Homemade dog food is a wonderful alternative to commercial diets when you do it properly. These homemade turkey meatballs will not provide balanced nutrition for every dog, so be sure to check with your veterinarian before serving these to your pup.
If not done properly, homemade dog food diets can actually do more harm than good. Too many nutrients can cause toxicity over time, and a nutritional deficiency could leave Fido with an irreversible health problem.
In order to meet your dog's needs you may need to add additional supplements or substitute some of the ingredients for a more nutrient dense option.
Homemade Turkey Meatballs for Dogs Recipe
Making your dog's meals is the best way to provide high quality nutrition on a budget. You can cater the meals to your dog's individual needs, and you can use the healthiest ingredients available.
Like most other dog food recipes, you can substitute a different protein source if your dog doesn't like turkey. If your pet is sensitive to common protein sources, you could use venison, bison, or rabbit instead.
PrintRecipe: Homemade Turkey Meatballs for Dogs
Turkey is rich in nutrients like protein, riboflavin and phosphorous. It is a lean, white meat that helps dogs build muscle and maintain a healthy body weight. It is also a highly digestible protein source.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 36 meatballs 1x
- Category: Baked food
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dog Food
Ingredients
- 1 pound leftover turkey (de-skinned and de-boned)
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp. plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 cup mixed dog-friendly veggies
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400º F.
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until well-combined with no big clumps.
You can roll the dough into 1″ balls or use an ice cream scoop, like I do in my video guide above. Place the meatballs on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes. They are done when the meatballs start to turn golden brown around the edges.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 31
- Sugar: .2 g
- Sodium: 14 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.1 g
- Fiber: .2 g
- Protein: 4.2 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 1/2 cup of food (about 3 meatballs) for every 20 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day.
This is just a guideline.
Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many. It is extremely important to consult your veterinarian about the best serving size for your dog.
You can also use these homemade turkey meatballs as food toppers. Crumble up one meatball and sprinkle it over your dog's daily meals. Be sure to cut back your pet's food portion to compensate for the added calories.
How to store: You can store the leftover turkey meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days/ You can also freeze them, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives so that it won't last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treat recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you're new to home-cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
