The 5 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes

With so many dog food options on the market, it can be hard to know which one is best for your furry friend. In fact, a lot of the kibble available on shelves today is filled with unnecessary additives, coloring, and ingredients that are simply not good for dogs. 

Did you know that making homemade dog food cannot only be more affordable, but wildly healthier for man’s best friend? Below you will find everything you need to know when it comes to making homemade dog food, helpful recipes, and tips to ensure you are making the highest quality food with the most nutritious ingredients. 

Having Proper Macros

Just like humans, dogs need a certain amount of macros, vitamins, and minerals in their food. Here are some of the basics to help you know what’s best for your pup. 

Carbohydrates

One of the primary ways that canines get energy is by eating carbohydrates. Some of the most common foods you can use are oatmeal, rice, quinoa, and pasta. These will also give them a bit of fiber to help their digestion. 

Protein

A dog’s immune system can’t produce several amino acids that are essential to their overall health. Fortunately, protein in their diet can provide these amino acids for them. After removing things such as skin, fat, and bones, common meat sources should be in every serving of dog food.

These can include chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and pork. You can also give them salmon, herring, walleye, and flounder. 

Fiber

To keep a dog in a healthy weight range and promote gastrointestinal wellness, you’ll need to include a fiber source. This can include tasty foods such as pumpkin, carrots, flaxseed, dark leafy greens, apples, and more. 

Fats

A dog’s immune system can’t produce all of the fatty acids that it needs. These are essential for the body to function properly and to help promote skin, nails, and hair growth. Some of the most common sources of these fatty acids are oils such as fish oil, corn oil, and flaxseed oil. 

Minerals

There are a dozen essential minerals that dogs require. You can find these in a lot of fruits, vegetables, and meat. The essential minerals they need are:

• Calcium
• Sulfur
• Magnesium
• Iodine
• Iron
• Zinc
• Potassium
• Copper
• Sodium
• Selenium
• Chloride 

Vitamins

Just like humans, vitamins are important to help our furry friends grow big and strong. Most vitamins that dogs require are in ingredients such as fruit, vegetables, and meat. Carrots, green vegetables, liver, beef, and fish provide plenty. 

Must-Try Dog Food Recipes

Now that you know what’s important to include in dog food, let’s check out some of the tastiest recipes that are packed with nutrients for your furry friend.

1. Turkey and Veggies

This first recipe is so good that you just might want to make a bowl for yourself! Here’s what you’ll need to make it on your stovetop. Coconut oil will be what gives your dog healthy skin, coat, and nails in this recipe. 

This healthy fat is great at lessening any allergic reactions as well. Ground turkey will be the protein source. The bigger the breed, the more protein you’ll need to use. We suggest adding spinach, carrots, and zucchini to give your pooch a variety of nutrients and important minerals. 

Rice, turmeric, and eggs are additional ingredients you’ll need. Take a warm Skillet and add the coconut oil and ground turkey. Let it saute for around 10 minutes until it is thoroughly cooked. Reduce the heat to medium and add in turmeric and the veggies. 

Stir this around and tell the vegetables are soft. This typically takes about six minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add in the egg. Mix the egg around the entire mixture before stirring in the rice. Make sure the dish is cool before you serve it to your pup.

This recipe makes roughly six cups of food. This can be three days worth of food for a medium-sized dog. 

2. Beef Stew

We promise that your furry friend will love this beef stew when the weather gets cold. It takes about 45 minutes to make and will give you roughly five cups worth of food. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 pound of boneless beef
• 1 sweet potato or squash
• 1 cup of cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, or carrots
• ½ cup of low-sodium beef stock
• 1 tablespoon of preferred oil 

Start by putting a cut-up sweet potato or squash in water until it’s boiling. set it aside to cool once the potato is slightly firm. take a skillet and add small chunks of beef to the pan with the oil of your choosing. 

As soon as this is done cooking you’ll want to separate the meat from the drippings. With the drippings still in the pan, pour in the cup of broth or stock and cook over medium-low heat. Next, place in the vegetables and cook until they are tender. 

Mix everything together and bring it to a safe temperature before serving it to your pooch. This homemade dog food recipe is sure to please the pickiest pup!

3. Salmon Rice Bowl

If you’re looking for a protein dance meal with plenty of healthy fatty acids, look no further than this salmon rice bowl. While you can use any of the fish listed above, salmon tastes best. It takes roughly 45 minutes to make this dish and will yield eight cups of food.

You’ll need:

• 3.05 pounds of salmon
• 1 cup of brown rice or oats
• 1 cup of frozen vegetables
• ½ cup of pumpkin or carrot puree
• 2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 cups of spinach

Grab your favorite pan and add the neutral oil with the heat set to medium. Fry the salmon and remove it from the pan to let it cool. Next, you want to take two cups of water and the rice and add both to the pan. 

Bring it to a boil until the rice is fully cooked. Next, cook the spinach and vegetables of your choice before adding them to the brown rice. You can now add the salmon to the mixture and top it off with the pumpkin puree. 

4. Crock-Pot Goodness 

One reason people may not want to make dog food themselves is because they think it’s time-consuming. If you have a crock-pot, you can save a ton of time and have your pooch’s dinner cooking while you’re at work or running errands. 

For this one you’ll need:

• 3 pounds lean ground chicken
• 1 cup butternut squash
• 1 cup each of peas, green beans, and carrots
• 15 oz drained kidney beans
• 1.5 cups rice
• 4 cups of water

We promise you, it doesn’t get easier than this! All you have to do is throw all of these ingredients into a crock-pot and let it cook on high for four hours! 

5. Fiber Frenzy 

If you’re looking for a fiber-packed meal to help your dog with digestive issues, this is well worth the try. You can also freeze the extra food as this recipe makes around two weeks’ worth. You will need the following ingredients.

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 pound shredded chicken
• 3 cups of water
• 1 peeled and chopped sweet potato
• 2 cups of brown rice or oats
• ½ cup of lentils
• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin or squash puree 
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 2 teaspoons of preferred oil 

Start by boiling the water over medium Heat. add in the turkey and chicken and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes. Take out the meat to allow it to cool as you add the sweet potato, lentils, and rice to the water. 

Allow this mix to cook for 15 minutes. Next, add in the rest of the ingredients and cook it until all of the liquid is gone. Stir in the meat and let the entire thing cool before serving it to your furry friend. 

Final Thoughts

Your pooch is sure to love these homemade dog food recipes. Be sure to talk with your vet if you have any questions or concerns about transitioning your dog to homemade food. Feel free to let us know how Fido liked your creation! 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Zontica/Shutterstock.com