Tips for Extending the Shelf Life of Dry Dog and Cat Food

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

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[@sarahkopy6282]

Thanks for doing something on Pets, which are sometimes over looked. I have a years supply of canned food but, that will require refrigeration, once opened (I have a solar generator plus a mini fridge just for that purpose) but, I think I will be picking up one of those books!

[@BusDriverShirley]

Thank you. I keep 3 bags on hand all the time. I feed mix of kibble and fresh.

[@notshared2543]

Thanks! Brought to mind I need to wash our kibble bucket between reloading to reduce the chance of spreading rancidity.

[@loribaumann5770]

I just went and checked my dog food, and it already comes in mylar bags! I feed American Natural Premium dog food, made here in Wisconsin. I'm super happy about this, because I have show dogs, 4 of them right now, so we go through a lot of food. I won't have to repackage anything, ever.

[@sk6056]

i've been storing kibble in mylar bags and darkened mason jars for years. I don't plan on it lasting forever and either rotate through it or replace it every year or two. None of my critters have ever gotten sick. Jsuk, I inspect bags regularly and carefully. If they didn't compress as I've learned to expect, or the bag experiences changes (ie. starts to expand, etc) I either toss the food or rebag (if I just put it up). I'm also very diligent about smell, texture, color, etc whenever I open a bag/jar that I've put up. Although pets usually let you know when something isn't right I still subscribe to the old motto: If in doubt, throw it out. I think this applies ever more so to pets.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

I'd love to know if you have had any turn rancid yet. What is the longest you have been able to store it and under what conditions? Thanks!

[@JetVet4Jesus]

I use “the vault” kibble storage bins, they work great!

[@7armedoctopus69]

Thank you for this video. Your specific info about % fat content, rancidity, mylar vs bucket, and use of O2 absorbers was great at demystifying everything. Super helpful!!!👏

[@caridadrevilla2439]

Thanks for this on pet preparedness. I have a kitty.

[@fluffyotter1601]

GREAT TOPIC……this has been a serious concern of mine…..THANK YOU😊🦮🦮🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

[@palominogirl2732]

For the dogs and cats, I always have several bags on hand - the big ones from Tractor Supply, I have more in the winter since it will keep longer. I have some canned vegetables and some (not enough) home canned chicken legs for the dogs. Legs, once they have been in the pressure cooker, have bones that are completely soft. I need more though, for three very large dogs. For the horses, I always have plain oats as a back up. Chickens have corn. Plain grain stores all winter, just like in the olden days. And a vitamin/mineral supplement for horses. My winter's hay is always in, enough for a bit more than a year. Two years ago, it rained so much that first cutting hay was August! Unprecedented! I want to get a freeze dryer to help with storing pet food - among other things. But I do worry about not having enough feed, medicines, dewormers, etc., on hand. Thank you for this video!! It is not covered much. OH - ALSO - I'm learning more about herbal remedies for animals, another subject that isn't that easy to come by.

[@LierinEdana]

We do keep about two months of dry food in reserve, but I got a veterinary approved fresh diet for both our cats and our dog. The cats tend to eat wet food for 95% of their diet now, whether I make it or purchase cans. Our Husky requires a high protein diet and we are gradually testing and adding a fresh diet for him. While I can use a turkey or several chickens to make a months worth of cat food and can it, the Husky requires a bit more than is comfortable in our budget at the moment so we are mostly concentrating on getting the diet itself correct for now. In any case, both cats and dogs have been fed by humans long before any dry or canned food was available in grocery stores. Cats are obligate carnivores and the main thing to keep in mind is to make certain there is enough taurine and vitamins in what you feed them. All dark chicken meat (legs) and turkey is great. Organ meat from both is great (pay attention to the percentages which vary slightly by age), egg yolks several times each week, and some form of fish oil (human grade) each week, or, fresh fish (not canned). Canine diets are a bit more complex. Do your research. I honestly did a lot more planning as far as what to plant and how much so we can feed our chickens and rabbits year round than our cats and dogs. The one place I do keep/rotate some dry kibble and canned foods is in our evac supplies. We live in an area that can very occasionally have flooding. We regularly get tornadoes, and the New Madrid would be a major problem if it gets cranky again. We also have several rail lines in town. While we have no plans to bug out currently, we do have enough threats that may cause us to have to evacuate for a period of time. We have camping gear, food, clothing, first aid, etc. packed and ready to go at any time; enough to last us at least a month. I have no interest in trying to find a hotel that accommodates pets. We are also building a box truck into a camper/evac ready vehicle although it isn't currently ready.

[@destinyandpurpose]

Thank you so much for clearing up the myth about dry kibble. My doggies will have food and I also plan to package up and store some chinchilla food for my chin friend Thank You!!

[@austin-chows4]

I'm so glad I watched this! Answered questions. I will bring the dry food inside tomorrow.

[@MarlenevT]

I am in a financial dip so I have been getting my food from the food pantry. I made cat food for my cats from the pantry foods. I did add a package of Chicken Hearts. They loved it and it helped me get through a period that I couldn't afford to buy any.

[@philw7174]

Thank you for this video Kylene, I know my pets are part of our family and we also have food freeze dried for them. I need to reevaluate their supply and add more. Happy trails!

[@danamarie8718]

Most of the dry kibble I’ve bought has had a best by date of at least a year, if not more. Unless your supply is going to outlast that best by date I don’t see any reason to re-package it. I would put it into rodent proof containers, but in the bags they come in.

[@dianehundley720]

‘Thank you so much for this video!!! You are so awesome!!! I have three dogs (one is 19 yrs old) and your research has helped me tremendously😊

[@TUKByV1]

I just got a kitten. We're getting her to eat meat along with canned and kibble. Our other cat was raised on factory food and the stubborn boy won't touch anything but.

[@noracharles80]

Thank you, Kylene! Great topic.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

You are so welcome!

[@theam13ify]

Thank you for this video. I experienced shortages during the pandemic also, and during that time, I had a very picky senior = desperation and stress. Fast forward. I am working on the same plan as you. I have a year's supply of dry food based on best-by dates. I have diversified food options to include dry, shelf-stable, , shelf-stable canned jar options and freezer meals. I rotate. I keep vitamin and calcium options on hand to balance out any meal in case we have to priot.

[@Nana9112go]

Good video! Great topic for those of us with pets.

[@audreylopez3851]

Thank you for this info. My husband and I have 1 lrg dog and 14 cats. We also buy the dry food from Costco

[@mjordan1028]

I have small dogs & always repackage dry kibble in multiple bags with my vacuum sealer once I open the bag. I learned years ago that the food starts going stale after it is opened & my dogs won't eat stale kibble.

[@Wendy-ce5gd]

It does indeed begin to get rancid. I didn’t not realize this until my cat refused to eat kibble one day (main meals are canned). I opened a new bag and he ate that. I smelled the two and, yep, there was a difference.

[@jenmag0313]

Thanks for this great info!

[@annemz4328]

Thank you for the video😊🌷

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

You're welcome 😊

[@lisalaufenberg6002]

Thank you for the helpful information!

[@TUKByV1]

My ideal plan would be to feed all carnivores almost entirely raw meats, with cooked meats given mostly as a treat of sorts. I don't currently have the freezer space for this.

[@susanlester1]

Some of the big bags of Pedigree brand come already in mylar. Also, the small bags for little dogs come in mylar. They do not have an oxygen absorber.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

They may have been flushed with nitrogen during the packaging process which would have the same result ... reduced oxygen environment. You could call the company to make sure.

[@Katie105-l3f]

Just a consideration: look at gamma lids for your buckets. So much easier to use.

[@kmartin2988]

I maintain a year's supply of Costco Maintenance cat (along with a year's supply of canned cat food) and rotate them. I store in the basement. However, what I have learned is that there are bugs in these feeds (true of other store's brands, also) that hatch in the warmth of a heated house or in the summer! I am cleaning out one of my freezers so that whenever I buy a bag to replenish my stores, I will freeze it for a few days before putting it in my storage. Hopefully, that will eliminate this issue.

[@packfreshusa]

Oxygen Absorbers in an airtight environment will also eliminate this issue. Bugs require oxygen to survive and thrive. If you eliminate the oxygen, you will eliminate the bugs, even without freezing first.

[@kmartin2988]

@@packfreshusa THANKS!

[@rob1266]

Great video, thanks!

[@kathleenkendalljacksgrandm6902]

Remember, during shtf when you can’t get dog food, they can eat pasta, oats, quinoa, even bread. Go for the food with the least ingredients. They don’t need salt. They can eat most vegetables but no onion or garlic, some vers say no lettuce. Potatoes need to be well done. I went to google and found qualified sources that said which foods are alright for a dog or cat to eat. And yes, I would much rather have them eating a balanced diet but if the power goes out for weeks we may be scrounging around for something to tied them over.

[@loribaumann5770]

Actually, it's not good to randomly throw food together like that. Dogs shouldn't be eating potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other legumes. This would be terribly unbalanced. You should do a search on degenerative cardiomyopathy in dogs, or DMC.

[@danamarie8718]

@@loribaumann5770Is that the same as dilated cardiomyopathy?

[@Wendy-ce5gd]

I’ve done a little reading on dry food storage and learned the manufacturers put a lot of research into producing the packaging for the food to enable it to stay as fresh as possible, which is why the instructions advise storing the food in the original bag. Because my two cats eat only wet food meals, I don’t go through much kibble, so buy 3 pound bags. I take half of the food out of the bag to store in glass and use this bottle as the daily supply and press as much air as possible out of the original bag and tape it down real well to use the other half in a couple months. Last time I tried vacuum sealing half the bag and they have been eating the vacuum sealed portion as though it’s a new bag. When I had one cat of course the small bag lasted longer. One day he absolutely refused to eat the kibble snack! I opened a new bag and he gobbled it up. I smelled the two. Sure enough, the old one was turning rancid! And it was only about 13 weeks open! I thought kibble was like cereal, but it isn’t. I don’t know how many pounds of dry food four cats go though, but based on my experience of witnessing that dry cat food (in this case Iams adult) does go rancid indoors after opening, I would buy only bag sizes you know the cats will consume within the 12 week period. You an still buy the same number of pounds, and yes it will be more expensive, but cheaper in the long run if the food ends up turning and the pet refuses it, or doesn’t and gets sick!!!!!

[@S070-g8q]

I contacted my kibble company, and they told me to store opened kibble bags in an airtight container and use within 4-6 weeks max.

[@tomprivate3362]

I have two cats and a Rat Terrier (12#). I buy the large bags because it is the cheapest. I "decant" the food into a gallon zip lock bag and then place that inside a coffee can with a snap on lid. When I open a new bag it has the same scent as the original bulk bag. The cats and dog always come running. The zip lock bag only holding a bit over one pound usually lasts about a week. I figure I have 3-4 months dry food on hand, at least that will allow time In an emergency to find another source.......I have observed shortages of dry pet food recently so I am glad I plan ahead.

[@marygallagher3428]

Great tips!

[@marcb1958]

I vacuum sealed my cat's dry food in 2022 and they are still fine.☝

[@Kristy.G.135]

Thanks to you, I now have 4 months of food at home. I would need 17 forty pound bags for a year and that’s just too much 😅

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

I am so very proud of you!

[@S070-g8q]

So, I am new to feeding kibble. I just started my dog on Farmina. I contacted the manufacturer, and they said once the bag is opened, the whole bag should be put in an airtight container, and used within 6 weeks max. My dog only goes through one small 5.5 lb bag per month. The small bags are significantly more expensive per lb. If I wanted to purchase the big bag, could I just decanter the contents into smaller mylar bags with oxygen absorbers and then heat seal those? TIA

[@fabricdragon]

i have a very bad migraine, so i admit i am commenting before i can watch the video... but the number one reason for pet food going bad in "good" storage conditions (that is, free of bugs, moisture, etc) is the fat content. fat, as we know, will go rancid in storage although there are ways of slowing that. one of the simplest TECHNICALLY is to store the "dry kibble" ingredients (usually for dog food) such as grains, dried vegetable bits, etc... and then have freeze dried meats to rehydrate, or canned meats, and mix as needed. you can also make sure your pets are acclimated to eating a wide range of foods from early on, including things like raw meat, different brands of food, home made foods etc. that way in an emergency you wont *suddenly* be asking them to change their diet for the first time. (when i had a big dog? i used to ask for deer scraps/bones from the hunters, and i also occasionally fed her whatever meat - human grade- i could afford, so she would eat a wide range of foods) that way if you HAVE to feed your cat on trapped pigeons, or your dog on a vegetable and grain mix with some meat thrown in? it will be easier on them (i know one friend of mine freeze dries wet cat food, since her cat needs a very controlled diet) again forgive me for likely repeating what you said, i just cant watch or listen right now

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

I hope your head gets better soon!

[@fabricdragon]

@@TheProvidentPrepper thank you, i get my migraine shots friday... every 3 months, and by the end of the 3 months its pretty bad. i hope you all are doing well in this heat!!!!

[@Hudson-kh5xh]

Can you please tell us how to make ge

[@kellycarter2497]

Good information. I have a dog who will only eat chicken liver and the occasional bite of cooked chicken or hamburger. She does eat cat food and cat treats, she thinks she's a cat. Kinda makes it hard to store for her long term.......never met a dog so picky in my life

[@theresamaday3372]

I live on the Cascadia subduction zone and I’m concerned about how to store food so that it is accessible after a large earthquake. Where do I put my survival gear and food? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

We keep our survival kits in a coat closet right by the front door. I know others will keep them on a hook in the garage ready to go. Our garage is too hot. They need to be someplace near an exit and easily accessible.

[@teeser2436]

I have 8 inside cats had a outside momma cat disappear and left me with 3 kittens . I’m on SS and it stresses me out to think of trying to store enough food for the times I think we are going to go through in the coming 6 month or so. 🙁

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

That's a lot of cats!

[@CamMcB]

Have to ask puppy n kitten formula or goats milk probably has a limited like span what then?

[@debbyplank2189]

If the grid goes down, then what? I live in Texas and just went through a lousy time of no electricity due to the hurricane. I lost an entire freezer that I had just filled due to the flooding before that when we lost electricity. I can as much as possible but have no way (known) of what to do when Mother Nature decides to show us who's boss, and I can promise you it's not me! Any advice or gleaned knowledge you have would be great! Thanks

[@ladyatriona8401]

Watch this channel have less in the freezer and more in your pantry. Can or freeze dried or dehydrated long term. It's doable time and effort

[@debbyplank2189]

@@ladyatriona8401 thank you

[@Wendy-ce5gd]

My parents are in Kingwood. Their plan is to make certain not to have the freezer full in the summer in case they decide to clean it out, turn off the water and utilities, and evacuate. They also lost power, like you, for nine days. I am in Dallas. I figure is something happens to my block, there’s someone I know somewhere else who has services. In any case, it’s wise to be self sufficient for at least a few days if only for convenience or to same money by not moving into a hotel

[@debbyplank2189]

@@Wendy-ce5gd I live in N Houston not too far from there. I have well over 100 jars filled but the stores seem to offer the best deals in the summer. I keep watching for people to sell jars but no luck yet. Thank you for the idea though. We all live for ideas from each other.

[@TheBlondePatriot]

My question is, if the oxygen absorber would take out the moisture and damage the dog food or cat food.

[@anydaynow7755]

Oxygen absorbers don't remove moisture. They remove the oxygen.

[@JulietteRomeo]

So, if my brain is comprehending this correctly, dog food with 16% fat and 12% moisture content should be able to be stored in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers safely. Would that be correct?

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

A dog food with 10% fat would be better. Yes, it should be safe to store them short term in Mylar with an oxygen absorber.

[@eyesup9542]

♥️

[@mrsdawnfoster]

I have stored catfood in mylar bags with OAs since past year. Most of the bags are so sealed up / crinkled like .. has given some to relatives but soon as fall weather arrives will get a year or so more. But for now we could make it for 8 months if shtf plus canned cat food expiration 2025 and 2026 I got more than needed but my fur babies will not do without plus a lot of packaged tune with no added ingredients and chicken and beef broth to pour over cat food for our borderline diebatic 9 year old cat watches the FATs big time

[@mrsdawnfoster]

.... Ment Packaged tuna fish plain no additives and in water

[@tammiehowes5100]

So my question is... was the fat content AND the moisture content supposed to be about 10%? I heard moisture content but wasn't sure about the fat content.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Good options for long term food storage should be 10% moisture or less AND low in fat ... like 1% low in fat. That is the reason dry kibble won't store long term.

[@onlyinmydreams2023]

Both of my cats are now on 100 percent prescription food. I have been able to stock up enough dry and canned food for one cat because his portions are small. The other cat was recently switched to only prescription food. She eats an entire can each day. A case of her food is 24 cans and costs $100. I am retired and can't afford to buy more than one case at a time. Does anyone know of any program that might help with discounted prescription pet food?

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Wow! That is a lot of money!

[@Wendy-ce5gd]

What food are your cats on?

[@onlyinmydreams2023]

They are on Hills c/d and z/d. The z/d is the expensive one.​@@Wendy-ce5gd

[@michaelryan226]

Why don't people freeze dry pet food....?

[@gardengirl7258]

I took zip lock freezer bags and filled each one with a single day’s worth of my three dogs dry. I tossed that in the freezer. It works fine. I reuse the bags as many as three times before tossing by keeping them in the freezer once they are empty.

[@jillsparks4140]

FYI: while walking my Yorkie, I noticed that he would dig a hole in decomposed soil and lick it like crazy. I realized he was getting something that he needed from the soil, which I believe to have been the minerals. I observed this behavior for a bit and then decided that I would put a very small amount of Celtic salt, which has 82 minerals, on his food. Before he ate, he would lick salt off and then eat. He no longer digs holes and licks the soil.

[@Wendy-ce5gd]

@@gardengirl7258I used to think freezing dry food is safe but the freezer is a high moisture area. I tossed 1.5 pound when I realized this (duh…I should have thought about that from all the times I’ve found moisture crystals inside packages on food)

[@lindamcneil711]

Dogs are omnivores but focus on high proteins. We don’t feed our dogs commercial dog food. We feed them real food… meats first with vegetables. Our food storage considers that.

[@butterflybeatles]

Canned food lasts forever.

[@HoosierHmstrdr94]

Meat rabbits.

[@LynnerdSkinnerd97]

We shouldn't be feeding our pets dry kibble at all.

[@lisajusti9907]

That is your personal opinion and not the topic of this video. Prepare whatever you're going to be feeding and store it properly and hopefully you don't run out of the necessary ingredients when a long term SHTF event occurs.