Holiday Gift Guide For Raw Feeders

How important is a (holiday) gift guide for raw feeders?

Well, opinions may vary on that one, but to me it makes all the sense in the world. That’s because I’m a proud raw dog food nerd.

As such, I can never have enough tools and gadgets related to raw feeding, and believe it or not, there’s a lot of useful AND fun stuff out there!

Holiday Gift Guide For Raw Feeders: My Practical Picks

Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2020 and has been updated in 2023. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you. 

Raw Dog Food

This is the first item that comes to mind – who wouldn’t want to get their hands on gifted raw dog food?!

That said, you can either go ahead and buy the raw dog food you wish to gift, or you can opt for a gift card.

The gift card is a good option if you’re not exactly sure which kind of raw dog food to get.

Gift Cards For Raw Dog Food

• Raw Paws Pet Food offers gift certificates.
• Raw Feeding Miami offers gift cards.

Both brands also sell treats and other goodies that aren’t raw, so the (e)gift cards can also be redeemed for those items.

Pre-or Base Mixes

Raw feeders who add veggies to their raw dog food likely use dehydrated pre- or base mixes.

I know I do when I’m looking for convenience and don’t have the time or energy to make my own.

My favorite ones are:

• Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm
• Sojos’ Mix-a-Meal pre-mix
• The Honest Kitchen Veggie, Nut & Seed base mix

Single-Ingredient Dog Treats & Chews

Raw feeders like myself prefer single ingredient dog treats for their pups. Luckily, there’s a huge variety to choose from!

My favorite ones are the treats and chews from:

• Vital Essentials
• Real Dog’s boxes
• Raw Paws Pet Food

Vital Essentials has lots of different freeze-dried, single ingredient dog treats. For example, turkey giblets, chicken hearts, chicken breast, bully sticks, green beef tripe, rabbit, salmon, and minnows.

They also have larger single-ingredient dog treats in their “raw bar”.

You can’t find those on Amazon (yet), but any independently owned pet retail store that also carries raw dog food usually has them.

Real Dog carries a large variety of air-dried protein choices ranging from chicken to beef and salmon all the way to elk and lamb.

They’re a subscription box that I had for several years, but they’re not available overseas, only in the continental US. So when we moved to Germany in 2021, we obviously had to cancel it.

Raw Paws Pet Food’s treat & chew selection is huge, too. They have yummy treats like freeze-dried chicken hearts & duck necks, green tripe, rabbit treats, venison jerky and much more!

You can save 15% at checkout with my affiliate discount code K9Savings!

Raw Feeding (e-)Books

There’s so much to learn about raw feeding, and thankfully there are many (e-) book resources that shed some light on the raw feeding path.

My favorite physical books

• See Spot Live Longer, by raw dog food formulator Steve Brown & Beth Taylor
• Unlocking The Canine Ancestral Diet, by raw dog food formulator Steve Brown
• Give Your Dog A Bone, by Dr. Ian Billinghurst

My own e-books

The e-books I wrote about raw feeding cover everything from basic raw dog food knowledge to allergy-specific recipe suggestions.

And yep, I also have gift cards for my e-book shop!

Kitchen Gadgets for Raw Meal Prep

Food Storage Containers

Food storage containers are a must for DIY raw dog food.

These are a 50 pack plastic square meal prep container set that hold 28 oz. They're also available in 24 oz and 16 oz.

Or how about these 10 round 16 oz plastic food storage containers. They're also available in a set of 5 and 120!

Obviously, you'll want to go with a size and shape that work for your particular meal prepping needs!

Knives & Poultry Shears

Good knives are essential for raw meal prep for obvious reasons.

And poultry shears come in handy when you're cutting up whole chickens, ducks, or turkeys.

Automatic Soap Dispenser

This automatic soap dispenser is PERFECT for meal prep time!

I always found myself maneuvering the kitchen soap dispenser with my elbow while grumbling under my breath when I was prepping Wally's raw meals.

So I went ahead and invested in this automatic soap dispenser, and it's so convenient.

It comes with a USB charger and has 4 different soap dispensing settings (from shortest to longest).

Kitchen Aprons

If you're meal prepping, kitchen aprons are a good idea to keep yourself from getting dirty.

This particular one comes in a set of 2. It has two pockets in the front and is water resistant.

Aluminium Defrosting Tray & Thawing Plate

When I saw this defrosting tray/thawing plate, my first thought was "I have to try that"!

So this year, I got it for myself.

It defrosts 8 times faster than it takes frozen meat to thaw, which is a huge time saver.

Super convenient when you forget to thaw your pup's meals, and you can also use it in the fridge.

For example, it defrosts a 9 oz container of frozen meat in 2.5 hours.

It works even faster when you put the meat directly onto it without the container.

Bonus: It's dishwasher-safe and you don't have to plug it into anything for it to work.

Cutting Boards

Cutting boards are another essential item for raw meal prep, and I personally prefer plastic material for meat over wood for veggies.

That's because plastic can go into the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning, and wood can't.

Food Scales

Food scales make raw meal prep easier, especially for beginners.

It's also essential for meal prep for growing puppies since their food requirements change so much within their first year.

You can either weigh your ingredients with a digital scale, or with a mechanical food kitchen scale (I have both options).

Freezers for Bulk Raw Dog Food Orders

I always preach how important freezers are to keep the cost of raw feeding down!

That's because they allow you to buy and store meat in bulk.

It's up to personal preference, room, and budget whether you get a chest freezer or an upright freezer.

Meat Grinders

I recommend meat grinders for dogs with poor dental health. Or pups who prefer to eat ground meat as opposed to larger cuts of meat.

That said, I've heard great things of the STX Turboforce meat grinder.

Stainless Steel Commercial-Grade Work Table

OK, if I didn't have enough counter space, I would want this work table!!

It's perfect for meal prep in small kitchens! Or if you want a dedicated work space just for your raw dog food meal prep.

I really like the lower shelf space as well. It's great for storing all your meal prep related items. For example, food storage containers, cutting boards, meat grinders, etc.

It actually holds up tp 1000 lbs! 500 lb on the table top, and another 500 evenly distributed on the lower shelf. There's also the option of installing another shelf.

Dimensions: 49" W x 24" D x 35.5" H

Crock Pot

Crock pots are useful for making bone broth.

I use mine several times per year to batch cook bone broth for the pup and myself.

Alternatively, you can also use an Instant Pot.

Mason Jars

I like to store my bone broth and turmeric paste in mason jars.

They look pretty AND are durable!

Slow Feeders & Bowls

If you have a gulper, dog slow feeders are a great investment.

They work for ground raw dog food and also for larger cuts of meat.

They're also great to mentally engage dogs.

Silicone Feeding Mats

Silicone feeding mats are great to line your dog's food bowls with and make raw feeding time less messy.

The one featured below is also from Mighty Paw, just like the slow feeder insert above.

I love that it's dishwasher safe!

Tip: I use it to line my raw dog food bowls with, BUT if you have a flat-faced dog, you can also use it instead of a bowl.

As in, spread your dog's raw dog food out on it!

Fun Shaped Food Molds

I use fun shaped (silicone) food molds to make treats out of goat milk, bone broth, green tripe, veggies, or turmeric paste.

Holiday Gift Guide For Raw Feeders: Bottom Line

I hope you enjoyed my gift ideas for yourself or the raw feeder in your life!

Raw meal prep is a lot easier and quicker with the right tools, and I personally enjoy expanding my tool collection a little every year.

Content Related to Gifts for Raw Feeders:

• Best stocking stuffers for raw-fed dogs
• How to feed raw dog food without the mess
• Most practical cutting boards for raw dog food
• What's so great about single-ingredient dog treats?
• How to DIY a burlap Christmas stocking for your dog