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Fresh Pet is a popular dog food brand with a variety of different flavors and recipes, but can you freeze Fresh Pet dog food? Fresh Pet recommends storing their food in the fridge and feeding it directly from the refrigerator for best results. However, if you need to freeze food for later use, this is possible as well. Freezing and thawing the food may change the taste and texture (depending on how it is done). The nutritional content of the food should remain the same as the time you froze it, though.
Don’t be surprised if the food looks or feels a little different after it is thawed. This change does not mean that the food is bad. Most pets do not complain about the food being frozen as long as it is thawed completely before feeding.
Remember that when thawing the food, it is best to do so in the fridge. Thawing at room temperature may encourage bacteria to grow on the outside of the food while the inside is still thawing, which can make your dog sick.
How to Store Fresh Pet Rolls
There are several ways that you can serve Fresh Pet rolls, depending on your needs. Here are some options you may want to consider:
- Store the open roll in a plastic bag. If you have gallon-sized plastic bags, you can simply slip the open roll into a plastic bag and put it into the fridge. Most recipes will last for about 7 days when stored in this manner, which is plenty of time for most dogs to finish the roll. Be sure that you remove all the excess air when storing bags in this manner.
- Use aluminum foil. You can also slip aluminum foil over the open side of the roll as a “cap”. When fitted well, this method will keep air out of the food and keep it fresh for about 7 days.
- Make a bag from plastic wrap. Making a quick bag out of plastic wrap will also keep the food fresh. Simply stretch plastic wrap around the roll and secure the loose ends with a rubber band. It will look a bit like the bag a loaf of bread comes in.
All of these storage methods will work. The first option is likely the easiest and will keep the food fresh the longest. However, if you don’t have large plastic bags, any of the other options work.
Storing Fresh Pet Meals
Fresh Pet Meals come in a reusable bag. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about storing them. Simply re-seal the bag after removing the appropriate amount of food and put it back in the fridge. In this manner, Fresh Pet meals will stay fresh for about 7 days. Most dogs finish a bag in much less time.
How Long Can You Keep Fresh Pet Dog Food?
All Fresh Pet food options stay fresh for 7 days when stored properly. It is recommended that you use their dog foods during this time. You also should not allow food to sit at room temperature for more than an hour. Therefore, you cannot free-feed with this dog food. It needs to be done at a certain mealtime and eaten completely.
Remove all uneaten food after an hour, maximum. You cannot re-refrigerate food that has already been touched by your dog, as their saliva will promote bacteria growth.
Therefore, only feed your dog what they need and store the rest in the fridge.
How Long Can You Freeze Fresh Pet Dog Food?
The company does not have a hard-and-fast rule regarding how long you should freeze any of their dog foods. However, general recommendations state that you should only keep food frozen for about 3 months. After that, food may develop freezer burn and not be quite as fresh as it could be. Nutritional quality may also suffer.
While your dog may eat food after this period, it is not recommended.
Can Fresh Pet Make Dogs Sick?
Typically, Fresh Pet dog food does not make dogs sick. However, there is always a chance of storing their food wrong, which may cause bacterial growth, and these bacteria can make dogs sick. Therefore, you’ll need to store the food properly just like you store your own food. Fresh Pet dog food is completely fresh, as the name suggests, and it does not contain the high levels of preservatives other dog foods contain.
Fresh Pet has issued recalls occasionally. Usually, these recalls are small and do not cause serious illness. However, just like any dog food, Fresh Pet can be recalled due to manufacturing errors.
Final Thoughts
Despite it not being specifically made to be frozen, you can freeze Fresh Pet dog food for up to 3 months if you need to increase its storage life. In the fridge, it can only last for about 7 days. Therefore, freezing it helps ensure that it lasts for months into the future.
However, dogs typically go through this food so fast that freezing is not necessary. Of course, if you purchase in bulk, this may be a different story.
If you decide to freeze this food, be sure to thaw it in the fridge for about 24 hours before feeding it to your pet. Allowing it to thaw at room temperature can promote bacteria growth, which may make your dog sick. Furthermore, food should only be kept in the freezer for 3 months. After that, it may lose its nutritional value and develop an unsettling taste, which many dogs will refuse.
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Featured Image Credit: Fresh Pet.com
2 Responses
Thank you for the advice about freezing dog food
Hello Rosa,
thank you for your nice feedback! Glad that you found this article helpful!