Why an airtight food container preserves food better than the bag
When you open a bag of dry food and leave it standing with the top rolled down, the quality starts to decline from day one. Dry food contains fats, and when they meet oxygen, they slowly begin to turn rancid. It's the same process that gives nuts and oils a sharp, unpleasant taste over time. For your dog, this means the food gradually tastes less good and loses some of its sensitive nutrients, including omega 3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, which are precisely the ones that are hardest to keep stable.
A food container with a tightly sealing lid solves several things at once. It keeps air out, so rancidity develops more slowly. It keeps moisture out, so the food doesn't clump or create a breeding ground for mould in a damp utility room. And it keeps the smell locked in, so neither moths, flour beetles nor mice are lured to it. The bag itself only protects as long as it's unopened. The moment you cut it open, it's no longer a barrier, which is why a container isn't just nicer to have standing around, but genuinely helps preserve what you've paid for.
We offer the food container in two sizes, the ESSENTIAL THE FOOD BOX for larger quantities and the ESSENTIAL THE SMALL FOOD BOX for the smaller household or the small dog.
How to choose the size based on the amount of food and your dog's size
The size should follow the amount of food you typically buy at a time, not how much your dog eats in a single day. If you buy a whole bag, choose a container that can hold the entire bag, so you avoid having a half-empty bag standing next to it. As a rule of thumb, dry food takes up a little more in loose volume than the weight stated on the bag, because the kibble doesn't pack together completely tightly, so a container should have a little extra room relative to the bag's weight in kilos.
For a small dog that eats modestly, or for a household that prefers a fresh, smaller portion at a time, the ESSENTIAL THE SMALL FOOD BOX is a good fit. If you have a medium or large dog, or several dogs, it makes sense to go for the ESSENTIAL THE FOOD BOX, so the whole bag fits in one go. If your dog works through the food quickly, the large box is almost always the easiest choice, because you have to refill less often and are less often left with leftovers in an open bag.
If you're unsure how much your dog should actually have, you can learn more in the guide on how much dog food should my dog have, which helps you work out the daily portion based on weight and activity level.
Keep the bag in the container instead of pouring the food directly in
A question that divides opinion: should you pour the kibble loosely into the container, or leave it in the bag? The simplest and most hygienic approach is to place the whole bag in the container and let the container's lid provide the airtight seal. This way, the food's fats never come into direct contact with the sides of the container, where over time a thin, greasy film builds up that turns rancid if it isn't washed off between each bag.
If you do choose to pour the food in loosely, wipe the container thoroughly and let it dry completely every time it's empty, before you fill it with new food. If you mix old residue in with fresh kibble, the rancid fat drags the taste of the whole portion down. And never fill in new food on top of the last leftovers from the bottom without having emptied and cleaned it first, because it's precisely the oldest kibble at the bottom that has sat the longest and is most exposed.
How to position the food container so the food lasts longest
Where the container stands matters more than many people think. Heat and light are two of the things that accelerate rancidity, so a food container does best in a cool, dark and dry place. A cupboard in the utility room or a cool hallway is better than on top of a radiator, in a sunny windowsill or close to the stove. Direct sunlight warms up the plastic and shines down into the food, and both take a toll on the quality.
Also avoid the very damp spots, such as the floor of an unheated shed or a damp basement room, where condensation can collect. Even an airtight container is of course opened daily, and each time a little air gets in. The drier and cooler the surroundings, the less the daily air exchange matters. And if the container is on wheels or easy to lift, it makes everyday life easier when it needs to come out to fill the bowl and go back in place afterwards.
