How To Store Your Pet Food?

Do you want to know how to store your pet food to reduce the loss of nutrition? ( For more info on pet care – www.thepetfreak.com ).

Proper pet food storage is not only a cost-effective option, but it also ensures your pet’s health.

If you buy a lot of pet food and then struggle to store it, or if you’re tired of cooking pet meals every day, this is your guide. Animals eat a variety of foods, but their storage and maintenance are similar. Continue reading to learn more.

Pick The Right Food

Before we talk about pet food storage, we must touch upon the appropriate food for your pet. Pet food companies that advertise themselves as organic and high in nutritional value may lead you to believe that their food is ideal for your pet. Always check the nutritional value and calories of any canned food before purchasing it, especially if your pet is one from the exotic dog breeds.

So how do you store your dog food? Avoid purchasing large amounts of pet food. Choosing larger packets over smaller ones may appear to be a good deal in terms of price, but it is useless if you cannot store them properly. It’s also too much to cram into your pantries, which are already overflowing with a thousand other things.

You should buy pet food for a maximum of 30 days. Anything exceeding that is not beneficial in the long run. Once you set a feeding schedule for your pet, you will find it easy to estimate the quantity of food you will need for a month. Wondering how to set a feeding schedule for dog? Set fixed feeding times, fix a feeding spot, pick up your pet’s food bowls after it eats, and set a fixed amount of food for every meal.

Tip: It is not advisable to store poultry-based food for not more than two weeks or ten days. After two weeks, the food quality not only begins to deteriorate but also turns rancid.

Pick the Right Container

Where should pet food be stored? While plastic is the most popular and economic choice for pet food storage across America, it is certainly not the healthiest. Certain plastics contain harmful chemicals that mix with the odor of your pet food rendering it harmful. During high-temperature days, plastic tends to melt in tiny quantities, invisible to the naked eye, but it has a long-term effect on your pet food.

Stainless steel containers or wooden containers are a better storage option. They not only last longer but are also a safer and environment-friendly choice. This is especially advisable while storing kibble.

Tip: Storing the food in the food packet helps keep information like the nutritional value, date of manufacture, and expiry intact. It helps to keep in check the food quality and life.

Maintain Hygiene

Keeping the pantry, the food bowls and the containers clean is important. Regularly washing your storage containers prevents the formation of bacteria that is harmful to pet food. After washing, leave the containers to dry in the sun. Sunrays naturally eliminate any breeding bacteria. 

Ensure you keep your pantries or cupboards clean. These enclosed spaces are prone to developing humidity, which damages pet food. Lack of regular cleaning also promotes breeding grounds for insects and pests.

ALSO READ: Pet Care And Pet Food – Try To Strike The Right Balance

Tips to Prevent Pet Food from Getting Spoilt

Do you find that despite purchasing a limited quantity of high-quality food, it becomes soggy and stinky after a few days? If that’s the case, here are some life-saving tips for better pet food storage.

• Use clean, washed hands to handle dog food.
• Never put used spoons inside food packets.
• Store fresh pet food separately from old and spoiled food.
• To avoid moisture, keep dry pet food in a clean and dry location.
• Shift to air tight containers to avoid moisture and bacteria growth.
• Keep a check on the expiry date of your pet food.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not rely on the pet stores and always check the expiry dates yourself. Salespersons at the store may neglect checking the expiry date of many packets. They may also try to profit by selling these packets instead of discarding them.
• Brands are designed to advertise themselves as being the healthiest and the best. Do your research before buying from any brand.
• Keep the pet food away from pets. They might tamper or rip open the food packets exposing them to air.
• If your pet food contains food coloring, look for FDA certification to ensure safety. This certification or stamp ensures that all the food coloring used is 100% safe and consumable.
• Try to invest in good quality pet food. Higher quality means a higher price. But it also means higher shelf life, higher nutritional value, and better health for your pet.

ALSO READ: Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting a New Pet

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Soak My Pet’s Dry Food?

Soaking dry pet food is beneficial for a variety of reasons, including keeping your pet hydrated, making it easier for younger pets to chew, and aiding digestion in pets with digestive issues. When soaking the pet food, make sure not to soak it for too long or it will ferment.

What Happens If My Pet Eats Spoilt Food?

In pets, eating spoiled food can cause stomach upset and, in most cases, food poisoning in the same way that it does in humans. Your pet may experience loss of appetite, bowel disturbances, and vomiting.

How Long Can You Store Pet Food?

Unopened dry pet foods typically have a shelf life of 12 to18 months, whereas unopened canned foods have a two-year shelf life from the date of manufacture.

Does Dry Dog Food Go Bad After Opening? 

When the container is opened and air and moisture enter, dog food can begin to degrade.

Is It Ok To Store Dog Food In A Plastic Container? 

While plastic containers appear to be a long-lasting and dependable option, the reality is quite different. Plastic containers contain tiny pores that trap air. When you store your dog’s food in these plastic containers, the trapped air causes the fatty acids to go rancid, causing the food to spoil.

Which Items To Freeze And What Not?

While freezers are meant to keep the food fresh for longer, they are not suitable for all kinds of food items. Poultry-based food items are suitable for freezer storage, but keeping an opened packet of kibble in your freezer is not ideal. Freezing kibble develops moisture and contaminates the quality. So, understanding which pet food is freezable is helpful to preserve its nutritional value.

We hope this article helped you understand how to store dog food. You go to great lengths to get your pet the right food, so follow these simple tips and your pet food will retain its nutrients for a long time.