Shift worker- need advice on how to keep up

[dizzyblonde]

I work 12 hour shifts, can be days 0600-1800,0700-1900 or nights same sort of hours. I only get my shifts through about a fortnight in advance and am finding it really difficult to keep on top of things. Have 2 teenaged DS, one who is ASD and a DH who leaves home at 5.45am and gets home at 7.45pm. Usually try and cook on my days off and freeze stuff but getting a bit fed up with spag bol, chicken pies and variations of pasta dishes. Any bright ideas to help me keep house looking less like a student dump and for some more interesting meals?

I used a slow cooker when I was working shifts -people can help themselves, as and when. Your DH can easily throw some meat and veg into the pot when he gets in for the next day.

Whoever is in can do a sweep of the house and have a general tidy up. Lay down rules that you expect the kitchen and bathrooms to be clean at all times.

Are you on a budget? Eat meat?

• Chilli con carne - with rice/ on jacket pots
• Roast Chicken - as a roast/ leftovers in pitta with salad
• Ratatouille - on rice/ jackets/ pasta
• Cottage Pie
• Meatballs in tom sauce on rice/ couscous/ pasta
• Omelette (add sliced new pots for extra fillings) and salad
• Pizza, garlic bread and salad
• fish pie with frozen peas
• Lamb/ fish/ chickpea curry

Most can defrost in the fridge whist you're at work.

You can make lots of mash in advance and keep in the fridge for a couple days. Microwaves well.

Can you afford a cleaner for 2 hours a week?

Definitely on a budget and meat eating. I normally spend upto £100 per week although can be less if I get lucky on bargains.
Thanks for those ideas.I just run out of inspiration by the time I get home.

I work 2 12 hour night shifts a week so understand your problem completely. The answer is a slow cooker!! I brown a whole chicken before i go to sleep (5 hours) then when i wake, it is cooked, falls off the bone & ready to serve with baked spuds/veg/salad. Or try browning braising steak, then pop in slow cooker pot with can of chilli beans, kidney beans, onion,galic, chilli powder tin tomatoes- leave to cook all day. Organise the rest of the chires for your days off, but do not sress over any of it... a little bit of dust really does on harm

I think £100pw is a rather generous budget. How about £80pw on food and £20pw for a cleaner?

Buy in bulk - pasta, sack of potatoes etc
Buy in season
Go meat free twice a week
Brisket in slow cooker - cheap cut that's devine after 8 hours
Have risotto - use leftovers, veg and stock (or concentrate + water)
Avoid convenience foods
Don't buy biscuits/ crisps - bake a cake, much cheaper

Two cod fillets + leftover mash + peas + spring onions = lovely fishcakes and costs a couple of £s

There are lots of threads on how to food budget.

What are you struggling with most? Time, food ideas or cleaning? If it's cleaning, you have dedicated zones:
you - kitchen
son - living room
hubby - bathroom
everyone looks after their own bedroom.

I don't buy convenience foods or biscuits or crisps apart from once in a while. £100 ia the maximum and includes everything from cleaning stuff and washing powder plus lunches. Meat free is not an option- fine for me but not for DH. I know he should just put up with it but after 20 years of marriage I know which battles to pick. Cleaning is my biggest bugbear, I like the idea of dedicated zones. Will give that a try. Don't think a cleaner would work as would have to be different days each week due to ever changing shift patterns, wouldn't want one hoovering whilst I'm trying to sleep.

I work three nightshifts a week and have the same issues. I've not really found a solution.

Regarding cleaning I tend to wait for a free day and do EVERYTHING in that one day. Usually once a week.

It does help if your home is quite neat and organised. Not cluttered so you can find things.

xxx

I think at the moment it's just the sheer exhaustion that's getting me down. It makes it difficult to be sensible. I only started the job 5 months ago and there is so much to learn, it gets more difficult the older you get.:) I absolutely love my job but am drained by the time I get home. Just don't want my house to turn into one of the houses I so frequently visit, we call them'wipe your feet on the way out' houses.
Still things can only get better.

I do shifts too. My house always appears to be in disarray but so long as the kitchen and bathroom is not filthy it doesn't count as bad. My husband works shifts as well. House rules are you spill it you wipe it, if the bins full you empty it and if it's not in the basket it doesn't get washed. On the days I'm not working I cook proper food but if I'm working it may be griddled meat with pasta and pesto or even dinner in a bag (chicken dippers, oven chips and frozen veg).

I cook for work (residential care) as part of my duties and stuff that works well are:
Curry
Chilli con carne
Hotpot
Fish pie - potato topping
Steak/chicken pie - pastry topping
Cottage/Shepherds Pie]
Stew and dumplings

Jacket potatoes with tuna/beans/cheese are a good standby