Recipes for homemade snacks for pets

Superfoods which are safe for your pet

Our pets love snacks, those treats and rewards that we give them with any excuse because we know they make them happy. And as these snacks form part of their daily diet, it is important they are healthy.

Luckily, we can find healthy foods for dogs and cats in the supermarket. You don’t have to go far: your local Consum store will have simple human foods that you might even have at home that your pet will love.

Here are some foods which are recommended for your dog and which can be found in your local supermarket: natural kefir, raw chicken feet (previously frozen), carrot, banana, apple, sardines in oil, cooked chicken gizzards...

And if you are looking for a "top 10” for your dog, ask your butcher for a meaty cow knee bone for them. You will never have seen them so happy.

Some simple snack ideas for your cat are sardines in oil, diced salmon, apple, boiled eggs, or cubes of fresh goat cheese.

Benefits of natural snacks over processed snacks

Not only are homemade snacks delicious, they also provide our pets with important nutrients.

It is important to consider that these snacks must be considered in our pet's daily food consumption to stop them gaining weight.

For example, bone broth gummies are a source of collagen and strengthen their immune system, kefir is a natural probiotic, fruit provides nutrients and hydration, and sardines and salmon promote muscle growth due to their protein content and are a source of omega-3 fatty acids.

There is no doubt that a natural food will always be healthier and more balanced for our pets.

Easy and healthy homemade snack ideas for your pets

You can make delicious, easy to prepare homemade snacks that cats and dogs will love.

Here are some recipes:

• Bone broth gummies: place some chicken carcasses, several beef bones, a pig's trotter, and a tray of chicken feet in a pan of water. Put the pan on a high heat without a lid and, when it boils, skim off the foam, add a splash of apple cider vinegar, cover the pot with a lid with holes and simmer for 8 to 12 hours. After this time, strain the broth and fill silicone moulds to make treats of whatever size you want. Leave to cool in the fridge.

• Dehydrated liver: place the desired amount of chicken liver on the oven tray, at very low temperature, for a considerable amount of time. Monitor the oven until the liver is dry.
• Courgette and gizzard purée: place chopped courgette and chicken gizzards in the food processor. Place the mixture in their favourite interactive toy.
• Crispy gizzards: put a tray of chicken gizzards in the air fryer at 180 degrees, for 15 minutes. Open the fryer, stir the gizzards and put them in for another 10 minutes at 200 degrees.

Foods to avoid in your pet’s diet

Foods we should avoid with our pets are those that are toxic to them, such as tomatoes, nuts, avocados, chocolate, or grapes and raisins.