As a dog owner, you always want to give your furry friend the best nutrition possible. Homemade dog food can be a great option as it eliminates the possibility of preservatives. It gives you control over what ingredients are used. However, it can be challenging to make homemade food affordable and ensure your dog is getting the right nutrients. In this blog post, we will provide you with some tips on how to make homemade dog food on a budget without compromising on nutrition.
There are so many Facebook groups where people share how much they spend on homemade dog food and it BOGGLES my mind. It doesn’t have to cost you $500+ a month for 1 dog or even two dogs a month! Here are my tips for budgeting. Be sure to enroll in my FREE mini-course on Why Homemade Dog Food, where I talk budget too, but also tools I use!
One of the easiest ways to make homemade dog food affordable is to shop on the outer part of the store. This is where you will find fresh produce and meats, which are often cheaper than pre-packaged or processed foods. By choosing fresh produce and meats, you can also ensure that your dog is getting the right nutrients. Avoiding the aisles that contain processed and packaged foods will save you money and ensure your dog is getting the nutrition they need. This also goes for your own budget too, in case you’re wanting to make room in your budget for Homemade Dog Food!
Another way to make homemade dog food more affordable on your budget is to use vegetables that are already in your kitchen. Now, not every vegetable your dog can have. Although, if you have some leftover broccoli going bad, it’s a good call to add it to your dog’s food that day! Dogs can eat many of the same vegetables that humans do, such as carrots, green beans, and peas. Using up old vegetables will not only save you money, but it will also reduce food waste. I can’t tell you how much old broccoli of ours goes to Lexi Sue! That is her favorite veggie besides carrots.
When shopping for ingredients for homemade dog food, it can be tempting to buy everything organic to ensure the best quality. However, this can become expensive quickly. Instead, consider buying a mix of organic and commercial items. We typically do a mix unless the organic or grass-fed product is reasonable. It’s all about what you can afford, and hey REAL nutrient-dense food of any kind is still 1000x better than the store-bought dog foods on the shelf today. Not sure what that entails? I encourage you to go watch the first lesson in my FREE mini-course “Why Homemade Dog Food”.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a list of the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” fruits and vegetables that can guide your choices. If buying commercial, try to choose brands that use high-quality ingredients and avoid those that have fillers or synthetic preservatives like in meats. Nitrates aren’t good for you or your dog. they are found in sausages, some hams, and bacon.
It is essential to have a system when making homemade dog food on a budget. This will help you avoid overbuying or underbuying ingredients, which can become costly. Consider having a weekly or monthly meal plan for your dog, and making a grocery list to purchase only what you need. This will also help you reduce waste by ensuring you have enough food on hand for your dog. We talk extensively about the system we use to prep dog food in our paid course “Homemade Dog Food Simply”. Our dog food is prepped (with cooking time included) for 2 dogs in under an hour. Sometimes I prep freezer meals during that time too on top of that.
Nutrition is crucial when feeding your dog homemade food. Therefore, it is essential to know if they are getting the right amounts of each nutrient. There are signs in dogs where you can tell if they need certain nutrients. That’s all in. more depth in our free mini-course.
You can be overspending on food if your meals if your dog is overweight and can’t seem to lose it. A balanced diet is essential, and just like humans, dogs need the right balance of essential nutrients.
Lastly, spending money on holistic supplements can be tempting, but they are not always necessary. Unless your dog has a specific health issue, many of the nutrients they need can be found in their food if your recipes are balanced. If buying supplements, select only those that are needed and ensure they come from high-quality sources. You can also easily overdose your dog on certain vitamins because you’re feeding your dog a certain food causing the vitamin dosage to be too high.
Making homemade dog food on a budget and affordable doesn’t have to be impossible! With careful planning, shopping smarter, and understanding what your dog needs nutritionally you can save money and still make sure your pup is getting the best nutrition. If you’re like us and want some guidance on making homemade dog food to transform your dog’s health affordably, then try our FREE mini-course “Why Homemade Dog Food” to get started today. It’s a great starting point if you are new to making your own meals for your fur baby!
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