So, you’re right on your way to becoming one of us “dog health nuts” (according to my neighbour) and as members of the raw feeding community we’d just like to say, welcome!
So, you’ve done some calculations, and you've chosen our Big Dog raw patties for your dog, but you’ve realised you need four boxes of Big Dog raw food and only have one tiny shelf of freezer space. Don’t worry, we’ve been there.
How to store raw dog food?
Raw dog food should be stored in the freezer and securely packaged. Don’t worry, we’ve got this part covered, as our Big Dog Raw Foods already come in individually sealed 250g portions. Keeping raw pet food frozen is important, as it will keep it fresh and ensure your dog’s food remains safe to thaw and serve.
So, let’s start from the beginning and break it down.
Step 1:
Our step-by step guide to storing raw dog food starts with buying your dog's favourite Big Dog flavour (duh, that’s an easy step).
Step 2:
Now the storage part. If you have a big freezer, you won’t have any problems storing the Big Dog box. However, unfortunately for some of us, that isn’t the case. So, we suggest unpacking the patties out of the Big Dog box and stacking them on top of each other in your freezer shelf. See below how we’ve stacked our Big Dog raw food portions.
If this is still not possible, a lot of our pet parents buy a second/chest freezer to store their raw dog food, because let's face it, our pets run the joint anyway, so they may as well have their own freezer.
Step 3:
Tracking and labelling different flavours. Raw dog food storage can be tricky if you’re a pet parent that has;
- multiple dogs and cats,
- pets with different preferences on flavours,
- pets with different allergies, so requires different raw food,
- lots of different Big Dog flavours because you enjoy rotating proteins and providing variety to your pets.
But do not worry, because we have some ideas on how you can label and keep track of each flavour.
Raw Dog Food Storage Idea number 1:
You can cut out the label from our box and place it on top. Just like one of our customers did for her cat’s raw food (see below)!
If your worried about the label slipping off, nothing like duct tape will do the trick!
Raw Dog Food Storage Idea number 2:
Another great idea for storing raw dog food and keeping track of flavours, is buying a plain white sticker sheet, also known as ‘Laser Labels.’
This way if your freezer drawer is a bit chaotic, you have each portion labelled and you will always know which one is which, even if one goes flying right to the bottom of the drawer…somehow...
Handling Raw Dog Food
To serve raw dog food, remove it from the freezer and thaw until defrosted. This can be done by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.
Or if you’re forgetful (like us) and have forgotten to place it in the fridge the night before, on the day you can place it in a sink of warm water for 15-30 minutes. This is an all-natural product with no preservatives; once thawed, it must be used within 48 hours. You must also ensure that you do not cook Big Dog’s raw food as it contains raw offal and crushed raw bone.
If you are an organised person and have remembered to place the portion in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, you can take your defrosted food out of the fridge and use a spoon to serve the desired amount into your pet’s bowl and serve to your dog or cat!
Check out this reel below!
How long can you leave raw dog food out?
If you have left over raw food you can store it in a tight sealed container in the fridge. This can be used for their dinner later that day! Remember, once defrosted, our big dog raw food will only last 2-3 days in the fridge because we only use natural raw ingredients and have no preservatives!
Staying Safe
After feeding your pet their raw diet remember to wash your hands and your pet's dish to maintain safe hygiene around raw meat, just like you would with any of your meals.
And the last step? Feel good about serving your pet a nutritious and delicious meal!
