I can’t believe it’s here already but it is. This year, VeganMoFo, the month of vegan food, falls in September. During VeganMoFo, bloggers from all around the world dedicate an entire month to blogging about vegan food. This is my 4th year participating. The first year I participated, my theme was “A to Z but not V: The Other 25 Letters of the Alphabet.” Year two, I put my obsessive TV watching to use and did “Dishes Celebrity Chefs Would Make if They Were Vegan.” Last year, I went freestyle and just posted lots and lots of recipes. This year, I am back to a theme.
The “V” Word’s theme for VeganMoFo 2014 is “Vegan Products I Love.” I am going to spend all month telling you about vegan products that are worth buying, worth eating and definitely worth spreading the word about. And if any of these products led me to write a new recipe, I will definitely share that with you as well. Lets’ get started!
My dog, Benny, insisted that the first product I would write about be his favorite dog food. For years, Benny has eaten the vegan products made by Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Dog Food.
When I first starting feeding Benny vegan food, we tried every single brand that existed. I did a lot of research to find the food that had everything Benny needed for his body and a taste he would actually eat. Benny has always been quite selective about his food.
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance® Vegetarian Canned Formula met both of our criteria. It’s called “vegetarian” but the food is vegan. The website states,” A TRUE Vegan Formula. A complete and balanced alternative to a meat-based diet. Provides adult dogs with the same essential nutrients found in diets with meat as the protein source. We do not use any animal or dairy products in this formula.”
The vegan canned food contains healthy ingredients such as brown rice with the bran portion intact. It also contains oatmeal, fresh carrots, potatoes, green peas, barley, tomato, spinach, parsley, cranberries and yucca. Sounds like a meal I would enjoy!
It also has lots of vitamins and minerals including iron, Vitamin E, niacin, manganese, thiamine, Vitamin C, calcium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, riboflavin, biotin, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D2.
Every day when we feed Benny, we mix a few spoons of Natural Balance Vegetarian Canned Food with fresh sweet potatoes, quinoa, spinach and other fresh foods. Benny usually finishes his meal and licks the plate clean…literally.
Benny also loves Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance® Vegetarian Dry Formula kibble.
These little kibbles offer a lot of nutrition. They also have the healthy ingredients of brown rice, oatmeal, barley, carrots, potatoes, green peas, tomato, spinach, parsley and cranberries, similar to the canned food. The kibble also contains flaxseed and kelp for omega fatty acids as well as Vitamin E. The dry food contains all the vitamins and minerals that are also present in the canned food plus zinc, taurine and folic acid. None of the food contains any artificial colors or flavors.
Not only does the dry formula help Benny get all the nutrition he needs, it gives him the supplements to help him have a healthy, shiny coat. Munching on the kibble is also good for Benny’s teeth to help fight tartar and keep his breath fresh. Benny likes to have the kibble as a snack between his meals. In fact, he thinks the kibble is a treat and I’m not telling him otherwise.
Natural Balance also makes Dental Chews which are “scientifically formulated to encourage your dog’s natural chewing instinct, to help support healthy teeth and gums.” These chews help reduce plaque and tartar and freshens breath. They contain antioxidants to boost the immune system and are easy to digest so your dog can get one every day.
The Natural Balance Dental Chews Clean Grooves Formula in Vegetarian Blend contains brown rice flour, rice starch brewer’s yeast, coconut oil, kale, parsley, alfalfa and Vitamin C.
Since Benny is tiny, only 9 lbs., it takes him a couple of days to finish one of these dental chews but his friend, Rosie, loves them so much, she insists on having one every night after dinner.
What do you mean these are good for me, Mommy? I thought they were just yummy!
Sometimes it can be hard to find the vegan formulas in stores so I usually order them online. Check out Natural Balance’s web site to find stores near you that carry their products.
Benny loves Natural Balance Vegan Dog Foods and we are so happy to have them be part of our VeganMoFo Products I (WE) Love.
Be sure to visit The “V” Word every weekday in September for more VeganMoFo posts about vegan products I love.
