What Are Fresh Food Toppers and How They Can Level Up Your Meals?
Fresh Food Toppers are a great way to add extra nutrition (and flavor!) to your pet's bowl. Choosing meal boosters that you probably already have in your kitchen can provide essential vitamins and minerals to keep your pet healthy.
Providing fresh food add ins also helps make mealtime more enjoyable for your pet by adding variety and texture to their meals. Learn more about the benefits of using Fresh Food Toppers for your pets and explore some nutritious options that you can start today!
7 Delicious & Nutritious Fresh Food Topper Combinations That Will Make Your Pup Drool
If you’re looking for ways to make your pup’s meals more nutritious and delicious, then look no further than these 7 health-boosting toppings!
Adding a few of these easy meal toppers will not only make your pup drool, but also provide them with essential vitamins and minerals and give any meal a nutrition boost!
Add-ins like raw eggs, salmon, kefir, & organ meats can create delicious food combinations that are sure to be a hit with your pup. They are nutritious meal enhancers and can help boost their overall health, especially if they currently eat a processed food, like kibble. If you want your pup to be happy and healthy, try out these 7 fresh food topper ideas that will make their meals extra special!
My Go-To Food Toppers
🥚crack an EGG on top of the food!
100% bioavailable goodness! Try chicken, duck, or quail eggs (farm fresh & unwashed? Feed the shell too!)! You can lightly cook or boil if you're more comfortable, but leave it runny to maintain more of the nutrients!
more EGG benefits:
Full of protein and amino acids. A great source of vitamin E for skin, heart, and immune health and other important vitamins like A, D, and B complex. Also has antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, selenium, and zinc!
🐟 toss in some SEAFOOD
Options like anchovy, capelin, salmon, sardines, mussels, or smelt, for added omega-3 fatty acids to combat inflammation. You can feed raw, but make sure you freeze it for at least 3 weeks. Canned works too - look for packed in water (no oils or salt added), or air dried!
more SEAFOOD benefits:
small oily fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory, good for the brain, joint health, kidney health, skin & eye health, and kidney function! They are also a great source of protein, rich in calcium, and selenium, niacin!
🥛add a splash of RAW KEFIR or GOAT MILK!
Full of beneficial probiotics for gut health and other valuable vitamins. I’m a big fan of Answers Pet Food fermented goat milk. You can also use a dehydrated version for more convenience and just rehydrate at each meal.
RAW GOAT MILK & KEFIR benefits:
raw goat milk: has fat soluble vitamins A, D, & K2, healthy fats (omega-3s and MCT) to aid with allergies, full of probiotics and digestive enzymes makes it great for gut health...and more!
kefir: also great for gut health and boosting the immune system!
🥦🥕 purée some VEGGIES and add a spoonful!
Spinach, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and carrots are some good examples. Pureeing, steaming, or gently cooking them will help your pup digest and utilize the vitamins packed inside the veggies more efficiently. You can also try fermenting for added benefits! *no onion*
more VEGGIE benefits:
Each veggie will have their own benefit, but to name a few, brussels sprouts have been found to work against certain cancers and are high in good gut-building fiber and other beneficial vitamins. Cucumbers provide vitamins C and K, antioxidants, and pectin that benefits the microbiome. Spinach has anti-inflammatory properties and boosts heart health with the high vitamin K content.
🦴 re-hydrate or add some extra moisture with BONE BROTH
For adding extra joint support, boosting the immune system, and aiding the digestive system. Make your own with this recipe or add water to this version then top the food!
more BONE BROTH benefits:
Improves digestion, helps with "leaky gut," reduces inflammation, helps with joint pain, strengthens bones, tendons & ligaments, boosts the immune system and brain function...and more!
🐮🐷incorporate ORGAN & MUSCLE MEATS
organ meats are nutrient dense and include kidney, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Many over-processed foods like kibble are lacking in bioavailable nutrients so organ toppers either fresh or air dried will most definitely boost your dog's bowl.
muscle meats include options like: chicken/duck heart, green tripe, turkey gizzard, and turkey breast. They can be added as toppers or even fed as treats! These can also be fed fresh (not cooked) or air dried!
more ORGAN meat benefits:
They contain valuable nutrients like phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, and iodine, as well as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, & K and omega-3s. They are also high in B-complex vitamins. A little goes a long way with these nutrient-dense meats so you don't need a lot.
more MUSCLE meat benefits:
🍄 top with some MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS as potent superfoods!
These include Shitake, Cordyceps, Lion's Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Maitake, and Turkey Tail. You can chop them up fresh, incorporate in your homemade bone broth, or find a dehydrated version like this one.
more MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS benefits:
These superfoods contain high levels of vitamins: D, B, C, and E and are amazing immune boosters. Research is showing that they may help to prevent cancer, boost the immune system, and support digestive health...and more!
Must-Try Creative Ways to Use Fresh Food Toppers and Get the Most Out of Your Bowls
Mealtime is not only an opportunity to satisfy your pet's hunger and provide them the essential nutrients they need to thrive, but it is also an opportunity to provide mental stimulation; it can be a fun, creative endeavor!
With the right ingredients, tools, and a bit of imagination, you can create meals that are both nutritious and a chance to give your pet some much needed mental stimulation. From stuffed Kongs or beef/lamb tracheas to lick mats, to using pig/cow ears as edible plates, these creative "bowl" topper ideas will help you get the most out of your mealtime creations.
Here is a blog post I wrote that has various mealtime serving options that you can use as plates, puzzles, and other creative meal time feeders. Try freezing the meals overnight to make your pup work a little extra hard - you'll get a few extra minutes to sip your coffee in peace in the AM too ;)
Not only will they aid in the longevity of your pet's health, but they can also provide mental stimulation for your pet which is also super important for overall well-being.
Get creative with these unique food creations and watch your pet enjoy it too!
Other Tips & Tricks When Adding Meal Toppers to Your Pet's Bowl
Meal toppers are a great way to add variety and interest to your pet's diet. They can also help you provide extra nutrition and vitamins that may be missing from your pet's regular food.
Here are a few key tips and tricks to keep in mind, especially if you are new to adding fresh foods to their bowl!
It is important to start slow when adding meal toppers, as too much of a change at once can upset your pet's stomach or cause digestive issues.
It is best to introduce one new meal topper at a time, and pick no more than 2-3 for each meal to start. Once you know that your pet does okay with a variety of toppers, you can feel more confident in adding more if you choose. You'll want to keep the additions to about 10% of your pet's diet.
And as a reminder, poops may change when introducing new foods into the diet; for example if you've added carrots to meal then your pup's poop may be orange. This article by Feed Real is a great resource on how to become a Poop Inspector.
If you are interesting in watching the Instagram LIVE that I did on this topic, you can watch the replay here!
Lastly share your pup's fresh food topped bowl with us!
Head over to @TheBalancedCompanion on Instagram and Facebook and show off the bowl!
References
Canine Care. “What Can I Add to My Dog’s Kibble or Dog Food Bowl to Make It Better and More Nutritious.” Canine Care, canine.care/nutrition/what-can-i-add-to-my-dogs-kibble-or-dog-food-bowl-to-make-it-better-and-more-nutritious-. Accessed 14 June 2023.
Habib, Rodney, and Karen Shaw Becker. The Forever Dog, Harper Collins, New York, NY, 2021, pp. 218–220.
Kangas, Katie. “9 Healthy Foods for Dogs.” Dogs Naturally, 11 Dec. 2021, www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/healthy-foods-for-dogs/.
DISCLAIMER:
The information offered by The Balanced Companion is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace regular veterinary care. I strongly encourage you to seek the professional advice of a holistic veterinarian that supports your efforts to incorporate species appropriate nutrition and holistic lifestyle choices into your pet’s life. To locate a holistic integrative vet, please visit www.ahvma.org or ask me for a referral.
This blog post contains affiliate links for purchases of products on Amazon that I may receive commission for. Thank you for your support.
Comments