We’re not fans of trade secrets. In fact, we pride ourselves on our transparency as a company. From our product knowledge to how it’s made, we want you to be a part of what we’re up to at Kafka’s, always. 

On that note, we know how hard it is to feed the whole family - including the furry members - healthy and nutritious food. Like you, we got interested in making homemade food without preservatives and additives to improve our pet's overall health, especially to help our pets with allergies and picky eaters.

That task can be daunting without being armed with the right animal nutrition knowledge. Simply whipping up a meal of chicken and rice every day, as pet-gourmet as it sounds, does not contain all the nutrients to fulfill your pet’s dietary requirements long-term.  

 

Allergy-free DIY pet food recipes that are balanced & complete

The best dog food should be balanced and complete with limited ingredients and whole foods to feed your dog well. Hypoallergenic dog diet recipes like this promote healthy eating in your pet and prevent picky eating because dogs with allergies sometimes refuse to eat their food even before symptoms are visible to the pet owner.

Our recipes are reviewed and formulated by veterinary nutritionists to make sure they are balanced & complete. An aside to note: A vitamin supplement does need to be added if feeding this recipe long-term. 

Since we make our pet meals fresh in small batches, our recipes never contain preservatives or artificial additives. And that’s why we’re able to lay all of the ingredients on the table. So if you’ve ever wanted to craft your own Kafka’s...we’ve got you! Follow our official dog food recipe below, fresh out of the vault:

Homecooked Dog Recipe - ' Doggie Tasty Turkey '

Ready in: 1.5 hours

Makes 4+ servings for a small dog 

Ingredients

85% Lean Ground Turkey 260 g 
Turkey Liver - 100 g 
Organic Sweet potatoes 160 g
Organic Kale - 60 g  
Organic carrots (raw)  - 60 g   
Organic Kelp Powder 2 tsp 
Bone Meal Powder 6 g
Egg shell Powder 3 g
Omega-3 Fish oil 2.6 g 
Cod Liver oil 1 tsp 
Kafka’s Organic Vitamin Mix 2 g 

Preparation Instructions

1) Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and boil with skin on for ~15 mins until soft. Puree when fully cooked. 
2) Sautee the ground turkey in batches on a flat pan or pot, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't form large chunks. Set aside to cool.
3) Sauté the turkey liver in batches on a flat pan. Set aside to cool.
5) Wash and peel the raw organic carrots and put into the food processor to dice into small chunks (the added crunch from raw carrots is great for keeping those teeth clean!) 
8) Weigh out all prepped ingredients according to the recipe and mix in a bowl. 
9) Package into 1 lb bags and freeze 

Kafka’s Organic Vitamin Blend Ingredients 

A blend of essential vitamins and minerals 

Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Garbanzo Beans, Choline Bitartrate, Taurine, Salt, Zinc Proteinate, Magnesium Oxide, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin B-12, Selenium, Niacin, Riboflavin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid

Make sure to add a supplement containing the above if feeding your pet this recipe long-term. Contact us if you can't find a suitable supplement and we'd be happy to advise

Homemade pet food is getting a buzz. Here are a couple of reasons why: 

Your pet’s dietary requirements aren’t being met by her regular food.

In many cases, a pet’s current food might not be meeting his/ her dietary requirements. This is often realized in the form of allergic reactions. Itchiness of the skin, coughing, sneezing, discharge from the eyes or nose, and vomiting or diarrhea are common pet allergy symptoms to watch for.

Some common inadequacies that processed pet food include (those that could be causing the allergies):

• Inadequate Vitamin D intake, resulting in poor calcium uptake
• Insufficient calcium intake, resulting in reduced bone stores
• Inadequate trace minerals, resulting in anemia, tendon issues, and poor skin or coat condition and exposure to environmental allergies
• Protein deficiency from consuming low quality dog food brands, resulting in muscle wasting, poor athletic performance, muscle atrophy, and in severe cases, heart failure (Note on DCM from grain free dog foods) 

It’s better for the planet.

The heavy processing of dried pet food not only impacts the digestibility of it in our furry friends’ stomachs, it also impacts the biodegradability of these ingredients and their waste products. The energy required for large scale processing and manufacturing can take its toll on the environment. When you’re not purchasing products from big chain retail stores, you’re instead supporting your local butcher, grocery store and community while consuming less waste (helloo, hefty big-box packaging!). Of course, home-cooked meals also means you’re not fueling the consumption and production of preservative filled products and promoting healthy eating habits.  

 

Some Vancouver money-saving tips to keep the cooking costs LOW in your pet’s homemade meals 

Home cooked dog–or cat food isn’t the cheapest feeding option, despite being the healthiest. Thankfully there are a few tactics to keep the costs lower.

• Spot the sales: Look for end of day sales on produce at your local grocer, and stock up when one hits. You can simmer down and freeze this produce for later use. Keep an eye on their flyer (if they have one), or just take note of the regular sale days.

• Stay seasonal: Pick extra veggies during their season and freeze, freeze, freeze! Despite some opinions, your produce doesn’t diminish significantly in nutritional value after freezing. But you might have to clear some extra space in your freezer!

• Get to know your local butcher: Get to know your local butcher and the cuts of meat they have at cheaper prices. They might be able to give you a heads up on bones and special promotions etc.  Some of our favourite Vancouver butchers? Columbus Meats, Windsor Quality Meats, Cioffi's

 

No handling concerns like with raw food 

Something to note: Since these recipes are cooked, you don’t have to be concerned about bacteria or salmonella, as you might in raw pet food. How do you prepare? Just defrost and dish out like you would your favorite pasta salad for yourself! 

Need some Kafka’s in a pinch? Visit our Vancouver based store to shop and get your fresh meals delivered to your door. Happy mealtimes furfriends! 

Shop fresh now! Don't know where to start? We can help out with our feeding calculator!