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Why Are Pet Parents Switching to Refrigerated Dog Food?
written by Freshpet
Many pet parents have made the decision to switch from dry or canned food to refrigerated dog food options. As a result, refrigerated dog foods, such as the offerings we provide at Freshpet, have taken off in recent years, giving pet parents a wide range of options for their furry friends. Pet parents who primarily purchase dry kibble and do not have much knowledge about the refrigerated, fresh dog food space may wonder what sets refrigerated dog food apart from other offerings. After all, there is such a wide selection of different types of dog food out there, and pet parents want to choose ones that best cover the various needs of their pets.
Here, Freshpet provides a brief overview of why so many pet parents have decided to make the switch.
Health and Nutrition Benefits
As pet parents, we truly care about the health and wellbeing of our dogs. We do not want to feed them food options that may harm them later down the road. A huge reason for the influx in pet parents switching to refrigerated dog food is the list of its health benefits for our furry friends. Refrigerated dog food can help provide healthier skin and coat, better digestion, weight management, allergy relief, and help your dog maintain high energy levels well into their golden years.
At Freshpet, we acknowledge that our cooking process plays an important role in upholding our recipes’ various health and nutrition benefits. Our recipes are formulated using ingredients that are gently steam cooked in a process that is similar to home-cooking. This helps maintain high bioavailability of essential nutrients — meaning our pets have an easier time absorbing them. This is in contrast to kibble, where the high heats utilized in processing alter the vitamins and minerals within the ingredients.
No Artificial Preservatives
One of the reasons why kibble and canned food options can stay shelf stable for so long is because their recipes include additives and fillers that prolong their shelf life. In recent years, many pet parents have taken a stand against products that utilize artificial preservatives because they can be harmful after prolonged consumption. Commonly used examples are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), which is a potential carcinogen and ethoxyquin, a preservative that is also used as a pesticide and hardening agent. As a fresh product, refrigerated dog food is attractive to pet parents because they contain no artificial preservatives in addition to being less processed than other options. This means that they can feed it to their dogs while resting assured that they are properly prioritizing their continued health.
Simple Lists of Ingredients
Freshpet commonly speaks to how pet parents have shown a renewed interest in reading pet food labels. This active step helps to ensure that all the ingredients within selected recipes are working towards the continued health of our furry friends. In some cases, there may be protein sources or additional ingredients we wish to avoid because they do not agree with our dogs. A benefit of refrigerated dog food is that the ingredients are clearly labeled, and pet parents can easily read the list of natural ingredients used within their recipes. The last thing that a pet parent wants to do is play guessing games with the ingredients that are in their dogs’ food. Clear, simple labeling is a great way to ensure that pets are only getting the best.
Pet Approved
There are many factors that can make a dog food stand out among other brands and products, with taste being a big one. No one wants to feed their dog a food that they do not seem to enjoy. Because refrigerated fresh pet food options are cooked just enough so that they are close to their natural state, the taste of the ingredients remains recognizable to our pets. For this reason, refrigerated dog food is a great option for picky eaters that may not be interested in certain kibbles or canned options. After all, certain cooking methods, additives, fillers, and other components that may be in some pet foods can have an impact on both quality and taste. When ingredients are carefully selected and treated with care throughout the cooking process, the end result is a delicious dog food that pets can’t get enough of.
Positive Testimonials
In today’s landscape, reviews and testimonials can be a very helpful way to assess something’s quality. Pet parents regularly look to pet food reviews before making a switch because they recognize that others are just as interested in providing the best foods possible for their furry friends. A large reason for refrigerated dog food’s boost in popularity in recent years is because of the warm reception it has received from the pet parent community. Reviews and testimonials speak to how fresh products have had a recognizable impact on the health of pets and attest to how even the pickiest of eaters can find the right match. At Freshpet, we look at reviews as a valuable tool to assess our products, similar to how pet parents use them to evaluate whether our recipes will be the best fit.
Thinking About Making the Switch?
Those who are still feeding their dogs canned food or kibble may be interested in making the switch like many others have. If this is the case, it is always a good idea to speak with your vet before making a huge change to your pet’s diet. Your vet can assess your current choice while helping you plan to integrate a new recipe into their diet. Remember, dogs have sensitive stomachs, so you will want to introduce new foods gradually!
