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‘Tis the season! If you have a raw feeder in your life and are looking for the perfect gift, this is the list for you. I've curated a list of 25 awesome gifts for raw feeders. I've been feeding raw for nearly nine years, and I used my experience to create this list. I think this will help you make someone's Christmas brighter.
25 Gift Ideas for Raw Feeders
Johan and I have been together for nearly twenty years, and for most of that time, he's struggled when it came to Christmas time. Buying gifts for others isn't easy. But when I began feeding him raw, he suddenly became a gift-giving aficionado. A Christmas doesn't go by when he doesn't surprise me with how well he knows me and my crazy dog mom ways.
This is a list of gift ideas for the raw feeder in your life.
1 – Meat Grinder
With prices increasing, more and more pet parents are switching from commercial raw to DIY. Although many of my sources have started grinding the meat, I still use my meat grinder once a month. I'm now using my third meat grinder. I went cheap with the first one (you get what you pay for) and switched to a Cabela's Carnivore 3/4 horse-powered meat grinder six years ago. I replaced it a couple of months ago.
When shopping for a meat grinder, I went through the reviews with a fine-tooth comb, looking for reviews by raw feeders. The meat grinders that I recommend are:
My meat grinder does great with poultry and rabbit bones. And although the warranty won't cover repairs if we grind bones, the meat grinder was such a beast that I didn't have any issues beyond replacing the auger on my first Carnivore a few years into using it.
2 – Kitchenaid Mixer
If the raw feeder in your life feeds ground raw, a Kitchenaid Mixer will help blend the ingredients thoroughly. I have a 6-quart mixer that I use from time to time, but I recommend something larger, if available, for raw feeders making large batches of raw dog food. The 6-quart will work; it just takes a little more time.
3 – Food Saver Vacuum Sealing
Raw feeders who order in bulk and prep meals might appreciate a Food Saver. It's a great way to store meat in the freezer without wasting space. Because of the amount of liquid in raw food, using a Food Saver came with a learning curve, but I figured it out. Freezing the meat a little first made the vacuum sealing process less messy. The only downside is the amount of one-use plastic used with a food saver.
4 – Roasting Pans
I use roasting pans to thaw food without the mess (blood). These have been the easiest things to use because I can fit a lot of frozen meat in a roasting pan, and it fits perfectly in the dog's fridge. The best place to find these at a great deal (because I suggest buying three or four) is Walmart or Fred Meyer (if you have one in your area).
5 – Glass Storage Containers
The cool thing about quality glass containers is that they go from the countertop to the fridge to the freezer. With glass, you don't have to worry about the toxins we're warned about when it comes to plastic containers. Many people don't get glass containers because of the cost, so this is an excellent gift.
6 – Glass Canning Jars
Johan purchased several cases of glass canning jars for me several years ago, and I've been using them regularly for bone broth, my veggie mix, and fermented vegetables. I plan to use them to store DIY kefir and yogurt. The cool thing about the canning jars is that you can buy them for next to nothing if you're okay with getting them used. I received four cases of them. I just needed to buy new lids, which are available on Amazon.
- I recommend checking Craigslist or the Facebook marketplace, where people will unload a case of the jars instead of purchasing them new.
7 – Easy Fermenter System
Fermented foods are great for gut health and the immune system, but I think the process of fermenting is a pain in the butt. This is why I use the easy fermenter system, which I discovered on Amazon. It makes fermenting easy, and this, combined with the canning jars, turned me into a fermenting BEAST.
8 – Yogurt Starter and Kefir Grains
If you have a true DIY raw feeder on your Christmas list, they might appreciate a yogurt starter and kefir grains to make yogurt and kefir at home. With the supply line slowing down, many people are looking to make things at home. Not only does this save money, but it ticks a box on every raw feeder's list—we get to control the ingredients!
- I recommend shopping at Cultures for Health
9 – Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
I have two pressure cookers, an 8-quart, and a 6-quart, that I use to make bone broth, soft-boiled eggs, yogurt, and homemade dog food (when cooking for the dogs). A pressure cooker takes the place of a lot of kitchen equipment and is an excellent gift for a DIY raw feeder.
10 – Kitchen Scale
I like to measure my dogs' meals. A quality kitchen scale can be challenging because the dishes I feed my dogs (pasta dishes) are heavier than some scales can take. I went through several kitchen scales before I found the one that worked best for me, so I appreciate a quality scale.
11 – Food Dehydrator
DIY raw feeders also like to make their dog treats. I use my food dehydrator to make jerky treats, apple chips, kale chips, and more. It's easy to use, makes a lot of treats, and helps me save money. Have you price-checked quality dog treats lately? They run about $12-$15 a bag.
12 – Pet Scale
To keep my dogs at a healthy weight, I weigh them once a month using a pet scale. Rapid weight loss or weight gain is quickly determined so that I can act. Owning my own scale helps me quickly adjust my dogs' meals.
13 – Food Processor
I like to puree vegetables for my dogs; a food processor is the best tool. I've tried several blenders, but they don't stand up to the vegetables for long. One started smoking a few days after I purchased it. So now I use a food processor. It's able to puree vegetables quickly and thoroughly. I also use it to make smoothies for myself.
14 – Yogurt Maker
You can make yogurt in an Instant Pot or buy a yogurt maker. I've been told that these machines also make kefir. I own two Instant Pots, but only one has an option to make Yogurt. While I can still make yogurt in the other one, I'm not great in the kitchen, so I appreciate anything that makes cooking easier.
15 – Egg Cooker (poached, soft-boiled, etc.)
I started cooking my dogs' eggs this year because one of my dogs would no longer eat them raw. It turns out that cooking eggs doesn't change their nutrient content much. I make them over easy and want to try soft-boiled and poached eggs. As I said, I'm not great in the kitchen, so I'm stoked about anything that will make cooking eggs easier. And, yes, you can cook soft-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot, but can you poach them?
16 – Mixing Spoons
Because some proteins can be thick and heavy, a sturdy set of mixing spoons is important. I don't recommend ordering these online. You will want to feel the spoons and make sure that they don't bend easily. You can purchase these at Walmart or Target.
17 – Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
A set of mixing bowls will also come in handy. I don't recommend ordering these online because the bowls come in sets of various sizes. When doing meal prep, I find working with several bowls of the same size (8-quarts) easier. You can purchase these at Walmart or Target.
18 – Pasta Bowls
I started feeding my dogs from pasta bowls when Sydney was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. She stopped eating, and I wondered if it was because the smell of the food was too overpowering. When I switched to a pasta bowl, which allowed me to spread the food out, she returned to eating. I now feed all my dogs from pasta bowls and alternate between two sets.
You can purchase these at Walmart or Target. If the raw feeder in your life has multiple dogs, get bowls of different colors to assign each bowl to a dog. This makes raw feeding easier on those mornings when my brain hasn't woken up yet.
19 – Neater Feeder Raised Dog Dish
If the raw feeder in your life concerns bacteria, consider giving them a Neater Feeder raised dog dish as a gift. It prevents water from splashing all over the floor and keeps our dogs' meals in the dog dish. I can set the pasta bowl over the hole that usually holds the stainless steel dog dish.
20 – Indoor Greenhouse for Herbs
Every spring, I prepare my garden for the summer. I plant various herbs and vegetables that I share with the dogs. I'd like to maintain the herb garden year-round, and I'd love an indoor greenhouse to grow sprouted chia seeds, wheatgrass, parsley, basil, rosemary, and more.
21 – Mini Fridge and/or Freezer
One complaint I hear is that they don't have enough fridge or freezer space. Ideally, I bet the raw feeder in your life would love a full-size freezer, but that's a big ask for Christmas. So I recommend a mini-fridge (for thawing and storing) and/or freezer to expand storage for the dogs.
If you live in Western Washington, I recommend going to the Appliance Recycling Outlet in Snohomish, Washington. This is where we purchased all of our appliances at a great price.
22 – Parsley Pet Nutritional Blue Print Testing
Every other year, I have my dogs nutrient tested to ensure their diet meets their nutritional needs. I'd love to do this annually, but it's expensive ($200 per dog). The cost makes this a fantastic gift for a raw feeder. Help them save a little money.
23 – Tickets to the Feed Real Summit
The annual Feed Real Summit is an excellent event that will sell out fast, and many raw feeders would love to attend a weekend of learning and networking.
24 – Books on Raw Feeding & Dog Health
When it comes to raw feeding, we're always learning, and three books that I love this year are:
- Yin & Yang 2.0, Dr. Judy Morgan
- The Herbal Dog, Rita Hogan
- There's a Mushroom for That, Dr. Rob Silver
- Know Your Dog's True Nature, Elizabeth Anne Johnson
25 – Gift Card to Costco or the Butcher
And, finally, what raw feeder wouldn't want meat as a gift? Well, maybe I'm projecting. I'd love a generous gift certificate to Costco or a local butcher to stock up on food for my dogs.
And that's my list. What's on your Christmas list?
These are the containers that I’m considering: https://amzn.to/3shtUoi
Yes. I’ll be trying out yogurt soon and will be using raw goat’s milk to start.
Thank you so much. I love reading recipes and just reading everything. Do you know if you can make Goat Milk into yogurt? My dogs love goat milk and I am going to try kefir too!
Hi- great list for raw feeders! I cannot find the glass storage containers- Amazon keeps taking me to the kitchen aid site. Thank you!
Great gift ideas ! As we’re not in the US, we don’t use the products of Two Crazy Cat Ladies, but they look amazing. Purrs