Skip to Content

Roast Pumpkin or Squash Kibble Topper

Roast Pumpkin or Squash Kibble Topper

As a member of the Etsy affiliate program and an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

by Heather Buzby

 

We all want to choose the best food for our dogs.

No doubt that the food you feel was carefully selected. You probably tried to pick a good quality food that your dog liked and chances are you pay a pretty penny for it. The fact is though, even a good kibble can get a tad boring when you feed it day after day. Not everyone has the time or desire to cook full time for their pets, so this year, we’ll be sharing some easy kibble toppers to make your dog feel like they’re getting a home cooked meal every time you fill their bowl. Plus, squash is really low calorie and a great way to help pooches on a diet feel more satisfied with less kibble.

Pumpkin (as well as other squash such as butternut, acorn and spaghetti) makes a great kibble topper.

Very healthy and provides fiber, which helps them feel full and stay *ahem* “regular” in the bathroom department.  While it’s pretty cheap to buy canned pumpkin puree, it’s also very easy to make your own squash puree at home.

Here’s what you need:

Squash or pumpkin

roasting pan

 

Step One:

Wash off the pumpkin.  Just a quick rinse with plain water is fine.
Step Two:

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 005
Set the pumpkin in a glass baking dish and take out your aggressions by getting stabby with that pumpkin!  Ok on a serious note, CAREFULLY use a very sharp knife to pierce the pumpkin several times, evenly spaced.  This provides vents for heat and air to escape during roasting.  Some sort of roasting or baking dish is recommended since some liquids will escape AND your pumpkin will get soft during the bake.

Step Three:

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 002
Bake your pumpkin at 350°F for 2-3 hours.  The bake time is all going to depend on the size of the pumpkin you are using.  Periodically poke the pumpkin with a fork to test it – if it seems super soft and the fork inserts and removes very easily, you’re good to go.  I chose to turn off the oven and let it cool with the pumpkin still inside (I had other things to get done at the time).

Step Four:

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 006
When your pumpkin is cool enough to handle, use a large knife to slice it in half.  Note that there will be juices!  It’s probably best to leave it in whatever pan you cooked it in.

Step Five:

 

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 007
Scoop out the guts and seeds.  You can either wash the seeds and roast them or if you were sick of pumpkin seeds by this point like I was, you can do what I did and just toss it all in a freezer bag to be used in the future when making stock.

Step Six:

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 009
Scoop out the meat – this is what you’re going to puree, so scoop it into a large bowl.  I suggest using a large metal serving spoon, and be sure to scrape as much of the meat from the rind as possible.  You can discard your rind or add it to your bag of stock scraps.

Step Seven:

 

9. December 2014 Pumpkin Puree 011
Puree the meat!  An immersion blender works great for this, but you can also use a regular blender or food processor.

Storage:  Pureed pumpkin and squash CANNOT be safely canned at home, so dividing it into portions and freezing is the best for long term storage. I like to freeze mine in ice cube trays and pull it out a tablespoon at a time to go over kibble.

 

What kind of kibble toppers do your dogs love?

 This is a blog hop! Every week, we invite you to link up your Tastiest Post and Hop On to discover all sorts of new treats recipes, great giveaways and more!

To join in, follow your hosts, Kol’s Notes &  Sugar the Golden Retriever, grab the badge from our sidebar and add your link to this week’s hop!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Kayla F.

Friday 13th of February 2015

Really nice post! I had no idea that pumpkin can be good food for dogs! I would love to try the recipe! Thanks for sharing! Greetings, Storage Norbury Ltd.

Jan K

Sunday 25th of January 2015

This is great! I had no idea you could roast a pumpkin whole like that, it looks so much easier than the other ways I've tried to cook one! The dogs love pumpkin and Luke needs to drop a couple of pounds to this is perfect.

Harris Anderson

Thursday 22nd of January 2015

Very good post.. Worth reading!! Being a dog owner I am really motivated now to give my Fido healthy and good nutritious food to eat!

Ruth Cox

Thursday 22nd of January 2015

Terrific recipe! I can do this when I find the pumpkin in season in our little grocery store here in town. But for the most part, it's canned. My dog gets this every day with his dinner kibble mixed with a bit of warm water too. If I forget or run out he sniffs his bowl and stares at me to let me know something is missing!

MyDogLikes

Tuesday 20th of January 2015

This is great to mix in with the kibble of picky eaters too!! Great reminders!! Love the way you roasted the pumpkin!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.