How to Properly Store Raw Pet Food: Freezer to Travel

Storing raw pet food is straightforward once you know what each type needs. Frozen food stays in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw it, while freeze-dried raw food can stay in the pantry as long as you keep it dry and the bag tightly sealed.

A few simple habits can make raw feeding easy to work into your routine at home or on the go.

Key Takeaways

● Frozen and freeze-dried raw foods have different storage needs, so you can choose the option that fits your routine.

● Vital Essentials frozen raw food can be refrigerated for four to five days after thawing. Follow the package directions for other products.

● Pick up leftovers after feeding and follow the usual time limits for perishable food: two hours at room temperature or one hour above 90°F.

● Freeze-dried raw food doesn’t require refrigeration when dry, making it easy to store at home and convenient to pack for travel.

● At Vital Essentials, we recommend using freeze-dried food within 30 days of opening. Keep it in the original packaging to protect freshness, and keep the best-by date and lot information easy to find.

How Storage Changes Between Different Raw Diets

Frozen and freeze-dried foods both let you feed raw animal protein, but they give you different options for storage and serving.

Frozen food stays in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw a portion in the refrigerator. Freeze-dried food has most of its moisture removed, so it doesn’t take up freezer space and can stay in a cool, dry pantry.

That flexibility can make it easier to choose raw food around the way you feed, store food, and travel.

Once you add water, treat freeze-dried food like fresh food. Refrigerate or discard leftovers according to the package directions, and don’t pour moistened food back into the dry bag.

If you’re deciding between the two, compare how frozen and freeze-dried raw pet food differ in storage, preparation, and everyday feeding.

Storing Frozen Raw Pet Food

Keep food in the freezer at 0°F or below. An appliance thermometer can help you confirm the actual temperature rather than relying only on the freezer dial.

Leave food in its original packaging whenever practical. The package is designed to help protect the food during storage, and it keeps the product name, best-by date, storage directions, and lot information together if you ever need to check a product issue or recall. The FDA also recommends keeping original packaging when possible as part of proper pet food storage.

If the package contains more than you’ll use at once, portioning food before thawing can make mealtime easier. You can take out what you need without repeatedly warming and cooling the rest.

Freezer burn can dry out exposed areas and affect texture and quality. Keeping the package tightly sealed helps protect the food while it stays frozen.

For shelf life, follow the best-by date and storage directions on the package. Different recipes and packaging can have different timelines.

If frozen raw fits your routine, explore our frozen raw entrées for dogs and frozen raw entrées for cats.

Thawing Raw Dog and Cat Food Safely

The refrigerator is the easiest place to thaw frozen raw pet food. Put the portion you plan to feed in a covered or leak-resistant container and let it thaw while staying cold.

For other thawing methods, check the package directions first. The FDA also covers refrigeration and other basics for handling raw pet food safely.

Once Vital Essentials frozen raw food has thawed in the refrigerator, use it within four to five days. For other brands, check the package and don’t assume the same refrigerated window applies.

If the package directions allow it, food that thawed in the refrigerator and stayed cold can generally be refrozen, although the texture may change. The USDA provides more detail on freezing and refreezing food.

Food that has been left unrefrigerated beyond the recommended time should not be refrozen.

How Long Can Raw Food Sit Out?

Pick up raw food once your pet finishes eating rather than leaving the bowl out for the rest of the day. As an outside limit, discard uneaten perishable food after two hours and clean bowls and feeding areas as part of safe raw pet food handling.

In hot weather, shorten that limit to one hour when temperatures rise above 90°F. The USDA explains these time and temperature guidelines in its temperature danger zone guidance.

If you’re not sure how long a perishable portion has been sitting out, start with a fresh serving.

Storing Freeze-Dried Raw Pet Food

Freeze-dried raw food can be especially convenient when refrigerator or freezer space is limited. Vital Essentials Crunchy Mini Nibs are ready to serve dry, and their firm, bite-size shape also makes them easy to scoop, portion, and pack.

Keep unopened bags in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and excess humidity. After opening, press out excess air when practical and reseal the package tightly after each use. Use a clean, dry scoop so moisture doesn’t make its way into the bag.

Vital Essentials recommends using opened food within 30 days for the best freshness. Note the opening date if one bag lasts several weeks, especially with smaller cat portions.

Don’t pour moistened leftovers back into the dry bag. If you add water before serving, prepare only what you expect your pet to eat and follow the package directions for any leftovers.

For raw feeding without taking up more freezer space, explore our freeze-dried dog entrées and freeze-dried cat entrées.

Keeping Your Feeding Area Clean

A clean feeding routine is easy to build into raw feeding. Keep frozen or thawing food in a covered container, wash your hands after handling it, and clean bowls, utensils, and feeding surfaces with soap and hot water after meals.

The FDA covers these everyday habits in its safe pet food handling guidance. If your pet or someone in your household has specific health needs, the CDC also provides additional pet food safety at home information.

Your routine picks up where ours leaves off. Before Vital Essentials reaches your bowl, we manage sourcing, sanitation, production, food safety, and lot tracking through the Vital Essentials Promise, starting with the raw food ingredients we choose for each recipe.

Traveling With Raw Dog and Cat Food

Raw feeding doesn’t have to stay home when you travel. Frozen food works well when you have reliable cold storage, while freeze-dried food gives you a lightweight option that doesn’t need a cooler or freezer.

For frozen food, pack meal-sized portions in an insulated cooler with enough ice or frozen gel packs to keep the food cold. Confirm that you’ll have refrigerator or freezer access at your destination instead of assuming a hotel room or campsite will have what you need.

Keep the cooler closed as much as possible and out of direct sun. Use enough ice or frozen gel packs to keep perishable food cold, and follow the same one-hour or two-hour limits you use at home when practicing food safety while traveling and camping.

Freeze-dried food is especially handy when freezer space isn’t available. Our Crunchy Mini Nibs are lightweight, ready to serve without adding water, and firm enough to pack easily in a feeding bag or travel kit. Keep the package sealed, dry, and out of direct sunlight, and bring clean water if you prefer to rehydrate your pet’s meal.

For either option, keep the food in its original packaging when practical so storage directions, the best-by date, and lot information stay with you. Pack clean bowls or feeding supplies so mealtime stays simple away from home.

Make Raw Feeding Fit Your Routine

Knowing how to store raw dog food or how to store raw cat food safely doesn’t require a complicated system. Frozen food gives you a convenient option to keep at home, while freeze-dried food makes raw feeding easy to store, portion, and take with you.

Keep frozen food cold until you’re ready to thaw it, and keep freeze-dried food sealed and dry. Follow the package directions, pick up leftovers after feeding, and clean bowls and feeding surfaces after meals.

Once you know what your food needs, raw feeding becomes much easier to work into everyday life.

If you’re still building your routine, knowing how to avoid common raw feeding mistakes can make storage, portions, and everyday feeding easier to manage.

How to Store Raw Pet Food FAQ

How long can raw pet food stay in the fridge after thawing?

Vital Essentials frozen raw food can stay refrigerated for four to five days after thawing.

Storage times vary between products, so always check the package directions before applying that timeline to another product.

Does freeze-dried dog and cat food need to be refrigerated?

No. Dry freeze-dried food can be stored at room temperature according to its package directions. Keep it in a cool, dry place and reseal the bag after opening.

We recommend using freeze-dried food within 30 days of opening for the best freshness.

Can you refreeze thawed raw dog or cat food?

If the package directions allow it, food that thawed in the refrigerator and stayed cold can generally be refrozen, although the texture or quality may change.

Food that has been left unrefrigerated beyond the recommended time should not be refrozen.