Yummy! This dog food recipe looks good enough to eat! In fact, I eat this beef stew for dogs and humans all the time! This is a safe and healthy recipe that is made with human-grade ingredients. The delicious aroma will entice even the pickiest eaters.
Homemade dog food takes longer to prepare than commercial diets, but its advantages easily outweigh the drawbacks. When making homemade dog food, you can use the best quality ingredients that you can afford, cater the meals to meet your dog's needs and avoid all of the artificial ingredients and chemicals found in commercial pet foods.
Cheap commercial dog foods can actually do more damage to your dog's health than good. Better nutrition is directly related to better health. Unfortunately, top quality commercial dog food comes with a very steep price tag.
You can save yourself some money and provide your dog with a high quality diet by making his food in your own kitchen. Oftentimes you can purchase fresh ingredients from your local farmer's market. You may even be able to use food that you grow in your own garden!
Slow Cooker Beef Stew for Dogs and Humans
The best part of making homemade dog food is that you can substitute ingredients if you'd like. If your dog is allergic to beef or just prefers a different meat, feel free to use something else instead. You could also substitute vegetables that are in season or dog-friendly veggies that you've grown in your garden.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew for Dogs and Humans
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 cups
- Category: Dog Food
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Dog Food
Ingredients
This beef stew recipe is healthy for dogs and a hearty meal for humans too! You can throw the ingredients in your slow cooker and the stew will be ready when you get home from work. You could also substitute chicken for the beef, and you've got two delicious recipes instead of one.
Instructions
- 1 lb. beef stew meat
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 1 cup green beans (chopped)
- 1 zucchini (chopped)
- 1 sweet potato (chopped)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1.5 cups water
Notes
I add the water and flour to my slow cooker first and whisk until well blended. Doing this makes for a thicker gravy when the stew is finished, but you can skip this step if you prefer a watery consistency.
After adding the water and flour (or just water), add all of the other ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Once the stew has cooled completely, you can feed it to your dog.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 59
- Sugar: .8 g
- Sodium: 19 mg
- Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
- Fiber: .6 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 1/2 cup of food for every 20-25 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.
How to store: You can store the leftover beef stew for dogs and humans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so it won't last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treats 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.
