Cooking is a labor of love, and it’s important to prepare and handle the food for your pet as carefully as you would for any other member of your family (believe me, when they smell it cooking, they may try to sneak a bowl behind your back!) Begin with clean utensils and a clean, organized work area. Wash your hands before and during food preparation. Ideally, you’d begin slow cooking simmering your stew with organically grown vegetables from your garden as soon as you arrive home with your selection from the butcher. Okay, But in the real world, you might have to buy your vegetables at the store, too. the health food store or grocery and chop them ahead of time.

It’s just as important to ensure food safety for your pet as it is for your family, so keep the meat and veggies in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add them it to the pot. Refrigeration assures bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won’t get a head start during the first hour of slow cooking. Always defrost meat or poultry completely in the refrigerator before using it.

Why Low – Slow Cooking?

True for humans and pets: Studies have shown that the more that something is cooked, the less nutritional value it has. The higher the temperature food is cooked at, the greater the breakdown of enzymes, which makes food less digestible or less useful to the system. This makes it harder for the body to absorb the nutrients and for them to function at a cellular level (where they need to work).  When the nutrients cannot function in the cells, the cells can become deficient or toxic, which can lead to deficiency or toxicity of the entire body. Our low-temperature, slow-cooking stew provides the healthiest combined bang for your buck.

For a few great recipes that you can make yourself at home for your dog or cat, visit www.halopets.com.