3 Dog-Friendly Meals Ideal for Football Season

When the new football season comes around, you may break out the recipe book to make all kinds of different meals. As you enjoy some of your favorite meals while you watch football games, your dog will likely be by your side looking for some treats as well.

While you want to avoid human food as much as possible, you could amend some recipes and create clever twists on some common football meals so your dog can safely have a meal with you. The next time you prepare for football Sunday, check out some of these options and really treat your dog while you treat yourself as well. The meals are dog friendly and cater to a lot of different canine diets.

1. Chili

A traditional chili offers a delicious mix of spices, cheeses, and ground beef. While your dog may not like a lot of spice, you could make a chili that really brings out the beef flavors. Start off with really lean ground beef. Something over 90% lean is ideal for your dog, because too much fat could be unhealthy.

Once you brown the beef, use a fat-free beef broth to add to the beef. Consider tossing a lot of small chopped up fresh vegetables for the chili. For example, you could add chopped up carrots, broccoli, and celery to the mix. Avoid traditional chili spices like onions and garlic because they could be harmful to the animal.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pot and let them simmer for at least an hour. The vegetables will soften and really soak up the beef flavor. If you want to add an extra treat, then consider tossing in a little bit of shredded cheese as long as your dog is not lactose intolerant.

2. Chicken Nachos

While you enjoy large platters of nachos on game day, you can prepare a special plate of nachos for your dog as well. Lean white-meat chicken like chicken breasts offer an ideal meal for a dog. Boiled chicken breast serves as an ideal main protein for dogs to eat. Instead of salty tortilla chips, replace the chips with thin carrot slices.

The raw carrots add a nice crunch to the meal and can also help clean a dog's teeth as they chew through the carrots. Layer on carrots and chicken together to resemble the same design as a nacho plate. Just like the chili, you can add a small amount of shredded cheese on the top for a nice treat if your dog can handle cheese.

3. Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Along with main meals, you may enjoy a wide range of treats during game days. Provide your pet with a healthy cookie they could munch on during games. Online, you will find a wide range of recipes for peanut butter dog treats. The treats will combine whole wheat flour, peanut butter, and an egg to create the simple dough.

Form the squishy dough into a wide numbers of shapes. For example, you could purchase a football shaped cookie cutter to create a collection of football dog treats. Also consider cookie cutter shapes like helmets or field goal posts. Many of the recipes will have a long shelf life when you keep them stored in an air tight container.

After you make a batch, you can pull out a new treat for each day you watch football games. The peanut butter has a lot of nutrition and dogs tend to love the flavors in peanut butter. Some recipes online will also include extra elements like honey to provide a burst of sweetness.

If you have questions about your dog's diet and what meals to prepare, contact us at South San Diego Veterinary Hospital. We can set up an appointment for your pet and go over some of the best options for their diet and everyday lifestyle.