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Review: The Honest Kitchen’s Single Serve Cups

The Honest Kitchen’s Single Serve Cups

It’s been a whirlwind of traveling for work.

I worked two weeks straight without a day off — and that was bad enough! But to add to the misery, I had to work both weekends, too, and those were traveling weekends. I actually started my vacation on Friday, but was working in Atlanta, GA until that Sunday. When I arrived back home, we all jumped into the car and headed off for a week’s vacation. (More on that in another post.)

Single Serve Cups, The Honest Kitchen, product review, dog food reviewWith all the travel and all the work (and zero time off), I was really happy The Honest Kitchen (THK) sent me some of their Single Serve Cups to review!

When I travel, I get the dogs’ food all measured out so it’s really easy for my husband to feed the dogs. These single serve cups made at least part of my job super easy — I just stacked those cups up in the pantry! That’s it! No scooping out food and putting it in a baggie, making a label for the bag, putting the label on the bag, and arranging them by dog (and by meal!) in the pantry.

These single serve cups made my job super easy — I just stacked those cups up in the pantry! That’s it! No scooping out food and putting it in a baggie, making a label for the bag, putting the label on the bag, and arranging them by dog (and by meal!) in the pantry.

I wish I had a photo of the cups. Here’s my tip for any other bloggers who are reading this. Take the pictures first! Don’t say “Oh, I’ll get the pictures later.”

Schooner, the Great Dane, sort of <ahem> taste tested a couple of the single serve cups on his own.

He volunteered and did a bang up job. Someone (who shall remain nameless) left the pantry door open while I was out teaching classes. I didn’t see anything amiss when I got home from teaching. It was the next morning when I noticed the mess of cardboard and then, as I got closer, I saw the dried bits of food all over the sofa.

Apparently, Schoons thought the food didn’t need any water at all and helped himself to two cups of the stuff. ?

The Honest Kitchen, single serve cups, human grade dog foodThankfully, The Honest Kitchen has some great pics on their website that I can use to show you how cute these little cups are. And despite Schooner’s adventure, those cups are really quite sturdy. Just not in the jaws of a 165-pound dog. ?

These single serve cups are perfect for travel.

Whether you’re leaving food behind for your pet sitter or if you’re bringing your dog on the road with you, these cups make packing for your trip a whole lot easier.

As with all of THK’s offerings, these single serve cups are 100% human grade. They are free of BHA and preservatives and are made from whole food.

The one single serve cup that I was able to mix up and offer to Tango was super easy — just add warm water, stir, and serve! Makes things easy for you if you’re on the road (hotelling it or roughing it) and for pet sitters (or husbands) who are looking after your dog while you’re adventuring.

I love THK because of the quality of the food. Now I have another reason — they make things so much more convenient for a busy traveler like me!

 

Review: The Honest Kitchen’s Minimalist Recipes

The Honest Kitchen’s Minimalist Recipes

Regular readers know I’m a fan of The Honest Kitchen (THK) dog food.

yellow lab, yellow Labrador, dog cancer, canine cancer, lymphoma, sarcomaI regularly feed my senior yellow Labrador, Tango, their human-grade dog food, Force. We looooove it. [I don’t get paid or otherwise compensated to say this. I just really like their food.]

Last week, The Honest Kitchen sent samples of their new, limited ingredient food, duck and sweet potato (grain free!) food, Spruce, their latest minimalist recipe. SIX ingredients. Only six. ALL human-grade.

The Honest Kitchen, dog food review, human grade dog food, dog food

Look, no one needs to sell me on THK food.

I am a believer. Tango’s done great on their food for years now. When I added Spruce into the rotation, Tango didn’t skip a beat. He chowed down on Spruce just like he devours his current THK food, Force.

What’s different about Spruce?

Well, first, it’s a limited ingredient diet. Only six ingredients. SIX. That’s it. Grain-free at that, if that matters to you. It matters to us, mostly because once I eliminated grains from our dogs’ diet, their ear infections and troublesome feet problems dropped off fairly significantly. It’s not scientific evidence, I know, but I’ll take it.

So, the really important stuff: did Tango like the new food?

Uh, YEAH! He gobbled it up like nothing was different. It was just as easy for me to make, too. Which is just a bonus. Becuase even if it were harder to make, I’d still do it because it’s such a good food and so good for my Tango.

Spruce is great for your dog if he has allergies or a sensitive stomach. It’s made from cage-free duck and also sweet potatoes. It’s made in a human-grade manufacturing facility with human-grade ingredients. It’s good for your dog. No preservatives, no artificial colors, no fake anything.

How do you make it?

If you’ve never tried THK food, it’s really easy to make. Put the food in the bowl, add warm water, stir, and feed to your dog! It’s that simple. For reals. Made in your own kitchen. By you. Then served immediately to your dog. It doesn’t get any fresher. Or easier.

If you’ve got a picky eater, a dog with a sensitive stomach, or a dog who needs to be on a limited ingredient diet, I highly recommend THKs Spruce food. Their other foods are great, too. Just sayin’.

The Honest Kitchen: Joyful Jerky Review

Joyful Jerky, The Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen: Joyful Jerky Review

I’m a fan of The Honest Kitchen (THK) because their ingredients are human grade and of the highest quality.

When they sent me Joyful Jerky to review, I was excited to let my dogs try it. Joyful Jerky comes in two varieties: beef and chicken. I received the chicken variety to try.

I have been leery of chicken jerky since the reports came out several years ago that chicken sourced in China was associated with the death of many dogs. In fact, THKs Joyful Jerky is the first chicken jerky I’ve given my dogs since the recalls began almost a decade ago.

I did my research, even with THK, and was relieved when they declared that none of their chicken is sourced from China! In fact, Joyful Jerky chicken treats contain just 3 ingredients (chicken, salt, celery juice powder, contain all-natural cage-free chicken, and do not contain glycerin or fillers.

I was sold! So were my dogs.

I used the Joyful Jerky on a veterinary visit where high value treats are a must for Schooner, our chicken-hearted Great Dane. He may be large, but he is not the bravest soul.

Great Dane, Schooner, getting X-rays

It was easy to break the jerky into small, bite-sized bits so it lasted longer.

Unlike my Labradors, who will pretty much eat whatever is put in front of them, Schooner is a bit more, shall we say, picky. He’d rather I describe him as having a discerning palate.

Whatever you want to call it, I generally have to go through several different treats before I find something that meets his taste standards.

I was super excited when he tried to steal some of them out of the container while I wasn’t watching. That’s when I knew we had something good!

vet visit, scared dog, dog training, dog obedience, positive, clicker, Smart Dog, Laurie, Frederick, Luck, dog trainer
Treats help this scaredy-cat enjoy his visit a bit more.

We went through the whole bag there at the veterinary exam. This was a particularly invasive visit, as we’re still battling the pesky (and funky) bacteria on the top of his paw. The veterinarian had to get some skin scrapings (ouch!) and take a good look at that foot. Which meant Schoons needed as much reinforcement and distraction as possible. I kept popping Joyful Jerky in his mouth and he kept his focus on me instead of what was happening to his paw.

Voila! Before Schooner knew it, we were done and heading out the door.

And while I’m still dealing with that foot, I now have a new tool in my “happy veterinary visit” arsenal – Joyful Jerky!

Doggie Stocking Stuffer: Winter Warmers by The Honest Kitchen

Honest Kitchen, dog treats, stocking stuffersDo you buy Christmas presents for your dog?

We do, and even have a doggie stocking that we love stuffing with all kinds of little goodies for all four of our dogs.

Here’s a cool idea for a stocking stuffer: The Honest Kitchen Winter Warmer Broths.

What Are They?

Warm, wintertime beverage treat you can give your dog anytime. There are three flavors in a pack: Chicken
Consomme, Beef and Bone Broth, and Turkey Stock.

Why?

When you come in from the cold, whether you were goofing off in the snow or trudging through slush and ice, a hot mug of cocoa does a body good. But our dogs can’t have cocoa, but they don’t want to be left out (in the cold, couldn’t resist!).

What’s In Them?

Human-grade ingredients like (Chicken Consommé): dehydrated chicken, goat’s milk, chard & parsley. YOU can sip on this if you choose!

How Much?

You get three 5.5 oz jars (one of each) for $19.99. Two tablespoons makes an entire mug! There’s a lot of product in each container — this isn’t one of those “one and done” treats. These will last you into spring!

Coupon Code — Save Money!

You can save $2.00 on each set of Winter Warmer Broth. Use this code at checkout for the $2.00 discount: BGWW14

Limited Holiday Edition

If you’re interested, buy ’em quick! The Honest Kitchen didn’t make a bunch of these — just enough for the holiday season. So if you want some for your doggie stocking, best get that order in soon!

Favorite Dog Food – High Quality, Human Grade, and Convenient

Do you worry if you’re feeding your dog a good diet?

The more I know about dogs and nutrition, the more I worry about what I’m feeding my dogs. I want to do the best I can with their nutrition for several reasons.

  • I want my dogs to live as long as possible.
  • I want my dogs to be healthy and happy — I know nutrition is the foundation for a good, long life.
  • I don’t want my dogs eating by-products, fillers, GMO grains, or preservatives.
  • I eat well — I think  my dogs should, too!

I’ve been fooling around with different food choices for my dogs for the past few years.

I tried our oldest Labrador, Lily, on a raw diet, but found it inconvenient when we were traveling, it was messy, and it was quite expensive. I’ve had Tango on a veterinary food for his arthritis, but I didn’t love the ingredients (by products, grains). And Nemo’s been on kibble his entire life.

To be honest, feeding each dog a different food was getting exhausting, not to mention that our pantry was taken over by bags of dog food. Leaaving the pet sitter with all the different foods and instructions wasn’t any fun either and was more complicated than I felt necessary.

Enter The Honest Kitchen (THK).

I’d run into them at a conference trade show a few years ago. I got to know them and their product. I read up on who they were and how they made their food. After about six months of data collection, I decided to make a test-feeding to see if (1) I liked feeding it to the dogs (2) if I was satisfied by the quality, and naturally (3) if my dogs liked it.

I’ve been blown away by the The Honest Kitchen and their products.

I’m a picky feeder. I have high standards. When a company is pickier than me, well, I take notice. THK is pickier. A lot pickier.

They sent a sample 2-pound box of their food Force, a chicken based dehydrated food product.

I fed Tango and Lily Force and they loved it.

Honest Kitchen, dog food, dehydrated dog food, dog training, Smart Dog, dog obedience, dog nutrition, dog food

What do I love about it?

  • No grains
  • All natural
  • No fillers
  • No preservatives
  • No GMO ingredients
  • FREE RANGE chicken (!)
  • FDA certified that the ingredients are human grade and the processing and packaging are human grade
  • Easy to feed — just mix with water!
  • Convenient
  • Healthy

THK doesn’t just make good, high-quality dog food. They live it.

Honest Kitchen, dog food, dog training, dog obedience, dog nutrition, Smart Dog

I can’t decide what I like more, that they make excellent food or that they care so much about pet nutrition. I mean, I think I’d buy from any company that produced a high-quality, all natural food, but THK does that one better because healthy pets are the core of who they are and it’s why they do what they do. I identify with that passion because it’s that same passion that pushed me to start Smart Dog University.

They have a nice cookbook with recipes that you and your dog can share, as well as recipes just for your dog. I’ve been working my way through the cookbook and will be bringing you some videos and recipes from their creation in future blog posts.

Click here to get your own sample pack (for dogs or cats, your choice) for just $1 from THK.

Honest Kitchen, dog food, dehydrated dog food, cooked dog food, dog training, dog obedience, dog class, Smart Dog, Frederick, clicker

Talk back!

What is your dog’s favorite real food treat?

Tango loves apples, tomatoes, and cukes, for instance. Leave a comment below and tell me what your dog loves!

At 5p (EDT) on June 6, 2014, I’ll randomly select a commenter to receive a free 2-pound box of THK Force food! All you have to do is leave a comment!

Only U.S. residents are eligible to enter due to shipping restrictions. THK sent me a free sample box to try, along with the cookbook, and information about their product. I wasn’t otherwise compensated to write this post and the opinions expressed are my own. I will always report honest opinions on products I use and love regardless of compensation (or more likely, LACK of compensation)!

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