Choosing Between Homemade Or Store Bought Raw Food

So, you’ve taken the first step on a healthier journey of deciding that you want to improve your dog’s health and give them the best chance for a longer & happier life. Great! We love pet parents who want the best for their pup and we’re happy to help you ditch that dry kibble or canned “food” to feed your dog a healthier diet. However, you also have to decide what kind of healthier food you want to feed.

There are more and more dog moms & dads looking to feed their dog’s healthier options and with that, there are many options out there. Of course, if you want to feed fresh, nothing is fresher than a raw diet for dogs!

This then leads to more questions like do you make the raw food at home, is homemade dog food better, is it better to purchase, is it cheaper to make your own raw food, how do I make raw food, and more! All of this new information could get understandably overwhelming so we are here to guide you. Below we have outlined some pros and cons of purchasing raw dog food and making fresh meals at home. By the end of this blog, you’ll be ready to make the right choice for yourself and your pup. 

Homemade Raw Dog Food 

Making raw dog food at home is a great option for many savvy dog owners. If you’re not savvy, you can become savvy! Anyone can make raw food at home really, as long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort! 

The Pros Of Homemade Raw Dog Food

You’re in Control 

By preparing your dog’s raw food at home, you are able to know 100% of what is going into your dog’s body. You get to choose the type of protein, vegetables, and fruits you know your dog loves. If your dog has specific dietary needs or is sensitive to the food they eat, making your dog’s raw diet allows you to cater accordingly to those needs.

Low Cost

The initial cost of ingredients may scare you at first but if you are willing to make the food in bulk, the overall cost will be much cheaper per serving rather than purchasing premade. In the long run, homemade raw food can save you money. Remember to consider that if you opt for organic ingredients the prices can quickly add up. 

TheCons Of Homemade Raw Dog Food

Time-Consuming 

Depending on which ingredients you add into your dog’s raw diet, preparing the meals and prepping for the month can be time-consuming, especially if you do not own the proper machinery to prepare the proteins. 

Preparing Raw Meat

Just as preparing dinner at home, you will need to prepare all the meals in advance for your dog, which means having to deal with raw meat. If dealing with raw meat is something that doesn’t interest you, then purchasing premade raw food may be a better option for you. 

Complete & Balanced Diet 

One of the more intricate steps to preparing your dog’s meals by yourself is making sure that their diet is complete & balanced. Part of making sure that the food you make is balanced is considering phosphorus levels, calcium, vitamins, minerals, and more. Especially, if you’re looking to feed a BARF diet which is 80% meat, bone, and organ, and 20% fruits and vegetables. You’ll need to make sure that your dog is receiving the right amount nutrients and is not missing out on anything essential. 

Pre-Made Raw Dog Food

As we’ve mentioned, pre-made raw dog food could be more costly but part of the cost is all the pros that come with it!

Pros Of Buying Raw Dog Food

Easy and Convenient 

For the busy dog moms and dads, purchasing raw dog food straight from the store is a much simpler option compared to making your dog’s food at home by yourself. At Cali Raw, we calculate each portion of your dog’s meals to make sure they reach the correct ratios and attain theBARF Model. All you need to do is simply grab it out of the freezer, thaw, and serve!  

As an additional benefit for the busy dog moms and dads, we here at Cali Raw also provide pick up, local delivery, and shipping to ensure that you do not need to worry about rushing home after work to buy more raw food! We also provide no-contact delivery options as well as a curbside pickup to maintain COVID-19 guidelines and to keep our customers safe! 

An Extra Benefit Of Buying Cali Raw: Life Stage Appropriate 

If you are looking to make your own raw dog food at home, you know that plenty of research must go into finding the right food and ingredients to fit your dog’s life stage. By purchasing raw dog food, you can be ensured that all of our formulas will fit yourdog’s life stage from when they are puppies to senior adults. Our puppy formula was specifically made to meet the needs of your growing puppy!

Pre-Made Raw Dog Food Cons 

Pre-Made Raw Dog Food Can Be Expensive

If you have a medium to large-sized dog, then you definitely know that they tend to eat a lot of food to keep a balanced lifestyle, making dog food expensive.

Here at Cali Raw, we try our best to keep our prices cost-effective as well as provide loyalty discounts so you know that you are paying the right price for the best food for your dog. However, if looking at our website, you still do not have the budget, just know that you can do a 50/50 topper to keep costs at a minimum! We know feeding a large dog can be a lot, but there are still options to enhancing their diet and health!

Learn: How To Feed Raw Food As A Topper

Freezer Space 

One of the main issues with buying pre-made dog food in bulk is the lack of freezer space in your home. We try to make our portions as space friendly as possible, but if you find yourself needing more space, we recommend purchasing a freezer for the garage to store the raw food in or switching over to a homemade raw dog food diet. 

Synthetic Ingredients 

One of the many things that people will tell you about store-bought raw dog food is that the food itself will contain synthetic vitamins that are chemical based and not as efficient as natural vitamins in fresh ingredients. But here at Cali Raw, we are transparent about the ingredients that go into our food and provide a detailed analysis of all the formulas we offer from the puppy formulas to the adult formulas. 

Check Out: Our Ingredients

So, Which One Should You Choose? 

Ultimately, the choice is up to you; as a general rule, choosing to feed your dog raw food rather than kibble is the best choice you can make for their health journey. Choosing store-bought or homemade is simply a personal preference. 

If you have the time, patience, and can handle raw meat, then homemade is a great option! But for those busy dog moms and dads, premade raw dog food, like Cali Raw Nutrition, will save you time and energy to simply focus on your dog’s happiness as well as your own. We hope that our list of pros and cons will help you come to a decision and give your dog the diet they need and deserve!  

Ready to start? Use our feeding calculator to know how much your pup should be eating a day.