How To Store Fresh Dog Food

Fresh dog food comes in several forms, and the various types may each require different storage. Always read the dog food label closely for any instructions that are unique to your food.

In general, here’s how to store fresh dog food:

Some fresh dog foods are frozen for storage. When shipped, these foods are packed with dry ice in insulated boxes so they remain frozen.

Frozen dog food should be stored in your freezer, then thawed before your dog can eat it. Transfer the food to the refrigerator about 24 hours before serving to allow it to thaw.

After thawing, fresh dog food will typically remain safe to eat for up to a week as long as it remains refrigerated. Thaw only the amount of frozen food your dog will eat within a week at any one time.

When it’s time to feed your dog, remove one serving from the refrigerator, place it in your dog’s bowl, and watch them enjoy.

Some dogs prefer fresh dog food that has been warmed to body temperature (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit). You can heat the food in the microwave, but before serving, stir it thoroughly and check for hot spots that could burn your dog’s mouth.

It’s also possible to purchase refrigerated fresh dog food, allowing you to skip the freezer.

These types of fresh dog food can be stored unopened in your refrigerator until the sell-by date on the label.

Once opened, all the food in the package should be used within one week.

Manufacturers also make shelf-stable fresh dog food that can be stored without freezing or refrigeration.

Keep these foods in their original packaging in a cool, dark, and dry location like a pantry or cabinet.

Once you open the package, refrigerate any food your dog doesn’t immediately eat. Close the bag as tightly as possible, and keep it in a refrigerator for up to one week. Some manufacturers recommend refrigerating for no more than three days, however.

Dog foods that are air-dried, freeze-dried, or dehydrated are also best stored in their original packaging in a cool, dark, and dry location.

After removing a meal-size portion for your dog, reseal the packaging (removing as much air as possible), and place it back in a pantry or cabinet.

It’s important to know how long and under what conditions fresh dog food can be stored, even when it’s in the right location.

• Frozen fresh dog food: Store in the freezer at around 0 F until its best-if-used-by date. Once thawed, keep in the refrigerator for one week.
• Refrigerated fresh dog food: Store in the refrigerator at around 37 F, unopened, until its sell-by date. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator for one week.
• Shelf-stable fresh dog food: Store in a cool (under 80 F), dark, and dry location until its best-if-used-by date. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator at around 37 F for one week.
• Dried fresh dog food: In a cool (under 80 F), dark, and dry location until its best-if-used-by date.

Once you place fresh food in your dog’s bowl, the clock begins ticking. Any type of wet dog food—including frozen, refrigerated, and shelf-stable fresh foods, and dried fresh foods that have been rehydrated—can spoil quickly at room temperature. Don’t leave wet dog food in your dog’s bowl for more than four hours.

Always throw out any food that remains in your dog’s bowl before feeding their next meal.

Try these tips for keeping your fresh dog food nutritious and healthy for as long as possible:

• Keep the food in its original packaging. Reseal it as tightly as possible to reduce its contact with air.
• Purchase foods with a best-if-used-by or sell-by date that is as far in the future as possible.
• Wash bowls used for wet food after each meal. This helps prevent buildup of bacteria, mold, and fungi that can make your dog sick.
• Throw out any food that appears spoiled or contaminated.
• Follow storage instructions printed on the label of any fresh dog food.

Proper handling and storage of fresh dog food is the best way to prevent waste, save money, and protect pets and people from food-borne illnesses.