Food & Feeding

Benefits of Baked Kibble

Nicole Groshek  |  June 27, 2024  |  5 minute read

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Baked kibble is a type of dry dog food made by slowly baking mixed ingredients at a low temperature. Oven-baking our kibble this way has several benefits over conventional kibble-making methods.

What is Baked Kibble For Dogs?

Our ovens have three sections that apply heat to our baked kibble at low temperatures, each section accomplishing something different to help create kibble texture, remove water, and cook the pieces.  Our food safety plan requires the product to be in the oven for 5 minutes and 30 seconds, and we typically have a kibble temperature out of the oven of at least 175 degrees F. Baked kibble has several differences from extruded kibble for dogs, including:

• Baking at lower temperatures preserves many of the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals & antioxidants from whole-food ingredients
• Lower levels of starch & sugar
• Minimally processed & easier for your pet to digest, resulting in better nutrient absorption

Of course, the quality of the ingredients used to craft both our extruded and baked kibble is always the most important to us. We use only premium ingredients responsibly sourced from trusted partners. Our animal proteins are free-range, cage-free, farm-raised or wild-caught, and never contain added hormones or antibiotics.

Not All Kibble Is Baked

Most kibble is made by extrusion cooking, a process that uses high heat and pressure to force a ground, steamed mixture through an extruder: a large metal tube that heats and pressurizes the dough to cook it quickly. The dough is then forced through holes at the end of the tube, where a rotating blade slices it off in pieces. The kibble pieces expand and cool after they’re cut.

Our Small Batch Baked Kibble Process

All of our baked dog kibbles are oven-made in our own facilities in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Here’s how we make our oven-baked kibble:

Sourcing Ingredients

• We start with premium, whole-food ingredients from our trusted suppliers
• Animal proteins are grass-fed, cage-free or wild caught
• We use only wholesome grains for our grain-inclusive kibble recipes (no corn, wheat or soy)  
• We include nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables (often organic) as a natural source of vitamins & minerals
• Bio-functional natural ingredients such as flaxseed & salmon oil are used to enhance nutritional value & support your pet’s health

Following the Recipe

We carefully measure and combine the ingredients to make sure your pet gets a complete and balanced meal in every bowl.

Shaping the Pieces

We use molds (cookie cutter-like tools) to create kibble pieces with the optimal shape, size and density for your pets.

Oven Baking: Low & Slow

Finally, the kibble pieces are baked on slow-moving conveyors at low temperatures for around ten minutes. Oven baking allows the kibble to heat evenly, bake and dry gradually and maintain all the good stuff in the ingredients. After the kibble is removed from the oven, it slowly cools to room temperature and hardens into an ideal texture. It is then coated in freeze-dried raw and cooled to room temperature before packaging.

Finishing Touches

Finally, we fortify our kibble recipes with supplemental vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and probiotics to support overall health and ensure your dog benefits from exceptional nutrition.

Quality Control

Every batch of baked kibble undergoes stringent quality control measures. We follow a “test and hold” quality process where each small batch of food is sent to an independent testing facility. No food ships until we receive test results affirming the food is safe from pathogenic bacteria. You can find the certificate of analysis for any baked or raw Stella & Chewy’s product using the lot number on the packaging.

Our Baked Kibble Recipes for Dogs 

We offer many different types of oven-baked, small batch kibble. Here’s a rundown of our kibble diets:

Whole Grain Kibble for Dogs

Don’t let the name mislead you: the #1 ingredient in all of our whole grain dog kibbles is pure animal protein. Our high-protein, grain-inclusive dog kibble includes only wholesome grains such as pearled barley, oatmeal and quinoa (never corn, wheat or soy). 

Grain-Free Kibble for Dogs

Our grain-free dog kibble is low in carbs and rich in protein and omega fatty acids. Choose from a wide variety of single-protein and mixed-protein recipes. 

Raw Coated Kibble for Dogs

Our raw-coated dog kibbles are coated in real freeze-dried raw for an irresistible flavor. Choose from raw-coated recipes with or without wholesome grains.

Raw Blend Kibble for Dogs

Our raw-coated dog kibbles with raw bits have pieces of freeze-dried raw animal protein mixed in to add even more taste and power of raw.

Superblends Kibble

Our SuperBlends dog kibbles are made with wholesome grains and antioxidant-rich superfoods including kale, blueberries, quinoa and chia seeds. Our SuperBlends selection includes both Raw Coated and Raw Blend recipes.

Storing & Feeding Oven-Baked Kibble

Our baked kibbles are made without artificial preservatives so you should store them in their original resealable packaging, which is designed to maintain freshness. You can also store the opened packages in an airtight container. 

If you transfer the kibble to an airtight container, make sure it’s completely clean and dry first. Keep it in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight – a cupboard, closet or pantry is perfect. 

Our oven-baked kibbles are easy to feed, with options for even the pickiest eaters:

• Serve as-is in a clean bowl
• Hydrate kibble with room-temperature water or bone broth
• Use wet dog food or wet cat food as a bowl topper on kibble  
• Sprinkle  Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust for Cats or for dogs to add extra raw nutrition & mealtime excitement 

Refer to the feeding guidelines on the packaging, and adjust portion size if mixing kibble with a topper or wet food. Always provide plenty of fresh water!

Where to Buy Our Baked Dog Kibble

You can easily find our baked kibble online or in local pet food stores. Stella & Chewy’s brand Raw Blend and Raw Coated kibble are exclusive to independent, neighborhood pet stores, while our SuperBlends Raw Blend and Raw Coated Kibble are exclusive to Petco and online retailers. Choose any baked kibble recipe on our website and click the “Buy Now” button to see where it’s available, or start on our Where to Buy page. 
If you’re not sure which baked kibble recipe is best for your dog or cat, use our pet food finder or contact our team– we’re happy to help! Keep reading to learn more about grain-free vs grain-inclusive diets for dogs.