Ingredients
Yield: 17-18 lbs. of food
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10 lbs. meat (beef, turkey, or chicken)
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1 lb. of organ meat (we like chicken hearts and they are usually close to a pound per package)
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3 lb. bag of sweet potatoes
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1 lb. bag of lentils (or chickpeas)
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1.5 lbs. of spinach or kale (fresh or frozen, whatever is cheaper)
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1.5 lbs. fresh carrots
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2 - 14.5 oz cans of green beans (no salt) or frozen (whichever is cheaper)
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3 tbsp. Oil (olive or safflower)
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Optional: blueberries, apples, omega 3 fish oil, parsley (I usually add these to their dog food when I serve)
Note: Remember that 16 ounces is a pound. Don't stress about getting exact weight, close enough will do.
Step 1: Meat/Organs
Cook your meat using a method that suits you best. I personally use a 10-quart pressure cooker, which can accommodate all 10 pounds of meat and cooks it in an hour. If you don't have a pressure cooker, don't worry! You can use a large stock pot or an oven roaster instead. For the organ meat, place them in a pot, cover with water, and boil until cooked. Be careful not to overcook, as preserving the nutrients in the meat is important. Additionally, dogs can eat raw meat, so slightly undercooked is perfectly fine.
Step 2: Potatoes
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2-3" squares for quicker cooking. Put them in a large pot covered in water and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are cooked through (poke with a fork - if they slide off easily they are done). Note: potatoes MUST be cooked.
Step 3: Lentils
Sort through your lentils on a cookie sheet to make sure there are no sticks or other foreign objects. Rince with fresh water and place in a large pot. The lentils will double in size as the cook, so make sure the pot has enough room and several inches of water covering the top. Bring to boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Step 4: Carrots
You do not need to peel your carrots, but do wash them to remove any pesticides. Slice the carrots and set aside. Cooking is not necessary unless you want to. Raw carrots help clean dogs teeth.
Step 5: Kale/Spinach
Steam the kale or spinach. It makes it easier for your pup to digest. If frozen, cooking makes it easier to mix.
Step 6: Beans
Drain the cans of green beans. If frozen, you can cook until soft for easier digestion.
Step 7: Mix
This recipe makes a generous amount of food! I use two large pots, dividing all the ingredients equally between them (except for the organ meat). Be sure to add the oil and mix everything thoroughly.
Step 8: Measure & Pack
Use a kitchen scale to measure the food into the appropriate portion for your pooch. Package into Zip lock bags or Food Saver bags along with the organ meat (I divide the organ meat across all bags of food) and remove as much air as possible. Seal and place in your freezer.
Budget Friendly Homemade Dog Food
What makes this recipe budget friendly, isn't the ingredients, but how you buy them. Many times, buying a 3 lb. bag of sweet potatoes and peeling and cooking yourself is cheaper than to buy the same amount frozen or even canned. The same is true for carrots. If you have a green thumb, I recommend growing both. They are super easy to grow and seeds are dirt cheap!
The Best Tools for the Job!
Using a vacuum sealer helps with freezer burn. This is a budget friendly option with great reviews. Bonsenkitchen Vacuum Sealer Machine + 40 Vacuum Bags
200 Quart Size 8" x 12" Vacuum Sealer Bags with BPA Free and Heavy Duty. Don't worry about getting name brand, I have used this brand and they work perfectly.
Hands down these are the best 10.5 qt. pots by Faberware. A must for cooking and mixing large amounts of food.
This is trusty little scale I use. I have had it for over three years now with no problems.
A pressure cooker is the easiest way to cook large amounts of meet without having to tend to it. I recommend a 10 quart or larger to do the job.
I also give my dogs these multivitamins daily.
They have Glucosamine chondroitin, Probiotics, and Omega Fish Oil.