How Do I Keep Wet Dog Food Fresh
Opened cans of the best wet dog food can be stored in the fridge for up to three days, providing its tightly closed. This is because the nutrients will start to decay quickly once opened, since there are less preservatives than dry food. If its left out at room temperature, exposed to air or moisture, it can quickly degrade. So its recommended to dispose of it after two hours to avoid bacteria growth. Whats more, if youre concerned about food wastage, its always best to buy smaller bags or portions of dog food.
Storing Natural Dog Food
And if youve purchased natural dog food, does that make a difference?
We interviewed Dr. Marcie Campion, a pet nutritionist and scientific relations manager for Iams/P& G Pet Care, about the best way to store your large sacks of natural dog food without artificial preservatives. We wondered if this impacted the storage of large bags of the food.
Natural dog foods are preserved with natural preservatives, in this case, vitamin E, rosemary, and citric acid, said Dr. Campion. When you put that combination together, that is the preservative we use in Iams Naturals. Our products have a 16-month shelf life so you have plenty of time.
You can store it like a traditional dog food but, like with any of your food products, you want to keep it in a cool place. Typically room temperature is what we think about because if you have it in a hot, humid place, the preservative wont be as effective long term. Its like any other foodstuff, human or pet: you want to make sure you store it in a cool, dry place.
You dont have to worry about putting the package in a dark place if its stored in the bag. However, according to Dr. Campion, a lot of times we find our consumers opening up the package and putting it into something else thats resealable like Tupperware or something like that. If your Tupperware container is clear, you wouldnt want to leave that sitting in the window in sunlight.
Store Food In Sealed Containers
Always store your dogs dry food in an airtight metal, glass or plastic container. We prefer to keep food in the original bag, folded closed inside the bin because it helps protect food that has a fat barrier. Using an airtight container locks in freshness, keeps out pests and protects against food bandits like your hungry pooch or other pets. Keep your bin in a cool, dry place and off the ground to help prevent mold.
Store opened cans of wet dog food in the fridge. The best way to keep them moist and stop odor from transferring to other food is to use a plastic pet food lid designed to fit the top of the can. If you dont have one of those, you can use plastic wrap or a zip-seal bag, but those dont trap odors as well as a lid.
Also Check: Is Iams Dog Food Grain Free
Safe Storing Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food needs to be safe from:
- air
- rodents
- ants and other insects
With these criteria in mind, your first step is to choose WHERE you want to store the dog food.
While the garage may come to mind first, its rarely the best place to store dog food because of potential heat problems and the greater likelihood of ants and insect infestation.
Inside your home is the best place to store dog food. Climate controlled areas are the best for keeping your pet food cool to avoid rancid dog food.
Youll need to select an area thats up off the floor in case of a broken water heater or other minor flood in your home. Pantry shelves can be an excellent option.
Storing Our Freshpet Rolls:
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Oxo Storage Pet Food Container
Single-button container
This button-based storage container is easy to open with a single press, plus it comes in a variety of sizes while managing to be space efficient.
About: The OXO Pet Food Storage POP Container comes in seven sizes ranging from 1.1 quarts to 5.8 quarts, which is ideal for holding 16 ounces of dog food up to 6.5 pounds. This container can also be used for other pet foods, as well as human food!
Features: The OXO Dog Food Container is easily opened by pressing the button on the top, and is just as easily sealed by pushing the button again. The wide opening makes it easy to reach in and scoop out food, while the rounded edges provide a convenient way to pour out the food into bowls.
Stackable and space efficient, the lid even comes apart for easy cleaning purposes!
PROS
Users love the design and state that this container is easy to use and lasts a long time.
CONS
Some users were not happy with the quality of the seal, and reported that the containers held less than was advertised.
Some Interesting Tips To Keep Our Friends Food Fresh
- It is important to get enough food for two weeks, a month at most, but no more.
- As we do with the food for the human members of our family, we have to check the expiration date of the food we buy for our pet.
- Once bought, when its time to store it, we should conserve the food as long as possible in the same box. When we´ve opened the pack we should close it as best we can to prevent it from coming into contact with the environment.
- If possible, we should place the box that has already been opened and closed manually in a container that has an airtight seal. And in turn, we should put this container in a cool and dry place following the manufacturers instructions to keep it fresh.
- Its essential to protect these products from solar rays that could accelerate their deterioration.
- When its time for feeding, there are bowls that help slower ingestion for the dog, reducing risks of indigestion and obesity.
Read Also: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Ingredients
The Effects Of Rancid Fats In Kibble
As fats in kibble turn rancid, the nutritional value decreases. If your dog continues to eat this food, his tummy may get full, but he wont get the nourishment you had intended. Rancid fats reduce the protein content, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in kibble.
Additionally, long-term consumption of rancid fats can make your dog sick. Theyve been known to cause gastric upset, diarrhea, kidney and liver disease, and even cancer.
Stale Chips Are A Bummer So Why Expect Your Dogs To Like Stale Kibble Use These Tips To Keep Your Dogs Food Fresh Whether At Home Or On The Road
Theres nothing worse than going to the pantry, pulling out your favorite bag of chips or flight of cookies, taking a bite, and finding out
Its stale.
Now imagine how your dog feels when you break open their favorite food bag and scoop a hefty helping of stale kibble. But just like we have ways to keep food from going stale, similar products exist for dog food.
Read Also: Is Crave Dog Food Good
Storing Dog Food In An Appropriate Area
To increase its longevity, you should store dog food with caution. Do not store the bags or cans in a garage or random cupboards. Instead, you should place them in the kitchen where you can keep an eye on them. We also clean kitchen cupboards often as we keep food items stored there. This keeps them safe from ants, cockroaches, and other pests that could otherwise gnaw through the bag.
Tip #: Use Within 45 Days After Opening
Just like human food, dog food has an expiration date on it.
Bully Max Dog food has a 1 year shelf-life from the time of purchase. This is the standard shelf-life for a dog food that is preserved naturally with Vitamin E.
Once you open the bag of food, the expiration date marked on the bag is no longer valid.
Opened bags of dog food have a shelf-life of 45 daysthis rule is true for all dry dog food brands.
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Best Ways To Store Dry Dog Food Pet Food Storage Tips
The way you store your dog and cat food will impact how well it will stay fresh for. As a general rule of thumb, here at Delicate Care we recommend that dry pet food should always be kept in a cool, dark place, away from sunlight. Once open, the bags should be resealed to maintain freshness. If the bags do not have a resealing feature, it is ideal that the food is transferred to an airtight container. Here are some common questions we get asked about our packaging process. Then we will touch on some general questions about pet food storage and share with you some helpful tips.
How does our packaging keep food fresh?
All Delicate Care products are naturally preserved without the use of any artificial preservatives.
The main culprits in spoiling dry pet food are oxygen, humidity and light. Our aim is to preserve the freshness of our products through the use of the most up to date technology in packaging.
All our plastic bags are multi-layered plastic laminates, with a metallized layer in the middle.
This metallized layer delivers the lowest oxygen, light and water vapour transfer rates, which serves to protect our pet food.
You will also notice that in each bag of Delicate Care, there is an oxygen absorber sachet. Once the bag is sealed, the oxygen absorber pad will absorb all the remaining oxygen in the bag, so much so that sometimes our bags look vacuum packed.
Why do our bags look vacuumed packed?
Airtight Dog Food Storage Containers
Dry dog food is extruded, and then sprayed with oils that start to break down and go rancid once the food is exposed to air, Dr. Nelson says. So, kibble needs to be kept in an airtight container.
When it comes to the type of dog food containers you should use, Dr. Nelson says Plastic or stainless steel containers are fine for storing kibble as long as they are airtight.
Pet product company Van Ness offers plastic pet food storage containers in several sizes, ranging from 5-pound storage containers to 50-pound storage containers.
I prefer stainless steel because it is easier to clean and lasts longer.
One stainless steel dog food container option is the Harry Barker Classic Dog Food Storage Canister. It features an airtight food-seal vacuum locking lid designed to ensure freshness and is made of steel for easy cleaning.
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How To Store Dog Food: 7 Tips For Keeping Your Dog Food Fresh
If youre like most pet owners who use Bully Max, youre already well aware of how important it is to nourish your dog with high-quality dog food.
But heres something many pet owners tend to forget:
Just like any other food, dog food gets stale and can even go bad over time.
And because we arent the ones eating it, sometimes it can be hard for us to realize when our dogs food is no longer freshbut your dog knows!
And of course, the most important thing is to make sure that you are never feeding your dog food that is expired or rancid.
So to help make sure that never happens, weve put together this list of our top 7 best storage practices to keep your dog food fresh:
Spoiled Dog Food Dangers To Consider
When it comes to food, it seems like dogs will eat pretty much anything. Theyll sniff through the trash and eat suspect food on a walk outdoors. But dogs, like people, can get very sick from spoiled, moldy or contaminated food. Thats why its so important to properly store foods in a manner that will keep them fresh and discard them when you suspect they have gone bad.
Some people think that dogs are somehow immune to food poisoning, but this is not true. Dogs can get very sick from ingesting moldy food or food contaminated with bacteria, warns PetEducation.com.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten spoiled or contaminated food, get him to the vet right away. Treatment will usually involve a process known as gastric lavage, which removes as much of the food from your pups stomach as possible. Follow-up treatments may include the administration of medications like activated charcoal to absorb any remaining toxins from the body. Your pooch will also be given supportive care like intravenous fluids during his recovery at the vets office.
Its a good idea to bring any of the food that you believe your dog has eaten along with you to the vet in a sealed plastic bag so that it can be evaluated for toxins. This way, your vet can better treat your pooch.
Also Check: Is Rachael Ray’s Dog Food Any Good
Keep Your Pet’s Dinner Safely Stored Until Mealtime
Lindsay Boyers is a writer and nutritionist based out of Massachusetts.
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
The Spruce / Chloe Jeong
Buying dog food in bulk can usually save you some money over time, but youll want a way to store the food properly so that it doesn’t expire.
The best dog food storage containers have an airtight seal that keeps your dogs food fresh, locks in odors, and prevents pests like rodents and ants from getting inside and helping themselves. Youll also want to consider the size and the material. While plastic is one of the most durable options, we recommend choosing food-grade plastics that are BPA-free to keep your dogs food as safe as possible.
If youre looking for an ideal storage solution, these are the best dog food storage containers for all types of dogs.
Capacity: 40 or 60 pounds | Dimensions: 12 x 20.5 x 16.75 inches or 22 x 14.5 x 19 inches | Material: Food-grade, BPA-free plastic
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Bottom bin can buckle under excess weight if too many full bins are stacked
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Not waterproof
The container should be washed in the dishwasher between refills. The container body is dishwasher-safe, but the lid should be washed by hand.
Behrens Steel Storage Can
The Behrens steel storage can is a robust and durable alternate for storing pet food and keeping the contents dry. The material is a lot stronger than plastic, created with sustainable materials, and also 100% recyclable. The containers sturdiness allows the user to store heavy items, which can then be transported easily. The lock on the container prevents dogs from breaking into the container and keeps the dog food free from dust, pollutants, and pests. The design of the can is not aesthetically pleasing, which is why most customers use it to store trash or dog poop.
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Dont Leave Canned Food Open
Leaving canned food out in the open is a disaster waiting to happen.
The moment you open a can, it is going to start interacting with particles in the room. This also includes the rooms temperature, which will have a prominent effect on canned pet food.
Due to this, you only want to open a can of pet food when its time to feed your pet. Any other time is unsafe, especially if you are going to leave the food for another day.
Top Storage Tips For Keeping Pet Food Fresh
Ever wondered why your dog or cat is turning their nose up at food they were loving just days ago? Theyre probably trying to tell you something is not quite right with their dinner. Chances are, this is down to the way it has been stored.
Just like human food, when pet food is exposed to oxygen from the air, the product can go rancid. This can leave it smelling and tasting off, and dogs and cats may turn their nose up at this.
The more air the food is exposed to, and the higher the heat it is stored at, the faster the pace of rancidity. The good news is, there are some pretty easy ways to keep this process at bay so dinner is nothing but delicious.
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Mistake #: Pouring Dry Dog Food Out Of Its Original Bag
Many pet parents will tip dry food into an airtight pet food container, but this can cause the food to go off more quickly, and scratches in the surface of the container can hold bacteria and allow the food to spoil, says Woodnutt.
Whats more? The bag dog food comes in often has an oil-resistant liner, which is designed to help retain flavor, adds Dr. Kristi Flynn, an assistant professor in the department of veterinary clinical sciences at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota.
What to do instead: Store your dog food in the original bag inside a sealed container. As this can make for clunky dog food storage, keep large bags of food in a storage bin and use smaller, more convenient containers that hold about a week of food for feeding time, suggests Flynn.
If you do decide to pour dog food out of the bag and into a container, at least snap a picture of the barcode and expiration date or cut out that portion of the label, says Churchill. This way, if your pup ever gets sick or you have questions about the quality or safety of the food, you can share this information with the company and the FDA in case theres a product defect or dog food recall.