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The cost of dog food is one of the biggest factors to consider before adopting a pet. With that being said, providing the best nutrition should be one of those factors as well. When done properly, making homemade meals for your dog is the best way to provide top quality nutrition. This recipe can be made cheaply, while still offering high quality nutrition.
When you’re thinking about the expense of homemade dog food, you have to first think about the quality of the food you’ll be making. You will be using whole foods and no artificial fillers, preservatives, dyes or harmful ingredients.
Making your dog’s meals also allows you to cater the food to his needs. If your dog has allergies or food sensitivities, you can make sure the food you create won’t upset his stomach.
In this recipe, for example, you could substitute chicken or venison as the protein source. You could use any dog-friendly vegetables as well. Zucchini, broccoli, green beans or spinach could be used instead the vegetables that I chose to include in my recipe below.
Beef, Beans and Veggies Dog Food Recipe
When doing a cost comparison, homemade dog food needs to be compared to a high-quality commercial diet made with natural, whole food ingredients. You can find more information on how to calculate the cost of homemade dog food in this detailed guide.
You can cut the cost of homemade dog food by using ingredients that are in season, buying ingredients in bulk and/or growing your own vegetables to include in your dog’s meals. This recipe uses affordable ingredients, but you may also need to add supplements or a multi-vitamin, if your veterinarian recommends it.
Recipe: Beef, Beans and Veggies Dog Food
This beef, beans and veggies recipe is healthy for dogs and a hearty meal for humans too! You can throw the ingredients in your slow cooker and the stew will be ready when you get home from work. You could also substitute chicken for the beef, and you’ve got two delicious recipes instead of one.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: about 14 cups 1x
- Category: Cooked Food
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Dog Food
- 2.5 lbs. ground beef
- 1.5 lbs. quinoa
- 1.5 cups squash (diced)
- 15 oz. kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1.5 cups carrots (chopped)
Slow cookers are a lifesaver when it comes to preparing delicious meals in a hurry – for the human and canine members of your family. With a little bit of water and some of the best healthy ingredients, your slow cooker will prepare food for your dog when you’re away at work.
I like preparing meals for my dogs in advance and freezing them. That way I can make enough food for a month in just a few days. If you’d prefer to feed your dog a fresh meal every day, you can make a different dog food recipe every few days.
Layer the ingredients in the crockpot as listed above. Pour 4 cups of water over the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring periodically. Allow the food to cool completely before serving it to your pup.
If you work outside the home, this recipe is a great alternative to meals that you have to fix daily. You can put the ingredients in the slow cooker before you leave for work, and by the time you get home Fido’s food will be ready. Plus, you can make the food in bulk so you only have to cook once a week or so.
You can serve this food to your dog as soon as it has cooled. I recommend feeding about 1/2 cup of food for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day. So, a 25-pound dog would eat about 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup in the evening.
This is just a guideline. Some dogs, like working dogs and very active breeds, will need more calories than this. Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many.
It’s best to consult your veterinarian about the appropriate serving size for you dog. They will also help you evaluate meal to make sure it will meet your pet’s unique nutritional needs. If necessary, they will assist you in choosing the best supplements and/or multivitamins to add.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 221
- Sugar: .9 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.1 g
- Fiber: 4.4 g
- Protein: 19.4 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
How to store: You can store the leftover dog food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so that it won’t last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
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