Our weekly meal plans are designed for dogs and cats with average activity levels, and they are based on caloric needs. For example, the weekly plan for a 40 lb dog equals 5400 kcals of food. This is split into 7 bags of food to feed 1 bag per day. For a lower calorie food, like chicken, this might equate to seven 18 oz bags. A higher calorie food, like beef, requires less food to equal the same amount of calories, so the weekly plan for a 40 lb dog consists of five 12 oz and two 16 oz bags. Each plan provides the same amount of calories for the week. Depending on the protein, the daily amount of food may differ.

For our labels, the FDA requires a general feeding guideline based on food volume, so that general guideline varies from the actual caloric needs of cats and dogs of various weights. It is simply a very general guideline. Just like with human food labels, there are serving sizes that are very general and don't reflect the wide range of caloric needs. The serving size for a 90 lb, sedentary 80 year old woman is very different from what a 200 lb, 30 year old physically active man needs. The more accurate way to determine their serving size is to assess their calorie needs. The 80 year old woman may only need 800 calories a day while the 30 year old man needs 4000 calories a day.

We designed our weekly plans based on weights to make it easy to feed them generally the right amount. They are based on averages and there is a wide range for every size. The plans are a great place to start and you may need to adjust up or down depending on your cat or dog's individual needs and metabolisms. If your cat or dog is extremely active or energetic, you may need to feed a little bit more. If your cat or dog is older or very sedentary, you may need to feed a little less.