The phrase "one's own food bowl" means having control over one's own resources and being able to provide for oneself without relying on others. Full definition
It has to top the dry dog food bowl in order to gain its full power. (breedingbusiness.com)
Can something as simple as more frequent cleaning of food bowls and changing of water in a shelter cat's housing get them adopted more quickly? (maddiesfund.org)
In fact, true top dogs are usually confident in their position and are often quite willing to share a bone, toy, or food bowl with lower - ranking individuals. (dogstardaily.com)