Pro Tips for Pet Food Preparation, Ingredients and what to avoid: Let’s Talk Healthy Homemade Pet Food Details

The possibilities are nearly endless when preparing food for most of us, we love meat, most vegetables and some pet-friendly spices are nice. Sometimes we can go for a simple meal like boiled chicken, brown rice, and steamed vegetables and you can finish it off with a nice peanut butter biscuit or pumpkin dog treat. Now we won’t complain if the steak comes out, but consider the fat content, we have to watch our waist you know. While we dogs can handle some fruits and vegetables, cat bellies are suited for a protein diet.

Ingredients to avoid when making pet food:

• Avoid: Foods like chocolate, garlic, onions, grapes, raisin, avocado, macadamia nuts, walnuts, chicken bones, meat fat, yeast dough, cherries, tomatoes, mushrooms, and artificial sweeteners into any pet recipes. Dairy is not great for dogs and should not be added to cat food or treats. These are not only not good for pets, they could be toxic.
• Proteins: Use lean proteins like chicken (easy to digest), turkey (low fat), beef (nutrient rich), lamb (essential fatty acids), pork (must be cooked thoroughly), venison (lean), and fish – salmon, sardines, and trout (omega-3 fatty acids) avoid all fish that is high in mercury. Meat should be the main ingredient in most pet food.
• Vegetables & Grains: Incorporate dog-safe vegetables such as carrots (high fiber), pumpkin (regulate digestion), peas (protein), spinach (iron and antioxidants), broccoli (vitamin C and K), zucchini (low calorie and vitamin A & C), and sweet potatoes (healthy carbohydrate) and healthy grains such as brown rice (healthy carbohydrate), quinoa (protein and amino acids), oats (fiber), barley (fiber and blood sugar), and millet (gluten free & protein). Peanut butter (no sugar added) is also a great option for dogs.
• Herbs & Spices: Add pet-safe herbs and spices including basil (antioxidants), parsley (breath), rosemary (antioxidants & circulation), thyme (digestion), turmeric (anti-inflammatory), cinnamon (antioxidants and blood sugar levels), ginger (stomachs), cilantro (digestion), oregano (antioxidants), dill (may help with gas) and mint (stomach and breath). Add them in moderation and verify with your veterinarian first. Not all herbs and spices are pet-safe – check before you add.
• A Little Salt: Add the recommended amount of salt to recipes to provide pets with what they need, but an excess amount is never a good idea.
• No Pepper: While not considered toxic, many pets have trouble digesting, there is really not a benefit, so don’t take the chance of upsetting to pet’s stomachs and digestive systems.
• Food Toppers and Broths: Try using pet food toppers to add more flavor and bone broth when moisture is needed.
• Supplements: Cats require taurine, an essential amino acid, for heart and eye health. raw meat, eggs or seafood are great sources, or added as a supplement.

Homemade Pet Food Tips:

• Cats require a meat based diet to care for their obligate carnivore selves, but in smaller portions to dogs they are smaller most of the time.
• Homemade cat food will allow you adjust the ingredients to enhance your cat’s coat, improve their nutrition intake, and help you find what your cat really enjoys eating.
• While dogs can enjoy some fruits and vegetables, cats require a higher protein, low-carbohydrate diet to thrive. Avoid uncooked pork and fish for both safety and dietary needs for both cats and dogs.
• For pets with allergies or digestive issues, making homemade food will allow you to adjust ingredients and be more cost effective than specialty pet foods.
• Follow the same guidelines for pet food amounts to ensure pets don’t get too much of a good thing.
• Homemade pet food does not mean people food, there are many foods that while not toxic are not healthy for pets or have too much fat, well they are not great for people either, but that is a topic for another blog.
• Don’t make meals too spicy or over flavor them, start with bland and you can adjust flavors based on your pet’s sensitivity and interest in food.
• Add items to your garden or buy bulk veggies to reduce costs.
• Keep a garbage bowl for the portions you cannot use in the food or save for later to help keep your prep area organized. Consider one bowl for the compost and one for trash to recycle as much as possible.
• Make a small batch to test your pet’s reaction and then portion the recipe for a larger batch to ensure pets are happy with their new food.
• Make it a family process with each member responsible for a portion of the meal prep.

General Food Prep Tips:

• Portion meals by weight to make it easy at meal time. Choose storage containers in a color that is recognized as the pet’s food so there is no confusion.
• Make a week’s worth of food to store fresh or plan to freeze, you may find that not all ingredients freeze well, but most should freeze and defrost without any issues.
• Make a grocery list to ensure that you have everything you need in stock before you begin.
• Chop, measure and prep all foods before you begin cooking and baking.
• Use clear containers so you can visually see what is inside.
• Mark every container with the date prepared and any instructions.
• Consider a food processor, Madeline, or pans that are dedicated to making pet food.

Here are a few shops to browse before you begin:

When it comes to treats, most on the market are not regulated well and may or may not be as healthy as they advertise. When purchasing ready-made, choose all natural, small batch, or lower ingredient treats to ensure they are the healthiest possible. When making them for dogs, use the same basic guidelines peanut butter is a great protein for dog treats, along with pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Cats on the other hand prefer a meat based treat such as dried meat in a jerky format, tuna or a pinch of catnip. Keeping both dog and cat treats in smaller sizes when you make them ensures that pets who love their treats don’t have too many extra calories.

By turning mealtime into a creative and conscious endeavor, we can elevate the health and happiness of all pets while enjoying the process of giving them something special. If homemade pet food is not an option daily, blending it into your pets diet is a win.

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