Fun Ways to Feed and Use Grandma Lucy's!

Fun Ways to Feed and Use Grandma Lucy's!

No matter how or what you choose to feed, there is a little room in every bowl for Grandma Lucy’s! Whether your dog is a Grandma Lucy’s super fan and connoisseur, or a part-time dabbler in freeze-dried, Grandma Lucy’s is for everyone! Our team wants to share our favorite ways to feed and use Grandma Lucy’s foods, and to help pet parents see how fresh food fits into their lifestyle. There are so many ways that mealtime can be used as an opportunity to improve your pet’s wellbeing and grow your bond. Read on for four ways to use Grandma Lucy’s in your pup’s routine and let us know how you choose to use our recipes for your furry family members.

beagle eating food from slow feeder bowl

Photo Credit: @danny_the_beagle

Slow feeder bowls are a great option for many reasons! These style bowls usually have a pattern or design inside of them which forces dogs to slow down while they eat. A slow feed bowl is an excellent tool for dogs who are prone to eating too quickly, and by causing dogs to eat more slowly, this can also help reduce other issues like bloat or gas from dogs taking in excess air scarfing down meals. By forcing your dog to make mealtime last longer, this also gives your pet more time for satiety to set in and can help your pup from overeating. Besides being a great fit for pups who can be overenthusiastic about mealtime, slow feeder bowls are also great for mental enrichment. All dogs need and benefit from enrichment toys and mental stimulation, but this may be especially beneficial if you have a dog who is prone to separation anxiety or is a high-energy or working breed. Mental exercise is a great way to tire dogs out and can help develop problem-solving skills, which in turn can help with other behavior issues like anxiety or destructiveness.

pitbull with grandma lucy's food spread in lick mat bowl

Photo Credit: @willow_thepittie

Another fun feeding option that works perfectly with Grandma Lucy’s freeze-dried recipes are lick mats. Lick mats are becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason! These mats are usually made of silicone and have a grooved surface. Not only do many pets love the texture of these mats, but they also work great as another maze-like option to encourage mental stimulation. The textured surface and grooves on the lick mat allow food to be spread across the mat and trap food to encourage slower eating and force dogs to work for their food. Licking also triggers the release of endorphins in dogs’ brains, which are chemicals which cause a happy or positive feeling. This makes using lick mats a great resource for training through stressful situations or creating a more positive environment during crate training or grooming.

puppy with kong toy on bed

Enrichment toys that dispense food or can be stuffed with food also pair well with Grandma Lucy’s foods. Take your dog’s favorite Kong-like toy or similar that has an opening which can be filled with your dog’s favorite Grandma Lucy’s recipe and treats. Fill up the toy and you have an easy to make puzzle that will keep your dog occupied and engaged. If you want to increase the difficulty, try layering food and treats or freezing the toy after filling. This is a great option for dogs that seem impossible to slow down eating, for teething puppies, or for dogs on crate rest that need other stimulation. Try rehydrating your dog’s Grandma Lucy’s with goat milk or bone broth for extra flavor, or to add extra liquid to make the mixture soupier and easier to pour into toys.

We all want to give our dogs the best, but a completely fresh food diet may not be an affordable option for all pet parents. Grandma Lucy’s believes fresh food is for every bowl, no strings attached. Which is why Grandma Lucy’s also works great as a topper or wet food replacement. A three-pound bag of Grandma Lucy’s food is equivalent to about 18 cans of wet food. Not only is freeze-dried convenient in that it is ready to go when you are and easy to store when you don’t, you also don’t need to worry about using it up in a short window of time. Freeze-dried food can not only be a more affordable topper option, but it also is far less processed than canned foods so that you know your pup is receiving the full benefits of whole foods. If you choose to use Grandma Lucy’s as a topper, your pup can still partake in all of the fun enrichment ideas above!

chart showing one 3 pound bag of grandma lucy's is equal to 18 cans of wet dog food

Boost your dog’s bowl and their brain with these fun ways to feed. Share with us how you choose to feed your dog’s Grandma Lucy’s. These enrichment options are a great way to make sure your best friend is taken care of from nose to tail. Not only do we believe that healthy pets start with a healthy food, but meeting your pet’s mental stimulation needs is also a crucial part of wellness. Help your pet eat their way to health and have fun while doing it.