Creative & Inexpensive Ways to Feed Your Pet in the Current Economy

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached us earlier this year, we were all nervous, but still optimistic that we would soon find everything back to “normal.” As much as it pains us to now understand how seriously our country has been impacted, we have to do everything we can to face reality. It’s not easy, but Homescape Pets wants you to know you aren’t alone. 

While your pets have probably been over the moon to spend all this extra time with you, we know that the current economy might affect them, too. Whether it’s because of a job loss, furlough, a cut in hours, or supply shortages, pet foods and products might not be as available for your furry friends as they used to be. As pet parents, we know you want only the best of the best for your fur-babies, but sometimes life requires you to make adjustments.

How can you do that, and still make sure your pet is getting everything she or he needs for a healthy diet? Well, we love the all-natural life, and we’re ready to talk all about it! We also love getting creative, so check out these inexpensive and healthy ways to feed your pet:

Raw & Fresh Foods

There are so many benefits to a raw and fresh diet for dogs! Current economy or not, a lot of pet parents are being swayed in the direction of feeding raw for good reasons. One of those reasons is that kibble tends to be low in nutrients and poses other health problems to your pets, like allergens.

Still, we know that raw diets aren’t that cut and dry (& not the cheapest). It takes time, research, and, yes, money, to execute a 100% raw diet successfully. However, there are ways to incorporate even a bit of raw and fresh food in your pet’s diet that won’t break the bank and in fact, will even save you money. 

Don’t know where to start? Check out our other blog post on raw food benefits and how to transition!

Food You Already Have Around the House

Who says your dog can’t enjoy his human’s food!? Well, a lot of people actually, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a great number of human foods that are not only safe for him but healthy. In fact, we’d even encourage you to feed your pup scraps from your meals… as long as those scraps are safe for him (and not directly from the table to discourage begging). Supplementing his diet with your leftovers is a great way to make sure none of your food is going to waste. It’s also especially helpful if you have to keep your dog on an all-kibble diet during this time.

We’ve got a whole list of foods that are healthy for your pet that may already be in your fridge. And, we’ve also listed out some of the foods you may want to avoid, especially now that you’re home all the time and most likely snacking away the hours yourself! Some of the human foods that are good for your pup include carrots, green beans, peanut butter, and even watermelon (perfect for summer!). Check out the rest of our list here.

Bone Broth

While you shouldn’t use bone broth alone to replace any meals, bone broth is an excellent complement to your pup’s diet, especially if he’s seeing a little less in his food bowls these days (or you have to go with cheaper, less nutritious food). Not only is bone broth an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, but dogs also love it! 

Making a bone broth might do you some good, too. If you have some extra time to get creative in the kitchen, you can make sure none of your human food is going to waste by utilizing the bones you have left over from your human meals and recipes.

There are just about a million recipes on the Internet for a good doggy bone broth, but here are some of our tips:

• Use bones with lots of joints, like chicken feet, to give your broth healthy and joint protecting gelatin
• Get creative by adding medicinal mushrooms that are also good for your dog, and any other herbs and vegetables that you know he loves
• Be extra careful when straining, especially if you’ve used any chicken bones. Shreds of bone or small bones are choking hazards!

Everything we do at Homescape Pets is done with your fur-babies’ best interests in mind. But we want you to know that we’re always thinking of the humans who care for them, too. For more help during these challenging times, check out our human-related recipes in our recent blog, Easy Tips for Keeping Your Household Healthy During COVID-19. 

What’s it been like for you and your pets this year? We love to connect and hear your stories, share important and helpful information, and make sure we’re all doing the best we can to keep our communities (and animals) safe. Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram and let us hear from you!

And PS, if you’re looking for a wonderful and inexpensive way to get your hands on quality treats for your pup, check out our new line of dog chews here. Each chew is a single-ingredient protein and slow air-dried to maintain the much-needed nutrients your pup needs for strong joints, clean teeth, and overall healthy pets! That’s how we do it here at Homescape Pets!