When you settle down for Thanksgiving dinner this year, are you planning on including your four-legged best friend in the festivities? He’ll no doubt be there anyway, maybe with some sad eyes locked on to the drumstick in Aunt Mary’s hand hoping that a small piece might make it on to the floor to be scooped up in an instant.
This year can be different! Why not consider making your dog his or her very own Thanksgiving meal? They are, after all, one of the biggest reasons to be thankful.
What should be on the menu?
You must remember, a dog’s digestive system is a bit different than ours, so you need to be careful on what you might give on Central Barksgiving. While it’s tempting to break the “no table scraps” rule on this special day, dogs can be very sensitive to the foods we typically eat on Thanksgiving, so sticking to dog-friendly cuisine makes sense. Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas that will make your dog think you’re a master chef and have him licking his bowl clean.
Central Barksgiving Menu Ideas
Puppy Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
* ½ cup pureed pumpkin
* ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
Directions
Blend pumpkin and yogurt until smooth. Pour into dog’s dish (or yours) or freeze in paper cups for a frozen treat.
Cranberry Pumpkins
Ingredients
* 2 Free Range Eggs
* 1 and 1/2 Cups Almond Flour
* 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
* 3-4 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour
* 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
Directions
* Preheat oven to 325°F.
* Beat 2 eggs and set aside.
* Combine your almond flour, coconut oil and dried cranberries together in a bowl.
* Once combined, pour in the eggs, and mix with your hands. The dough will be very wet.
* Begin adding in your coconut flour one TBSP at a time, mixing in each one after added. You want to achieve a consistency that is easy to roll and not super sticky. This will require between 3-4 TBSP depending on your brand of flour and size of your eggs. The dough should easily form a ball.
* Rollout your dough and cut out the treats using bite-sized cookie cutters. Pumpkins are perfect for Thanksgiving. Tip: Sprinkle a little coconut flour on top of your dough to keep it from sticking to the cookie cutters.
* Place your treats on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until crisp.
* Makes approx. 20 treats (dependent on size of cutter). Let cool before giving to your pooch
Gobble Gobble Balls
Ingredients
* 6 ounces of white turkey, cooked
* ½ cup chopped carrots
* ½ cup oatmeal
Directions
* Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
* Place all three ingredients in a food processor. Blend until a smooth consistency.
* Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet.
* Bake for 15 minutes.
* Let cool slightly before giving to your dog.
Cornucopia Sticks
Ingredients
* 6 baby carrots
* 6 apple slices
* 6 celery sticks
* Creamy peanut butter
Directions
* Top each item with a bit of peanut butter
* Arrange lovingly in a dish
Every component on this Central Barksgiving Dinner is made using wholesome, good-for-your-dog ingredients that you can feel good about. Just have some fun with it!