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The Honest Kitchen Foods ~ Dehydrated human grade dog food
Home-made, made easy! Force, Embark and Verve.
Home-made, made easy! Introducing a new & innovative approach to canine nutrition: Natural, delicious dehydrated human grade dog food! These are two tasty foods that combine the wholesomeness of a home made diet with the convenience of an easy-to-prepare, scientifically balanced blend. Perfect to feed alone, or ideal as the base for a Raw or other home made diet. These diets are also excellent for travel and emergency preparedness.
...a natural, organic dog food for your toy breed.
Please inquire if you would like to see the nutrient profile.
Honest Kitchen foods are made with real, human food-grade ingredients that have been gently dehydrated to remove only the water. All other nutrients remain and become highly concentrated. Our foods are not cooked, extruded or heat processed in any way.
No cooking required! Simply hydrate with warm water, and in just ten minutes, a wholesome, colorful meal that is loaded with naturally occurring, wholesome nutrition, is ready to serve. Additional raw meat and bones or cooked meat can be mixed in, if desired, without disrupting critical nutrient values.
Values. The genesis of the Honest Kitchen was the search for a human grade food that would be good enough for our team’s own pets to eat; one that resembles a home made diet in quality, encompasses variety, is economical, nutritionally balanced, and quick and easy to prepare.
Our products provide:
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The assurance of ‘nutritional completeness’ and considerable time savings (vs 100% home prepared diets).
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The convenience, safety and cost savings of regular shipping and storage (vs frozen raw diets)
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The pleasure & satisfaction of home preparation (vs conventional feed grade, cooked pet foods).
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The peace of mind of production integrity, ingredient wholesomeness and minimal processing (vs extruded kibble or canning).
Verve and Force offer many of the benefits of a biologically appropriate raw food diet, combined with the convenience and peace of mind of a nutritionally balanced, ready-blended product.
Dehydration also eliminates the safety concerns often associated with the storage and transportation of raw frozen diets, and there are none of the intrinsic astronomical shipping charges.
These diets can technically be described as 'nutritionally balanced and complete' because they meet the levels established by AAFCO so far (they are tested in an independent, ISO accredited laboratory to ensure it). But we prefer just to refer to them as ‘Balanced’. ‘Completeness’ in the truest sense of the word, may come from a wealth of extras you may select yourself which are varied over time.
We would love to give you some menu ideas for goodies to mix in with the food - just email or give us a call!
Not made in a pet food rendering plant. Our products are made in an FDA inspected and approved facility in California, that does not accept ‘animal- feed-grade’ ingredients onto its premises, and produces many of the same foods you actually eat yourself. They really are absolutely human food grade. Guaranteed!.
No heat processing. Our foods are not canned or extruded. They are blends of minimally processed ingredients, unharmed by the force, pressure and heat of conventional petfood processing.
Our products are widely trusted, because each whole food ingredient is actually visible in the blend, not pulverized beyond recognition, so you know just what it is you’re serving up — what you see is what you get.
The Power of Pigments. The most obvious visual difference between our foods and canned or extruded diets, is the vibrant colors of the ingredients that remain in tact, thanks to the mild, temperate dehydration procedure.
Conventional, processed pet foods are predominantly brown, indicating that the pigments have been destroyed. Numerous studies have highlighted the value of these vividly colored substances, which exist in fresh fruits and vegetables: They are actually potent antioxidants, which are highly beneficial for total health and well-being.
About dehydration. Dehydration or drying, is one of the oldest and gentlest methods of food preservation. Food dehydration works by removing only the water content from the ingredients. All other nutrients remain, and become highly concentrated. Dried foods are extremely nutritious, easy to prepare and store, and light weight to ship.
Because dehydration takes place at moderate temperatures, the ingredients are still considered raw. The only exceptions are the meat and egg ingredients, which are dehydrated at high enough temperatures to kill any bacteria present and are therefore essentially considered 'cooked'. This is becuase they must be human-edible grade, to enter our manufacturing facility.
The removal of moisture prevents enzymatic activity, which can lead to browning and decomposition of foods, and also prevents the growth of bacteria, yeast and molds. Dehydration does not actually destroy or kill the food enzymes, as occurs in baking and freezing or high pressure processing such as extrusion. Enzyme activity in dehydrated foods is simply suspended, until the food is rehydrated.
A remarkable example of the way dehydration preserves without destroying, is in Africa, where scientists have discovered live fish being hatched from fish eggs, that have been dehydrated in the sun, during droughts that sometimes last for years. When the rains fall, the lakes and rivers refill with water to rehydrate the eggs - and live fish emerge. The eggs are actually preserved and remain viable throughout the natural dehydration that takes place.
Regarding grains. The issue of whether dogs should eat grains is a contentious one. At the Honest Kitchen, we believe the diet fed should be the one that best suits the individual animal. If a dog can tolerate grains, it is OK to include them. If not, we suggest a grain-free alternative such as Force.
Many grains are rich sources of essential amino acids, which are not found in many fruits and vegetables. If the context of a true Biologically Appropriate diet, some soaked grains actually bear a close resemblance to the intestinal contents of a wild dog’s prey.
The point is to keep an open mind. Many food groups are available and the key is to source fresh, unprocessed, chemical-free ingredients, that work well for your own dog.
Shipping is ALWAYS FREE at Little Shop of Terrors!
Consider Honest Kitchen for travel...a natural, organic dog food for your toy breed.
The Honest Kitchen Foods are completely free of all chemicals, by-products, fillers, wheat, corn, soy, rice and beet pulp. Verve is also dairy-free and Force is entirely free of grains.
The commitment of The Honest Kitchen is to the absolute highest quality ingredients and manufacturing procedures (products are made in a human food-producing facility, not a pet food plant, to offer you complete peace of mind).
At Last........Delicious, nutritious, colorful meals made with real, recognizable ingredients, that are ready to prepare and serve at home.
June's Recipe: Juicing for Pets
Juicing is an easy way to meet your daily requirements for fruits and veggies and to consume some raw foods. It's also a great thing to share with your pet as they can also reap some benefits. Here are some fruits and veggies we like and the benefits associated with them.
Beets: purifies blood, alleviates constipation, aids the liver
Celery: heals wounds, alleviates constipation, reduces liver congestion
Carrots: supports lungs, spleen, pancreas, and liver
Apples: eases thirst, reduces fever, eases dry, hot lungs (green apples also cleanse the liver)
Pineapple: aids in digestion of starches and protein, relieves chronic lung congestion, and has anti-inflammatory properties
In the last few years juicing has become quite mainstream, so it's pretty easy to find juicers or pre-made 100% juice with no added sugars. |
Consider Honest Kitchen for travel...a natural, organic dog food for your toy breed.
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FAQ’s
How do I transition my dog to The Honest Kitchen Diets?
Generally for a healthy dog, we recommend to substitute ¼ of the total amount of your dog’s present food with the new food choice, and continue to increase by ¼ every 3 days until your dog is completely on The Honest Kitchen Diet. In about 10 days your dog should be completely our wholesome diet. Many dogs can transition more swiftly and a few may take a little longer to make the switch.
What do The Honest Kitchen diets look like once hydrated?
All three of the diets have a texture resembling muesli or ‘loose mixes’ after hydration, with some colorful pieces of recognizable fruits, veggies, and grains (for Verve). All three diets have a very pleasant aroma.
What’s so great about dehydrated food?
The de-hydration process removes only the water from the food, while leaving the enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phyto-nutrients in tact. The Honest Kitchen’s dehydrated foods provide your dog with many of the benefits of a fresh home prepared diet, made much more convenient. Processed dry kibble and canned foods, are cooked at such high temperatures so the food becomes denatured and many important nutrients are no lost. A good clue to this is a very long list of vitamins & minerals in the ingredients panel – it shows what the manufacturer had to add to make the food nutritionally balanced.
Are the meats in The Honest Kitchen diets raw?
All the ingredients in our diets are guaranteed human edible. The meats are dehydrated at a low enough temperature to maintain many of the nutrients, but the dehydration process takes place at a high enough temperature to kill any pathogenic bacteria that may be present in raw meats. Our meats are the exact same ingredients used in dehydrated and frozen human foods.
Additional raw or cooked meats may be mixed in with our foods if desired. All the other ingredients are dehydrated at very low temperatures (below 104 degrees) and are therefore still considered raw.
Do the Honest Kitchen diets contain bone?
The Honest Kitchen diets do not contain any bone. All of our diets contain ONLY Human Grade ingredients, bones are not in high demand for human foods, so they are not a readily available. Our meats are 100% pure, USDA muscle meats only.
Will adding in meats and raw bones affect the Calcium: Phosphorus ratio in my dog’s diet?
The Calcium: phosphorous ratio in our foods is balanced with the vitamin premix, containing human grade tri- calcium phosphate, and is set at a ratio that allows for additional meat and raw bones to be mixed in without throwing off the ratio. As a general guideline, we recommend about ½ cup of meat or RAW meaty bones (chicken backs/ or necks) to 1 cup of dry-measured Honest Kitchen diet. NEVER COOKED BONE!!
What is the shelf life on The Honest Kitchen Diets?
All of The Honest Kitchen products have about 12 month’s shelf life prior to hydration. Once re-hydrated, any leftovers should be treated like raw foods and refrigerated or discarded.
What are the standards for the ingredients in your products?
All of the ingredients in our products are of US origin, and everything is USDA inspected, human edible. Our products are processed in a plant that only accepts human grade ingredients onto their premises, therefore all of our ingredients must meet these standards.
All the meats used in The Honest Kitchen diets are antibiotic & hormone- free.
All the fruits and vegetables are certified GMO- free.
Our flax, barley, oats, and rye are all Certified Organic.
How many meals will I get out of a 10 lb bucket of the Honest Kitchen?
Dependent on which diet you choose, your dog’s size, age and activity level and whether you plan on adding in any meats, or fruits and veggies, a 10 lb bucket of Verve will make about 40 lbs of re-hydrated food, while a 10 lb bucket of Embark and Force will make approximately 43 lbs of food.
What constitutes one cup of food?
Our label feeding recommendations are based on 1 cup (8 oz by volume or 4 oz by weight). 1 Cup of dehydrated food will make approximately 1 lb (or a little over two cups) of food once re-hydrated.
Are the feeding guideline recommendations based on dry measure?
Yes, the recommendations for measuring out your dog’s meal are based on de-hydrated measure.
I feed my pet twice daily, are the feeding guidelines the total daily amount or per meal?
At the Honest Kitchen we do suggest feeding your pet twice daily, and the feeding guidelines are designed for the total calorie intake for one day. The feeing guideline amount should be split into two meals.
Can I prepare the food in advance and how long will the food stay fresh once prepared?
Yes, you can prepare a day or two of feedings in advance, though the food should be refrigerated once hydrated. The food will keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours. If you wish to prepare more then two days you may prepare the food and freeze the diet. May people like to freeze it in individual portions, especially if someone else will be caring for their dog for a few days.
Which diet is best for my dog?
The Honest Kitchen has 3 diets available, as well as 3 supplements, and our highly sought-after Smooches Cookies.
The diet best for your dog is dependent on age, activity, and if you are content with his or her present weight. You may contact us to help in determining the best diet for your pets’ specific needs. Diets may also be combined to manipulate the nutritional composition is desired.
Consider Honest Kitchen for travel...a natural, organic dog food for your toy breed.
Verve - a beef based food with organic grains, and contains the least calories of our three diets. This is a great food to maintain your dog at a good weight.
Force - a chicken based diet and is grain free, great for dogs with allergies. The Force diet is higher in fat than Verve & contains a number of veggies and fruits to provide your dog with adequate carbohydrates.
Embark - a turkey based diet and was designed with the active dog, or puppy in mind, also dogs with weakened immune system (cancer recovery) benefit from Embark higher calorie and protein content with very low carbs.
What are some recommended add in ideas?
The list of items to add into your dogs diet is near endless, just to name a few, ground beef/ turkey/ chicken or exotic meats of available, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, fruits such as melon, a few nuts such as plaked almonds – the list is endless! Some items that you should NEVER feed to your dog are onions, raisins, COOKED BONE, and basic junk foods that we ourselves should not be eating! Add-in amounts may vary; we recommend a ratio of about ½ cup of meats, veggies, or Raw Meaty Bones to 1 cup dry measure of The Honest Kitchen diets. Please visit the recipe page and/ or sign up for our newsletter, which features a new recipe monthly.
Are there samples available?
Yes, we have samples of all of our diets. The sample packets will make 1 lb of food once re-hydrated. The can be purchased in our shop.
My dog is over weight, which diet do you recommend?
Generally for over weight dog the diets of choice are either Verve or Force, and this can be dependent of the specifics of your dog. All of our diets are low in carbohydrates, and the Verve and Force are the two lowest in calories, and fat content. Some dogs seem to maintain a healthier bodyweight with limited carbs – in which case Embark would be a good choice. It is usually matter of determining which diet is the best choice for an individual dog. Of course, one of the keys to maintaining healthy bodyweight is exercise- ideally about 20 minutes of brisk walking each day for most dogs.
Are the Honest Kitchen diets designed to support a growing puppy’s needs?
The vitamins and minerals present in all of our diets are fine to support normal growth and skeletal development in puppies. The Embark formula is specifically designed to offer the growing puppies more protein, and calories to assure proper muscle development. We do however suggest the addition of fresh meats, which will offer them more variety of amino acids. For giant breed puppies you may want to consult with your breeder as to specific needs and or limitations of nutrients. You can also contact us at any time, for guidance.
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