How to:
Mix-and-match for the
perfect pet food
The perfect food isn’t a single food…it’s a mix. Our basic formula for building a mix-it-meal is: kibble + meat boost + hydration boost = one happy pet. Bowls are great because they are a cost-effective, fun way to ensure our pets get the nutrition and variety they need to thrive. All of our kibbles, broths and toppers work great in bowls, but Nulo makes products specifically for this system.
Step 1: Pick your kibble
When choosing your kibble, start by looking at the ingredients on the back of the bag. A healthy kibble should have a high meat content, so the first ingredient should be a specific meat or meat meal. For example “chicken,” “chicken meal,” “beef” and “beef meal” are all great. We don’t sell or recommend foods where the type of meat isn’t specified – you’ll often see these listed as “meal meal,” meat by-product” or “poulty by-products.” Every kibble will also include starches, which are necessary to bind the protein into a ball. Make sure the starch is high-quality and not something your pet is allergic or sensitive to.
In terms of building a better bowl, think of kibble like a rice or pasta base at your favorite fast-casual restaurant. Kibble is convenient and affordable, and many pets thrive on high-meat kibble alone, especially if they’re getting enough hydration. But we recommend maximizing it with meat and moisture toppers.
Step 2: Pick your freeze-dried meat topper
Remember when we said that kibble is like the rice or pasta base at a fast-casual restaurant? Think of your freeze-dried topper as the main protein they add on top. Kibble undergoes extrusion, meaning it is processed at very high-heat, causing it to lose some nutrients. Freeze-dried meat is processed without heat, locking in the nutritional goodness.
What do we mean by nutritional goodness? About 80% of the ingredients in freeze-dried come from meat protein (i.e. meat, organs, and bone). Adding freeze-dried to your pet’s bowl will give them the benefits of a high-protein, animal-based diet.
Tip: did you know that raw frozen is often less expensive than dehydrated and freeze-dried raw products? It provides all the same benefits of freeze-dried meat with a higher moisture content. And defrosting is less work than you’d think.
Step 3: Pick your bone broth hydration topper
Have you noticed that kibble is really, really dry? That’s because the kibble making process removes all liquids from the base ingredients. Dogs and cats don’t naturally drink enough water to make up for this difference. So we recommend adding that back in with tasty a hydration topper.
Not only do bone broths add extra nutrition and moisture to kibble and freeze-dried, they add a savory and enticing flavor to your pets bowl. Bone broths are also full of glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and other nutrients essential for bone, joint and eye health.
Optional: Pick your finishing topper
Got a picky eater on your hands? If the broth and freeze-dried additions weren’t enough, consider topping your bowl off with something so delicious even the fussiest pets won’t resist. Similar to freeze-dried, toppers are high in meat protein. They add additional moisture and support lean muscle and a healthy body condition. Toppers are not strictly required, but are super delicious and make your pet’s bowl look appealing.
