Feeding fresh food does not have to be all or nothing. Contrary to popular belief, you can add fresh foods into your dog’s dry dog food to provide nutritional benefits and increase palatability. Formulated to provide dogs with brain boosting whole foods, this simple and convenient fresh food topper is the perfect way to dip your toes into the world of fresh food diets without touching any raw ingredients! And you do not have to be a top chef to prepare this nutritious and delicious recipe together because no cooking is required.
Let’s get started!
NOTE: This recipe is intended for supplemental feeding only. It does NOT provide a nutritionally complete diet for dogs.
INGREDIENTS
The goal of this fresh food topper is to provide a supplemental recipe that focuses on brain supportive nutrients to improve cognitive health in senior dogs. However, the topper can be fed to dogs of all life stages. This recipe use a single protein and with human grade ingredients that are accessible in supermarkets:
- Salmon, canned in water
- Yogurt, plain, low fat
- Pumpkin, canned, without added salt or sugar
- Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened, chopped
- MCT Oil
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder
- Nutritional Yeast
- Flaxseeds, ground
The ability to feed a home-prepared diet is not practical for many households but this does not exclude the option to include some fresh food in dry dog food diets. Fresh food helps to increase protein and palatability of kibble while decreasing carbohydrates. This is especially useful when ingredients are strategically selected with the goal of targeted nutrition to provide health benefits.
There is no secret that the brain ages with time which has a negative impact on cognitive function. However, there are multiple nutrients that play a role in cognitive health and feeding specific whole foods assist in providing targeted nutrients for brain support. The nutrients that play a vital role in brain function include but are not limited to Essential Fatty Acids (EPA, DHA, ALA), B vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics.
COGNITIVE SUPPORT
Each ingredient listed in this fresh food topper recipe has been strategically selected to provide nutrients that support brain health.
| Ingredient | Nutrient(s) Provided | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon, canned in water | Protein, EPA+DHA fatty acids, Vitamin D | Improved learning, improved memory, decrease in depression |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat* | Protein, Probiotics | Maintain gut health |
| Pumpkin, canned, without added salt or sugar | Fiber | Improved gut regularity |
| Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened, chopped | Antioxidants, Vitamin C | Protection against free radical damage |
| NOW Foods MCT Oil | Medium Chain Triglycerides | Readily reliable energy source for the brain, improve cognitive function, improved memory. |
| Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Powder** | Beta-glucans | Modulate gut-brain axis, improve cognitive function |
| Anthony's Premium Nutritional Yeast Flakes | B-Vitamins | Improved neurotransmitter synthesis, mood regulation, and cognitive function |
| Anthony's Organic Flaxseed Meal | Fiber, ALA fatty acids, Magnesium | Protection against free radical damage. |
* Home fermented kefir can be substituted for yogurt when available.
**The Real Mushrooms Lions Mane Powder is the recommended brand due to their commitment to ensuring a product that provides over 30% beta-glucans without added grains or fillers.
CULINARY CLOSURE
Feeding fresh food does not have to be complicated and can be done without having to prepare raw food or spend time cooking. This supplemental recipe is safe to feed dogs of all ages but has been strategically formulated to provide brain supportive nutrients to assist in cognitive function in seniors. It is a convenient option to increase protein and palatability of dry food without making major diet changes.
Your dog will beg you for more!
BRAIN BOOSTER FRESH FOOD TOPPER BATCH CALCULATIONS
Below are the calculations to create a 5 pound batch of the recipe which is enough to supplement an inactive 60 pound dog for 10 days. For an in-depth review of amounts for different weights and activity levels see below. Store up to 4 days of prepared food in the refrigerator and store the remaining food in the freezer to prevent food spoilage. Frozen food can be stored indefinitely but it will lose nutrients over time. Therefore we recommend feeding all food withing 6 months of freezing. |
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Recipe Terms Defined |
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| Meal Prep Recipe Ingredients | Food ingredients to prepare the Brain Booster Fresh Food Topper Recipe. |
| Batch Prep Nutritional Supplements | Supplements that can be batch prepared into the Brain Booster Fresh Food Topper Recipe |
Meal Prep Recipe Ingredients |
|
Ingredient | Raw Weight |
Salmon, canned in water | 1.87 LB |
Yogurt, plain, low fat | 1.25 LB |
Pumpkin, canned, without added salt or sugar | 0.62 LB |
| Total | 5.0 LB |
Batch Prep Nutritional Supplements |
|
Nutritional Supplement | Quantity |
| NOW Sport MCT Oil | 2.00 TBSP |
| Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Powder | 7.75 TBSP |
| Nutritional Yeast | 1.75 TSP |
| Flax Seeds (fresh ground) | 3.25 G |
What if I want to prepare more or less food than what is calculated?
The batch calculation table provides calculations for 5 pound increments. Double the amounts of all ingredients and supplements to increase the batch size to 10 pounds. Divide the amounts of all ingredients and supplements by 2 to decrease the batch to 2.5 pounds.
Are the supplements in the recipes necessary and safe?
All supplements in the recipe come from whole food sources versus synthetic supplements. The supplements listed come from human grade brands that operate in an FDA certified facility and are GMP certified. These brands perform third party purity tests and provide the nutritional analyses for their supplements. This criteria is important in ensuring the supplements are of high quality and provide the nutrients required for the recipe.
Preparation Instructions
There are only two steps to prepare this recipe. First, chop the strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Then, mix all the ingredients and nutritional supplements together thoroughly. All done!
Single-Serving Nutritional Informaton |
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|---|---|---|---|
Recipe Ingredient | Amount | Calories |
|
| Salmon, canned in water | 2.94 | OZ | 83.46 | G | 108 | KCAL |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat | 1.96 | OZ | 55.64 | G | 35 | KCAL |
| Pumpkin, canned, without added salt or sugar | 1.96 | OZ | 55.64 | G | 19 | KCAL |
| Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened, chopped | 0.98 | OZ | 27.82 | G | 10 | KCAL |
| Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Powder | 0.75 | TSP | 01.50 | G | 0 | KCAL |
| Nutritional Yeast | 0.17 | TSP | 00.50 | G | 1 | KCAL |
| NOW Sport MCT Oil | 0.20 | TBSP | 02.94 | mL | 26 | KCAL |
| Flax Seeds (fresh ground) | 0.01 | OZ | 02.94 | mL | 2 | KCAL |
| Total | 08.0 OZ | 227.84 G | 200 KCAL |
Recipe Macro Nutrients - As Fed | Recipe Macro Nutrients - Dry Matter |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
80.4% | Moisture | 184.24 G | 0.0% | Moisture | 0.00 G | ||
 | 8.9% | Protein | 20.38 G |  | 45.3% | Protein | 20.38 G |
3.5% | Fat | 8.10 G | 18.0% | Fat | 8.10 G | ||
4.9% | Carb. | 11.21 G | 24.9% | Carb. | 11.21 G | ||
1.0% | Fiber | 2.29 G | 5.1% | Fiber | 2.29 G | ||
1.3% | Ash | 3.04 G | 6.7% | Ash | 3.04 G | ||
FEEDING RECOMMENDATIONS BY BODYWEIGHT AND ACTIVITY |
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| BODY WEIGHT | OBESE RISK | INACTIVE | LOW ACTIVITY | MODERATE ACTIVITY | ABOVE AVERAGE ACTIVITY | HIGH ACTIVITY |
| 10 LB | 2.00 OZ | 2.25 OZ | 2.5 OZ | 2.75 OZ | 3.25 OZ | 3.50 OZ |
| 20 LB | 3.25 OZ | 3.50 OZ | 4.00 OZ | 4.75 OZ | 5.25 OZ | 6.00 OZ |
| 30 LB | 4.50 OZ | 4.75 OZ | 5.50 OZ | 6.50 OZ | 7.25 OZ | 8.00 OZ |
| 40 LB | 5.50 OZ | 6.00 OZ | 7.00 OZ | 8.00 OZ | 9.00 OZ | 10.00 OZ |
| 50 LB | 6.50 OZ | 7.00 OZ | 8.25 OZ | 9.25 OZ | 10.50 OZ | 11.75 OZ |
| 60 LB | 7.50 OZ | 8.00 OZ | 9.50 OZ | 10.75 OZ | 12.00 OZ | 13.50 OZ |
| 70 LB | 8.25 OZ | 9.00 OZ | 10.50 OZ | 12.00 OZ | 13.50 OZ | 15.00 OZ |
| 80 LB | 9.25 OZ | 10.00 OZ | 11.75 OZ | 13.25 OZ | 15.00 OZ | 16.75 OZ |
| 90 LB | 10.00 OZ | 11.00 OZ | 12.75 OZ | 14.50 OZ | 16.50 OZ | 18.25 OZ |
| 100 LB | 10.75 OZ | 11.75 OZ | 13.75 OZ | 15.75 OZ | 17.75 OZ | 19.75 OZ |
| An 8 ounce serving of Brain Booster Fresh Food Topper Provides 200 Calories | ||||||
| Brain Booster Fresh Food Topper Calories Per Ounce | 24.9 | |||||
| Feeding Guideline Calculation Formula | Daily Calories Requirements ÷Brain Booster Fresh Food Topper Calories Per Ounce = Daily Feeding Amount | |||||
