Foods for Reverse Doggy Bagging – make your next restaurant meal healthy. In my last post, I shared why I do this in order to make dining out a nutritional win/win. Now, let’s dig in and explore what I pack in my reverse doggy bag for fibromyalgia healing.
Want to 10X the nutritional value of your next restaurant meal?
Making your next dining out experience healthy is easy, simple and very effective with food lists.
Here’s how.
Planning Ahead for Reverse Doggy Bagging
In my previous post, we discussed why planning ahead is the root of this process. It’s not hard – just takes a bit of thought. To review that post check out: Reverse Doggy Bagging for Healthy Restaurant Meals.
As a student of human behavior, it’s interesting to view different viewpoints on planning. Here are three basic reasons why we’d gravitate toward or away from planning in advance.
- Some plan ahead to make the desired behavior easy to implement.
- Some DON’T plan ahead because there are conflicting inner beliefs about changing behaviors.
- Some DON’T plan ahead because they’ve already adopted the behavior. It’s become a habit that needs little to no energy or thought.
Wherever you are on this spectrum, be kind to yourself. Make it easy. If you still struggle to make dining out a healthy option, then please make sure to keep items ready to take. Make it as much of a no-brainer as possible so you can enjoy success.
Reverse Doggy Bagging Carrying Options
As I shared last week, in order to make this process a go-to behavior, it must be EASY to implement.
That means grab-and-go items.
Foods kept in the fridge in small containers make packing easy. I usually put the items directly into my purse. But it depends on what I’m packing and how long I’ll be out before mealtime.
If I’m going to be out for several hours before mealtime, or I’m taking something that needs to be chilled, I’ll use the following.
These items can be super useful.
*Small Food Containers – besides baggies, consider using reusable containers. They’re easy to carry, wash, store, and keep on hand.
Reusable Lunch Bags – they’re easy to slide into a purse or carry on its own. It also squishes down, when empty, to a small manageable size. It’s easy to tuck it into your purse, briefcase, tote bag or whatever you’re carrying. Also, they come in a lot of assorted styles and colors. They’re super durable. I’ve had mine for more than 10 years.
Small Ice Packs – these can be purchased at many grocery stores or online retailers.
Food lists for Reverse Doggy Bagging #Fibromyalgia Click To TweetReverse Doggy Bagging FOODS!
Keep these items in your fridge in individual portions. Put them in small baggies or containers for easy access.
Say no to iceberg only salads that taste like shredded foam coffee cups. Add healthier lettuces to amp up the flavor and nutritional value. Say no to over-mushy chicken or tuna salads and add veggies for a texture, taste, and nutritional punch.
It’s amazing how even a few Pepita seeds and fresh cilantro takes a boring dish from blah to hurrah! Or try sunflower seeds and fresh mint. The options are endless.
Of course, this concept isn’t just for salads. Add your own nutrients to soups, stir-fries, fajitas, wraps, veggie bowls, eggs, etc. You name it.
Don’t forget that you can drink your nutrients, too. Bring your own shaker cup filled with protein mix, greens powders, collagen powders, chia seeds, and/or spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, or granular vanilla. Or just bring the protein mix alone and add it to water for an additional nutrient-boost to the meal.
When traveling, carry these foods with you in individual serving sizes. Keep them in a small cooler in your car and hotel room. They’re ready to grab and go just like at home.
Here are a few items to get your creative juices flowing. Whatever you have on hand works, so make it a goal to have the abundance of God’s rainbow on hand.
VEGGIES:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts (chopped or shredded)
- Snap peas
- Snow peas
- Jicama
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Zucchini
- Peppers
- Etc.
LETTUCES:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Swiss Chard
- Romaine
- Parisian greens
- Cabbage
- Endive
- Etc.
MICROGREENS/HERBS:
- Sprouts
- Mint
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Parsley
PROTEINS:
- Eggs (hard-boiled)
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Roast beef
- Bison
- Pork
- Fish (some more portable than others)
- Bacon (crumbled, nitrate-free)
- Protein mix
- Bone broth mix
- Nuts
- Seeds
FRUITS:
- Avocado
- Apples
- Pears
- Berries
- Plums
- Peaches
- Mango
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Honeydew
- Plantains
MISC.:
- Homemade dressings
- Coconut wraps (in lieu of tortilla wraps or bread)
- Nut butters (packets)
- Mustard (packets)
What’s your favorite? What will you bring to your next restaurant meal?
What foods would you add to these lists?
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