All creatures deserve to be able to consume their meat in loaf form, not just humans. After all, it is one of the most beloved forms of good old fashioned comfort food. The kind of meal that you whip up when you want to feel good. When you think of comfort food, good ol’ meatloaf has to be one of the first meals that comes to mind. One of the great pleasures of mastering the art of cooking is being able to finally craft your own meatloaf. It makes you feel like an adult. It makes you feel alive.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could offer your dog the same kind of meaty goodness in his bowl at dinner time? What a beautiful dream, right? Well, fortunately this doesn’t have to be merely a dream any longer. Now you can live this dream and your doggo will be forever grateful. Without further ado, I’d like to present my personal recipe for Beefaloaf Meatloaf For Dogs. It’s not that far off a human meatloaf recipe, so don’t worry about this seriously challenging your kitchen skills. I merely added some vegetables that I had in the fridge (and an apple I had left over from my apple treat recipe) and viola… yummy doggy meals that will last a few weeks. Now, I won’t feed these to Oscar every day. I will give him the meatloaf every fourth day to vary his diet. The rest will go into the freezer until I need to use it. That makes this a gift to my dog that keeps on giving.
So, how to you fill up your little pup’s tum with the meatloaf that he deserves? Keep your eyes glued to this page and keep on reading. All of my Beealoaf secrets are about to be revealed!
My Legendary Beefaloaf Meatloaf Dog Food Recipe
The Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 ½ cups of rolled oats (You can use gluten free oats if you want. This might be better for your pup’s tum.)
1 ½ cups of grated mixed vegetables (Use your dog’s favorite veggies to keep him interested. I used broccoli, carrots, and apple. But feel free to get creative with this portion of the recipe to ensure that it tickles your dog’s tongue in all the ways that he likes.)
½ cup of cottage cheese
Directions:
Some people feel a little strange about cooking homemade meals for their pups and fair enough. It’s not exactly common practice. So, if you’re feeling reluctant about cooking food for your dogs at home, it is worth considering the fact that there are a lot of great reasons to start doing so. This isn’t a new trend amongst overachiever dog owners. It’s a way of controlling your pup’s nutrition to ensure that they live long and happy lives. You don’t have to feed your dogs exclusively homemade meals either, as you can rotate homemade meals with high-quality dog food that you purchase in stores. Your dog will still be able to get all of the vital nutrients that he needs to thrive, and he gets to enjoy a wide range of flavors and textures. It allow you to improve your pup’s diet in a variety of ways. However, if you still need more convincing to whip up some homemade meals for you pooch, here are a few other reasons why more and more pet parents are taking this approach to their animals’ care. It truly is a worthy cause:
You know exactly what is in your pet’s food.
This is important. Especially given all of the recalls that occur in the pet food industry. Not to mention all of the controversy over the quality of the ingredients found in even the most trusted brands of dog food. When you cook your dog’s meals at home, you can rest assured that you will know precisely what he’s eating, and how much of it. Having this kind of control can only come from buying your own ingredients and cooking the food yourself. Leaving a dog’s diet entirely in the hands of pet food manufacturers simply isn’t something that many dog owners are comfortable with.
You can use organic and all natural ingredients if you want.
When you cook your dog’s food yourself, you can purchase the highest quality ingredients, and you can probably save money in the process. Check out the price of a brand of organic dog food (which can be hard to come by), and then consider how much you can buy in raw ingredients when you go to the grocery store and purchase those same organic ingredients yourself. This can be a cost-cutting measure as much as it is way of taking control of your dog’s diet.
You can avoid allergenic ingredients.
If your pooch is the type who is sensitive to a lot of ingredients, cooking his food yourself can also give you a greater amount of control in this regard as well. You can simply leave out any ingredients that you know won’t agree with your dog. Whether you need to avoid a certain carbohydrate or you need to feed your pet a higher quality protein, you can do that when you prepare his meals at home. It puts the power in your hands.
You can add supplements to ensure a balanced meal.
If you are planning on feeding your dog homemade food exclusively, ask your veterinarian about supplements that you can add to the food in order to ensure that it is properly balanced for health and longevity. The right multi-vitamin/mineral supplement for canines, for example, can help fill in any nutritional gaps in your recipes. Plus, when you buy your own supplements, you can stick with those that you truly trust—once again, you’ll know exactly what’s going into your dog’s food, which can definitely be reassuring. But again, you should talk to your vet about what recipes you’re planning on feeding your dog, and you should work together to make those recipes perfect for your pooch. The whole point of cooking food for your dog is to improv their diet. If you aren’t ensuring that the meals you prepare meet the nutritional standards that your dog needs to thrive, then there’s really no point in doing it. So, if you plan to take on this responsibility, it’s important to take that responsibility seriously.
When choosing the vegetables for your dog’s Beefaloaf Meatloaf, there are many great options. Fresh vegetables are not only delicious, but they are also a great way to boost your dog’s nutritional health and address specific health concerns. Veggies are no substitute for veterinary care, but they are an excellent addition to your greater treatment plan. Here are a few options to consider:
Just like carrots are a healthy addition to our diet, they are also an excellent choice for your dog. They are high in vitamin A in the form of Beta Carotene, which helps to support healthy eyes. This powerful vitamin also helps to reduce the risk of night blindness. While this isn’t going to reduce pre-existing vision issues, adding carrots to your dog’s diet can help to prevent problems from developing or getting worse in the future.
This may not be at the top of your list of favourite vegetables, but some dogs love the taste of brussel sprouts. They are a great source of vitamins A, B, C, and K. They are also packed with fiber. But be careful how many brussel sprouts your dog has been eating, as it can make them gassy.
Green beans are a delicious, crunchy treat on their own, and they are also a great addition to a recipe like this. They contain high levels of vitamins A, B, C, and K, as well as manganese, protein, and dietary fiber. Eating large amounts of green beans can turn your dog’s poop a greenish-blue color.
Do you cook meals for your dogs? If so, I’d love to try and share your recipe. Please send it to me using the contact form here and I’d be happy to try it out!
If you have any further thoughts on home cooking for canine’s or perhaps have some ideas on how to improve this doggy meatloaf recipe, then we’d love to hear them! Please leave us a comment below and together we will all become the person puppy chefs that our dogs deserve!
