Dog treats using baby food

Easy Dog Biscuits Made From Baby Food - Fun Dog Treats to Make!

May 20, 2016 by Denise

These easy dog biscuits are made entirely from baby food. This is an easy, economical and healthy way to treat your dog.

You might also like these natural homemade dog treats too!

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This is Izzy. She’s my little sweetheart. I put off getting a dog for so long, and now I can’t imagine life without her. None of us can. My whole family is smitten with her. Enough about Izzy, clearly this post is just a poor attempt to post pictures of her. 🙂

However I do like to make her healthy, wholesome treats. These easy dog biscuits were made just from baby food and they were so easy. I figured if baby food was good enough for a baby, it was good enough for my Iz.

Dog Biscuit Recipe Disclaimer

I am not an animal expert. Please check with your vet to see if what you are using is safe for your dog. Here is an article about what people foods are good for your dog. These foods are toxic and should never be given to your dog: chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, yeast dough, artificial sweeteners, macadamia nuts, avocadoes, alcohol, or coffee.

Dog Biscuit Ingredients I Used

One of the reasons I used baby food was because we had some leftover oatmeal cereal like this from when my granddaughter visited last. I thought oatmeal cereal would essentially act as oat flour and by adding some chicken, sweet potatoes and carrot baby food, you almost have a complete meal!

Essentially all you do is mix the jar food with the oatmeal and make a stick dough. Then you roll it out on a silicone mat by taking a greased piece of wax paper and placing it on top of the dough. Then using a rolling pin, roll on top of the wax paper so the dough doesn’t stick to the rolling pin.

You want to roll it to about ¼ inch thick. Then use cookie cutters to make the biscuits. I got these from Amazon and love them!

Dog Biscuit Recipe In A Nutshell

Mix jar baby food and baby oatmeal to make a sticky dough.
Roll it out on a piece of parchment paper or silicone mat. You will need a piece of grease wax paper to place on top before rolling.
Using a rolling pin over the wax paper to roll the dough about ¼ inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to make biscuits.
Bake for 20 minutes or desired chewiness or crunchiness.

Bake them on another silicone mat (you can use parchment paper too) until they are nice and brown. I didn’t make mine too crunchy. You can always cook them longer to make them crunchier. Sometimes I turn off the oven and keep them in there as the oven cools down and they continue to bake. Just make sure to watch them so they don’t burn.

I tried to get some good pics of Izzy eating them but it was hard to hold the camera and the biscuit at the same time. So I cut off her head when she was licking her lips but she really likes them.

Unfortunately, I’m writing this post much later than when I made them, and now they are all gone. Time to make another batch. I store them in the refrigerator and they last a long time.

I hope you like this little dog biscuit recipe for man’s best friend. It was fun making them for my little, sweet puppy. I hope your pup likes them as much as Izzy did.

And if you would like some more dog treats I have a few for your reading pleasure.

More Easy Dog Treats To Try! Healthy Homemade Dog Treats Christmas Dog Waffles Quick Valentine’s Day Dog Treats Homemade Dog Biscuits

4.34 from 6 votes

Easy Dog Biscuits Using Baby Food

These easy dog biscuits are made entirely from baby food. This is an easy, economical and healthy way to treat your dog.

Course Snack

Cuisine Dogs

Keyword baby food, dog treat

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 30

Author Denise Wright (MyLifeCookbook. com)

1 jar of carrots baby food
1 jar of sweet potatoes baby food
2 jars of chicken (~2.5oz each)
2 ½ cups of oatmeal baby cereal I used Gerbers Oatmeal Cereal for babies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well until it forms a sticky dough.
Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Spread your dough onto the sheet and use a piece of wax paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray to press down your dough. You can also use a rolling pin to get it nice and smooth.
Use cookie cutters to make shapes.
Place cookie sheet into the oven and cook for 20 minutes. If you desire crunchier biscuits, Turn off the oven and let them cook some more and keep checking.
Store in the refrigerator.

More Dog Treats

for your weekly recipe fix.

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Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. You should always do your own calculations if you are concerned about the accuracy of this or any recipe. I use the Lose It app for all of my nutritional information because I have for years.

2 Ingredient Homemade Dog Treats

Recipe Index » D.I.Y. » 2 Ingredient Homemade Dog Treats

Published by Meaghan on May 5, 2021 | last updated on February 16, 2022.

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Homemade dog treats can save your budget and let your best friend enjoy a yummy snack. This very simple recipe that only requires TWO inexpensive ingredients and can also be customized like nobody’s business. So get creative and have a little fun while pampering your pooch!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details.

We have a brood of dogs in our house to go with the brood of boys: a cranky old pug, Bentley, and two German Shepherds, Kira and Major.

With all those dogs, the amount of dog food and treats we’d go through is hard to imagine.

And even buying in bulk, it would get expensive.

Plus, who even knows what is in some of the store bought treats?

You hear stories all the time about brands getting recalled or having less than great ingredients in them.

With these easy homemade dog treats, you don’t have to worry about that!

Plus the dogs love them!

Even old, cranky Bentley responds to them.

If he hears the paper bag that we store these treats in rustling, he immediately runs over and puts his begging face on.

It’s all “Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme before I lose my ish. ’

Ingredients

You only need 2 easy to find ingredients for these.

To make them, you’ll need:

Baby food– You can use homemade baby food or store bought. Just make sure the kind you use is pureed and only has dog safe ingredients and no onions.
Flour– Go for whole wheat flour for some extra health benefits.

How to Make

Making these is so easy!

To do it, start by preheating the oven to 350.

Then mix the flour and puree together to form a stiff dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about a 1/4 inch thick.

Use cookie cutters like these adorable ones to cut into desired shapes or a pizza cutter to make cubes or sticks.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat and place the treats about 1/2 inch apart.

Bake the treats for 20 – 25 minutes.

Then, remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely before storing in a paper bag.

You could also store them in an air tight container but they will be softer.

Ingredients to Avoid for Dogs

According to the ASPCA website, you shouldn’t ever feed your dog the following:

alcohol
avocado
chocolate
caffeine
citrus fruit
coconut or coconut oil
grapes and raisins
nuts
milk and dairy
onions, garlic and chives
raw or undercooked meat, eggs or bones
salt or salty snack foods
xylitol
yeast dough

What kind of baby food should I use?

Now that you know what to avoid, you can feel confident choosing from a variety of baby food flavors.

Our dogs love:

apple
pumpkin
quinoa
spinach
blueberry
squash
sweet potato
beef
chicken

Don’t have baby food or not interested in buying any?

These treats bake up just as well using 1 cup of homemade vegetable puree as well.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you read the baby food’s label to make sure there are no harmful ingredients like onion or garlic powder in the mix.
Feel free to get creative and add mix ins like grated carrot, peanut butter or fresh parsley.
If the dough is too sticky, add a little extra flour until it’s easy to work with. And if it’s too stiff you could add a little water to loosen it up.

Other Easy DIY Pet Recipes To Keep On Hand

All Natural Flea & Tick Spray
Copycat Frosty Paws Frozen Treats
Flea Shampoo

If you’ve tried these 2 INGREDIENT HOMEMADE DOG TREATS, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

2 4 oz jars pureed baby food beef, blueberry, sweet potato, chicken – any flavor/s - Just make sure there are no onions/onion powder in it*
2 cups whole wheat flour

US Customary - Metric

Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix the flour and puree together to form a stiff dough. Add extra flour or water as needed.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about a 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shape or a pizza cutter to make cubes or ‘sticks’.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat and place the treats about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before storing in a paper bag (storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but they’re still edible).

Easy, right? Now this is where you can get creative. Consider including grated carrots or sweet potatoes, maybe a little bit of parsley (which supposedly helps with bad breath), some fresh fruit, or (for an added treat) some peanut butter! Got any other ideas? I’d love to hear them!

*Onions are toxic to dogs! If you’re unsure about what you can/cannot include, check out this list of toxic foods from the ASPCA. Techinically, not everything listed is toxic, but each one provides an explanation of why you may want to avoid it.

recipe originally published September 4, 2014

recipe adapted from Daily Dish Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Hi! I’m Meaghan

Welcome to my kitchen. Pull up a chair and get ready to dig into family friendly, easy recipes and meal ideas. I’m a self proclaimed, proud pickle snob and cheese lover. Aside from that, I’m also the mom to 4 busy boys, elementary school through college aged. My boys keep my husband and I busy, and boy, do they like to eat. A lot. Read more...

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Is it possible to feed dogs with baby food, what to give instead for puppies

January 25, 2022

The question seems simple and unambiguous only at first glance. Many people think that if a product is made for babies, its quality should be on top and certainly suitable for feeding pets. We do not argue that in most cases the production of food for infants is indeed of high standards, but the problem here is not in the quality of raw materials and compliance with production standards, but in compliance with the composition of baby food to the needs of predators - adults and especially growing ones.

Only as a treat

If there is a baby in the house, dogs often get the uneaten remains of instant cereals, milk mixtures, vegetable and meat purees. Well, if it's about giving baby food as treats to dogs, it's okay, even though it doesn't make sense. Just do not forget that the share of this kind of treats should be no more than 10% of the calorie content of the entire diet (per day), otherwise your dog will quickly gain weight, which will be very difficult to get rid of.

Particularly harmful in this regard are porridges, a source of readily available carbohydrates. However, cottage cheese, kefir and milk mixtures are also not the healthiest food for a dog. Yes, they contain milk protein and usually probiotics, but they are often additionally sweetened - which is not good for animals at all. If we are not talking about puppies, but about adult dogs, then “native” milk sugar is a big risk. The farther from puppyhood, the less pets have enzymes designed to digest lactose. By 7-8 months, only a small part of the dogs can digest and assimilate the "milk" well, the majority have bloating, diarrhea of varying degrees of intensity.

What about meat purees in glass and tin jars - such as Tyoma, Nestle, Grandmother's basket, etc.? It is they who are most often referred to when they talk about feeding pets with baby food. Moreover, many owners specifically buy baby food in stores, and do not use stocks purchased for children and grandchildren with the goal of “not wasting”. Usually this practice is typical for owners of small puppies, adult dogs of small breeds, as well as pets who find it difficult to chew. Alas, it is undesirable to give even meat baby food to dogs on an ongoing basis. And there are reasons for this.

Why shouldn't you feed your dog meat baby food?

First, these products have a completely different composition. The dog will obviously not receive the necessary components - animal protein and fat, which are vital to it, and calories will not be received from the usual and so healthy meat, fish or poultry, but most likely from grain and starch.

Secondly, all these products undergo a powerful heat treatment (sterilization), during which not only possible pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, but also many useful substances vital for predators are lost - a number of amino acids and vitamins. In the manufacture of industrial food for dogs, the same thing usually happens, however, manufacturers, knowing about the problem, introduce the "lost" substances additionally, at the last stage of production.

It is not for nothing that ready-made food, which is intended for daily nutrition of animals, is called “complete” or “balanced”, and its recipe is called “formula”. On the label you will definitely find the components included in the mineral-vitamin complex, the amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber. And even if some substances were not enough in the feedstock, after taking samples for analysis, the developer will add what is needed to the “dough” of the feed.

Data on the needs of dogs are not taken from the ceiling and not from the personal experience of the manufacturer, but are correlated with the figures recommended by the competent regulatory organizations - AAFCO, FDA, as well as GOSTs for non-productive animals.

Thirdly, in the composition of children's meat food, you can often find such undesirable components as potato starch, rice or wheat flour. And also, which is rather unpleasant, salt, spices and even dried onions. The proportion of such additives is rarely indicated, and it may happen that when buying a “meat” puree, you will provide your pet with only its likeness, moreover, devoid of the necessary nutrients.

Why is the use of baby food so popular in feeding puppies and dogs? This product really has many advantages: it contains understandable types of meat, is well homogenized and has a delicate texture (which is important for small puppies and dogs with oral problems), is completely ready for use and can be stored at room temperature. An important advantage for some owners is the financial side of the issue: sometimes baby food seems cheaper than high-quality wet dog food, and at the same time it is easy to buy.

Is it possible, taking into account the above-mentioned advantages, to choose an analogue for children's purees among canned food created specifically for dogs? Delicious, complete, healthy in composition, delicate in texture, conveniently packaged and affordable and available in stores? Of course you can.

What to give instead of baby food?

Let's start with those who receive baby food not from younger family members, but from reverent owners who strive to give their pet the best and safest.

Feeding small puppies

For the first three weeks, mother's milk is the only thing a puppy needs, but then you can start accustoming a kitten to meat food. Not any diet is suitable, but as you understand, the most tender, easily digestible and very nutritious. It is commonly referred to as a "starter", but not all manufacturers make one. We have such a product in our assortment, it is Blitz Sensitive "Turkey with Zucchini" - a starter food for puppies, pregnant and lactating bitches. Packed in 200 g cans with a key. Contains turkey meat, several types of offal, zucchini pulp, milk powder, prebiotics and a vitamin and mineral complex. The product has a high calorie content, so it is advisable to give it up to 4 months, when the puppies are growing rapidly, then it is advisable to switch to other canned food options, for example, with chicken and pumpkin or lamb and turkey.

All Blitz wet foods for dogs and puppies are complete rations with 80% to 98% meat ingredients. By consistency, they are divided into “pieces in sauce” or chopped pates, they are available in different packaging options (85 g, 200 g, 400 g and even 700 g) and are presented in a wide flavor palette - you will definitely choose what suits your pet.

The current assortment can be viewed on this page of our catalogue. Foods marked "for all breeds and ages" are designed, among other things, for the daily feeding of puppies that have come out of the lactation period.

Canned food for small breeds of dogs

Miniature pets (Chihuahua, Spitz, Dachshund, Toy) are also very fond of eating baby food, and in terms of packaging it seems to be intended for them for a single portion. But, despite the external "toy", these are real dogs - brave, tireless, with well-developed muscles and light bones. And they need to eat the same way as other breeds - not purees like "Tyoma", but a balanced diet. Slices of canned Lamb with Salmon, Beef with White Fish or Turkey with Duck soaked in fragrant sauce will please your gourmet much more than baby food, and they will be a hundred times more useful.

Blitz dog food is produced in Russia using European equipment. They are developed taking into account the recommendations of leading veterinary organizations and regulatory authorities, from high-quality raw materials, without the use of preservatives and dyes.

Nutrition for debilitated dogs

In most cases (except for liver diseases) during the recovery period and in old age, dogs do not need diet food (as we understand it), but easily digestible nutritious food. If your dog was recommended a temporary liquid diet after surgery, or if your pet has oral problems, it is not necessary to opt for baby mashed meats. The correct choice would be to use any of Blitz's complete wet or even dry foods, bringing them to the desired consistency with water. Learn how to properly soak dry food here.

Blitz – available to everyone

Blitz wet food can be found on all major online trading platforms (Ozon, Wildberries, YandexMarket), ordered on the official website of the brand or bought at the pet store of our distributor partners. A complete list of them, with addresses and phone numbers, you can see on this map. We supply our products to all regions of Russia.

Due to Russian production, transparent logistics and focus on quality, Blitz wet food boasts a competitive price. You can give them to your pet every day, and it will certainly not be more expensive than feeding him baby food, but it is guaranteed to be more beneficial for his health and development.

What foods are dangerous and harmful for dogs

Veterinarian, head of the therapy department of the Biocontrol clinic Lyudmila Abramovna Serezina

There are a number of foods that are eaten by humans, but are dangerous for puppies and dogs.

Onions and garlic

First of all, we are talking about garlic and onions, moreover, thermally processed. Their prolonged use in food leads to hemolytic anemia - the destruction of red blood cells. In 2008, a study by our Scandinavian colleagues was presented at the Congress of the British Association of Veterinarians. In this study, it was found that all young animals with hemolytic anemia participating in it were fed by the owners for a long time with baby food, which included thermally processed onions or garlic. It was found that the heat treatment of these products produces compounds that are toxic to the bone marrow of dogs and cats.

White cabbage

Also in some articles there were mentions of the undesirability of using thermally processed white cabbage in the diet of dogs. I have not seen any research papers on this topic, but just in case, I do not recommend using it. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that white cabbage does not appear as a source of fiber in the manufacture of industrial animal feed and is not included in the recommendations for natural feeding of pets.

Smoked meats

Smoked meats are not suitable for dogs of any age. When products are smoked, formaldehyde compounds are formed. Enzymes that inactivate it, our animals do not produce. Of course, a single ingestion of a small piece to a dog is unlikely to cause any health problems, but if even a small amount of smoked meat is consumed by a dog regularly, this can lead to liver diseases, often chronically with late clinical manifestations. Therefore, it is extremely undesirable to give smoked sausages, fish and cheeses to a dog.

Long bones

Of course, it would be useful to recall the long bones. Dogs really need something to chew on, especially young puppies. Tubular bones, and especially the tubular bones of a bird, are split into thin sharp fragments when chewed, which can lead to injury (perforation) of the intestine and, subsequently, to the death of the animal.

If you give your dog non-tubular bones to chew on, be sure to limit the number of bones.

Dog treats using baby food