Warm Winter Snacks
Keep Them Warm Inside
Last fortnight, we talked about your pet's coat and how it keeps them warm and happy in winter. We stressed the importance of good diet and good habits to keep them warm from the outside, and this fortnight we're talking about keeping them warm from the inside.
Processing any kind of food, including nutritionally rich foods like Bella and Boots, burns energy which as a result increases the temperature of your pet's body — that makes them feel warm. But in the hours before and after your pet has eaten their two meals of the day, there's a down time when they aren't digesting and they don't receive this added temp boost. With how cold the weather has been lately, it might be good to take advantage of this 'body hack' to help your pet chase the cold away. Of course, this doesn't mean you should be overfeeding your pet, and you should always keep an eye on their weight, appetite and energy or lethargy and decide if they need more food on a day-to-day basis. But, if your pet seems hungry and they could benefit from a warming treat, consider putting down a plate of any of these:
Bone broth. This warming snack could be given on a daily basis if you're looking to increase your pet's appetite, supplement a very active lifestyle or encouraging hydration. No salt added bone broth made with organic bones and muscle meat that's been gently heated on the stove top (to the kind of temperature you'd drink your cuppa at) can be a great treat for your dog or cat.
Warm milk. Cats and dogs aren't really designed to drink milk once they've grown up enough to wean off their mother, however an occasional bowl of full-cream milk (or a bowl of half full-cream milk and half water if your pet is predisposed to tummy issues) warmed up on the stove like bone broth can be a great sweet treat for your dog or cat during the winter months.
Oats or unsweetened porridge. Uncle Toby's can't go wrong provided you're using non-sweetened, plain quick oats. Cook them the way you would for a human being with water, milk or stock, and you could even add some fresh fruit like blueberries or apple if you wanted to. Slightly warm is best for a satisfying warming snack. Keep in mind grains like this, and rice like in rice pudding, aren't a normal part of your pet's evolutionary diet and should be given in small quantities sparingly. it will be heavy in their bellies and not provide much nutritional value, but it will be nice and warm, so be wise about when you serve this.
Egg. Boiled, scrambled, omletted or sunny side up, a warm cooked egg is a great protein boost and a great warm snack that'll only do good things for their bellies. Make sure it is not salted and made with minimal to no oil as well.
Cooked veg. Sweet potato, pumpkin or potato cooked down and mashed is a great yummy, warm treat for your pet. again, forget the salt, butter or milk and just focus on plain veg. You can boil them in bone broth to give an extra protein and flavour boost, too.
Any of these warm treats are great if your furbaby is looking for a little comfort, but remember to keep consistent with their main meals at breakfast and dinner. You can keep up with their needs by ordering Bella and Boots online or coming in-store at Belmondos Organic Marketplace in Eumundi.