Are You Storing Pet Food the Right Way?

Every pet parent prioritizes getting the best quality food for their four-legged baby. Some buy it from physical stores and some order it from online stores. You look for the best quality products for your pet but did you know how you store your pets’ food impacts their health and well-being? 

No pet parent wants to miss out on even the slightest point when it comes to taking care of their pet. Right from providing them regular meals, clean drinking water, maintaining their coat and fur, keeping them clean, providing them attractive and engaging toys, to ensuring they get their vaccines done on time, pet parents always get their checklist ticked off.  

Now that you have completed purchasing premium quality food, the next thing you do after buying will build the steps for your pet to be healthy and safe.

It is a very common habit among pet parents - once they get their pet food, to open the package and transfer it to another container for storing it. But did you know this commonality is preventing your pet to enjoy the nutritional benefits?

Not only the quality of food products but also the way you store them plays an important role in boosting your pets' strong immunity. 

Keep it in the original packaging

If you are one of those cautious parents who never want to run out of food, the best solution is to store the dry food in its original package. Many manufacturers test the shelf life of the pet food by keeping it in the original package. Storing the dry food in its original packaging has various advantages such as the brand name, the price of the product, the manufacturers' information, and most importantly - all the ingredients that your pet is consuming and if any of them are allergic (so you can avoid buying it the next time), the best buy and expiry dates. Along with the above mentioned, it not only aids in protecting the nutrients from breaking down but also aids in minimizing pests like ants, bugs and rodents, and other contamination. Storing pet food in the original packing will maintain its maximum freshness for a longer period. 

Seal the package air-tight

When it comes to food products, external factors like heat, air, and sunlight can easily damage the food package. To prevent your pet food from getting spoiled, once you take the required quantity out of the bowls, squeeze the package as much as possible and release the air. To maintain the freshness for a longer period, close the package using the package’s seal. This will ensure the food maintains and locks its freshness and is odor-free. If you leave food the way it is or do not close it securely, as mentioned earlier, the air will cause nutrients to break down instantly. 

Cool and dry place

Ensure that the location you choose to keep the stored food is a cool and dry place. It is very likely for moisture to build up which eventually leads to mold formation. This can even make your pet sick. Storing food at places that have high temperatures can increase the degradation process ultimately breaking down nutrients present in the food. 

Store at a height

If you keep the storage containers in a place that is easily accessible for your pets, they are sure to get themselves in trouble! So, what is the best way to keep it out of their reach? By simply placing the food containers at a height your pet can't reach. This way you would be sure your pet isn’t over-eating, and the containers are safe at all times. Keeping the stored food containers at a height is also beneficial if you've got kids playing around in the house.

Use within the best-before date

There's a difference between 'use before' and 'best-before' dates wherein the latter date mainly refers to quality, it is when the pet food is at its peak freshness, with taste and the nutritional value intact. When the best-before date runs out, it might begin to lose its flavor, freshness, and texture. Hence, it is always advised to check the best before dates and let your pet consume it within the best-before dates mentioned on the packaging. 

If you're someone who likes to stock up on wet food in containers, the following are tips you can use:

Washing storage containers

Keep the containers clean by washing them before you load another batch into the container. This will help minimize all kinds of bacterial transmission and prevent oil from contaminating the fresh food. 

Avoid mixing the food

While it is a good idea to keep your pet food containers always filled with food, it should be avoided. There are chances the old food might contain bacteria or mold and could easily get transferred to the fresh food and contaminate all of it. You should also avoid mixing the old food with the new food as it will eventually have the same effect.

Less is already more

Store only what your pet can consume in the container for 3–4 weeks for a fresh taste and to avoid food contamination, less in the heat of summer or in humid circumstances. What is the best way to keep pet food? While buying in bulk can save money, you risk wasting it if it turns old before you can use it. Even if you have a large pet food storage container that can hold more of food at a time, you don't have to fill it.

Smaller containers are comparatively easier

Rather than storing food in large containers, storing it in multiple small containers has several advantages. Smaller amounts are easier to store and utilize as needed, and they reduce the risk of food contamination. Smaller quantities are not only easier to use, but they also save you from the trouble of unsealing more than you require. Furthermore, if one container becomes infected, you still have fresh food for your pet in another container.