How to freeze and store homemade dog food

Key points

• Cool the food in under two hours, spread into shallow containers, then move it to the fridge or freezer.
• Freeze in daily portions, labeled with the recipe, grams and date.
• Cooked homemade food: 3 days in the fridge and 2-3 months at −18 °C / 0 °F.
• Always thaw in the fridge, the night before, and never refreeze food that has been thawed.
• Add the vitamin and mineral supplement at serving time, not before freezing.

Freezing homemade dog food is what makes cooking for your dog sustainable: you make a big pot once a week or every two weeks, divide it into daily portions, label them, and each night all you have to do is move one portion from the freezer to the fridge. Done properly, the food stays safe for two to three months.

This guide covers the practical side of batch cooking for dogs: how to cool food quickly so bacteria don't grow, which containers to freeze in, what to put on the label, how long everything lasts in the fridge and freezer, and how to thaw it safely, including if you feed raw.

Batch cooking: how to plan your session

1. Work out how much you need. The portion calculator gives you the grams per day; multiply by the number of days you want to cover. For a 15 kg (33 lb) dog that eats about 600 g (1.3 lb) a day, two weeks is about 8.5 kg (19 lb) of food.
2. Pick one or two recipes and make your shopping list. The weekly meal planner creates it for you.
3. Cook in the biggest pots you have, separately or all together depending on the recipe.
4. Add the calcium and oil once the food is lukewarm, and mix very well so they're spread evenly across every portion.
5. Cool, divide and freeze as explained below.

Alternating two recipes each week is an easy way to vary proteins without making life complicated. Some that freeze really well: the beef stew, the chicken, rice and vegetables and the turkey and vegetable meatballs.

Cool it fast and divide it up

Bacteria grow fastest between 5 and 60 °C (40 and 140 °F). A big pot of hot food takes hours to cool if you leave it as is, and that's the riskiest stretch.

• Spread the food into shallow, wide containers or several dishes so it cools faster.
• Don't leave it at room temperature for more than two hours. Less in summer.
• If you're in a hurry, set the pot in a sink or tub of ice water and stir.
• Weigh each portion on a kitchen scale: one per day or one per meal, whichever is easier for you.

Containers

Container	Pros	Keep in mind
Freezer-safe glass containers	Last for years, don't absorb odors, can be reheated	Leave 1-2 cm (about 1/2 in) of headspace: food expands as it freezes
BPA-free plastic containers	Light, stackable	Over time they absorb odors and scratch
Zip-top freezer bags	Take up little space if frozen flat	Squeeze out the air before sealing
Silicone molds or ice cube trays	Perfect for small portions, treats and broth	Pop them out and transfer to a bag the next day

Labeling and organizing the freezer

A simple label saves you guessing three weeks later. Write with a permanent marker or on masking tape:

• Recipe name (or the protein, if that's all you need to know).
• Grams in the portion.
• Date it was made.
• If it's for a specific dog, their name: very useful in homes with several dogs on different portions.

Put new portions at the back and older ones at the front, so you use up the oldest first. If your freezer allows it, set aside a drawer just for their food. An inexpensive freezer thermometer confirms it's at −18 °C / 0 °F or colder.

How long everything keeps

Food	Fridge (0-4 °C / 32-40 °F)	Freezer (−18 °C / 0 °F)
Cooked homemade food	3 days	2-3 months
Raw (BARF-style) food, once thawed	1-2 days	Up to 3 months
Unsalted homemade broth	3 days	2-3 months, as cubes
Baked treats	As stated in each recipe	2-3 months
Fruit and yogurt ice creams and popsicles	Not applicable	1-2 months

After that time in the freezer, food doesn't suddenly go bad, but it loses quality, flavor and some vitamins. If a portion smells off, has mold, or its container has come open and it's covered in dry frost, throw it out.

Thawing and serving

1. In the fridge, the night before. This is the safest way: it's ready in 12-24 hours.
2. If you forgot: put the portion, in its sealed bag, in a bowl of cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Or use the microwave's defrost setting, stir well and serve it right away.
3. Never at room temperature on the counter.
4. Serve it at room temperature or just barely warm. If you heat it in the microwave, stir and check with your finger that there are no scalding hot spots.
5. Add the vitamin and mineral supplement at serving time, unless the manufacturer says otherwise.
6. Remove anything not eaten within 30-60 minutes, and don't save it for another meal.
7. Don't refreeze a portion that has been thawed.

If you feed raw

Raw meat needs even more care: always thaw it in the fridge, in a closed container on the bottom shelf so it can't drip onto other food, don't heat it in the microwave, and wash the bowl, the cutting board and your hands after serving. We explain more in our raw food (BARF) diet guide.

Frequently asked questions

How long does homemade dog food last in the freezer?

It keeps its quality well for two to three months at −18 °C / 0 °F. After that it doesn't suddenly become dangerous, but it loses flavor, texture and some of its vitamins. Label each portion with the date, use the oldest first, and throw out any portion that smells off or has been left open and covered in frost.

How do you thaw homemade dog food?

The safest way is to move the portion from the freezer to the fridge the night before: it's ready in 12-24 hours. If you forget, you can put it in its sealed bag in cold water, changing the water every half hour, or use the microwave's defrost setting and serve it right away. Never thaw it on the counter.

Can you heat dog food in the microwave?

Yes, cooked homemade food can be warmed in the microwave. Stir it well and check with your finger that there are no very hot spots, because microwaves heat unevenly and dogs eat fast. Serve it at room temperature or just barely warm. Raw BARF-style food, however, should not be heated in the microwave.

Can you refreeze dog food that has been thawed?

It's not recommended. Every thaw gives bacteria a chance to multiply, and refreezing doesn't kill them. That's why it's best to freeze in daily portions: you thaw only what your dog will eat. If part of a thawed portion is left over in the fridge, use it within the next 24-48 hours or throw it out.