Our pets are so much more than domesticated animals to us, right? They are like our children. They are family and just like we want to see our family healthy, we want the very best for them. You may be a dog or a cat person, but all the same, you want your furry little member of the family to get the healthiest food that man has to offer.
Store bought pet food tends to have a lot of additives and chemical preservatives. They are used to make the food last longer at the grocery store but do not have a positive effect on the health of your pet. You don’t want chemical preservatives in your own food, so why would you want it in your pet’s food?
Believe it or not, cooking from home is less expensive than buying store-bought pet food. We already know home cooked meal is healthier than readymades. Being healthy is what we all want, but preparing pet foods at home is even better for our pockets. There isn’t much of a downside to this, is there? You can buy fresh ingredients that can be frozen and refrigerated to last longer. Add it up. It saves up more in the end.
So what are some of the best foods out there for your pet? Here are some of the best pet foods to prepare at home. You’ll love it especially if you have a dog or a cat.
Best Pet Food That You Can Prepare At Home
1. Salmon and fresh veggies
Salmon is an extremely healthy protein filled with all of the Omega-3 Fatty acids and Vitamin B.
All these things are required by cats, dogs, and humans. If you have refresh salmon that has salmon skin, your pet can eat that also (if cooked in the oven) and it is good for their hearts. You can cut them up some veggies the same way you cook and cut up your own, and you guys can enjoy this meal together!
2. Beef, white rice, and veggies
The beef, of course, is what contains the essential protein that pets need. The rice is a good card and grain which is especially beneficial to cats, but good for dogs as well.
According to WebMD, for fiber, you can add in their meal some sweet potato without the skin. It’s great for them, and they’ll LOVE it.
3. Stew
Stew is one of my favorites to prepare. The reason is that you can prep it at the beginning of the weak when you prep your own meals for the week and it will last the entire weak. It doesn’t take long to make not is it hard. It’s a healthy and hearty meal.
I got the recipe for the stew I make from the dogbakery.com.
It includes
- brown rice,
- ground turkey,
- and veggies.
It smells so good, and it preserves quite well in the refrigerator.
4. Chickpea Stew
This particular meal I suggest is strictly for dogs as it is a vegan meal. Dogs process vegetarian and vegan foods much like humans do because we are both omnivores in nature.
Cats, however, are carnivores and it is dangerous to their health to try and put them on a meatless diet.
That could have severe repercussions like losing their hearing. Lack of vitamin B and proteins they need in meat can lead to skin and health issues. They cannot break down vegetarian foods the same way that we do. There are even cases where vegan cats have died due to diet fed by their vegan owners.
The vegan diet has health benefits for dogs and us, but hazardous for cats. This stew is similar to beef stew, minus the meat. There are several recipes found online of different variations, and it will be equally (maybe) liked and is also very well preserved.
5. Meatloaf
Both cats and dogs LOVE this meal. I mean who doesn’t love a good meatloaf? To add extra flavor and receive extra love and appreciation from your furry friend you can drown it with tracings using lean ground beef and grated mixed vegetables, your pet with devouring this hearty meal.
6. Boiled pasta (No Sauce)
If you are stressed for time and need to make something quickly, whip up some good ole spaghetti! You can season it how you’d want to season it. Do not give them the pasta sauce. Cats cannot digest too many tomatoes. Fresh tomato leaves and stems are poisonous for them. So while they can handle pasta sauce, they really can’t handle too much, and it’s safer to just do with minimal or none at all.
Most pasta sauces are acidic and have a lot of sugars which can make a dog’s stomach hurt. I don’t say pasta sauce will kill them, but better safe than sorry. However, cooked pasta noodles can go very well, and you can make a quick big batch and cook a little bit of sauce just for yourself.
Concluding thoughts,
You can tweak a few things in all of these homemade pet meals and also make some for yourself. It is a lot of extra time during your meal prep days, but aren’t our pets worth it?
I love the look on my dogs face when he’s scarfing down on some food I’ve masterfully prepared for him. Their weight is usually healthier this way because they get proper portions and are satisfied with home cooked meals a lot better than kibbles and bits from the stores.
A lot of people say they don’t have time to prepare for their pet, but you have time to cook for yourself so why not take an extra 30 minutes? Our pets are not just animals and so why not treat them to the same courtesy of a delicious, hot homemade meal as we do everyone else? Most importantly if you’re taking any major diet changes, it’s always recommended to consult it to a pet nutritionist.
What food do you give to your pet? Are you for home cooked meals or store bought meals? Do you have some meal ideas you’d like to share to add to our list? What was your favorite dinner listed? Do you think you’ll want to try any of these meals for your pet? Comment down below!
