laylas-bowl3c350fe6

Why We Do Not Balance Every Meal

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:46:36 GMT

One of the biggest misconceptions about homemade dog food is that every meal needs to be perfectly balanced.

When people first start researching homemade feeding, they often see recipes that make it seem like every bowl has to contain the exact right amount of protein, vegetables, vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

For us, that approach is not realistic.

It would take too much time, create too much stress, and make homemade feeding feel impossible to keep up with long-term.

Instead, we focus on balance over time.

Why We Focus on Variety Over Time

We think about Layla’s meals the same way we think about feeding people.

A child does not need every meal to be perfectly balanced.

What matters more is what they eat over the course of several days.

That is how we approach homemade dog food too. Some batches may include more beef. Some may include more fish. Some may have more vegetables, more grains, or more eggs.

That is ok.

We think variety matters more than perfection.

Over time, rotating ingredients helps cover more nutrients and creates a more balanced overall diet.

The Problem With Trying to Make Every Bowl Perfect

Trying to balance every meal can make homemade feeding feel overwhelming very quickly.

People start stressing about:

Exact percentages
Calories
Vitamins
Minerals
Protein levels
Fat content
Whether every ingredient is “correct”

That pressure can make people give up before they ever get comfortable.

We think homemade feeding should feel manageable.

The goal is not to create a perfect bowl every single time.

The goal is to build a routine that you can realistically stick with.

That Does Not Mean Nutrition Does Not Matter

Just because we do not try to make every bowl perfect does not mean we ignore nutrition.

There are a lot of homemade dog food recipes online that are not balanced at all.

We have seen recipes that are:

Mostly rice
Very low in meat
Missing calcium
Missing healthy fats
Missing organ meats
Missing important nutrients completely

That is why we still think it is important to understand the basics of homemade dog food.

For us, that means making sure Layla regularly gets:

Protein
Vegetables
Carbs
Healthy fats
Calcium
Organ meats
Supplements when needed

We may not measure every single nutrient in every bowl, but we still try to follow general guidelines and keep meals balanced over time.

Why Calcium Is One Thing We Always Prioritize

If there is one thing we do not skip, it is calcium.

Many homemade dog food recipes online do not mention calcium at all.

That is a huge problem.

Cooked homemade dog food does not naturally include bones, which means calcium needs to be added separately.

That is why we add calcium to every batch we make. For Layla, that usually means Sea-Cal or homemade eggshell powder. You can learn more about calcium in our Why Calcium matter for Homemade Dog Food page and How to Make Eggshell Powder for Dogs.

Simple Meals Are Ok Sometimes

There are times when a simple meal makes sense.

If Layla has an upset stomach, we may feed her plain rice and chicken for a short period of time.

That does not mean we think rice and chicken is a complete long-term diet.

It just means there are times when simple foods can help temporarily.

Once she feels better, we go back to feeding a more balanced variety of ingredients.

The General Guidelines We Follow

We do not obsess over exact numbers, but we still use homemade dog food guidelines as a starting point.

Most of Layla’s meals are roughly:

60 to 75% meat
15 to 20% vegetables
10 to 20% carbs

Then we add calcium, healthy fats, organ meats, and supplements depending on the batch.

Those numbers are not exact every time, but they help us stay in the right range. For us, that means making sure Layla regularly gets protein, vegetables, carbs, healthy fats, calcium, organ meats, and supplements when needed. We go into more detail about each of those in our guides to Nutrient Basics for Homemade Dog Food and Supplements for Homemade Dog Food .

Our Biggest Advice

Why Monitoring Your Dog Matters More Than Perfect Recipes

Instead of focusing on every calorie or gram, we focus on how Layla is doing overall.

We pay attention to:

Weight
Hunger level
Digestion
Energy
Coat condition
Stool quality

If she seems too thin, we feed more. If she starts gaining weight, we cut back. If a certain ingredient does not agree with her, we adjust it.

That has worked much better for us than trying to make every meal mathematically perfect.

Do not let the idea of “perfect” stop you from feeding homemade food.

You do not need every meal to be identical.

You do not need every bowl to contain every nutrient.

What matters most is learning the basics, keeping things consistent, using variety, and paying attention to your dog over time.

That approach has made homemade feeding feel much more realistic for us.

Why We Do Not Feed Layla Raw

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:01:13 GMT

One of the biggest questions people ask when switching to homemade dog food is whether they should feed raw or cooked meals.

There are many people who feed raw successfully.

Some feed large raw bones and chunks of meat, while others use commercial raw products made from ground meat, organs, and bone.

There are even companies that sell frozen raw blends that are already balanced and ready to serve.

We understand why people are interested in raw feeding.

The idea is very similar to why we feed Layla homemade food in the first place: fewer processed ingredients, more whole foods, and more control over what goes into the bowl.

For us, though, raw feeding never felt like the right fit.

The Two Main Types of Raw Feeding

When most people think of raw feeding, they picture a dog eating a large raw bone or a piece of meat.

That is one style of raw feeding.

Some people feed:

Raw meaty bones
Chicken feet
Raw organs
Whole cuts of meat
Large bone-in meals

Other people feed a more ground and pre-made version of raw food.

That can include:

Frozen commercial raw patties
Ground meat and bone blends
Freeze-dried raw foods
Commercial raw subscription services

For us, neither style ever felt like the right fit.

Why Raw Bones Make Us Nervous

One of the biggest reasons we do not feed raw is because bones make us nervous.

Even though raw bones are considered safer than cooked bones, we still have a hard time watching a dog chew through large pieces of bone.

With our previous Labs, we tried things like raw chicken feet.

Maybe they just were not used to it, but it was not a pleasant experience.

They swallowed large pieces whole, and instead of feeling relaxed, it made us anxious every time they ate.

At some point, we realized that if feeding time is making us nervous, it is probably making the dog nervous too.

We know many people feed raw bones safely, and we are not judging anyone who does.

It is just not something we personally feel comfortable with.

Why We Do Not Like Ground Raw Products

We have also tried commercial raw products made from ground meat and bone.

While we understand why people like them, they still were not a good fit for us.

The raw meat would leak, it felt messy, and honestly, it grossed us out a little.

We also did not love the idea of Layla eating raw meat and then immediately licking our hands, furniture, or faces.

Again, that is just our personal comfort level.

We know other people are completely fine with it.

For us, it felt like too much risk and too much mess for something we were not fully comfortable with.

Why We Prefer Cooked Homemade Food

Cooked homemade food feels like the best middle ground for us.

We still get the benefits of feeding whole foods without the parts of raw feeding that make us uncomfortable.

We know exactly what is in Layla’s meals.

We can use:

Lean meats
Vegetables
Grains and carbs
Healthy fats
Organ meats
Supplements
Calcium

We can also cook in larger batches, freeze leftovers, and use foods we are already buying for ourselves.

For example, if we are roasting vegetables for dinner, we can make extra for Layla.

If we are making eggs for breakfast, we can save the shells for eggshell calcium.

That makes homemade feeding easier and more affordable.

Grocery Store Ingredients Feel Easier for Us

One of the reasons cooked homemade food works so well for us is because we can use ingredients from our regular grocery store.

We buy:

Lean meats
Vegetables
Rice
Oatmeal
Sweet potatoes
Eggs
Sardines
Organ meats

Many of those foods are things we are already buying for ourselves.

If we fed raw, we would probably want to buy from a specialty raw dog food company instead of using meat from the grocery store.

That would likely increase the cost even more.

Homemade feeding is already more expensive than kibble, so we like being able to use affordable ingredients we are already purchasing.

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better Than Kibble

Even though we do not feed raw, we still believe homemade food is a major improvement over kibble.

We are still feeding:

Real meat
Real vegetables
Whole ingredients
Healthy fats
Fewer fillers
Fewer processed ingredients

The goal for us is not to make Layla’s food perfect.

The goal is to feed her a healthier, more balanced diet made from real food.

Cooked homemade food helps us do that in a way that feels practical, affordable, and safe for our family.

Frequently Asked Questions

We Understand Why People Feed Raw

We understand why some people love raw feeding.

Many dogs do very well on it.

There are people who feel strongly that it is the most natural way to feed dogs.

We respect that.

For us, though, cooked homemade food is what feels best. It fits our comfort level, our budget, and the way we want to feed Layla.

Why We Feed Layla Grains

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:38:34 GMT

One of the biggest debates in homemade dog food is whether dogs should eat grains.

Some people believe dogs do not need grains at all.

Technically, they are right.

Dogs do not need grains to survive.

But for Layla, we still choose to include them.

We are not trying to make her meals grain-heavy, and we are not saying every dog should eat grains.

For us, grains help make homemade feeding more realistic, affordable, and filling.

Because we are already feeding whole foods, fresh proteins, vegetables, supplements, and healthy fats, we still believe Layla’s meals are a major improvement over kibble.

Even with grains included, we feel much better about feeding homemade food made from real ingredients than relying entirely on heavily processed dog food.

Why Some People Avoid Grains

There are several reasons why some people avoid grains in homemade dog food.

Some people believe grains are unnecessary because dogs can get energy from proteins and fats instead.

Others worry that grains may contribute to:

Digestive issues
Inflammation
Allergies
Weight gain
Lower protein intake

There are also people who prefer to feed very low-carb or raw diets.

We understand those concerns.

Every dog is different.

If Layla had issues with grains, we would absolutely reconsider them.

But so far, grains have worked well for her.

Why We Still Include Grains

For us, grains help make homemade feeding more sustainable.

Homemade dog food can get expensive, especially with a large Labrador who is always hungry.

If we removed grains completely, we would need to replace that part of the meal with more meat.

That would increase the cost of every batch significantly.

Instead, we use a smaller amount of healthy grains to help stretch the meal while still keeping most of the batch focused on protein and vegetables.

We usually keep grains around 10 to 20% of the overall batch.

That means Layla is still getting plenty of meat, but the grains help make the meal more filling.

For Layla, that matters.

She is always hungry, and we have found that she seems much more satisfied when her meals include some grains or other healthy carbs.

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better

One reason we are comfortable including grains is because we are still feeding whole foods.

We are choosing ingredients ourselves.

We know exactly what is going into Layla’s bowl.

That is very different from feeding a heavily processed kibble filled with byproducts, fillers, and ingredients we do not recognize.

Even when we include grains, we are still using simple ingredients like:

Quinoa
Oatmeal
Rice
Sweet potatoes
Potatoes

To us, a homemade meal with some healthy grains is still far better than relying entirely on processed dog food.

The Grains We Use Most Often

Quinoa

Quinoa is one of our favorite grains to use because it is filling, easy to mix into meals, and contains more protein than many other grains.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another grain we use in smaller amounts.

It is easy to digest, affordable, and helps add variety.

Rice

Rice is something we use more often when Layla has an upset stomach.

White rice can be easier on digestion, while brown rice is sometimes used in normal batches.

Grains Are Not the Only Carbs We Feed

We do not only use grains.

We also rotate other carbs depending on the batch.

That may include:

Sweet potatoes
Potatoes
Beans

Different carbs provide different nutrients.

We think variety matters more than obsessing over one single ingredient.

How to Decide if Grains Are Right for Your Dog

We do not think every dog needs grains.

But we also do not think grains deserve the bad reputation they sometimes get.

If you are deciding whether grains make sense for your dog, think about:

Your dog’s digestion
Whether your dog seems hungry after meals
Your budget
Your dog’s weight and activity level
Whether your dog has allergies or sensitivities
Whether grains seem to make your dog feel worse or better

For us, grains make homemade feeding easier, more affordable, and more sustainable.

Our Biggest Advice About Grains

You do not have to feed grains if you do not want to.

But we also do not think grains automatically make a homemade diet bad.

For Layla, healthy grains have helped us keep homemade feeding affordable, practical, and filling while still focusing on whole foods.

Frequently Asked Questions

When grains may make sense vs when grain-free may make sense

Grains May Make Sense If:

Your dog always seems hungry after meals
You want homemade feeding to be more affordable
Your dog does well with grains and has no sensitivities
You want to add more variety to meals
You are looking for filling carb sources like rice, oatmeal, or quinoa

Grain-Free May Make Sense If:

Your dog seems to have digestive issues with grains
Your dog has allergies or sensitivities
Your dog does better with potatoes or other carb sources
You prefer a lower-carb approach
Your dog simply does not seem to do well with grains

laylas-bowl3c350fe6

Why We Do Not Balance Every Meal

Why We Focus on Variety Over Time

The Problem With Trying to Make Every Bowl Perfect

That Does Not Mean Nutrition Does Not Matter

Why Calcium Is One Thing We Always Prioritize

Simple Meals Are Ok Sometimes

The General Guidelines We Follow

Our Biggest Advice

Why Monitoring Your Dog Matters More Than Perfect Recipes

Why We Do Not Feed Layla Raw

The Two Main Types of Raw Feeding

Why Raw Bones Make Us Nervous

Why We Do Not Like Ground Raw Products

Why We Prefer Cooked Homemade Food

Grocery Store Ingredients Feel Easier for Us

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better Than Kibble

Frequently Asked Questions

We Understand Why People Feed Raw

Why We Feed Layla Grains

Why Some People Avoid Grains

Why We Still Include Grains

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better

The Grains We Use Most Often

Quinoa

Oatmeal

﻿ Rice

Grains Are Not the Only Carbs We Feed

How to Decide if Grains Are Right for Your Dog

Our Biggest Advice About Grains

Frequently Asked Questions

When grains may make sense vs when grain-free may make sense

Grains May Make Sense If:

Grain-Free May Make Sense If:

Rice