Inspired by the health and benefits of raw food, freeze-dried pet foods came to the market quite recently. Freeze-dried foods are able to keep their nutritional value since they are not processed nearly as much as kibbles or cans. It also has an intense flavour due to the minimal moisture content. It is a meat-rich, low-carbohydrate food that gets its nutrients from whole foods. It’s easy to serve, shelf stable and loved by nearly every pet!

How Freeze- Dried food is made

It’s made with fresh, raw ingredients that are usually ground into a complete recipe. It is made by putting these raw ingredients in a freeze-dryer. The freeze-dryer works as a vacuum sucking out the moisture from the food. Leaving 3-7% moisture depending on the brand. The structure of the food itself remains unchanged and retains most of its nutrients. There is nearly no nutrient loss in freeze-dried foods. Freeze-drying is considered one of the safest modern food handling methods available. Resulting is safely prepared, nutrient dense, flavourful, food.

What is it?

Freeze-dried food is a shelf stable, fresh food! Nutrient dense and bioavailable, it’s one of the healthiest forms of foods on the market.

Benefits of feeding freeze-dried food

• No unnecessary ingredients like fillers or carbs.
• Calorie and nutrient dense.
• Compact and shelf stable, making it easy to store.
• Easy to serve.
• No freezer space needed.
• Unlike processed dog foods, freeze-dried food is nutrient dense, similar to raw foods in this manner. But without the moisture there is no “risk” of bad bacteria.
• Travel friendly. It’s super lightweight, so easy to bring with you anywhere!

Cons of Freeze-Dried food

There is really only one. The cost. Due to the amount of energy needed to run the freeze-dryers the cost of freeze-dried food is quite high. But it’s a great food, so if there is a way you can afford to add it to your pet’s diet we would highly recommend it!

You can add it to their diet by using it as a topper on top of their current food. As a treat (Healthybud’s meal bites are great training treats). Since it has such a long shelf life you can give them a freeze-dried meal on special occasions and it will last you a while.

How to feed freeze-dried food

Rehydrate

Although it’s fine to feed as is. Rehydrating the food will make it easier to digest and allow your pet to absorb nutrients even better! It will also be more filling for your pet.

Feed as is

You can feed freeze-dried food as is. Some brands are made to be fed that way (like Healthybud’s Meal Bites). They’re hard and crunchy, not likely to absorb much water. But other brands, especially those who make patties, are softer and can be crushed. These are easier to rehydrate.

Cats

Always rehydrate freeze-dried food for cats! Almost all cats live in a constant state of dehydration. This is because cats absorb water through their food. While digesting their food. Yes, even cats who “drink a lot of water”. They need more water in their food to help avoid kidney and bladder issues.

Our Freeze-Dried Foods

HealthyBud: Our newest freeze-dried food! Healthybud is a Montreal based company that makes their food in USA. They have both patties and bites. Their patties can be easily rehydrated and their bites are super easy to serve. Use them just like kibbles! Just scoop and serve. I love using them as training treats.

Formula Raw: We carry Formule Raw’s freeze-dried foods for cats and dogs, as well a their and treats! Which are all made in Montreal! Their pucks are more dense and even less processed than other freeze-dried foods on the market. You can see the ingredients used in every puck. You can feed this brand as is or rehydrate it. If you’re rehydrating it, just break it into pieces and let it sit in warm water for a few minutes.

Open Farm: Open Farm’s freeze-dried food is one of the best on the market! Easy to serve in little nuggets, this food can be rehydrated very easily! Try rehydrating it with warm bone broth for an even tastier and healthier meal.

Under the Weather: Not a complete food, but a very easy, nutrient dense option when your dog isn’t feeling well. It’s a great bland diet to feed for a day or so if your dog is suffering from diarrhea or an upset stomach.

Freeze-dried food is an amazing form of nutrition for our pets and that’s exactly what we want for them. I hope this helped you understand more about this type of food. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to add it to your pet’s rotation!