Raw Dog Food Meal Prep For Beginners

Meal prepping raw dog food is the single best way to keep it affordable – especially once you’re feeding more than one medium or large dog.

Batch a few hours of prep into weeks of grab-and-go meals, using the free raw dog food calculator first to lock in your exact portions.

Here’s everything you need to get started, no matter how overwhelming meal prep looks right now:

What’s So Great About Raw Dog Food Meal Prep?

The main benefit of raw dog food meal prep is that it’s cheaper than buying pre-made raw dog food.

Pre-packaged raw is a great option when budgeting isn’t a concern or when you’re feeding small breeds.

However, their convenience factor gets expensive very quickly when you’re feeding multiple, and especially larger, dogs. 

With individual raw dog food ingredient meal prep, you can easily save hundreds of dollars every month by cutting out that convenience factor…

…pun intended!

The savings can grow exponentially if you’re able to take advantage of meat sales and have the freezer space to buy in bulk.

You’ll also know what’s in your dog’s food since you’re the put the raw meals together.

What Does Raw Dog Food Meal Prep Consist of?

Raw meal prep for dogs consists of several different parts:

(1) Plan

Which cuts of meat do you intend to buy for your dog? Check what’s in your fridge/freezer and go from there.

I found it helpful to make physical lists of the cuts of meat I still have as well as of the ones I want to buy.

Grab my Free Printable Raw Dog Food Inventory Sheets to help you plan your meals.

They’re great to see what’s in your freezer, pantry and spice rack without opening them.

Print them out, then take everything out of your freezer. As you reload your freezer, write down everything you have, split up by category.

(2) Shop

Check grocery stores and online raw food retailers for the cuts you’re looking for, then buy the best priced ones.

Tips:

• Check ethnic grocery stores like Asian ones for odd cuts of meat.
• See about locating a wildlife processor for (close to) free deer offal (hearts, kidneys, liver, spleen, lung).
• Ask your local butcher if they have cheap butcher scraps.
• You can keep raw meats in your fridge for 4 days and store bulk purchases in your freezer for about a year.

(3) Prep

Cut up the different parts of meat and measure your dog’s meal allowances out into storage containers or ziplock bags using a food scale.

Use a meat grinder if your dog has trouble eating whole cuts of meat.

But be aware that grinding raw meaty bones eliminates their dental benefits and won’t exercise your dog’s jaws.

(4) Refrigerate and freeze

Once portioned out into your preferred storage solution (containers or ziplock bags), refrigerate some and freeze the rest of your meals.

Allow 1-2 days for meals to thaw in the fridge once taken out of the freezer.

Refer to my thawing hack in the Raw Meal Prep Hacks section for a helpful tip on what to do when you forgot to thaw raw meals!

(5) Serve

This is the best part – scoop your dog’s meal into their bowl or let them eat out of the food storage container directly.

I like to feed on floors that are easy to clean because most dogs will pull their raw meaty bones out of their bowls.

So a tiled kitchen floor, laundry room or a dog crate works.

Alternatively, you can also offer the raw meal outside if you have that option.

Tools You’ll Need for Raw Dog Food Meal Prep

Let’s dig a little deeper now and look at the various resources for raw meal prep that will help you get the job done as quickly as possible:

• Cutting boards. I prefer plastic and silicone cutting boards over wooden ones because they can go into the dishwasher.
• Knives. My favorite ones are stainless steel breadknives and chef knives.
• Scissors. I use kitchen scissors for certain cuts of meat.
• Poultry shears. Poultry shears can be helpful when cutting up a whole chicken or turkey.
• Food scale. Either analog scales or digital scales will help you measure out your dog’s individual meal allowances, especially when you’re just starting out.
• Food storage containers or freezer bags. Store your dog’s meals in either. Freezer bags may be a better solution when freezer space is limited, and small food storage containers are great to store secreting organs in.
• Freezer space. It’s a good idea to invest in a freezer for your dog’s cuts of raw meat, especially when you want to maximize your savings by buying in bulk and if you’re feeding more than one dog.

Optional:

• Disposable gloves. They’re a good idea if you’re not a fan of touching raw meat, especially cuts with certain consistencies that may gross you out. I personally am not a fan of handling lung with my bare hands and will wear disposable gloves whenever I handle it. Lung has a weird sponge-like texture.
• Towels. They make clean up a breeze if you line the surfaces you use for cutting up meat with them. Just toss into the washer instead of having to wash down the surfaces with hot, soapy water.
• Meat grinder. You may have to grind your dog’s raw meals with a meat grinder if their teeth are in poor condition and they have trouble chewing. Brands who make powerful meat grinders that can easily grind raw meaty bones like chicken leg quarters and turkey necks are Weston, LEM and STX International.

Where to Shop & Save for Raw Dog Food Meal Prep

I’ve been able to save a lot of money over the years by shopping around for the best deals on raw cuts of meat.

My local grocery store Food Lion (NC) carries bags of chicken leg quarters and has them on sale about once a month.

Walmart has great deals on turkey necks and organic eggs in general.

I also make sure to browse Raw Feeding Miami’s Specials Section for deals.

Additionally, you can use my affiliate discount code K9Savings for 15% OFF anything at Raw Paws Pet Food.

They have several interesting sections I like to browse on a regular basis:

• Clearance
• Free Ship Packs
• Month Supply

When you’re shopping around for good deals on meat, also be sure to check out the following:

• Local grocery stores
• Ethnic grocery stores (especially for odd cuts of meat like duck heads and kidneys)
• Raw feeding retailers like Raw Feeding Miami and Raw Paws Pet Food
• Butchers
• Farmers
• Hunters
• Co-ops

You can find great deals on whole chickens and turkeys after the holidays, and they can be stored whole in the freezer for up to one year.

How Much Raw Dog Food to Feed Your Dog

Adult dogs need to eat 2-3% of their target body weight in raw meat per day. I like to calculate with an average maintenance percentage of 2.5% and adjust from there.

The exact amount depends on your dog’s activity level, age, and metabolism.

Pregnant dogs, lactating dogs and working dogs need up to 4%! Puppies need anywhere between 10%-2.5% – the younger puppies are, the more food they need.

If you’re not sure of your dog’s ideal body weight (= target body weight), ask your vet or breeder for guidance.

You should be able to see and feel a waistline on your dog, and no sagging belly.

The average 2.5% of daily raw dog food need to consist of the following:

• 70-80% muscle meat
• 10% raw meaty bone
• 10% secreting organs (half is liver, the other half is a different secreting organ, see shopping list below for ideas)
• 10% plant matter (8% veggies/fruit, 2% nuts & seeds)

If you’re adding plant matter to your dog’s diet, decrease the 80% muscle meat to 70% and add 10% plant matter.

For optimal nutrient absorption, you should purée it since dogs lack the enzyme necessary to break down plant cell walls.

This consistency also mimics the plant matter found in the prey’s stomach.

My pup Wally weighs 38lb and eats just shy of 1lb of raw meat per day, 0.95lb = 15.2oz to be exact.

Of those 15.2oz:

• 70% = 10.64oz are muscle meat
• 10% = 1.52oz are raw meaty bone
• 5% = 0.76oz are liver
• 5% = 0.76oz are other secreting organs
• 10% = 1.52oz are puréed plant matter

He eats breakfast and dinner, so I divide those amounts by 2 to figure out his individual meal allowances.

Unless I have small raw meaty bones like duck wings or feet that fit into Wally’s food storage containers, I usually only fill them with muscle meat and organs during meal prep.

Then I’ll add the raw meaty bones to his meals separately.

If your food storage containers are large enough to hold larger raw meaty bones such as turkey necks or chicken leg quarters, just add those to your dog’s containers during meal prep.

You can also go ahead and cut up larger raw meaty bones if you want to add them to each meal.

I occasionally do this with duck necks and turkey necks.

Puppies Under 12 Months of Age Need More Food Divided Into Several Daily Meals.

They can start eating raw once they’re 8 weeks old.

• Between then and 4 months of age, they should be fed 10-8% of their current body weight.
• Between 4-6 months 8-6%.
• Between 6-8 months 6-4%, and
• Between 8-12 months 4-3%.
• After that, their nutritional intake can be adjusted according to their activity level, and will typically be somewhere between 2-3% of their ideal body weight.

For more information on feeding raw dog food to puppies, check out my blog post on puppy raw feeding here, or follow my Labrador puppy’s first 12 months of raw feeding.

Raw Dog Food Meal Prep Feeding Cheat Sheet

Below, you’ll find the daily adult raw dog food amount in oz ranging from 2-4% of target body weight:

Shopping Lists for Your Raw Dog Food Meal Prep

Pick and choose from the different cuts of meat, fish, plant matter, herbs, nuts & seeds listed below when you’re shopping for your pup’s raw meals.

Different cuts of meat from different animals (= protein sources) contain different amounts of minerals and vitamins.

That’s why it’s important to rotate between protein sources regularly to ensure that your dog eats balanced, nutritious meals for ultimate health.

Note that not every single meal needs to be 100% balanced, so don’t stress out if you miss organs on 2 days, just don’t make it a habit.

Also, don’t be tempted to feed a large serving of liver as this can cause Vitamin A toxicity and diarrhea.

Sometimes, I’ll feed muscle meat and organs for breakfast and only a larger raw meaty bone for dinner, or vice versa.

As said before, plant matter needs to be cooked/puréed or very finely chopped for ultimate absorption.

Nuts & seeds should be soaked overnight and then finely ground.

Kelp

Important note: You need kelp as a supplemental add-on for raw meals unless you feed whole prey with the thyroid glands to cover your dog’s iodine needs.

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Muscle Meat

• Breast meat
• Ground meat
• Trim
• Hearts 
• Lungs
• Tongues
• Gizzards
• Gullets
• Cheeks
• Uteri
• Backstrap
• Green Tripe

Raw Meaty Bones

• Leg quarters
• Feet
• Wings
• Necks
• Backs
• Heads
• Frames
• Drumsticks
• Thighs

Secreting Organs

• Liver
• Kidney
• Spleen
• Pancreas
• Sweetbreads (= Thymus)
• Testicles
• Ovaries
• Brains
• Eyeballs

Plant Matter

• Spinach
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Sweet Potato
• Carrots
• Red Beets
• Zucchini
• Kale
• Celery
• Shiitake Mushrooms
• Green beans
• Apples (no core)
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Watermelon (no seeds, no rind)
• Pumpkin purée

Herbs

• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Red Clover
• Dandelion
• Nettle Leaves
• Parsley
• Peppermint
• Basil
• Chamomile
• Horsetail
• Dill
• Thyme

Nuts & Seeds

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Brazil Nuts
• Pine Nuts
• Pistachios
• Hazelnuts
• Chestnuts
• Cashews
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds
• Flax seeds
• Hemp seeds & hearts
• Sunflower seeds
• Fenugreek seeds

8 Raw Dog Food Meal Prep/Feeding Hacks

Thawing Hack

If you forgot to take meals out of the freezer, you can speed the thawing process up by placing the meal into a bowl filled with cold water.

It’ll be ready to serve within about 2 hours. It’s OK to feed if it’s still partially frozen. The same applies to individual cuts of meat that are still frozen.

You can either fill the kitchen sink with cold water and then add whatever you need to thaw, or use a bowl.

Secreting Organ Sourcing Hack

Most grocery stores carry chicken, beef and calf liver, but it can be tricky finding other secreting organs.

If you can’t find any at an ethnic supermarket, browse Raw Feeding Miami’s online store.

In addition to liver, they carry:

• Kidney
• Spleen
• Brains
• Sweetbreads
• Ovaries & testicles

They also carry a secreting organ mix called Monster Mash Organ Grind, one of my personal favorites because it’s so convenient for raw dog food meal prep.

It consists of 50% beef liver and 50% other secreting beef organs (kidney, spleen, pancreas or thymus gland).

Raw Meaty Bone Hack

As a rule of thumb, offer your dog raw meaty bones that are slightly larger than his mouth.

If your dog tends to gulp food whole, hold one end of the raw meaty bone while offering it to him to encourage chewing.

Partially frozen raw meaty bones will last longer as thawed ones and serve double duty as a refreshing chew during the hotter months of the year.

They’re also great to soothe hurting puppy gums when they’re teething.

Egg Hack

Eggs are a great, inexpensive, and complete source of protein. That’s because they contain all 8 essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

They also contain lots of minerals & vitamins:

• Iron
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Phosphorus
• Calcium
• Thiamine
• Folate, and
• Riboflavin

You can feed your dog eggs 2-3 times per week. Besides chicken eggs, duck eggs and quail eggs are great options, too!

Cutting Hack

Certain cuts of meat are easier to cut when they’re still partially frozen as opposed to thawed in their entirety.

I’ve found this to be particularly true for lung and uterus.

In my opinion, breadknives work best for cutting up gullets, trachea, jowls, backstrap, green tripe, and lung, and scissors for cutting up liver and uterus.

Dog Poop Hack

Your dog’s poop is a great indicator of his nutritional intake and potential deficiencies or surpluses.

If it’s too soft or liquid, you’re likely not feeding enough raw meaty bone and/or too much secreting organ.

If it’s too hard and crumbly, you’re feeding too much raw meaty bone.

Plant Matter Hack

If you don’t feel like puréeing or juicing your own veggies, herbs, fruit, nuts & seeds for raw dog food meal prep, you can buy freeze-dried or dehydrated base mixes.

They’re also known as pre-mixes.

Brands I recommend are:

• Sojos Mix-a-Meal
• Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm (low carb)
• Any of Grandma Lucy’s Pre-Mixes
• The Honest Kitchen Veggie, Nut & Seed Base Mix

3 Easy Raw Dog Food Recipes

The following three raw dog food recipes are fairly easy to recreate and don’t require a lot of ingredients.

The first one is without plant matter, the second and third have plant matter in it.

However, remember that it’s important to feed a variety of protein sources and different cuts of meat on a regular basis.

So please don’t feed these raw dog food recipes exclusively!

Recipe 1 Ingredients:

• Organic ground turkey (muscle meat)
• Secreting organ mix Monstermash (secreting organs)
• Duck foot (raw meaty bone)
• Kelp (follow feeding amounts on your bag of kelp, they vary depending on the kelp)

I got the ground turkey from a local grocery store, and bought the Monstermash and duck feet from Raw Feeding Miami.

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Recipe 2 Ingredients:

• Goose grinds (ground up whole free range geese)
• Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm (plant matter with minerals such as kelp)

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The goose grinds are from Raw Feeding Miami. They’re one of several grind mixes that can be fed as is.

It’s a good idea to add plant matter to close nutritional holes if you’re only going to be feeding these types of grinds.

You can find the Paradigm dog food on Amazon.

Other grinds that Raw Feeding Miami carries are:

• Chicken; Chicken & Tripe
• Beef; Beef & Tripe
• Rabbit
• Duck
• Pork
• Turkey
• Lamb
• Bison
• Pheasant
• Whole prey quail

Recipe 3 Ingredients:

• Ground beef (muscle meat, bone, secreting organs: liver, kidney, spleen and muscular organs: heart and lung)
• Whole herring
• Smorgasbord of puréed plant matter (lettuce, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet potato, apple, banana)

While herring has a decent amount of kelp, you’ll still need to add some extra kelp.

Meats to Avoid for Raw Dog Food Meal Prep

You don’t want to feed your dog the following cuts of meat you can find at grocery stores:

Muscle Meat

• Smoked and seasoned grocery store meat – excessive salt and spices pose serious health risks for dogs.
• Bleached tripe from the grocery store – no nutritional value and a waste of money.

Raw Meaty Bones

• Whole weight baring bones from large animals like cows and bison (ground they’re fine)

Those bones are too dense and can cause cracked dog teeth.

Fish

• Farmed fish like salmon to avoid feeding your dog antibiotics the fish has been treated with.
• Salmon from the Pacific can carry a parasite that’s fatal to dogs if not treated right away. Freezing it for 2-3 weeks gets rid of the parasite, but if you want to be on the safe side of things, don’t feed it at all.

Are There Any Cons to Raw Dog Food Meal Prep?

Raw dog food meal prep is somewhat time consuming and therefore less convenient than buying pre-packaged raw meals from pet food retailers.

I typically set aside 1-2 hours for meal prep every 2-3 weeks.

But you can prep as many meals as you want in one session, as long as you have enough storage containers and freezer space.

You’ll also need the freezer space to be able to take full advantage of buying raw cuts of meat in bulk and when they’re on sale.

I’ve had several chest and upright freezers dedicated entirely to raw dog food, and warmly recommend them.

Check out my blog post What size freezer for raw dog food? to learn more.

Some naysayers like to point out that there’s a good chance of making yourself and your family sick when handling raw meat for your dog’s meals.

I personally think this is complete nonsense as there’s really no difference between handling raw meat for your own consumption and the meat for your dog’s meals.

Just follow basic common sense hygiene practices!

Don’t lick your hands and wash them with hot soapy water after handling raw meat.

Do the same with your kitchen counters or other cutting surfaces and you’ll be good to go!

Raw Dog Food Meal Prep for Dogs with Food Allergies

The easy answer to this dilemma is not to feed what your dog’s allergic to.

But how do you know for sure what he does poorly on?

There are two options.

The first one is the elimination diet where you feed one protein source only, and then slowly reintroduce different proteins, but one at a time.

For example, feed turkey, and then add chicken, beef, lamb, duck, rabbit, or whatever else you can get your hands on.

Do this for 1 to 2 weeks and observe how your dog does with each new protein source.

If you notice that he starts being itchy and gets red, sore spots on his skin and/or paws, stop feeding that protein.

Many dogs do poorly on chicken and beef, so that’s something to be aware of.

The other option is to order a food sensitivity test for your dog.

There are mixed feelings about these tests and some people don’t believe in them, but I personally have tried two different ones and found both helpful!

The one I used for my Boxer mix Missy was by Pet Medella, and the one I used for my Feist mix Wally was by Glacier Peak Pet Wellness.

Happy raw dog food meal prep-ing!

If you have any questions about meal prep or raw dog food in general, feel free to write me a note at barbara@k9sovercoffee.com!

To stay in the loop about all things raw dog food related & more at K9sOverCoffee, join my weekly raw dog food newsletter below.

For more resources, visit my full homemade raw dog food library.

Related Reading

• Raw liver for dogs
• 7 low cost raw dog food recipes
• Homemade raw dog food resource library
• Easy raw dog food feeding charts & worksheets
• Your dog doesn’t eat raw dog food? Try these 9 easy hacks

Barbara Rivers

Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.

She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.

As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.

Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.

In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.

Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.