In a society that throws out a large percentage of the food we buy, it a great feeling to change things up and start saving what would otherwise be wasted.   When you have gone to the trouble of storing leftover scraps and you want to be sure they are put to good use, try some of our recipes below! Here are several savory suggestions of how a pet can benefit from your 4-year-old’s remaining mashed potatoes and gravy, and how you can implement healthy whole foods into your pet’s daily diet. Take that wasted material and turn it into a tasty dog treat.

Basic Dog Biscuits

  • 1 cup of leftover mash ( which can be meat, vegetable, or starch. Puree these scraps together in a blender before mixing).
  • 2 cup of flour (oat or unbleached whole wheat, preferably).
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup beef broth or chicken broth (can also use Bouillon cubes or granules).

Mix all dry ingredients into one bowl and wet ingredients into another, then blend them together. Knead the mixture until the dough has a thick consistency. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is ½ inch thick. Then use a cookie cutter (pet stores sell these in the shape of a dog bone), to cut out the treats. Lay these on a greased sheet, and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until dry and sturdy.

Hiking Hound’s Trail Mix

  • 2 cups of diced leftover meat (rinsed clean of sauces and flavor).
  • 1 cup of potato chunks
  • 1 cup of diced cooked veggies and fruits (except raisins and grapes!)

Save any chicken bits, chicken skin, steak corners, turkey, ham, fish, salmon skin, bacon bits or other meat chunks from all meals for 1-2 days. Then take these leftovers, chop them into chunks and rinse them fresh from any sauce, gravy or seasoning they may have been cooked with. Lay these chucks flat, along with the potato chunks and diced vegetables on a pan, and spray lightly with cooking oil. Using a dehydrator or a regular oven, set the temperature to 200 degrees and bake until the food is stripped of any moisture. Once the pieces are dehydrated and have the consistency of beef-jerky, store the mix in small bags to take on your next adventures. (Make sure you bring a bottle of water for your dog any time you take this trail mix on walks, hikes and jogs. Dried trail mix is a healthy snack, but it can also be dehydrating unless he is given plenty of water.)

Healthy Veggie Balls

  • 1 cup diced or mashed vegetable leftovers (raw or cooked. Also note that lettuce and salad generally aren’t the best choices, except for kale and cabbage which are hardier.)
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 cups wheat flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin or squash

Mix the wet ingredients: the diced (or mashed) veggies, water, molasses, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Then add the dry ingredients: the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour to the mix and stir with a large mixing spoon. Wet your hands, and roll the dough into small balls. Set these on a greased dish, and push down lighting with a fork to flatten them out slightly. Bake the veggie snacks at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until they feel stable.