Nutrition: Commercial Fresh Meals and Home-Prepared Recipes for Pets

As a modern society, we understand the importance of food quality in maintaining or improving our health. We know that we need to eat an appropriate amount of nutrient-rich foods (think dark, leafy green veggies, beans, fruits, and nuts), and that we should limit our sugar, salt, processed meat, and alcohol intake to reduce the risk of diet-induced diseases like obesity, type-2 diabetes, and colon cancer.

In recent decades, as pet parents take a healthier approach to their own diets, many are keen to explore alternative options to processed kibble and canned food for their dogs and cats. 

A small but growing segment has emerged in the pet food industry, devoted to balanced meals (or toppers/treats) marketed as fresh, fresh-frozen, freeze-dried, or minimally processed with an emphasis on whole-food ingredients. These meals look more like a quinoa-veggie-meat bowl that a pet parent would eat than traditional kibble or canned pet food.

Many pet parents believe that whole-food meals or homemade recipes - with identifiable ingredients like carrots, peas, or pieces of sweet potato - are healthier than pre-packaged foods. However, this belief may not be true if the formula or recipe is not appropriately balanced for the species and life stage. Additionally, the quality of raw ingredients and how those ingredients are measured for a homemade recipe can directly influence the nutritional quality of the finished meal.

Do dogs and cats have special dietary requirements?

Yes, dogs and cats have unique dietary requirements. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require animal-based foods in their diet to meet essential amino acid and essential fatty acid requirements. Dogs are omnivores, which means they can meet their needs for essential amino acids and fatty acids from both plant-based and animal-based sources. 

Unlike dogs, cats have specific requirements for certain amino acids (like taurine), the fatty acid called arachadonic acid, Vitamin A, and the water-soluble vitamin niacin. 

Some people believe that the ideal cat food is an uncooked (unprocessed), healthy mouse or bird, eaten in its entirety, and the ideal food for a dog is fresh, whole prey, unprocessed and supplemented with whatever fresh grasses, fruits, and berries are in season. However, these choices may be either socially unacceptable, impractical for many pet parents, or even dangerous for pets. The goal as caregivers is to provide the next-best choice for a consistently balanced diet that is tasty and affordable.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of commercial fresh, whole-food diets?

A commercial, fresh, whole-food diet is packaged and sold by a company and purchased in a store. There are several benefits of feeding commercial fresh, whole-food diets.

1. Minimally processed. All commercial dog and cat foods are processed in some way, since the term “processing” is associated with several manufacturing activities. Pet (and human) food production involves cleaning raw ingredients, altering the form (deboning, dehulling, removing skin), cooking, cooling, freezing, dehydrating, and/or drying. Highly processed food includes canned food and extruded kibble, which is processed using high heat and pressure. Depending on how a whole-food meal is made, it may be minimally processed, but “minimally processed” is a marketing term – there is no standard definition in the pet food industry. Pet owners must contact a company directly to ask about the level or extent of processing.
2. Convenient and potentially less expensive. Commercial diets are more convenient because the work is done for you: selection and purchasing of ingredients, mixing, cooking, cooling, drying, and packaging. In addition, when kibble and canned foods are manufactured on a large scale, the company can obtain ingredients for a lower price, which can sometimes translate to a lower price per unit of food compared to what smaller companies must charge to make a profit.
3. Consistent quality. Standardized commercial manufacturing provides reliable and consistent food quality. With commercial pet food products, there is usually much less variation in the nutritional composition compared to homemade food made in a non-commercial kitchen.
4. Organic ingredients. Some manufacturers of commercial fresh, whole-food meals use organic ingredients, which many pet parents consider an advantage. Pet foods labeled “organic” that are made in the United States must follow guidelines established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and those made in Canada are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). However, “organic” refers to how an ingredient was raised and harvested, not the nutritional quality of the ingredient. For example, organically raised chicken must be fed organically raised feed, but the nutrient composition of meat harvested from organically raised chickens will not be significantly different to that harvested from non-organic chickens.
5. High moisture content. The moisture content of fresh or fresh-frozen whole-food meals, like traditional canned foods, is higher than dry kibble (or dehydrated products), and this increased moisture may help some dogs and cats to maintain hydration.
6. Nutritional adequacy statement. Many (but not all) of these foods will have a nutritional adequacy claim on the label (also referred to as an AAFCO claim), which indicates that the formula is complete and balanced for the species and life stage listed on the product label.
7. Few preservatives. Most manufacturers of commercial fresh, whole-food ingredient meals add few to no preservatives. However, a pet food label that claims “no preservatives added” does not mean the food contains no preservatives, but merely that the manufacturer did not add any. Preservatives may have been added by a manufacturer's supplier. Therefore, to avoid preservatives completely, pet owners should look for a label that specifically states “preservative-free.”

 Potential drawbacks of feeding commercial fresh, whole-food diets include the following:

1. Unknown nutrition. If there is no AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) claim on the label, then there’s no easy way for you to know if a manufacturer formulated the recipe to be complete and balanced for the species and life stage the product is marketed for. Lack of an AAFCO claim is a drawback for any pet food product marketed as a meal.
2. Short shelf life. Fresh, whole-food meals have few to no preservatives included, so the shelf life is much shorter (days or weeks) than commercial kibble or canned products, which are typically preserved for 12 to 24 months. 
3. Refrigeration required. Products with a short shelf life require refrigeration, and in some situations (e.g., power outages), the need for refrigeration would be a disadvantage over pet foods that can be stored at room temperature for months at a time.
4. High cost. Fresh, whole-food meals are often more costly (price per unit weight is higher). This increased cost may be a more significant disadvantage for owners of medium-, large-, or giant-breed dogs.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of feeding a home-prepared diet?

Homemade recipes are prepared in a home kitchen and use mostly whole food ingredients purchased from a grocery store or farm market. 

There are several benefits of feeding a home-prepared diet.

1. Confidence in ingredients. When making a meal at home, you can select the freshest and highest quality ingredients that you can afford, elevating your confidence in the quality of food you’re giving your pet.
2. Direct control over food safety. Pet owners who are unsure about manufacturer safety may prefer to make their pet’s food so they can have a greater sense of control over handling ingredients, cooking, mixing, etc. 
3. May support the pet’s health. Many pet parents and veterinary healthcare teams believe that feeding a homemade diet can result in improved appetite, skin, hair coat, or gastrointestinal function for some pets. Unfortunately, there are no published clinical trials in healthy dogs or cats that show feeding a balanced homemade diet, over months or years, has significant health benefits when compared to a commercially prepared pet food.
4. Customized nutrition for certain medical conditions. When a dog or cat has multiple medical conditions (comorbidities), there may not be a commercial diet option that addresses both conditions. Some pets may be prescribed a veterinary therapeutic diet for a certain condition, but they cannot tolerate the food or won’t eat enough to maintain a stable body weight. In these circumstances, a pet owner can work with a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a custom recipe that the owner can prepare at home and still achieve a balanced diet.

Potential drawbacks for home-prepared diets include the following:

1. Nutritional deficiencies. The risk for nutritional deficiencies is greater with homemade diets. Several published studies show that most home-prepared recipes for pets have one or more nutritional deficiencies. Ideally, a homemade diet recipe is formulated by an experienced veterinary nutritionist, but even these recipes are not tested in an analytical laboratory, which means the finished food won’t have an AAFCO claim.
2. Precise instructions and measurements needed. One of the biggest drawbacks to home cooking is incomplete or incorrect instructions for preparation or feeding. Recipes should be clear about ingredient preparation, amounts, use of a gram scale for accurate measuring, and use of a specific brand of vitamin-mineral supplement (with a specific measurement in grams). Instructions should also specify daily food portions that meet a pet’s Calorie needs, based on the recipe's energy density.
3. Drift from original recipe may cause nutrient deficiency. Another serious concern about home-prepared recipes is “diet drift”, which occurs when pet owners substitute or remove ingredients because they suspect their pet doesn’t like them, causing them to “drift” away from the original recipe. Over time, these changes can result in an unbalanced or nutrient-deficient recipe. 
4. Short shelf life. Home-prepared recipes are generally made using fresh or frozen whole-food ingredients that have few to no preservatives, so the shelf life is several days in a refrigerator or 2–3 months in a freezer. 
5. Refrigeration required. Products with a short shelf life require refrigeration, and in some situations (e.g., power outages),this requirement would be a disadvantage over pet foods with a long shelf-life.
6. High cost. Whole-food ingredients may cost more per unit weight, but the final cost of a home-prepared recipe depends on where ingredients are purchased, how expensive the cut of meat, and which vitamin-mineral supplement is used. Costs to purchase and prepare a homemade recipe may be a more significant when feeding medium-, large-, and giant-breed dogs.

What should I know about feeding a home-prepared diet to my pet?

The best way to avoid nutritional deficiencies and excesses is to follow recipes formulated by veterinary nutritionists. When possible, veterinary nutritionists formulate a recipe with appropriate ingredient substitutions (and quantities) to allow a pet owner to offer some variety to their pet. To avoid trace nutrient deficiencies or excesses, a vitamin-mineral supplement must be included. There are several vitamin-mineral supplements on the market designed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, such as BalanceIT, Chef’s Canine (or Chef’s Feline) Complete, Wagtritious, NourishYourPets, and Whole Dogg. The manufacturers of these supplements provide instructions for measuring, storing, and serving their products.

Avoid recipes that are complicated or time-consuming to prepare, to prevent taking shortcuts in preparation. Simply feeding a diet of table scraps or a mixture of meat, grains, and vegetables into a bowl could cause malnourishment in a pet. NEVER feed cooked bones to pets. Cooked bones are brittle and prone to splintering, which can cause obstruction and perforation of the intestinal tract.

Dogs or cats with increased nutritional needs associated with growth or reproduction have different requirements for energy and nutrients; they also need enhanced protein levels and enhanced levels of some vitamins and minerals to support growth. It is imperative to obtain the advice of a veterinarian with advanced nutritional knowledge, or a veterinary nutritionist, to decrease risks associated with a potentially unbalanced diet.

How can I minimize the risks associated with home-prepared diets?

Discuss your pet's diet candidly with your veterinarian, including any treats or supplements that you provide. Have your pet examined regularly so that early indicators of medical problems may be detected. Since animals age faster than humans, a good rule is to have a complete physical examination every six months. In addition to a physical examination, it is prudent to also have a biochemical analysis and complete blood count at these intervals. A urinalysis should be done every six months. 

The results of the physical exam, the laboratory tests, and your pet’s body weight, body condition score, and muscle condition score are all part of the nutritional assessment. A nutritional assessment is recommended at least twice per year for healthy pets eating home-prepared diets, and three times per year for pets with medical problems. This assessment helps determine if a dog or cat is at low, moderate, or high risk for a nutritional deficiency or excess. 

Remember to always consult with a veterinary nutritionist who has experience using formulation software to ensure any homemade diet recipes are appropriately balanced.