Pet parents do a lot of research on getting the best thing for their pets, especially about the type of food they put in their bodies. So, you might be getting the best-grade food for your fur baby, but did you know that storing the food is just as vital? If you don’t believe us, keep reading, and we’ll present you with the facts and ways to store your pet’s food. 

Why is pet food storage essential?

Just like with human food, storing pet food prevents its spoilage. It keeps the food fresh and tasty while keeping it away from mold, bacteria, insects, rodents, and even your pet away from it. 

You can be a little careless with storing their unopened food, but be extremely careful after opening the food, as oxygen oxidizes the fats present in your pet’s food, making it go rancid. This rancidity can make their food taste bad, and worst case scenario, make them sick, which you don’t want to happen. Keep on reading to know how you can prevent this. 

Tips to store your pet’s food

Opening: 

Dry food- 

After opening your pet’s favorite Royal Canin, Whiskas cat dry food, or any other dry food, squeeze the air out of it and seal it with a seal(if it comes with one) or a clip. Put the packet of the sealed food in an airtight container and keep it on the shelf of your choice. Please don't keep it in direct sunlight, as it can increase the food’s humidity and make it rancid. Finish this opened packet within six weeks. 

Wet food-

Once you open the container of Smartheart dog food, Purepet, or some other (wet) food, put the plastic lid on it to help retain its moisture, minimize exposure to oxygen to reduce its stink, and keep it in your refrigerator. Serve the wet food within five days after opening it.

Packaging-

Store the food with its original packaging, as it is designed to keep foods fresh for longer. It also keeps track of its critical information, from its manufacturing date to its Batch code. It helps in keeping track of its expiration date, and the batch code is important for cases of recall(where a faulty batch of food is called back by the manufacturer). 

If you still want to pour out the contents of your pet’s dry food in another container for convenience, keep it in a glass or metal container, as they are known to be safer than plastic ones. If you do so, keep the bag of the kibble or snap a picture of it for safety reasons.

Old food, new food-

Before pouring in the fresh food, empty the old food out of the container, wash it and dry it thoroughly before putting in the new one to avoid cross-contamination. 

Unfinished food-

If your pet has some unfinished food left in their bowl, if it's dry food, let them graze on it for the next 24 hours and then throw it away. If it is wet food, freeze it immediately and serve it during their next meal. If it’s been left out in the cold(room temperature) for more than 4 hours, you cannot save it; throw it!

Expired food-

Once your food passes the expiration date or the used within a period, throw it away instead of taking the risk. Maybe you served the expired food by mistake, and they ate it, but neither means that you can keep on serving that nor that your pet will get sick(keep an eye on them).

Wash, wash, wash-

You clean your plate after eating and eat on a fresh and clean plate, and so should your pet! Just like you need to clean the container between batches of food(old and new), you need to wash your pet’s food and water bowl daily, as unwashed bowls can develop mold, bacteria, or other harmful contaminants. 

So, now that you know the tips on keeping your pet's food safe, implement them into your and your pet’s lifestyle.

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