Simplify Cooking For Your Dog (with these 5 easy strategies)
You already know there are so many benefits to adding fresh foods to your dog’s daily diet- the extra nutrients, the extra moisture, less highly processed ingredients, improved quality, etc.- but actually cooking the foods consistently is another story.
It can seem like a big commitment especially when you have a busy schedule or aren’t comfortable in the kitchen.
I get it. For the past few years, I’ve added fresh foods to my dogs’ daily diets. That is, until a few months ago, when life got really busy. It was hard enough to find time to cook for husband and me, yet alone find time to cook additional foods for my dogs. Yes, they’d get bits and pieces of our meals, but it wasn’t the same.
I knew they should be getting fresh foods, and I wanted to be feeding them fresh foods, but I couldn’t seem to find the time. Of course I felt guilty about it. But actually being able to do it was another story.
And maybe you struggle to keep up with it too. Maybe your schedule is packed full and it’s hard to find the time. Or maybe you stick to it for a while, then slowly back off.
Or maybe you haven’t started at all because the idea of cooking foods for your dog is intimidating.
Well, then you’re in the right place! Cooking fresh foods for your dog doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming, or intimidating. So let’s talk about some ways to make cooking for your dog easier.
5 ways to make cooking for your dog easier
- Buy pre-cut ingredients
This is a great tip if you’re not confident in the kitchen or you simply don’t have the time to stand there and chop up ingredients! In this day and age of busy hard working adults, you can find almost any and every food pre-cut and ready to cook! This will save you time and energy when it comes time to cook ‘cause everything’s already ready to go!
Check the produce section of your store. Can’t find what you want there? Then try the frozen section. This is a great option and it’s perfectly fine to use frozen ingredients!
- Don’t over-complicate the cooking
You don’t have to make a gourmet meal for your dog in order for them to get the benefits of fresh foods. It doesn’t need to look pretty or even be perfectly seasoned. Trust me, your dog doesn’t care what the food looks like. They’re just going to be happy to be getting some yummy fresh food!
So don’t make it complicated! Use simple cooking methods with foods you can easily cook and feel confident you can’t mess up!
3. Use hands-off cooking methods
If you’re not an avid cook in the kitchen or you simply don’t have time to stand over a hot stove making sure you don’t burn anything, then try more hands-off cooking methods. Some great options would be baking or using a slow cooker.
For each of these methods, you can pretty much “set-it and forget it”, leaving you more time to spend quality time with your dog!
4. Cook in batches
Already know what your dog likes? Then cook their food in larger batches you can freeze and thaw as needed! This is my favorite way to cook for my dog. It means I can spend time one day a month cooking some foods, and then not have to worry about it for a while!
I make sure to cook a variety of foods when I do it- I prefer to mix it all together so they get variety every day, but alternatively you could keep the foods separate and then rotate different foods as you want.
5. Share meals with your dog
No, I don’t mean feeding your dog “table scraps”. You always want to be intentional about the food you give. But you can definitely share foods with your dog. Dogs can safely eat so many different “human” foods. So if you’re cooking for yourself already, make a little extra that your dog can have too!
This saves you time and energy from having to cook a completely different meal for your dog!
When I’m feeling strapped for time or overwhelmed by my to-do list, feeling like I just don’t have time to cook for my dog, I have to remind myself it doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. My dog deserves the best, and these tricks help me stick to an easy routine so they’re always getting the benefits of freshly cooked foods!
So give these tips a try and eliminate the intimidation, overwhelm, and time commitment of cooking for your dog!
Want to learn about the top 3 most powerful foods you should be feeding your senior dog? Then download the free guide I made for you called “3 Power Foods To Boost Your Dog’s Health.” In this guide you’re going to learn about the health benefits of these foods and exactly how to incorporate them into your dogs daily diet. To get your free guide, go to wholepetacupuncture.com/free-guide.