Sometimes we’re so busy preparing our menu plan for lunch or dinner, but forget to treat our pet better. They have the same meal over and over again, day in and day out. We even often picture animal food like canned food rather than fresh, wholesome food!
We get it. We sometimes have busy schedules and don’t have time to cook, even for ourself. The easiest and the most convenient menu option for our pet is the commercially canned food. Yes, every brand said they provide a nutritionally complete diet for pet. You still maintain your pet’s health and keep on feeding them, anyway. But have you ever wonder how boring your pet is with the same taste from canned food?
Let’s try something new! We can make homemade animal food for our pet, which is cheaper, simple, and surely save your pet from boredom!
Can We Make Animal Food by Ourselves at Home?
Making your animal food is good for your pet because you can control the ingredients and know exactly what’s going to the bowl, unlike processed canned food. What you have to make sure is that your recipe has every nutrient that your pet needs, which is depending on its ages, body size, or special requirements like allergies, gastrointestinal problems, or skin conditions.
Making your own homemade dog food, for examples, need at least high-quality proteins and fat from meat, oil, eggs, or seafood; calcium from dairy, and carbohydrates from grains or veggies. If you are not so sure about your pet nutritional requirements, you can go to the vet to consult for the proper portion and ingredients.
Does it require special kitchen skill to cook homemade animal food?
If you already have a list, now the problem is, what if you are not good in the kitchen? Well, no need to worry, my friends! Cooking for animal food is not that hard. You don’t need to have a special skill or be such expertise in kitchen. Or better, you still can give your pet fresh, wholesome foods. Some type of pet animals can eat some food that we use to eat. Again, for example, dog will love skinless and boneless chicken or turkey, beef, raw or cooked liver, whole cooked grains like oatmeal or brown rice, tuna and salmon, egg, raw or steamed veggies, boiled potatoes, cheese, milk, peanut butter, and even boiled pasta without sauce! Try some of them and make sure you give something that may not harm your pet.
Why making our animal food is better than commercial food?
Making your animal food at home has many benefits for examples:
- Homemade food is healthier and more natural
You give your pet fewer additives, preservatives, or any processed ingredients that usually in the canned food. And by selecting the right ingredients, you can maintain the freshness of your animal food. Fresh meat, vegetables, or fruits are also way more appetizing to your pet, right?
Since you have control over what goes into your pet’s bowl, you can maintain the portion and the ingredients depending on your pet condition, especially if your pet has a gastrointestinal problem like diarrhea or constipation.
- Prevent your pet from boredom
There are so many recipes that you can try for your pet. Try to change the variation so your pet will not get bored with a certain type of food or recipe.
Does make your animal food take too much time?
Well, the answer can be yes or no, depending on your available freezer and how many pets you need to feed. If you have enough space, you probably only have to make animal food for every two to four weeks. You don’t have to make one serving at on time! Some recipes allow you to make more that one serving, where you can put the rest in the freezer.
Ok, now you are excited to try one. How about your pet?
Remember that your pet is often like a child who has different personalities and traits from each other.
Some animals are open to a new idea. They are curious, adventurous, easy to feel excited with new stuff, and able to keep up with rapid change. They might be easier to take a new diet plan with a new type of food that you offer. But some others need more structure and patience. They use to have an ordered routine. So take your time. What best for your pet (and also for you, as a new ‘chef’) is to have a gradual change in how you feed your pet. For example, you can try to cook them a new recipe for occasional time or certain select days or mix in the new recipe with the old one. Gradually replacing it to let your pet become familiar with the new taste.
It’s okay if your pet is not as enthusiastic as you, though! Remember that your pet also has its appetite and tastebud. Sometimes the mature pet is more stubborn and has difficulties to change its habit rather than the younger one.
What recipe that we can try, then?
There are so many recipes that you find for your pet. From dogs, cats, rabbit, birds, until livestock.
If you have a dog, you can try to give them homemade food like beef stew for dogs. All you need is beef stew meat, sweet potato, carrots, green beans, flour, and water, and vegetable oil, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to make more than one serving that can save last to 5 days!
After all, the main reason why we make our own animal food at home is that we love our pet. We want to give our pet a better option and serving. So show your pet how much you love your pet from a bowl of food from your own hand! Good luck, chef!