Prep & Store Homemade Dog Food Safely 2025: Vet-Approved Tips 🐶✨

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Making your dog’s food at home gives you control, transparency, and flexibility. But poor storage, reheating, or prep habits can spoil meals—or worse, make your dog sick.

I’m Dr. Duncan Houston, veterinarian and founder of Ask A Vet. Here’s how to safely prepare, portion, freeze, and serve homemade dog food to protect nutrients and prevent contamination.

✅ Step 1: Safe Ingredient Handling

• Wash hands, surfaces, and bowls before and after prep
• Use fresh ingredients—don’t cut corners on “human-edible” standards
• Trim excess fat or skin (especially poultry) to reduce GI upset

🥄 Cooked vs Raw Prep Differences

Cooked Diets

• Cook proteins to a safe internal temperature (e.g., chicken = 75°C/165°F)
• Lightly steam veggies to retain fiber and improve digestibility
• Cool food quickly after cooking before refrigerating

Raw Diets

• Use commercial-grade meats stored below 4°C (40°F)
• Thaw frozen food in the fridge—not on the counter
• Clean prep zones thoroughly to avoid cross-contamination

📦 Portioning and Batch Prep Tips

• Prepare 3–7 days’ worth of food at once
• Use silicone molds or containers to pre-measure daily meals
• Label with contents + prep date + feeding instructions

❄️ How to Store Homemade Dog Food

Refrigerator (short term)

• Cooked food: store for 3–4 days max in sealed containers
• Raw food: store for 1–2 days (if not portioned frozen)

Freezer (long term)

• Freeze in 1–2 meal portions for easy defrosting
• Use airtight containers or vacuum seal bags to reduce freezer burn
• Label with freeze date—use within 2–3 months for best quality

🔥 Reheating Rules (Don’t Overcook)

• Thaw overnight in the fridge—not on the counter
• Gently warm to room temperature before serving (especially for seniors)
• Do NOT microwave food in plastic or reheat to boiling—destroys nutrients

💊 What About Supplements?

• Add fish oils, probiotics, or multivitamins fresh at time of feeding
• Don’t pre-mix heat-sensitive supplements during batch cooking

📋 Sample Batch Prep Plan (3 Days for a 20kg Dog)

• 600g cooked turkey
• 2 cups steamed pumpkin + broccoli + zucchini
• 1 cup cooked quinoa or oats
• Portion into 6 containers (2 meals/day)
• Add salmon oil + joint support at time of serving

🔗 Tools from Ask A Vet

• Ask A Vet – Upload your food prep method and get feedback on hygiene, supplements, and storage safety

📋 Summary Excerpt

Making your dog’s meals at home is rewarding—but safety matters. A vet shares how to prep, portion, freeze, and serve homemade food without losing nutrients or risking contamination.

❓ FAQs

• Q: Can I prep a whole month of dog food at once?
  A: Yes—just freeze it in meal-sized portions and label everything clearly with dates.
• Q: Do I need to reheat dog food?
  A: Not always—but warming to room temp can improve digestion and palatability, especially for seniors.
• Q: Can I freeze food with supplements mixed in?
  A: Only if they’re heat- and freeze-stable. Most probiotics, oils, and vitamins are best added fresh.