The Ultimate Guide To Homemade Dog Meal Prep

Feeding my dogs, Ollie and Winks, a homemade diet has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made as a dog parent. I initially transitioned from kibble to a fully home-cooked diet to better meet their health needs, and after a lot of trial and error, I now have an efficient system for meal prep that takes just a few hours every two weeks. Here’s how and why I made the switch, what I feed them, and how I make it work.

Why I Chose A Homemade Dog Food Diet

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to feeding dogs, options range from kibble and raw to hybrid and fully home-cooked diets. I moved from kibble to hybrid, and eventually to mostly home-cooked meals for a few key reasons:

Health concerns: Ollie has always had a sensitive tummy. He was diagnosed with colitis as a puppy, so even the smallest dietary change can cause diarrhoea, blood in his stool, or days of discomfort. He also has allergies, persistent paw licking, and a recently diagnosed heart murmur. His diet has to be carefully managed and supported with the right supplements.

More control: Cooking their meals gives me full control over ingredients and nutrients.

Kibble issues: Even premium kibble proved unreliable over time, batch inconsistencies and ingredient changes made it hard to find one that consistently worked for both dogs.

Disclaimer: This feeding method is tailored to Ollie and Winky’s specific needs. I’m not a vet or dog nutritionist, this is simply what works for us. Please consult a professional before changing your dog’s diet.

How I Transitioned to Homemade Dog Food

When switching to home-cooked meals, I considered their age, weight, body condition, activity level, and medical conditions. A useful tool I used was the Canine Body Condition Score (link) to determine the ideal weight and food intake for my dogs.

Raw feeders often use the 2-3% body weight guideline. Since I feed cooked meals, I also calculated their daily calorie intake to ensure they were getting enough nutrients. If you prefer a more precise method, this calorie calculator (link) is an excellent resource. One of the best pieces of advice I got when I started this journey is to Feed the dog in front of you. Numbers are a helpful guide, but your dog’s weight, energy, and health tell the real story.

What I Feed My Dogs And How I Meal Prep

Main Meals (2x daily – 150g per meal)

• Muscle Meat (60%) – Kangaroo, turkey, salmon, lean pork, or lamb.
• Bone (10%) – Minced meat with bone (I blend everything so there’s no risk of cooked bone injury). If the meat doesn’t contain bone already, I include dehydrated necks, wing tips, cartilage (kangaroo, chicken, turkey), and supplement with bone/cartilage powder.
• Liver (5%) – mainly from lamb, turkey or chicken
• Other secreting organs (5%) – Brain and Kidney
• Vegetables and Fruits (20%) – Sweet potato, pumpkin, broccoli, mushrooms, carrot, green beans, beetroots, spinach, kale, peas, fruits like apples, raspberries, and blueberries.
• Lightly cooked with coconut MCT oil, blended, and stored in the freezer.

Add-ons

• Supplements – psyllium husk, seaweed powder, kelp, Chicken bone broth powder, Slippery elm bark Powder, Spirulina,
• Other supplements (includes sometimes) – Abalone powder, shark cartilage/deer antler powder, flax seed meal, turmeric powder

Include supplements and extras as per guidelines on the packaging or based on advice from your vet or a qualified canine nutritionist. A detailed blog post on the supplements I use and why I chose them is coming soon. None of the products linked are sponsored (we may get a commission for affiliate marketing through Amazon Australia)

Daily Extras

1 tbsp goat kefir milk

1 raw quail egg

1 Antinol tablet

Heart and gut-specific supplements: Coenzyme Q10 (for Ollie’s heart), Gut Restore (for colitis), P.E.A. Plus (inflammation)

Treats

Dehydrated treats in rotation: chicken, turkey, kangaroo, and fish

1 dehydrated sardine or shark skin per day

Things to Keep in Mind

• Educate yourself – Consult holistic vets, dog nutritionists, and online resources before transitioning.
• Find a feeding guideline – Raw diet guidelines (BARF, PMR) can be adapted for lightly cooked diets.
• Slow and steady transition – Introduce new foods and supplements gradually over weeks to months.
• Feed the dog in front of you – Adjust portions based on your dog’s weight, activity, and health.
• Add variety – Rotate proteins and organs to avoid nutrient deficiencies.
• Pay attention to your dog – Observe changes and be open to modifying the diet.
• Regular vet check-ups – A homemade diet requires monitoring via blood panels and health assessments.

How Much Does It Cost?

Feeding Ollie and Winks this way costs about:

• $200/month for ingredients (including homemade dehydrated treats)
• $50/month for supplements

It’s not the cheapest route (cheaper than the kibble I used to feed though), but knowing exactly what they’re eating and seeing the health benefits makes it 100% worth it.

Conclusion

This feeding approach may not work for everyone, but it’s worked wonders for us. It’s a labour of love, but once you’ve got a rhythm, it’s easier than it looks. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about knowing you’re doing the best you can for your dogs.

Would you like to see a sample recipe with measurements? Drop a comment below and let me know!