dashboard the sealed can of soup when you start your shift) Cup of noodles need hot water, Alot of the industrail coffee machines have Hot water Spigiots. Buy your soda/juice/coffee/water from the same convienience store, and always flash a non-creepy smile. You will get to know the staff, build rapport, and will find your coffee may get comped once in a while, or if you know them well, ask if you can nuke your food in their microwave. Also their hot water... Swinging into a local grocery store takes no longer than fast food, for a bag of premix salad and sunflower seeds, dressing and cottage cheese. A pouch of Chicken ( the kind next to the tuna) really kicks it up a notch. Read the newspaper and grab the fast food coupons and put in an envelope in your truck. There are definatly days a BOGO Burger at Carls Jr. with the price split with you and your partner, works well. Fireman1037 "Not the firemonkey Dust warned you about"
tcripp Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 Fireman...obviously, you've been doing this for awhile!
BAYAMedic Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 Several agencies, in several counties. Most of them were riding third or student so I wasn't making the money to eat out every meal. I learned to improvise Fireman1037
paramedicmike Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Anyway, I've come to realize if I bought lunch and dinner every day I'd be spending a lot of money. I know sandwiches can and will get old fast so I'm wondering what everyone else takes for lunch/dinner. I can't really do a lot of leftovers or reheats as I don't know if I'll be guaranteed to have access to a microwave that day. So what are your favorite on the road meals? Do you know what their ambulances look like on the inside? Would it be possible to take a small cooler and fill it with food and stick it between the front seats? That way you'll have some variability. Fruit, sandwiches and the like will be handy. Granted, it'll be a lot of cold food. But it'll be your food and you'll still have some control over what you carry with you. (Since I know this will come up, I plan on staying at the Volly service too. The reason is the Volly is only BLS and when I become a paramedic, it will be a great way to keep up on my BLS skills.) I know you asked about food but this statement really bothered me. Why would working as a paramedic not let you keep up on your "BLS skills"? Working as a medic isn't a matter of BLS or ALS skills. It's a matter of providing appropriate patient care. Appropriate patient care may take the form of hand holding or it may take the form of IV access and advanced airway management. It doesn't matter what the end point is because it all starts in the same place. We all strive to provide appropriate patient care (at least we should be). EMS-ers do it. Hospital staff do it. Physicians do it. We all start in the same place and move forward from there. (Ever take a trauma patient in? What's the first thing you hear them talking about? "Airway's intact!" or "Airway's not intact!". Sounds an awful lot like what you're doing when you assess each and every one of your patients, no?) If you're thinking your BLS volly squad is a great place to keep up on your "BLS skills" then you're setting yourself up to be a very poor paramedic. Not trying to be harsh. Just something I didn't think should pass without comment. edit: point clarification. Edited December 28, 2011 by paramedicmike
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