We all want a healthy, happy family and we do our best to provide our loved ones with the proper exercise and nutritional balance whenever possible. That being said, for those of us who consider our pet’s “family”, don’t you think they deserve the same nutrient packed foods we try to provide to the rest of the household?
Honestly, how many of us know what exactly is in the food we are feeding our pets? Dry, processed, condensed nuggets that last for months cannot be healthy…it is common sense. However, I am guilty of believing the hype and had been for years!
Personally, I didn’t start making my pets food until about a year and a half ago. At the time, I had 2 furchildren that I considered to be my world, and I spoiled them rotten. If I went through a drive-thru, they always got a snack, treats were in abundance around my home and I was not stingy when it came to handing them out. For that, they paid a price.
As time passed, my dogs came to weigh over 90 pounds each and were considered obese. Due to their size they both should have maintained a weight between 50-55 pounds, and there was no one to blame but me.
When my oldest, Rosebud aka “Buddy”, passed away she suffered from severe arthritis, and towards the end it was hard for her to even stand. I often wonder if she would still be alive today had I began this new diet sooner. I try not to beat myself up, but when you are solely responsible for the well being of someone or something, there is no one else you can blame.
Faith, who is alive and kickin’ has done a complete 180 since adapting to this new way of life and she has lost over 40 pounds in the past year. Her routine has not changed, she still eats 3 meals a day and the same quantity of food as before, it is WHAT she eats now that has made the difference. With proper diet and exercise, not only has her weight decreased, her allergies and skin issues are not near as severe, her energy level is drastically higher and she seems much happier. For that I am grateful…
Now, I am not saying this is a more economical way to go, (it also depends where you shop) and you have to dedicate some time to the process. Sure, it was much easier to walk into my kitchen, scoop out a cup of kibble 
from a bag, pour it in a bowl and call it a day. But, to me it is worth every penny and every minute.
This is what my dog’s diet consists of:
2 cans of chicken Broth $.99 ea $1.98
3 cans of chicken $2.69 ea. $7.89
1 can of carrots $.79 $.79
1 can green beans $.99 $.99
1 can green peas $.79 $.79
1 can pumpkin $1.89 $1.89
1 ½ cups brown rice $1.00 $1.00
1 tablespoon of sea salt $.05 $.05
Total Cost: $15.38
Preparation:
Use one can of the chicken broth to make the rice. Usually, it is equal parts liquid to rice ratio, add water to make up any difference. Make the rice separately and set to the side.
1) Drain the green beans, peas, carrots and chicken
2) In a large bowl / container combine the green beans, peas, carrots, pumpkin, chicken, sea salt and the other can of chicken broth
3) Add the rice and mix well – I use a hand mixer to blend it evenly and get the consistency I like, not too chunky.
I keep it in a sealed Tupperware container and place it in the refrigerator. It lasts 3 days, which, for Faith is 9 meals.
When it is meal time I scoop out the required amount (1 full cup in the morning & noon and 1/2 a cup in the evening), place it in a bowl, add a splash of water and microwave it for 1 minute and 20 seconds (it all depends on your microwaves wattage, you don’t want it to be too hot). Stir and serve.
This is simply what works for Faith, for those looking for the perfect recipe to fit your pet’s needs, I highly recommend that you check out balanceit.com. They have a plethora of Veterinarian approved recipes for all types of pets.
“Unlike most recipes online or even in books, Balance IT® formulates every recipe to the specific pet’s or patient’s nutritional needs. This means that approximately 40 separate important nutrients are evaluated in every recipe generated. We simply will not generate a recipe if the formulated levels of a nutrient are too low or too high for a pet or patient. You can actually see any passing recipe’s specific nutrient profile with, and typically without, any supplementation for comparison. Given this precision, our products are designed specifically for and only to be used with precisely formulated homemade pet food recipes.” – Balance IT
Our pet’s are family, let’s treat them like it!
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