Are you associated with ‘A Balanced Canine’?

Yes, we are A Balanced Canine! Our business was known as A Balanced Canine for the last several years. We rebranded to “A Balanced Dish” in November 2025 to better represent our current offerings and style as our brand evolved.

What do your recipes look like?

We believe in creating biologically appropriate diets that fit the need of each pet. Every Dog & Cat is an individual and we create diets custom to their needs. A variety of factors are considered when formulating your pet’s diet; budget, accessibility, labwork, and other considerations which can impact the recipes. Overall, we focus on biologically appropriate meat-based meals with fresh wholesome ingredients, and limited carbohydrates (unless required in specific cases due to health issues such as advanced CKD). Dogs utilize fat for energy, and produce limited amounts of amylase (the digestive enzyme responsible for digesting carbs), and cats are obligate carnivores meaning they can only digest and utilize nutrients from meat sources. Some health conditions may require the inclusion of carbohydrates.

How much do your recipes cost to make?

There are a variety of factors that contribute to recipe cost, including; geographical location, where you choose to source ingredients, your pet’s diet restrictions, and more, so the cost of recipes varies and prevents us from being able to budget recipes for you. However, we do discuss budget with you and take these things into consideration when formulating your pet’s recipes. We also teach you how to source ingredients and provide you with guides detailing options and cost-reducing measures.

Do I have to make my pet’s food to work with you?

No, we work with a variety of clients with various counseling needs. Many of our clients are on premade pet foods from trusted brands. We are happy to work with clients who prefer any feeding model. Our clients feed; premade gently cooked, premade raw diets, PMR & BARF style raw diets, homemade diets following our recipes, premade freeze-dried, base mixes, air-dried foods, baked foods, and even kibble. It is important to note that we do lean towards feeding the fresh, whole-food based diets and that your diet preference may limit what we are able to do with nutrition, this will be discussed with you.

How much does nutrition counseling cost?

Pricing varies case by case. There is some generalized pricing listed here. Nutrition Plans start at $300, and we charge by the hour $200/hr for the time your nutritionist spends on your pet’s case.

Do you offer Nutrition Plans or Meal Plans without full Nutrition Counseling?

Not as this time. We recognize the the unique needs of each pet we work with and our wellness plans are detailed and often approached in stages that we guide you through, whether that be tackling gut health, dissolving urinary crystals, etc. Our programs are detailed and are centered around customization and addressing the root cause. Your pet’s success is extremely important to us, and we find that owners and pet’s see the best results with our guided support plans.

How do I talk to my vet about making my pet’s food at home?

We never recommend lying to your veterinarian about your pet’s diet. They are your pet’s primary health team and they cannot help you unless they have all of the information. Many veterinarians are open to fresh food diets, and many others simply have concerns about bacteria and nutrients. We provide you with all of the information you need to show them the contents of your pet’s diet and we teach you about food safety as well. Recipes come with a complete nutritional analysis down to the micronutrient. We also discuss how to responsibly monitor your pet’s health with routine labwork with your veterinary office. We believe your pet deserves a cohesive team to ensure their health. You are your pet’s biggest advocate but your vet and your nutritionist are their second!

If my pet has health problems, is my only option prescription premade food?

No, prescription premade diets may be the best option for your pet depending on your budget but they are not your ONLY option. The mass majority of our clients are pet’s that require therapeutic diets. Prescription Kibbles, and canned foods are highly processed, inflammatory and generalized. We can formulate therapeutic diets for a wide variety of health conditions, to not only manage their condition, but help their body thrive and support other systems. We design custom; Heart Disease Diets, Pancreatitis Diets, IBD Diets, CKD Diets, Allergy & Food Sensitivity Diets, Diets for Hypercholesterolemia, Weight-loss, Elimination Diets, HUA Diets, Diets for Epilepsy, and more! There is not a more customizable feeding model, the world of food is teeming with endless possibilities.