Protein is one of the most important parts of your dog's diet. These meatballs for dogs provide plenty of protein along with other essential nutrients that your dog needs.
The protein in your pet's food helps his body to build muscle tissue, create new cells and perform many other necessary tasks. It also helps to keep the immune system strong and provides your pooch with the energy he needs.
Ground turkey is a great choice for the protein source in your homemade dog food, as it is affordable and extremely easy to find in any store. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Ground turkey is also very easy to prepare.
This is one of my favorite homemade turkey dog food recipes. There are only 5 ingredients, making a great option for virtually any adult dog.
Not to mention, my dogs go crazy for these healthy meatballs. They're great to serve as a full meal or to mix with kibble in order to add some additional nutrients to your pup's food.
Turkey & Cranberry Meatballs for Dogs
Homemade dog food is a wonderful alternative to commercial diets, when you do it properly. These turkey and cranberry meatballs for dogs will not provide balanced nutrition for every dog, so be sure to check with your veterinarian before serving these to your pup.
If not done properly, DIY dog food diets can actually do more harm than good. Too many nutrients can cause toxicity over time, and a nutritional deficiency could leave your pooch with irreversible health problems.
In order to meet your dog's needs you may need to add additional supplements or substitute some of the ingredients for a more nutrient dense option. This is why I always recommend consulting your veterinarian or a canine nutritionist before switching your dog to a homemade diet.
PrintRecipe: Turkey & Cranberry Meatballs for Dogs
Making your dog's meals is the best way to provide high quality nutrition on a budget. You can cater the meals to your dog's individual needs, and you can use the healthiest ingredients available.
Like most other dog food recipes, you can substitute a different protein source if your dog doesn't like turkey. If your pet is sensitive to common protein sources, you could use venison, bison or rabbit instead.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 20 meatballs 1x
- Category: Baked Food
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Dog Food
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 ½ cups coconut flour
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well until it forms a dry dough. You can form meatballs with damp hands or an ice cream scoop.
Use about 1 tablespoon of dough per meatball. Bake in the 350˚ oven for about 15 minutes until they turn golden in color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 58
- Sugar: .2 g
- Sodium: 28 mg
- Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
- Fiber: .9 g
- Protein: 6.7 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
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How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 3 meatballs for every 20 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day.
This is just a guideline.
Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many. It is extremely important to consult your veterinarian about the best serving size for your dog.
You can also use these turkey meatballs for dogs as food toppers. Crumble up one meatball and sprinkle it over your dog's daily meals. Be sure to cut back your pet's food portion to compensate for the added calories.
How to store: You can store the leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also freeze them, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so that it won't last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treat recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section.If you're new to home-cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
