Author Topic: The Honest Kitchen  (Read 5008 times)

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Offline Lola

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The Honest Kitchen
« on: May 28, 2012, 11:21:39 PM »
Today I ordered the "Force" flavor for the dogs.  There are a few ingredients I could do without, but...

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Grain-Free adult maintenance food for dogs of all breeds and sizes.

Force is a complete and balanced dehydrated dog food made with free-range chicken, fruits, vegetables and love. It’s ideal for adult dogs, particularly those with food sensitivities to grains and gluten. Force is made with USDA free-range, hormone-free, vegetarian fed chicken. Like all of our diets, it’s 100% human-grade, made in the USA, and does not contain corn, soy, rice, beet pulp or wheat. Just add water for a fresh, natural and human grade meal.

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Ingredients
Dehydrated free-range chicken, organic flaxseed, potatoes, celery, sweet potatoes, apples, alfalfa, organic kelp, honey, pumpkin, green beans, cabbage, bananas, papayas, basil, garlic, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/force/
« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 11:24:44 PM by Lola, Reason: Changed Subject Title »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2012, 07:26:26 AM »
Let us know if they like it.  Is it raw food?  It doesn't say on the site, but when I see "freeze dried" I think raw?

Offline Lola

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 04:42:55 PM »
Our dogs eat anything, so I'm not worried about them not liking it. 
The product is Freeze dried.  I just have to add water.  It all sounds pretty weird to me.
It has to be better than kibble...I hope.
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2012, 08:29:50 PM »
From what I remember (when I used them), the Honest Kitchen products are supposed to be used as a supplement to a raw/homecooked diet, not as a meal/diet in and of itself.  Ya might want to double check all the small print on the packaging to be sure.
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Offline Growlies

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2012, 12:22:31 AM »
They do recommend using some raw with their diets and have a formula specific for raw feeders to use too.

Complete and Balanced just means they've met AAFCO's requirements to use that term. Their better than that.

They are dehydrated not freeze dried. They were also sued by Ohio and are now allowed to say they are Human grade there, which is a meaningless term on most other labels but not Honest Kitchens and they've proven it in court. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2012, 07:44:58 AM »
Our dogs eat anything, so I'm not worried about them not liking it. 
The product is Freeze dried.  I just have to add water.  It all sounds pretty weird to me.
It has to be better than kibble...I hope.

But...freeze dried (or dehydrated) WHAT?  I mean is it canned food with the moisture taken out?  Or is it raw food?  Sorry to be so dense, but I don't like a company that isn't specific about what their food consists of, unless I am missing something on the page.

Offline Growlies

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2012, 09:05:57 AM »
It is a boxed dehydrated product that requires rehydration before being served to your pets.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2012, 11:29:35 AM »
Sorry I'm still in the dark.  Is the food cooked or is it raw?  I understand it is dehydrated and has to have water added. But is it cooked food that has been dehydrated or uncooked food that has been dehydrated (like Stella&Chewy)?

Offline Growlies

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2012, 11:35:25 AM »
Well they say it is raw dehydrated. Me, since dehydration is done with heat I consider it cooked. But it is done at a very low temperature compared with other cooked food products.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2012, 11:41:38 AM »
This company uses a (patent pending) pressurized method to dehydrate their raw diets.  I am thinking of trying this for my Little cat, not as an only diet, but to find something else she will eat.

http://www.stellaandchewys.com/safety.php

Does being freeze dried or dehydrated mean the product does not need to be kept in the freezer?  I can't find this question answered anywhere on the website.  Why don't these websites provide this kind of information.  It's so aggravating.

Offline Pookie

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2012, 01:28:54 PM »
Hi MC,

Yes, I believe you don't have to freeze it or store it in the refrigerator.  If I'm wrong, please someone correct me.  I think the freeze-drying/dehydrating process "preserves" the food for you, so there's no need to refrigerate/freeze.

I hope this helps!
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2012, 05:17:37 PM »
Oops.  I meant to say "dehydrated," not freeze dried.  My apologies.

I emailed the company, but asked about "Love," not "Force."  Apparently I hit my head between ordering and writing the email.  Doh1  

As far as "Love," this is what the company rep had to say...
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Hello Lola,
 
Thank you for your email.  Love is a complete and balanced formula that may be fed alone.  You do not need to supplement the diet but you are welcome to rotate in your choice of high-quality whole foods if you wish.
 
I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please let me know.
 
Warm regards,
« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 05:24:30 PM by Lola »
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Honest Kitchen - Force
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2012, 05:54:55 PM »
Received a VERY speedy reply from Honest Kitchen.

Love, Thrive, Embark, Keen, Force, Verve, and Zeal may be fed alone.  Preference is the only exception.  It must be combined with meat. 
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Honest Kitchen
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2012, 11:22:37 PM »
They were also sued by Ohio and are now allowed to say they are Human grade there, which is a meaningless term on most other labels but not Honest Kitchens and they've proven it in court. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's the info from their website:

Snip

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The Honest Kitchen Wins Its Battle For Commercial Free Speech

For Immediate Release, November 8th 2007.
San Diego, CA. The Honest Kitchen has prevailed in its six-month lawsuit against Ohio Department of Agriculture.  The result of the trial means the pet food company will be granted a license to sell its producs in Ohio – and continue to label its products as human grade, without being forced to amend the labeling  in any way. The department earlier this year refused to grant a license to The Honest Kitchen, to sell its dehydrated pet food products in the state, citing the fact that the labels were misleading because they describe the company’s pet foods as “human food grade”.

The court has ruled in favor of The Honest Kitchen, citing the company’s right to truthful, commercial free speech. Ohio Department had acknowledged that thepet food products were human food grade, yet claimed that stating the fact on the labels could  be confusing to customers, who might be unable to determine if the diets were intended for animals or humans.

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/tag/human-grade-pet-food/
« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 11:24:58 PM by Lola »
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Honest Kitchen
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2012, 07:18:06 PM »
Received the shipment today.   ;D
Anyone know if their recommended serving sizes are whacked out...like the dry and canned foods usually are?
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