DIY Farmer’s Dog Food Recipes (Fresh-Style Copycat)

Fresh-style dog food is lightly cooked, whole-food meals like the subscription brands make. This base recipe uses lean turkey, rice and vegetables, and you can rotate proteins with the variations below.

Homemade meals need to be nutritionally complete for long-term feeding. Ask your vet or a veterinary nutritionist about a supplement before switching fully.

Why your dog will love this

• Real, recognizable ingredients
• Soft texture that is easy to eat
• Rotate proteins with the variations to keep meals interesting

Ingredient notes

• Lean ground turkey (93% lean) Caution

  Lean turkey keeps the fat moderate.

  Plain, skinless, boneless meat only. Skin, gravy and fatty trimmings can trigger pancreatitis.

• White rice, uncooked Safe

  Plain cooked rice is easy on the stomach.

• Sweet potato, diced Safe

  Serve cooked and plain. Raw sweet potato is hard to digest.

• Carrots, diced Safe

  Raw or cooked. Cut to a safe size to prevent choking.

• Green beans, chopped Safe

  Plain, cooked or raw, with no salt.

See every ingredient in the safety guide

How to make DIY Farmer’s Dog Food

DIY Farmer’s Dog Food takes about 50 minutes from start to finish and makes 12 cups. It takes a little more time but no special skills. You will need a large dutch oven and glass meal-prep containers. Read through every step once before you start, and set out all the ingredients so nothing is missed.

Ingredients and why they are here

You need 7 ingredients. Each one is checked against the ingredient safety guide for dogs.

• 2 lb lean ground turkey (93% lean): Lean turkey keeps the fat moderate. Plain, skinless, boneless meat only. Skin, gravy and fatty trimmings can trigger pancreatitis.
• 1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked: Plain cooked rice is easy on the stomach.
• 1 large sweet potato, diced: Serve cooked and plain. Raw sweet potato is hard to digest.
• 2 medium carrots, diced: Raw or cooked. Cut to a safe size to prevent choking.
• 1 cup green beans, chopped: Plain, cooked or raw, with no salt.
• 1 tbsp fish oil or olive oil
• 4 cups water

Step-by-step instructions

1. Brown the turkey in a large pot, breaking it up. Drain any fat. Allow about 10 minutes.
2. Add the rice, sweet potato, carrots and water. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer until the rice is soft. Allow about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the green beans and cook until tender. Allow about 5 minutes.
5. Cool, stir in the oil, and portion into containers.

Tips for success

• Weigh the cooked batch and divide by days to get exact daily portions.
• Cool the food fast in shallow trays before refrigerating to keep it safe.
• Rotate proteins every few weeks, switching gradually over 5 to 7 days.

How to store it

Let everything cool completely before you pack it away, since trapped steam causes sogginess and mold. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Portion into daily containers before freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight. If anything smells off or shows mold, throw it out.

How much to serve

Use the portion calculator for a daily estimate. Split the daily amount into two meals and switch gradually from your current food over 7 days. Each cup has about 300 calories. Switch from your current food over 7 days, mixing in a little more of the new food each day, and weigh your dog every two weeks to adjust the amount.

Swaps and variations

No lean ground turkey? Use lean ground beef or chicken. No white rice? Use quinoa. No sweet potato? Use butternut squash. No green beans? Use peas. Change one ingredient at a time so you can tell how each swap affects the texture.

Safety notes

Homemade meals fed long term need a vet-approved vitamin and mineral supplement to be complete and balanced. Turkey: Plain, skinless, boneless meat only. Skin, gravy and fatty trimmings can trigger pancreatitis. Never add onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol or salt, and check the safety guide before trying a new ingredient with your dog. This recipe is general information, not veterinary advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is homemade dog food better than kibble?

It can be a great option when it is complete and balanced. Work with your vet so your dog gets every nutrient it needs.

How much should I feed?

Most adult dogs need about 1/2 cup per 10 lb of body weight per day, but needs vary. Use the portion calculator and adjust to keep a healthy weight.

More carrot recipes

See all

Dogs

Pumpkin Carrot Chews for Dogs

3 hrs 15 min

Dogs

Crockpot Dog Food Recipes

6 hrs 10 min

Dogs

Large Batch Homemade Dog Food (28 Cups)

1 hr 15 min

Dogs

Turkey Meatloaf for Dogs

1 hr 5 min