How to feed dogs raw for cheap
Feeding your Dog a Raw Diet on a Budget
Raw food diets are becoming increasingly popular with dog owners, and for good reason. While there are some great commercial kibbles on the market, most don't stand a chance against the benefits of whole raw food.
Dry kibble was created to make dog ownership more affordable. It's easier to come by and all the hard work is done for you. But is it really all that healthy for your dog?
Most kibble formulas contain ingredients that just aren't needed. If you're getting the cheapest option on the shelf, some of those ingredients may be doing more harm than good.
Dry kibble contains unnecessary carbohydrates, empty fillers that drive down the cost, and preservatives that have no place in your dog's body. Not only that, but the heating process used to make dry food takes away a lot of the ingredients' nutritional value.
Switching to Raw
For these reasons, dog owners are making the switch to raw food. It provides greater control of your pup's health. However, making the transition to a raw diet isn't always easy. As a result, many dog owners don't want to give it a try.
There are many misconceptions about raw food diets. One of the biggest is cost. Sure, it can be pricey to in the beginning but, raw food diets don't have to be expensive.
All it takes is some careful planning and know-how to make it a viable option for your canine companion.
The Problem with Pre-Packaged Meals
When owners first make the switch, they often go with pre-packaged raw meals. They're marketed as offering a balanced diet for your pooch. All you have to do is separate the mince and your dog is good to go.
There are many advantages to using pre-packaged raw food. It's often sold in pet stores where you buy dry kibble. More importantly, it buys you time while you learn the ropes.
However, the biggest downside is cost. These pre-packaged meals can cost many times more than dry kibble. If you have a large dog, you may be looking at hundreds of dollars each month just to keep your furry friend healthy and happy.
While they may be an option in the first month or two, it's not a financially responsible long-term possibility for most owners.
The Cheapest Way to Feed a Dog a Raw Diet
The best way to keep costs down is to take control and create meals yourself. Raw food diets don't have to as complicated as some people make it out to be.
There are three main categories of ingredients you'll need.
You'll need meat with bones, organs, and cooked vegetables. If you follow the 5:1:1 formula, you'll be making high-quality meals in no time.
With that being said, there are some costs you'll have to incur. Over time, you'll learn how to keep costs low without sacrificing your dog's health.
Budget Tips for Feeding Dogs Raw
If you're on a budget, there are plenty of ways to be frugal when you're planning your dog's diet. Here are some great money-saving tips that can save you a fortune.
Inexpensive Raw Ingredients
One thing you'll want to avoid is using prime cuts of meat. Your dog doesn't need human-grade cuisine. They won't even be able to tell the difference.
Many raw food enthusiasts use animal products that are typically thrown out or otherwise undesired for human consumption.
These ingredients are actually very beneficial for your dog. They still contain all the protein your pup needs. Additionally, these ingredients contain calcium and plenty of minerals.
Some common ingredients include chicken feet, poultry carcasses, pig heads, and much more. When it comes to organs, your options are even more plentiful. Organs are a vital part of any raw food diet. They're chock-full of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
You can get high-value organs for a very cheap price. Things like giblets, livers, lungs, hearts, eyes, and a wide variety of other leftovers can give your dog all the fuel they need to stay healthy.
Related: How Much Raw Food Should You Feed Your Dog Per Day?
Communicate With Your Local Butcher
Local butcher houses are a great source for raw food ingredients. These establishments work with raw animal meat on a daily basis. Because they're serving human customers, a lot of the beneficial ingredients you read about in the previous section are throwaways.
Talk to your local establishment and see what they do with the bits and pieces that aren't up for sale. Some places will sell them to farmers and animal owners who use raw food. If they do, it's probably at very affordable prices.
Alternatively, you can check with the meat department of your favorite grocery store. They may offer similar options. Some grocery stores also sell meat products at discounted prices before a new shipment is brought in.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. You might be able to find a great local supply of raw ingredients.
Buy in Bulk
Sometimes, you can get a great deal on meat products if you buy in bulk. Not every establishment does this, but when you find one that does, you're set.
Typically, discounts are only offered on very large orders. If that's the case, you can team up with other owners. This would be beneficial for every party involved. Not only that, but you'll have plenty of brains to pick if you ever get stuck creating a recipe.
Invest in the Right Places
Once you start saving money on your dog's meals, you can put that money elsewhere to drive costs down even further.
A sizable freezer is a great investment. If you have ample room to store your dog's homemade meals and ingredients, you can start buying in bulk.
While this may seem like a big investment, it doesn't have to be. You don't need a brand-new appliance with all the bells and whistles.
Check out thrift stores, online marketplaces, and used appliance stores to find a spacious freezer that works.
Over to You
With these tips in mind, you can save a lot of money switching your dog to a raw food diet. One of the biggest reasons that people stick with dry kibble is because of its low price tag.
However, you can match the price of kibble by finding the right ingredient sources and spending wisely.
While it may be tough at first, your dog's good health will be well worth it in the end.
Also Read:
12 Ways to Make Raw Feeding Affordable in 2024
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Prices are rising, and it's a good time to revisit how to make raw feeding affordable.
When I usually write blog posts, I try to maintain a professional/casual tone, but today, I have to be me because. y'all. have you seen the prices of eggs, cereal, and gas recently? I originally wrote this post in 2022; this year, I've made a few more adjustments to my budget to keep it affordable.
It's Okay to Feed Kibble
Before I go into my list, I want to put this out there: It's okay if you find yourself in a place where you have to feed kibble. I know it's not ideal, and if you've been feeding raw, you know the benefits. But if you can't find your way around feeding kibble, please don't beat yourself up. Do the best you can. Buy the best kibble you can afford and add fresh food to the bowl (replacing 20% or 1/5th of the kibble).
Fresh Food to Add to Kibble
- lightly cooked lean ground beef, chicken, turkey (doesn't have to be ground)
- canned sardines, no salt added
- canned or baked sardines
- canned or baked mackerel
- canned (boiled, not smoked) or baked oysters
- pureed (or chopped, lightly cooked) vegetables (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, squash, zucchini, etc.)
- raw goat's milk or kefir
- yogurt
- bone broth
- golden paste
- coconut oil
I can go on and on.
My best recommendation would be to try and feed a hybrid diet instead of kibble alone. A hybrid diet would be to feed raw in one meal and kibble in a separate meal. When I started feeding raw, I fed raw in the morning and kibble in the evening. If I were to return to feeding a hybrid diet, I'd switch it up. Given the blood sugar spikes caused by kibble, I'd feed it in the morning and allow my dogs to walk, run, swim, and play it off during the day.
12 Ways to Make Raw Feeding Affordable
There are endless ways to make raw feeding affordable, but this list focuses more on the reality of 2022 2024. So, I won't recommend you go hunting or become a homesteader. These come with expenses and experience that folks don't have today. I should also let you know that I do not believe a plant-based diet is appropriate for dogs and will not recommend it here. Finally, not all tips shared will work for everyone.
1 Switch from Premade to DIY Raw Dog Food
I saw the biggest decrease in my budget when I switched from premade raw to DIY. A few commercial raw brands are in my dogs' diet. I feed premade raw for a variety of reasons, including:
- makes feeding the dogs easier for my partner or the pet sitter
- nice to have on hand when I'm behind on meal prep
- great way to add additional proteins to the diet
- we don't have to deal with sourcing or meal prep
- the food is delivered to our door in many cases
But we pay for the convenience. I've found an easy-to-make raw dog food that allows me to keep my dogs on a fresh food diet without breaking the bank.
2 Join a Local Raw Food Co-Op
A raw food co-op is a group of people who can secure discounts on bulk orders. The raw food co-op I belong to has an annual fee and a schedule of orders. We order and pay for everything online and pick up our orders on scheduled dates. I buy 99% of food, treats, and pet supplies through the co-op, and I decreased my budget by 70% from $900 on my worst month to an average of $250/month for four dogs and a cat.
If you don't have a co-op in your area, speak to friends who feed raw or might be interested in ordering in bulk and try placing orders together. The more friends, the better, and you can start your mini-coop. Make sure the people you invite are trustworthy because you don't want to be left paying for hundreds of pounds of food, and your friends are in the wind.
3 Shop at Discount Grocery Stores
Look for discount, salvage, and grocery store outlets in your area. In my experience, what you find is hit or miss, but you can score some great deals if you go regularly. In the Pacific Northwest, we have the Grocery Store Outlet. I visit their site several times monthly to see what's on sale.
Another place where I find amazing deals is Walmart. For some reason, my town has three Walmarts, and every couple of months, I visit each one and clear the shelves of canned oysters and canned sardines (in water, no salt added). They have the best deals on these items.
We have a Costco membership, and I watch their sales for items I buy for my dogs, including joint supplements, canned sardines in olive oil, organic vegetables, organic chia seeds, organic hemp seeds, and more.
4 Set Up Autoship Orders
Many autoship programs shave 5% off of the cost of pet supplies ordered regularly. And you don't have to set up a monthly order. I've scheduled an autoship every three to six months and then canceled (or postponed) it before the next shipment. I limit what I order to things my dogs need. For example, Rodrigo takes a supplement daily with his meals, and the autoship discount keeps the supplement within my budget, even with recent price increases.
Visit your favorite brands and see if they offer an autoship option. And while you're looking, sign up for their newsletter (or follow them on social media) to get news of upcoming sales. I can only afford Dr. Harvey's base mixes when they're 15-20% discounted.
5 Get to Know the Grocery Store Meat Manager
Some grocery stores discount meat right before it expires. Whenever I'm at the grocery store, I check the discount meat section for any promising deals. One of the meat managers is a dog lover, and we started talking after she complimented my DOGS! Because People Suck hoodie. Now, the entire department knows to contact me if they need to unload meat. Nothing is wrong with the meat; they can't sell it (in the case of grass-fed beef, which is up to $13/pound on sale), or meat is nearing its expiration date (which I cook for my dogs, just in case).
Thanks to getting to know the meat managers, I scored three cases of grass-fed ground beef discounted by 50% to $5/pound.
6 Check Out Craigslist or the Facebook Marketplace
Whether you post an ad looking for meat, you're just searching for homesteaders selling meat, or searching for a freezer dump Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and neighborhood apps can be good resources. I've seen small farms that are selling grass-fed beef for $5/pound. This is still expensive for some, but you can also ask those farmers/homesteaders about organ meat and bones.
What's a Freezer Dump?
A freezer dump is when someone empties a freezer and doesn't want to throw the food away. The meat will be old, and it may be freezer-burnt, but as long as it's plain meat (no spices), I'm ready to take it off someone's hands.
I've been able to score freezers full of grass-fed meat for free; this includes meat, organs, bones, and fish. The people have shared my name, and I now have a group of people who contact me if they need to empty their freezers or have excess meat.
7 Make Homemade Dog Treats
I've been taking a closer look at my budget recently and found I spend a decent amount on dog treats. I do this because of the variety available today. But paying $10-$15 for a bag of dog treats is insane especially when I have four dogs and can go through a bag quickly.
So, when I get freezer dumps, I'll make dog treats with the meat. I prefer to freeze-dry the meat to retain the nutrients, but a freeze-dryer costs $3,100. I can pick up a quality food dehydrator for less than 10% of the cost of a freeze-dryer.
I make jerky treats, and I dehydrate fruits and vegetables. It's not as fancy as what's available at local pet stores, but it does help me save money.
When it comes to chews, I'm sticking with Real Dog Box. I've considered asking my sources for more animal parts for dog chews, but I'm not there yet. For less than $30/month, I can get at least nine chews for my dogs, sometimes more. The same chews would cost significantly more if I were to buy them at the pet store.
8 Shop at the Farmer's Market
The Farmer's Market can be iffy in my area because most people sell crafts, not food. But if you live in or near a rural area, it might be worth your time to check out a farmer's market because you may be able to connect with someone who raises their meat, raises chickens/ducks/quail for eggs, or has excess vegetables or raw goat's milk.
9 Shop at Ethnic Markets
Personally, I think ethnic markets are hit or miss. When I was new to DIY raw feeding, I kept seeing people share all of these amazing things they found at ethnic markets, so I searched for markets in my area and was underwhelmed by what I found in most. It wasn't until I found this amazing market, a forty-minute drive, that I could appreciate this tip. I've scored on various cuts of meat, fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
If you can find a good market, this will be a great resource. With gas prices today, I don't make special trips to this store, but I swing by whenever I'm in the area.
10 Look for a Meat Supplier or Restaurant Supply Store
I got this idea from a co-worker who is a chef and a raw feeder. He orders food for his dogs from the same place he orders food for his kitchens/restaurants. He places all of his orders online and can get a discounted price because he orders in bulk.
You can also look for a walk-in restaurant supply store in your area. I found one in my area, and they have many cool options, including green-lipped mussels!!!
Remember that this isn't a grocery store. Everything will come in larger packages, similar to Costco, so you'll need storage space. Some suppliers will only work with businesses, while other supply stores are open to the public.
11 Replace Supplements with Whole Foods
When I was new to raw feeding, I was a supplement junkie. As I learned more about raw, I dropped most of the supplements, replacing them with whole foods. Today, I only buy supplements my dogs need and can't replicate them with fresh food. This has saved me a ton of money.
A few examples of the changes I've made are:
- instead of fish oil, I feed fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon), oysters, and fermented fish broth
- instead of a digestive supplement, I feed raw goat's milk, kefir, yogurt, and fermented fish broth
- instead of a multi-vitamin, I feed fresh chicken and duck eggs (quail eggs too, if I can get them)
This step has saved me a ton of money, but I can also afford the supplements my dogs NEED. I've even stocked up on a few if money is tight or we experience shipping delays.
12 Download a Discount Code Extension
Capital One has a Google Extension that searches for discount codes as I shop (even for Amazon). I've only been using it briefly, and I've already saved over $100 on purchases. On two occasions, Capital One found the extension to be better than the sales price.
If downloading an extension or app isn't an option, visit your favorite raw feeding and pet websites and sign up for their newsletters to be the first to know about upcoming specials. I have emails automatically filtered to a special folder to avoid getting overwhelmed with emails.
Try New Proteins
For years, I had dogs who were allergic to chickens. That's no longer the case. Chicken feet and necks are affordable and I order both in bulk. Adding chicken back into the diet and avoiding expensive ($6/pound and higher) has helped me save money.
Cut Back on Pet Services
Another way to save money is to cut back on pet servicesdog walking, pet sitting, grooming, etc. Thankfully, I learned how to trim my dogs' nails, and I can finish the job in 15 minutes. I don't have dogs that require special grooming, so this has never been an expense in my budget.
But we do have a dog walker.
I considered cutting back on twice-weekly walks, but Stephen, our dog walker, is an important family member. He's the first person outside our home with whom Apollo bonded after joining us, and Apollo loves Stephen. I added Scout to their walks after his cancer diagnosis, and I believe the exercise and routine are helping him.
Raw Paws Pet Food Discount Codes
The following discount codes offered by Raw Paws Pet Food don't have an expiration date. However, they cannot be combined with other discounts.
- AUTO 15% off your first autoship order; no minimum order amount one-time use only.
- HEALTHY 10% off, no minimum order amount unlimited uses.
- BIGSPENDER $30 off orders of $300 or more unlimited uses.
- 25CHEWS $25 off dog chews on orders of $100 or more on dog chews unlimited uses.
- MSUPPLY10 10% off any monthly food supply (for puppies, adults, seniors, etc.) one-time use only.
Supporting Independent Pet Business
We should support local businesses and not shop online during these times. While this sounds great, it may not be realistic in all cases. It's important to remember that we do support local businesses when we go to the vet and groomers, hire a dog walker, shop at ethnic or small markets, and more. We can't buy everything online.
We all do the best we can.
I'd love to hear your ideas on how to save money during these times.
