Okay, so heres the thing. I care deeply about what my dogs eat. I have mentioned it before, but I will say it again. The three chuckleheads that I am responsible for will not eat anything harmful to them under my watch. I monitor everything that goes into their mouths - from treats, to food (both dog food and non dog food). I research any brand of food we may switch to, because not only do I want them to be healthy to live long & happy lives, but I also want them healthy to hopefully lessen vet bills throughout their lives. Happy wallet equals happy dog mama. Now, because of Winston and his extremely sensitive stomach, we have been through countless brands of food. And when I say countless, I mean it. I owe chewy.com my life for being so accommodating and refunding us when brands/protein sources just did not work. It has been frustrating to say the least, but, Winston's sensitive stomach is the reason I stay both informed and on my toes when it comes to the pet food industry. Now, when it comes to dog food, what do you choose? Who do you trust? It is so easy to grab a bag at the grocery store when it's staring you down and you know you are almost out of food. Its cheap - so it's good for your budget. So why not grab it? Well. What you may not know, is that those specific foods are just all fillers. Corn, for example. It is cheaply put together and who knows what sorts of chemicals may be hiding in there. Have you seen the recent articles going around about traces of euthanasia chemicals being found in the lower quality dog foods? I know I have, and it has turned me even more into a crazy obsessive dog mom who wants to research every molecule of my dogs food before it enters their precious mouths. Many of you will say, "Well, okay. If you don't trust the dog food companies, make your own food. Or feed raw." Let me tell you, it is not that easy. I would love to raw feed. But, with my lifestyle and my budget in comparison to what is available near me, it is not cost effective. Another issue: raw feeding and homemade meals need to be perfectly balanced to avoid your dog lacking proper nutrients. I am not confident or trained enough to be comfortable doing this. I don't want to risk my dogs not getting proper nutrition just because I want to save some money or because I don't want to feed commercial foods. This is where The Simple Food Project came into my life. A little bit about them: They believe that if humans can get the nutrients they need without having to take in things such as synthetic vitamins and minerals, then so can dogs. That was the first thing that drew me in. Their About Me page on their site (www.simplefoodproject.com) is chock full of helpful info regarding their food. Second thing I love - it is a freeze dried food crafted in small batches. Have I gotten your attention yet? How many dog food companies do you know that craft in small batches?! This was huge for me. That simple fact ensures they are able to keep on top of quality ALWAYS. But wait guys, it gets even better! It is made in the USA! Did you catch that?! Made in a state of the art manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, USA! Now tell me thats not appealing. I know its usually pretty hard to pin down details like this, but the fact that this is right on their website gave me such peace of mind. And finally, the last bullet on their main about me page reads - "From Our Dogs to Yours." This company is making food with their dogs in mind. They are making a food they feed their dogs, so you can be assured they care about yours just as much. Now, lets circle back and talk a little more in depth on my favorite things about this company. First, the fact that this food is freeze dried instead of being like a normal kibble. The Simple Food Project's food contains the following: freeze dried nuggets ("A blend of meat-based proteins, fruits, veggies, and a few grains and spices is freeze dried pasteurized at a low temperature and crumbled into little nuggets. The freeze-drying process allows for a flavor-packed morsel of deliciousness in every bite, while still maintaining the natural vitamins and minerals in each ingredient"), dry roasted nuggets ("The same blend of meat-based proteins, fruits, veggies, and a few grains and spices is also dry roasted and crumbled into little nuggets. The dry-roasted pieces (a direct request from our doggos) put to use those pearly whites. The dry-roasting process makes for a nice, crunchy morsel of taste with that extra chomp dogs love."), freeze dried fruits & veggies ("We put a different combination of whole fruits and veggies in each of our recipes. All the natural vitamins and minerals in the fruits and veggies are retained through the freeze-drying process, and the taste too! Plus, they're cut down into small enough bits that even picky pups can't eat around them."), freeze dried organ meat ("To top it all off, we add in some good ol' fashioned freeze-dried organ meat. Organ meat is a natural and important part of a carnivore's diet, as it supplies dogs with all sorts of nutrients and digestive enzymes that they may not otherwise get from their other food sources."). Freeze dried food has the ability to allow you to get every nutrient out of the food. Because the method does not require high temps, you can be assured the nutrients stay with the food (97% to be exact, as stated by the American Institute of Cancer Research). So, not only do they show you what goes into their foods, but on the same page as the link below, they show you their process. How much better can it get?? You get to see what goes into the food and how its made! Count me in! [** all direct quotes pulled from https://simplefoodproject.com/about/freeze-dried-vs-kibble/ ] My next favorite part about The Simple Food project is the fact that it is crafted in small batches in Wisconsin. They are calling it "the craft beer of the pet industry." Their facility is brand new, and you can see a photo of it here: https://simplefoodproject.com/about/ourfacility/ . In this facility they are following food safety to the highest degree, while crafting in small batches to ensure all of the food that goes out has been handled with the utmost care. Human grade ingredients (huge perk that circles back to my worries in paragraph 2 regarding traces of euthanasia drugs being found in dog food) that are shipped directly to their facility. All ingredients are inspected before they enter the doors of this state of the art facility. Have I sold you yet?? Keep reading on because I have one more bullet to cover! "From Our Dogs to Yours." This resonates with me. I know if I wouldn't feed my dogs something I surely wouldn't recommend it to others. On this page of their site you get to meet the resident pups. First up is Schmiddy, a black Labrador. They go on to tell you his signature move is the "tender tug," where he softly grabs the corner of his human's clothes and will gently tug to get attention. He also retrieves the mail - how cool!! Primer is the next pup introduced. He is a Springer Spaniel full of personality! During the day he hangs out with group home residents, and when not on the job, he likes to hang in the trees! And finally, there is Dr. Astronaut- Cosmonaut, Ph.D, who is a wheaten terrier. She sounds a lot like Adelaide - loves getting into trouble, ha! She is also a huge snuggler (I swear, they're describing Adelaide still) and loves sleeping on her human's bed (still Adelaide! Seriously, should Dr. Astronaut be Addie's friend?. You can read more about the resident pups here: https://simplefoodproject.com/about/ourdogs/ . I feel like the fact that they introduced the dogs behind the brand really puts it into perspective what the reason this company was started for. They love their pets and they know others do also. I was lucky enough to get samples of this food free of charge to try out for my pups. And honestly, I think their minds were blown. I opted to mix it with water for them, which is an optional step in the preparation of this food, but I like to ensure my pups are always well hydrated. The first time I gave it to them they gobbled it down without a second thought. Now, if you now my maniacs, then you know they love all food. But, the difference here was I literally had to hide the boxes. Winston was going nuts trying to get more. He kept using his paw to knock on the pantry door while simultaneously using his Chewbacca noises to get my attention. So, as any loving dog mom would do, I hid some away for his birthday, which was February 19th and he got to feast for his 4th birthday. This is a food I would be happy to feed my pups on a daily basis and I hope to be able to incorporate it into our daily routine. It is high quality and comes backed by a team who loves dogs. If you are on the fence about your dog's food and want to try something new, please consider checking out The Simple Food Project. I promise you will not be disappointed. Thanks as always for reading! With Love, the Eastcoast Herders
1 Comment
2/23/2018 07:09:36 am
You really captured the essence of our mission. The whole team here at The Simple Food Project want to make a difference in pets lives. And real food, the foundation of health, is the way to do that. Our pets depend on us to provide healthy food. And we are providing a way to do just that.
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