I’ve written a number of posts that teach people how to follow the 21-Day Fix more closely. Grocery shopping tips for many of our containers. They have ones that cover tomato products, salad dressings, bread products, and many more! That’s why I decided to make one that would cover Red Container Foods with all sorts of “products.”
I don’t need to worry about showing you a chicken breast or pork loin. I’m going to teach you how to shop for things like yogurt, bacon, deli meat, and other similar things. All of them come with picture examples that help you SEE what you’re looking for, along with the reasons why and how they’re approved.
Turkey bacon has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional pork bacon. It’s lower in fat and calories while still providing plenty of flavor. But is turkey bacon allowed on the 21 Day Fix diet? And if so, how much can you eat?
I’ve done the research so you don’t have to Keep reading for everything you need to know about eating turkey bacon on the 21 Day Fix diet!
Overview of 21 Day Fix Diet
The 21 Day Fix is a structured diet and exercise program developed by celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese. It focuses on portion control and balancing macronutrients.
The diet categorizes foods into colored “containers” based on nutritional content:
- Green: Veggies
- Purple: Fruits
- Red: Proteins
- Yellow: Carbs
- Blue: Healthy Fats
- Orange: Seeds and Dressings
Each day you eat a certain number of containers based on your weight loss goals. For example, someone aiming to lose 10+ pounds would eat 5 green, 3 purple, 4 red, 2 yellow, 2 blue, and 1 orange container daily.
Is Turkey Bacon Allowed?
The good news is yes, turkey bacon is approved for the 21 Day Fix diet! Turkey bacon falls into the red protein container.
However, not all turkey bacon is created equal. To stay compliant with 21 Day Fix guidelines, you need to choose turkey bacon that meets the following criteria:
- Nitrate/nitrite-free
- No added sugar or artificial preservatives
- Fits macros for red container (100-200 calories, 15-25g protein per serving)
Two of the most popular compliant brands are Applegate Naturals Sunday Bacon and Wellshire Sugar Free Turkey Bacon. Always check the nutrition label to confirm the macros work.
How Much Turkey Bacon is 1 Red Container?
The 21 Day Fix recommends 4 slices of turkey bacon as a single red container serving. This is regardless of the brand or type.
Here’s a visual reference of what 4 slices of turkey bacon looks like in a red container:
![Turkey bacon in red container][]
As you can see, it’s a generous portion that fills the container.
Some people mistakenly think you can only eat 1 or 2 slices. But the creator of 21 Day Fix has confirmed 4 slices is the correct red container amount.
Fitting Turkey Bacon Into Your Daily Containers
Let’s say your daily container allowance is:
- 3 Purple
- 4 Red
- 2 Yellow
- 2 Blue
- 1 Green
- 1 Orange
You could have 4 slices of turkey bacon (1 red container) at breakfast. Then for lunch and dinner, eat your remaining protein containers from lean meats, fish, eggs, etc.
Turkey bacon gives you options on how to distribute your red containers throughout the day. Just don’t eat more than your allocated red container amount.
Other Tips for Eating Turkey Bacon on 21 Day Fix
- Measure correctly. Weigh or count your slices instead of estimating. Proper portioning is key.
- Read labels carefully. Make sure your brand meets the guidelines for compliant turkey bacon.
- Avoid added oils. Cook your turkey bacon on the stove or in the oven instead of frying.
- Mix up proteins. Don’t eat turkey bacon every single day. Vary your red container foods.
- Watch sodium. Some turkey bacon is high in sodium, so balance it out with lower sodium foods the rest of the day.
- Store properly. Turkey bacon goes bad faster than regular bacon. Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.
Sample Turkey Bacon Meals and Snacks
Here are a few 21 Day Fix approved recipes featuring turkey bacon:
Breakfast:
- 4 slices turkey bacon + 2 eggs scrambled with veggies (1 red, 1 green)
- Turkey bacon egg muffins with spinach (make ahead)
Lunch:
- Turkey bacon BLT salad (4 slices bacon crumbled on greens-based salad)
Dinner:
- Turkey bacon wrapped chicken breasts + roasted veggies
Snacks:
- Turkey bacon deviled eggs
- Lettuce wraps with turkey bacon
Get creative with how you incorporate turkey bacon! Just be mindful of portions.
The Bottom Line on Turkey Bacon for 21 Day Fix
Turkey bacon is approved for the 21 Day Fix diet as a red protein when following the guidelines. The recommended serving is 4 slices for 1 red container.
Be sure to choose a high-quality, compliant brand and always weigh or count your slices. Incorporate turkey bacon as part of a balanced diet for best results on the 21 Day Fix program.
Frequency of Entities:
Turkey bacon: 27
21 Day Fix: 16
Red container: 10
Protein: 5
Calories: 2
Sodium: 2
There are exceptions to the “seafood” list.
Sardines, (fresh or canned in water), 7 medium
Tuna, canned light, in water — fill your Red container with it. Most cans are not a full Red container but the sodium count is a little high for me so I stop there. Add some extra protein to that meal or by the end of the day. I can find low sodium tuna sometimes but not very often.
Tuna “packets” are popular and convenient. About half a Red container is in each pouch, and they have about the same amount of sodium as the canned ones. The ingredient list is 4 or 5 ingredients long.
I would CAUTION about using the flavored versions though. Some of them have ingredients that are made in a lab and have around 10 to 15 ingredients! I randomly chose a flavored one and sure enough, it has an overly processed ingredient that you should stay away from.
HERE is some information about artificial sweeteners that need to be avoided. The other issue with these flavored packets is the sodium. It was interesting to compare the amount of sodium in a regular pack and a flavored pack. The regular pack has 240 mg of sodium for 1/2 of a red container. The flavored pack pictured above has 500 mg of sodium for the same 1/2 Red. Wow, that’s half of the sodium you need for the whole day in just two packets! Learn more about sodium HERE.
Lox, smoked salmon, 4 oz — or 1/2 cup
Let’s examine the “Red Container Foods” list
When one of my blogger friends did some deep research into each of our containers she found that our Red container foods fell into a certain calorie and protein range. A serving of any protein needs to be between 100-200 calories and needs to have between 15 and 25 grams of protein in it. (The rest of her research is right HERE.)
There are 34 different proteins listed on our Red Container Foods List. There are a lot of “categories,” but I’m only going to talk about 12 of the more “man-made” ones.
I talk about “real meats” like chicken, pork, and seafood in this post about “how to” fill the containers. I take a deeper dive into cuts of beef that we can use on the 21 Day Fix. You can find that information HERE . For me, it means FILLING it up as much as it will hold and still having the lid stay on.
Beef or Chicken-based broth, 4 cups, 1/2R–use low sodium because regular broth can be extremely high in it. I have some information about sodium numbers HERE .
21 Day Fix Breakfast
FAQ
How many grams are 2 slices of turkey bacon?
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Nutrition Facts
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For a Serving Size of 1 Serving (52g)
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How many calories are in Uncured Turkey Bacon (2 slices)? Amount of calories in Uncured Turkey Bacon (2 slices): Calories 80
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Calories from Fat 36 (45%)
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% Daily Value *
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