Chef and TV presenter, Matt Tebbutt, discusses the importance of using high-quality ingredients in pet food following his visit to the Natures Menu factory
A third* of pet owners say their dog eats better than themselves, but how much do Brits really check what’s in the food they’re serving their pets? Following Matt’s visit to the Natures Menu factory as part of Channel 4’s popular ‘Food Unwrapped’s Healthy New Year’, he joined Veterinary Education Manager, Melanie Sainsbury, on The Pupcast to discuss the importance of starting both your and your pets’ year off with a healthy diet.
The discussion provides tips on how pet parents can ensure they’re offering the very best food for their furry friends, including:
Keep a close eye on the labelling
Matt advises “The less ingredients you have on the back of a packet, generally the better. Look at the simplicity, quality and types of ingredients and the percentage of meat in products.”
Use high-quality ingredients
Matt goes on to explain how his experience working in some of the most esteemed restaurants in the UK means he knows the importance of using high-quality ingredients to boost both flavour and nutritional value. Matt believes that this translates down to pet food too, mentioning “If you give your pets second grade food, they won’t be at their peak form!”.
Give them a variation of food
Mel and Matt discuss the importance of providing variation in pets’ diets to keep them healthy and engaged, with Matt agreeing that “they’re part of the family, so don’t treat them any differently.”
Make it part of the daily routine
Appreciating that sometimes it can prove difficult juggling all aspects of home life, Matt mentions that he ensures feeding the pets is part of the programmed day to make mornings simpler, with his cats served food first, before the children and then himself.
Re-evaluate their diets to see what’s working and what isn’t
Matt concluded that January is the best time to take stock and evaluate where we’re going – be it for cutting down on drinking or changing our diet. He added “If we’re looking at ourselves, why wouldn’t your look at your pets diet as well?”
To listen to the full discussion between Mel and Matt on the special episode of The Pupcast, listeners can download from Spotify, Acast and iTunes.
To accompany the latest episode, listeners and readers that are new to Natures Menu’s website can also enjoy 20% discount across the product range. Simply enter the code PUPCAST20 at the www.naturesmenu.co.uk checkout.
