While fresh food is awesome, sometimes it's not always a possibility! Reasons such as:
- Poor local produce options, especially seasonally
- Birds don't like "wet" food or are being introduced to fresh foods
- Spoilage issues due to work schedule or temperatures
- Waste due to smaller flock not able to eat fresh quickly enough
And sometimes, just having another option is fun for the bird, gives us a break, or is convenient for those busy days!
Side note: Frozen is always an alternative too, and sometimes can be fresher and more nutritious than the "fresh" produce as it is frozen at its peak!
Here are some of the dry and/or cookable food options I know about! Many I have used myself, while others are on my "to try list".
Please note that I am not making money off of these referrals (exception: I do get a small referral bonus from Amazon links) and I do not have personal experience with all of these brands. I am also not a bird nutritionist and cannot speak to some of the claims on some of these pages, especially as to health and diet promises.
Companies with a Variety of Offerings
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Avian Organics
(Highly Recommended!)
Offering a wide variety of cookable mashes, breads, baked treats, freeze dried mixes, and dry cage mixes! Located in Canada.
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Christine's Chop Shop (Highly Recommended!)
Offering a lot of dehydrated chop mixes, freeze dried whole food mixes and seasonings, breads, and more! Christine's does a lot for the Avian community by donating to rescues and people in need. The Anti-inflammatory Spice Mix has helped with Ripley's arthritis! Located in the United States.
Sprout mixes for parrots, as well as some freeze dried foods, teas, and "chop toppers! United States based.
Freeze Dried/Dehydrated Veggies and Fruits
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Texas Natural Freeze Dried Products (Highly Recommended!)
A lot of freeze dried fruit and veggie singles and mixes, as well as freeze dried treats for birds, dogs, and humans. Located in the United States.
Freeze dried chop singles, blends, and treats! They also carry some pellets, seed mixes, and toys, which can help reduce shipping costs
- Fluker's Salad Singles
Individual portion cups of freeze dried veggies! Just add water or serve as is! Current varieties include veggie chop and spicy chop.
Made by A Bird Toy, there are several flavor options for these freeze dried fruit and veggie chops made for birds, including Pepper Fiesta, Apple a Day, Berry Boost, and Let's Get Tropical
Freeze Dried fruit and veggie mixes.
A simple mix of dehydrated and freeze dried veggies! Serve as is or add water to re-hydrate.
Not marketed for birds, but a great resource for single ingredient air dried and freeze dried fruits and veggies! Be careful of veggie mixes, as some may contain onion or garlic!
Not marketed for birds, but a great resource for single ingredient air dried and freeze dried fruits and veggies! Be careful of veggie mixes, as some may contain onion or garlic!
Not marketed for birds, but a great resource for single ingredient air dried and freeze dried fruits and veggies! Be careful of veggie mixes, as some may contain onion or garlic!
Not marketed for birds, but they have several options for single ingredient air and freeze dried fruits, with a few veggies. The bonus here is that they also sell nuts, so if you feed those it can help keep your shipping costs down!
Sprouts
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Sprout People (Highly Recommended!)
Sprouts, sprouts, and more sprouts! While they have some bird specific mixes, my personal favorite is Amber Waves of Grain! Located in the United States.
Their organic bird seed sprout mix looks like a great option!
Cookables
- Higgins Worldly Cuisines (Ripley approved!)
Manufactured by Higgins/Versele-Laga, these grain based cookable mixes are found around the world! They feature added nuts, fruits, and veggies. Personal favorites for Ripley: African Sunset and Spice Market! Available in many countries!
Oatmeal and grain based cookable foods with added fruits and veggies. They also offer a few Parrot Teas. The Apple Berry mash is the one I want to try!
Pasta or rice based cookable mixes made by Vitacraft. Because of the high noodle content in some of these, I would only use these as a treat or in addition to another cookable food vs a meal. I think Ripley would like the Nutty Noodle!
Offering a bean based Soak and Simmer as well as a rice based Birdie Buffet Soak and Serve.
A grain, bean, and pasta based cookable food for parrots. Available here.
A cookable bird food with oats, seeds, veggies, and fruits.
- All Living Things (Petsmart Brand)
These look quite similar to the Crazy Good Cookin' Mixes. Current varieties include a pasta based one and a bean based one.
Bird Breads
Corn and polenta based bird bread mixes. Try to replace the eggs and/or oil with pumpkin puree or vegetable baby food for extra nutrients!
Using their organic pellets as a base, this bird bread can be helpful for giving extra nutrition to birds not currently on a pelleted diet, or to help convert birds to eating pellets. Their newer Omega formula includes chia, flax, and quinoa!
Others (cage mixes, teas, and more)
Featuring spring rolls, cage mixes, veggie powders, and an "unpellet" cracker-like product. Made in the USA.
UK Based company featuring flowers, herbs, meal toppers, freeze dried foods and more!
Jason Crean's website featuring teas, whole food sprinkles, and dried herbs for foraging. USA shipping only.
Tea mixes and natural tea infused bird food blends, with herbs claiming to help with hormones, plucking, and more. United States based.
Dried cage mixes featuring nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, and more! Also includes a "build your own mix" option! Located in the United States.
"Wild Diet" foods with vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, and more. Located in the United States.
Am I missing your favorite mix? Let me know!