What we do with our time can be based on necessity, habit, passion and many other factors. Outside of necessity, what we do with our time is often based on priority, whether we realize it or not. What’s important to you? What do you like, or love? These are our priorities in life, or should be.

The fact that you are reading these materials demonstrates that your dog is a priority to you. Therefore, learning to prioritize your dog’s diet can be highly rewarding and valuable. Adding a few time management techniques might further assist you in your mission to care for your dog through diet.

Take time to get into this new habit. Starting anything new means getting into a new habit. As time progresses, you will learn how to put your dog’s meals together easily, and it won’t seem so time consuming or overwhelming. Start slow, and don’t beat yourself up if you feel overwhelmed or confused. This is a process.

Make large batches. Crockpots, soup pots, baking pans and cookie sheets all allow space to cook large batches. You can batch out enough for 2-3 days and freeze. In time, you can have a fully stocked freezer full of nutritious food.

Let the cooking vessels do the work. Many cooking vessels make it easy to make large batches – they also do most of the work for you. As mentioned in the last tip, you can use crockpots, cookie sheets (for non-spill dry ingredients), baking pans and soup pots to assemble ingredients; the vessels do the rest. There is no need to hover over a hot stove, unless you enjoy it.

Use frozen vegetables sometimes. Pre-cut, pre-chopped and pre-sliced, just give a quick rinse and add to other ingredients. Some frozen fruits work too – plain, no-sugar added blueberries, for example.

Use ready-made foods. Sardines are an example. Just open the can, rinse and add.

Incorporate your dog into your dietary routines. This option is covered in a previous section, but is worth mentioning again because it is such a handy trick.

Think of your dog when you grocery shop.  You are at the store anyway – while you are there, stock up on healthy ingredients for your dog. This is a great time saver.

Pre-chop fresh vegetables and bag for later. Chop, bag, freeze and use as needed.

Use a potato masher while cooking. This helps break down the food, and speeds up the cooking process.

Keep often-used recipes close by. If you are following specific recipes, put them in one place for easy access.

Pick times when you feel relaxed, attentive, or excited about making dog food. There may be days when you are just too busy, or stressed, or tired from a busy day, or just don’t feel like doing anything. These are not the times to force yourself to cook. If you choose the right times for you, the transition will be easier, the habit will form more quickly, and the rewards will feel more substantial.