Choosing Budget Friendly Pet Food Without Sacrificing Quality
This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarian, , in partnership with
As devoted pet parents, we want to do everything we can to ensure our fur babies are happy and healthy. Feeding a premium pet diet with quality nutrition is something owners can do everyday to ensure their pets' long-term health and well-being.
However, in today's economic climate, the cost of pet ownership is more expensive than ever, presenting constant challenges for pet parents. The dilemma of balancing quality nutrition with budget constraints is one of the most common concerns.
To help pet parents navigate the pet food world, we'll share how to understand the nuances of pet food labels and how to make economic choices without compromising on quality. Choosing a nutritious diet for our beloved pets doesn't have to mean substituting on quality or spending a fortune, with brands like ADVANCE™ offering an economical, complete and balanced pet food option.
Understanding Pet Food Types and Labels
When choosing an appropriate food for your pet, it is essential to understand what's in the food so you know what you're buying. It's important to not only understand the differences between pet food types but also what pet food labels actually mean.
PET FOOD TYPES
Pet diets fall into four main types:
1. Premium Diets are high-quality pet foods known for their superior beneficial ingredients, balanced nutrition, and potential health benefits. These diets are formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists and undergo rigorous testing and trials to ensure consistent quality. Brands like ADVANCE™ also include diets to help support key health areas such as dental care, weight management, digestive health and joint support. Premium diets are widely recommended by veterinarians and found in specialty pet stores like Pet Circle.
2. Natural Diets are free from artificial additives, colours, or preservatives, and can be made into kibble, wet or 'fresh' food. While often complete and balanced and made from quality ingredients, some of these brands lack the scientific testing and trials conducted by premium brand diets.
3. Supermarket Diets are commercially available pet foods sold in both grocery and pet food stores. They are generally complete and balanced, and depending on brand, offer a range of potential health benefits. As these products are priced to offer value for money, the ingredients they include can vary batch to batch based on factors such as raw ingredient availability. This means they may contain less 'bells and whistles' than premium diets, but can still offer good nutrition for pet parents on a tight budget.
4. Veterinary Prescription Diets are specialised pet foods formulated to address specific health conditions or nutritional needs under the guidance of a veterinarian. The diets are made from premium ingredients and have undergone rigorous scientific formulations, testing and trials. These diets must only be fed under veterinary supervision and some can be found in vet clinics, with wider ranges available through pet specialty stores including Pet Circle.
PET FOOD LABELS
When looking at pet food labels, you'll notice some similarity to when you look at human food labels. However, there's also some differences, and this is to cater to the differing array of pets and their varying nutritional needs.
Let's break down some common label terms and how to read them:
- Complete and Balanced: When a pet food states this on the label it indicates that the food meets all the nutritional requirements for pets at a specific life stage, as determined by regulatory authorities like AAFCO. Brands like ADVANCE™ pet food diets are 'complete and balanced' using high-quality and nutrient-rich ingredients.
- Intermittent or Supplemental Feeding Only: This label indicates that the product is not intended as a sole diet and should only be fed on occasions. It does not contain all essential nutrients.
- Country of Origin: This shows where the product was manufactured. Look for products made in Australia. ADVANCE™ dry food products are made in the Central Tablelands, NSW, while ADVANCE™ wet food can and tray products are made in North East Victoria.
- Ingredients Lists: Labelling guidelines require that all packaged foods display an ingredients list, typically arranged in descending order by weight. Major ingredients will be listed first and should ideally be a protein. Minor ingredients will be listed towards the end and should mostly be ingredients that supply minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
- Nutritional Information Panel: Required by The Australian Pet Food Standard AS5812, this panel displays average nutrient information, including amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrate and metabolisable energy (calorie content). Other nutrients must be listed if they are claimed on the label to deliver complete and balanced nutrition or have a special benefit.
Evaluating Nutritional Value
When choosing a pet food, it is important to think about the ingredients that go into pet food diets and how this can affect the quality of the food.
Assessing the nutritional value of pet food goes beyond simply considering the price tag. The following factors and ingredients can give a good indication of the quality of the food.
- Protein is an important ingredient in a pet's diet as it serves as a vital building block for muscles, organs, and overall well-being. Not all proteins are the same though, and the quality of the protein is derived from its amino acid profile and digestibility. A quality protein provides all of the essential amino acids and is of high digestibility. Some quality proteins include Chicken, Turkey, Salmon and Lamb.
- The digestibility of a diet is also an important nutritional consideration. Supermarket diets usually contain less expensive ingredients to keep the product cost economical. Recipes with variable ingredients may not suit pets who require a diet with consistent ingredients. That's where premium offerings such as ADVANCE™ pet food may offer an advantage.
- A complete and balanced diet should have the addition of essential vitamins and minerals as these nutrients play crucial roles in supporting your pet's immune system, promoting healthy growth and development, and maintaining overall vitality.
- Many diets now offer an array of beneficial ingredients to help support health in many areas, to promote wellness in pets. Some of these ingredients include glucosamine, green lipped mussel powder, omega 3's, and pre and probiotics.
Premium brands such as ADVANCE™ have taken out the hard work for you, ticking all the boxes when it comes to nutritional value. Their formulations use premium, high quality protein and have balanced ingredients with beneficial superfoods that prioritise your pet's nutritional needs without overspending.
Considering Formulation Options
When looking at diet options it is important to consider the different formulations currently available and what would suit the needs of your individual pet. Current formulations include dry kibble which can be highly economical, wet food which is widely available in a range of textures and styles, to more niche options such as freeze dried, air dried and fresh.
Dry and wet pet food options are the most economical, widely available and popular choices. These diets offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages which are worth considering when looking at options for your pet.
| DRY FOOD | WET FOOD | |
|---|---|---|
|
Advantages |
- Economical - Easy serving - Easy measuring - Easy storage - May contain beneficial active ingredients eg colostrum |
- Increased hydration - Aroma, taste and texture variation - Highly appealing to pets - Cooking process preserves the food |
|
Disadvantages |
- Lack of diet variation |
- Less cost effective - Unused portion requires refrigeration after opening |
Advance™ Dry and Wet Food Diets
Shopping Smart
When picking a diet for your pet, it is important to consider ways to save money when purchasing. Practicality plays a significant role in stretching your budget when it comes to purchasing your pet's food.
Here are our top tips on shopping smart to save you money on your pet food:
1. Buy in Bulk
While it may be tempting to just buy a small bag upfront because it costs less, buying larger bags in bulk can bring down the food price significantly per kg. For example Advance Medium Breed dry food when purchased in bulk is 30% more cost effective.
Pet food retailers often have sales where you can save money with some great discounts. Consider buying up during these times to save money in the future.
When buying pet food in bulk, it's important to store it correctly to help preserve the nutritional quality, aroma and taste until it is opened. Store uneaten product in the original packaging, and make sure this is airtight. Dry products in the ADVANCE™ pet food range offer convenient resealable sliders. You can also store pet food in its packaging inside another storage container. Keep pet food out of direct sunlight and store below 26°C.
Advance Dog Food
3kg bag $12.27 per kg 40kg bag
$7.44 per kg
2. Choose a Premium Food
Premium diets are highly digestible and nutrient dense which means you generally need to feed less when compared with less expensive supermarket brands.
Compare different pet food products by looking at their feeding guide to work out how many feeding days each product will offer your pet. Then weigh up the overall value by considering the health benefits each product offers, as well as the feeding preferences of your pet, to come to a final decision.
3. Order Online
Shopping online allows you to compare prices all without leaving the comfort of your own home. Pet Circle also offers a Best Price Guarantee so if you find a lower price elsewhere, we'll beat it.
With the cost of fuel at the moment, opting for delivery also means you are saving money and time by not having to go into the pet store to pick it up. Taking advantage of Pet Circle's Fast Free Next Day Delivery on orders over $49 in metro areas ensures you will receive your food quickly without having to lug big bags home from the store.
Transitioning pet food
If you are looking to make the switch to a new pet food, like ADVANCE™, it is important to make the transition slowly to prevent digestive upsets. Over 7 days, gradually decrease the amount of your pets current diet while increasing the amount of new diet.
For more information, read our handy article: How to Introduce a New Food to Your Pet.
Choosing economical pet food without sacrificing quality is possible with careful consideration and informed decision-making. By understanding pet food labels, evaluating nutritional value and shopping smart, pet owners can provide their furry companions with the nutrition they need while staying within budget.
With brands like ADVANCE™ offering premium options at an affordable price, pet owners can confidently navigate the world of pet nutrition without compromising on quality.
Further Reading
How To Make Dental Care Easier
Best Sensitive Stomach Food for Pets
Want to know more? Check out our Discover Page for more tips on keeping your pets happy and healthy.