Five Homemade Wet Dog Food Recipes for Your Slow Feeder Bowl

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Generally, we don’t recommend trying to make your dog’s food at home. Commercially produced dog foods maintain the meticulous nutritional balances dogs need to thrive, and trying to accomplish this on your own can be difficult. However, some dogs have advanced allergies and nutritional sensitivities that may require you to make their food on your own. Or, you may simply find yourself in a pinch after running out of dog food at home.

Today, we’ll show you five homemade dog food recipes that combine nutritious foods and our own slow-feeder bowls to help slow your dog down at mealtime.

In this guide:

• What is a slow feeder bowl?
• Five homemade dog food recipes
• More snack recipes

What is a slow feeder bowl?

A slow feeder bowl, such as the one in our bowl set above, is a pet bowl specifically designed to decrease the pace at which dogs or cats eat. Typically, it features ridges, mazes, or other obstacles that force your pet to take smaller bites, rather than swallowing mouthfuls of whole kibble. Eating more slowly can help prevent issues like vomiting, choking, and bloat.

If you don’t have a slow feeder bowl yet, I highly recommend grabbing one. Aside from slowing down mealtime, you can also use these bowls to provide a mentally stimulating treat for pets, especially when you freeze them. This doesn’t just keep pets occupied; extended periods of licking also have a calming effect on cats and dogs, making these a great aid for anxious pets.

Today, we’re going to look at some homemade dog food recipes to add some nutrition to your dog’s daily diet.

Homemade dog food recipes

The recipes below can be used as a meal topper or as a snack. Some call for mixing the ingredients with kibble, but you may choose to omit this step if you plan to use these as treats. Also, be sure to divide each recipe into portion sizes appropriate for your dog’s calorie needs. This calorie calculator can be used to determine your dog’s daily calorie requirements.

Jump to recipe:

• Savory Liver & Veggie Feast
• Breakfast Munch
• Chicken & Sweet Potato Crunch Bowl
• Fruity yogurt bowl
• Garden Crunch Bowl

Savory Liver & Veggie Feast

Your dog is going to love this! My picky boy ran into the kitchen as soon as the liver hit the frying pan. Liver is among the most nutrient-rich foods available, packed with high levels of iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and copper. If you can’t find liver in the refrigerated meat section, it could be with the frozen meat. Also, ask the store’s butcher if they have any liver meat or other organ meat available.

Note: When a recipe calls for bone broth, look for a dog-safe broth made without onions and garlic. You can find this at most pet stores, or check out our recipe for bone broth for dogs.

Ingredients:

• 1 calf liver
• ¼ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 large carrot
• ½ apple
• ½ can low or no sodium kidney beans
• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• About ¼ to ½ cup dog-safe bone broth or water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Spread coconut flakes on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake until toasty brown, about 5 minutes. 
3. Set aside the coconut in a small bowl. Increase the oven temperature to 425ºF. 
4. While the oven is heating, rinse, peel, and dice the sweet potatoes, carrot, and apple. Toss the diced pieces in a small amount of olive oil to maintain moisture.
5. Spread the diced vegetables and apple pieces on the same parchment-lined pan and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender inside.
6. Rinse the kidney beans thoroughly and drain.
7. Heat a frying pan to medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and liver to the pan. Cook on each side for about 3 to 4 min or until just brown. Transfer cooked liver to a cutting board and slice into large pieces.
8. Place the liver, coconut, beans, veggies, and apple into a food processor and pulse to combine. Drizzle in the coconut oil and add the spices and pulse until combined. Add the bone broth or water one splash at a time until the mixture sticks together.
9. Use the calorie information below to divide the mixture into portions suitable for your dog.
10. Using a spatula or spoon, smear the ingredients across the slow feeder bowl, pushing it down into the grooves. You can serve it immediately or freeze it until firm to make it last longer. Refrigerate unused portions.

Calories:

• 1 calf liver = around 140 calories
• ¼ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut = 140 calories
• 1 sweet potato = 160 calories
• 1 large carrot = 30 calories
• ½ apple = 48 calories
• ½ can low-sodium kidney beans = 185 calories
• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil = 117 calories
  
  This recipe contains 820 calories.

Breakfast Munch

This recipe is versatile. You can mix it with your dog’s kibble as a meal supplement or skip the kibble and offer it as a snack between mealtimes.

Ingredients:

• ½ to ¾ of your dog’s normal kibble serving
• 1 egg
• ½ cup bell pepper, diced

Instructions:

1. Dice bell pepper into pieces small enough to fit into the grooves of your slow feeder bowl. 
2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, and sauté the chopped pepper. Meanwhile, scramble the egg in a small bowl.
3. Once the pepper has softened, add the scrambled egg mixture. Using a silicone spatula, stir frequently and cook until firm.
4. Break the cooked egg mixture into small pieces and add the kibble. Stir to combine.
5. Spoon the appropriate amount of the mixture for your dog into the slow feeder bowl and push it down into the grooves with the back of the spoon.
6. Serve.

Calories: 

• 1 egg = 72 calories
• ½ cup green bell pepper = 15 calories
  
  The egg and pepper add about 87 calories to your dog’s kibble.

Chicken & Sweet Potato Crunch Bowl

Served as a food topper, this chicken and sweet potato bowl will make mealtime exciting for your pup! To serve this as a treat, omit the kibble and reduce the amount of chicken and potato.

Ingredients:

• ½ to ¾ of your dog’s normal kibble serving
• 1 Chicken breast, unseasoned
• 1 Sweet potato

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place chicken in an oven-safe pan or casserole dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes. 
3. While the chicken is baking, dice the sweet potato into small enough pieces that they fit in the slow feeder’s grooves. Place the diced sweet potato on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat.
4. Add sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender inside when pierced with a fork.
5. Check the chicken breast for doneness. It should just reach 165 degrees in the center. 
6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, slice or shred the chicken into pieces small enough to fit into the grooves of the slow feeder.
7. Combine the cooled chicken, sweet potato, and kibble. Add to the slow feeder bowl and serve.

Calories:
1 sweet potato = approx. 100 calories
1 chicken breast = approx. 284 calories

The sweet potato and chicken will add about 384 calories to your dog’s kibble. Portion accordingly.

Fruity yogurt bowl

Want to offer your dog a sweet treat but skip the processed sugar? Use this recipe as a delicious snack or meal topper. Freezing this treat inside your slow-feeder bowl will make it last longer on a warm day! Note that the fruits included below are all safe for dogs. Do NOT substitute just any fruit, as some (like grapes) are dangerous for dogs.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup blueberries
• ¼ cup banana
• ¼ cup strawberries 
• Kibble or training treats (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Layer some yogurt on the bottom of the slow feeder bowl.
2. Dice strawberries, bananas, and large blueberries into small pieces that fit into the grooves of the slow feeder bowl. 
3. Toss with kibble or treats, if using, and place a portioned amount into the slow feeder bowl on top of the yogurt. Push the pieces down into the grooves.
4. Freeze the snack for 2 to 3 hours to create a challenging engagement treat, or serve immediately.

Calories:

• ½ cup yogurt = 112 calories (Chobani Whole Milk Plain Greek Yogurt)
• ¼ cup blueberries = 20 calories
• ¼ cup banana = 33 calories
• ¼ cup strawberries = 15 calories
  
  This snack provides about 180 calories before kibble or training treats are added.

Garden Crunch Bowl

Add whole food to your dog’s diet with this veggie meal supplement. Bone broth adds flavor and essential nutrients like chondroitin and glucosamine, which are key amino acids that assist in reducing inflammation in the body.

Ingredients:

• ¾ of your dog’s normal kibble serving
• 1 cup of your dog’s favorite veggies: carrots, green beans, and peas
• Bone broth, optional

Instructions: 

1. Dice the carrot and green beans into small pieces that fit into the slow-feeder. 
2. Steam the veggies until tender or use raw, if preferred.
3. Mix with kibble.
4. Place cooled food in the slow feeder and pour bone broth over the top if using. Serve!

Calories: 

• 1 cup of carrots, green beans, and peas = 70 calories
• ½ cup bone broth = 19 calories
  
  This snack supplies approximately 89 calories before the kibble.

More snack recipes!

In addition to the recipes above, we’ve got peanut butter slow-feeder recipes, Kong stuffing recipes, and frozen enrichment bowl recipes for you to try.