Homemade Dog Food Recipes You Could Eat, Too
Do you ever spend so much money on dog food that you wonder if it’s cheaper to make your own?
Well, oftentimes, it is. But even the best chefs don’t always know which ingredients to use when making homemade dog food. Luckily, we have you covered with these dog food recipes that are good enough for you to eat alongside your lovable pooch. Bon appétit!
How Much Homemade Dog Food to Feed Your Dog
It’s important to remember that these dog food recipes are not one-serving-fits-all, and you should consider this dog feeding chart from Canine Journal before whipping up another bowlful of veggies.
Here’s a basic guide for how much dog food to feed your pooch based on their weight. These servings are typically fed over a 24-hour period in about three meals a day. (Of course, serving size also depends on your specific dog’s diet.)
- 5 pounds: 1/2 cup to 5/8 cup
- 10 pounds: 3/4 cup to 1 cup
- 20 pounds: 1 1/4 cups to 1 3/4 cups
- 40 pounds: 2 1/4 cups to 3 cups
- 60 pounds: 3 cups to 4 cups
- 80 pounds: 3 2/3 cups to 5 cups
- 100 pounds: 4 1/4 cups to 6 cups
Let’s Start With Nutrition
Like humans, dogs can maintain a healthy, balanced diet if they get six basic nutrients: water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Proteins can come in the form of chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish and even cooked eggs. Healthy fats can be found in oil and meat. And you can get the basic carbs from rice, corn and beans. It’s also important to do your research on the dog food recipes you use because some may lack iron, fiber, copper, calcium and zinc.
Whatever you decide to feed your dog, it’s important to not only look for recipes that include these nutrients, but to also follow the recipe. Now’s not the time to get crafty in the kitchen, which means you’ll also want to avoid any unsafe foods for dogs such as chocolate, xylitol, avocado, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts. With all of this in mind, check out these nutritious, homemade dog food recipes...
Ground Turkey and Brown Rice
This recipe from Damn Delicious is basically a brown rice stir fry with ground turkey and a whole slew of veggies, including spinach, carrots, zucchini and even peas.
Of course, if you want to take it up a notch, you can always use organic ingredients.
Beef Stew
This beef stew recipe from Canine Journal is anything but dull.
Packed with iron from fresh protein and vitamins, this stew combines beef stew meat, a sweet potato, carrots, green beans and water to form a meal that can be served again and again.
Thanksgiving for Your Dog
This vet-recommended recipe brings the best of Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to your dog’s bowl by combining turkey meat, sweet potato, cranberry, oatmeal and even turkey gravy (sans onions, of course).
In other words, your leftovers just made your dog’s month.
Mini Omelet
Pawsh Magazine published this mini omelet recipe that makes breakfast especially fun for dogs.
All you need are eggs, salmon and green pepper!
Raw Dog Food Recipe
Another vet recommendation comes in the form of raw beef or lamb mixed with raw carrots, apples and peas atop cooked pumpkin and rice.
While you can’t eat the beef or lamb raw yourself, cook either one up alongside the rest of the ingredients for a similar meal.
Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
Dogs need to feel festive during fall, too, and this dog biscuit recipe will do just the trick.
Pureed pumpkin, eggs, flour and milk make the dough for these biscuits that your dog will love.