Simon the puppy playing with his human brother! Photo courtesy of Alexandra Holt.
When Simon the puppy became part of the family this year I knew that he’d join the kitties and the humans in eating a human grade whole foods diet. I set off into the kitchen and whipped up my first batch of homemade dog food. Simon loved it and I loved making it for him, but I wondered if I should be feeding him a raw food diet. After all, in the wild, dogs certainly don’t cook their food! But my food, and Simon’s too, comes from the grocery store. What if the chicken or beef I was buying him was contaminated with some sort of bacteria or parasite? I just didn’t have enough control over the ingredients to ensure that Simon was going to avoid illness, so I cooked it and reassured myself that he was eating a fabulous diet that most dogs could only dream of. Then I heard about The Honest Kitchen and discovered the answer to my raw food conundrum! I really can offer Simon a safe raw food diet without moving to a farm!
About The Honest Kitchen
The Honest Kitchen is a private, family owned company located in San Diego, California. Lucy Postins started cooking for her Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy back in 2000. By 2001 she had developed a recipe using all human grade raw ingredients that used dehydration as the method to preserve the food safely without removing any of the nutritional value. In 2002, The Honest Kitchen was officially born after they located a human food manufacturer who could produce their food on a large scale. They are a company committed to quality canine and feline nutrition.
Whole Dog Journal - 2007 Editor
- All products and ingredients are 100% human food grade.
- All products are produced in an FDA approved human food producing facility.
- All meats are hormone and antibiotic free.
- All fruits and vegetables are GMO free.
- All grains are certified organic.
- No chemical preservatives, no by-products, no added salt or sugar, no chemical preservatives, no artificial colors.
- Great for dogs and cats with allergies – no beet pulp, rice, wheat, corn or soy (common allergens that cause dry, itchy skin, hair loss/dullness, lack of energy, chronic ear problems, chewing at feet, etc.).
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The Honest Kitchen knows that eating the exact same meal day after day isn’t good for people and it isn’t good for our pets either. They offer a wide range of products with quality, nutritious, human quality foods. It is easy to incorporate these products as a base for homemade whole pet food diets or BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diets, or the product can be used as a stand alone meal (with the exception of the Preference product – you have to add your own protein).
About The Honest Kitchen’s Dehydration Process
- Fruits and vegetables are dried at temperatures below 104*F and are still considered raw.
- Meat and eggs are dried at temperatures above 120*F – high enough to kill bacteria without destroying the nutrients. This drying method makes the meat/eggs safe enough for human consumption and allows products to be made in the human food manufacturing facility used by The Honest Kitchen.
Taking water out prevents:
- enzymatic activity (which could cause food to decompose (rot!))
- growth of bacteria, yeast, and molds
Taking water out does NOT destroy or kill food enzymes. It simply suspends their activity until the food is rehydrated.
The dehydration process allows The Honest Kitchen to provide human grade raw pet foods with all of the natural nutrients present. There is no high heat processing or extrusion used and is therefore very highly concentrated nutrition. This process also makes the product safe for all dogs and cats at all stages of life and all stages of health. Even an immunocompromised pet can enjoy this product!
About the Honest Kitchen Products
- “Mix 1 cup food with 1-1.5 cups of warm water.
- Stir well and let hydrate 5-10 minutes.
- Mix in your pet’s choice of vegetables, fruit, raw or cooked meats or raw meaty bones – or serve just as it is!”
About the Honest Kitchen Culture
- Pawlanthropy is The Honest Kitchen’s philanthropic program. In 2007, The Honest Kitchen donated 25% of their net profits to a number of animal-welfare, humanitarian and environmental charitable causes.
- The Honest Kitchen sincerely believe in doing their part to protect and preserve the planet by using recycled materials and the best quality products possible in their foods.
- This company of 11 human and 7 canine employees seem to really enjoy their pet friendly work environment and are devoted to making “pets lives better everywhere.”
Dog food products
Preference: Foundation-Mix for Homemade, Grain-Free Dog Food – Just add meat!
- Thrive: Natural, Gluten-free Dehydrated Raw Dog Food
- Force: Dehydrated Raw, Grain-Free Dog Food, wheat and gluten free
- Embark: Dehydrated Raw, Low-Carb Dog Food
- Verve: Dehydrated Raw, Organic Beef and grains
Cat food products
- Prowl: Dehydrated raw cat food
Check out these other articles for more on natural pet food diets!
Mrs. Zeiger
Melita Franzen
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