Cooked Fresh Food | What Is It, Why, & Brands

Raw food is not for everyone. And that is what makes fresh food so unique as it can be tailored to the sole animal. Whether the dog has an autoimmune disease, the owner is uncomfortable, or the dog simply does not do well with raw foods, cooked fresh food is a fantastic alternative.

What Is Cooked Fresh Food?

Cooked food is raw foods that are lightly cooked. This means that it will be gently heat-processed which can be helpful for dogs with sensitive systems to owners weary of bacteria. The main difference between raw and cooked other than heat is that cooked food will often have more carbohydrate content in the recipes for an energy source versus raw fat in a raw diet. Higher quality brands will use higher quality carbohydrate sources such as sweet potatoes, squash, and quinoa.

Why Is Cooked Food Useful?

Cooked food can benefit dogs with cancer, sensitive systems, immunocompromised pet parents, other medical conditions, or if the owner is not comfortable feeding raw. Cooked food allows the pet to stay on fresh food under various circumstances.

Downsides of Cooked Food

Whether homemade or premade, cooked food will be more expensive as leaner cuts must be utilized. Premade foods are naturally more costly as the work is being done while home-prepared requires time and purchasing all the necessary ingredients.

Homemade Cooked Food

Cooked food can be made at home but often requires more prep and work due to the cooking step. A meal plan from places such as Perfectly Rawsome can provide a balanced custom recipe (use STORMY10 to save). For free balanced recipes, visit the Forever Dog website.

High-Quality Cooked Brands

A list of quality premade brands can be found below for pet parents who do not wish to DIY fresh foods. Premade saves on time but can also get costly. With premade, ensure to rotate brands and proteins to get a wide variety of nutrients and formulations.

∙ Evermore

∙ Raised Right

∙ Small Batch

∙ All Provide

∙ Viva Raw Ground Beef Blend (bake at 300°F/150°C until internal temperature of 160°F/74°C)

Cooked food is an excellent choice for feeding fresh that is often not discussed. The essential part is feeding the individual dog and doing what suits them best. I hope you learn something new today & Always Keep Exploring!