Question about cooking veggies

[Jamie Ramsey]

So I don't have my bulldog yet (November eek!!) but have been doing a lot of research on food. I live on a small island in Mexico and quality dog food is impossible to come by. So I've decided to do home cooking (too squeamish for raw). In my massive amounts of research I've found some people grate veggies up and/or use a food processor. But I can't find anything about why. I've also seen some recipes where people just chop them up first.

So my question is - is one way better than the other? Is there a real reason to use a food processor for the veggies, or is it just to make things similar in size and texture? I don't mind spending forever using a hand grater (no food processor) if it is better for them. But if chopped up is fine, I rather save time and do that.

Any thoughts or tips would be great for this newbie! Thanks.


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[JAKEISGREAT]

I can't help..but I will tag [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]...hopefully she can!

 

[bullmama]

[MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION] is the super guru on veggies. I do not process mine, but I add them to the pot on the top in the last hour of cooking and let steam. Once they are steamed I will "chop them up" into smaller pieces in my final food. My food is 5 lbs hamburger, boiled and drained, 1 cup fresh beans and lentils, soaked and cooked and partially mashed up, a little bit of rice, pasta, potato but not too much, just about 10% of the dish, and about 3-4 cups of fresh frozen Normandy mix (brocolli, squash, cauliflower, peas, carrots), sometimes I add other veggies in my fridge like fresh bell pepper, tomatoes, spinach, and even lettuce! You don't want to over cook the veggies as it cooks the nutrients out (I learned that from [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION]), and giving them completely raw they don't digest as well. OMG my bullies love my homecooking, I make a batch every few days. But a whole batch only feeds them two meals. So sometimes it will be just a dinner, or also I will do half home cooked half Fromm. I do, however, always give a nuvet with their meal if they are getting home cooked.

 

[Twice]

So I don't have my bulldog yet (November eek!!) but have been doing a lot of research on food. I live on a small island in Mexico and quality dog food is impossible to come by. So I've decided to do home cooking (too squeamish for raw). In my massive amounts of research I've found some people grate veggies up and/or use a food processor. But I can't find anything about why. I've also seen some recipes where people just chop them up first.

So my question is - is one way better than the other? Is there a real reason to use a food processor for the veggies, or is it just to make things similar in size and texture? I don't mind spending forever using a hand grater (no food processor) if it is better for them. But if chopped up is fine, I rather save time and do that.

Any thoughts or tips would be great for this newbie! Thanks.


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Surrounding all vegetables is a layer of cellulose that the body cannot digest. We chew our food very well before swallowing so that layer is a non-issue for us. But most dogs inhale their food, sometimes barely chewing at all. In order for them to get the max benefit from the vegetables we are feeding them we have to give them a head start by breaking through that cellulose. The best, easiest way to do this is either by dipping them into boiling water for 45 seconds or freezing.

Whether or not you grate, chop or puree your veggies really comes down to personal choice. Whichever you find easiest

 

[KarenP]

[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] This is great. Compared to your Fromm food, what would it cost to feed them homecooked meals for a week? My dog food costs about $75 (canadian) for an xl bag. And it last us close to 6 weeks. Just wondering if it would be cost effective to intermix the two?
Thanks

 

[cali baker]

[MENTION=8750]KarenP[/MENTION], i homecook for my two boys and i did a very "rough" estimate the other day: about $10 for 5 days worth of homecooking but this is for two bullies. For this calculation, I used a combo of ground beef and ground turkey, a couple cans of beans, a bag of frozen green beans, a bag of carrots, and 5 cups of uncooked rice. I figured this is more economical for me when compared to the bag 25lb bag of NVI which costs in the $70 range and would not last the entire month if I fed both Tate and Finn the kibble.

 

[KarenP]

@KarenP, i homecook for my two boys and i did a very "rough" estimate the other day: about $10 for 5 days worth of homecooking but this is for two bullies. For this calculation, I used a combo of ground beef and ground turkey, a couple cans of beans, a bag of frozen green beans, a bag of carrots, and 5 cups of uncooked rice. I figured this is more economical for me when compared to the bag 25lb bag of NVI which costs in the $70 range and would not last the entire month if I fed both Tate and Finn the kibble.

Thanks! That's really economical- especially for 2 bullies! Do you feed about a cup each twice per day? I will have to start mixing in some home cooking - Mia will love it!

 

[cali baker]

Thanks! That's really economical- especially for 2 bullies! Do you feed about a cup each twice per day? I will have to start mixing in some home cooking - Mia will love it!

Yes, that's exactly the amount i give them--1 cup each twice a day I may throw in some extra veggies here and there and an egg sometimes too.