Storing vegan dog food is simple: indoors, cool, dry, and well-sealed. Yet, the devil is in the details. Do you leave the kibble in the bag or put it in a container? How long does an open bag stay fresh? And what exactly are storage mites? This is useful for anyone who likes to keep things practical, whether you have one dog or a house full. At VerdaDog, we believe it’s important that every piece of kibble comes out of the bag just as tasty as it went in!
What is the best way to store vegan dog food?
Store vegan dog food indoors, in a cool and dry place, and seal the packaging tightly after every use. This is also the advice of veterinary researchers who reviewed studies on dry dog food: keep it indoors and well-sealed (Olivry & Mueller, 2019).
The same rules apply to vegan kibble as to other dry kibble. Heat, moisture, and air are the biggest culprits. A shed, garage, or spot next to a radiator is therefore not a good idea. A pantry or utility room that doesn't get too warm usually works perfectly.
Should I leave the dog food in the bag or transfer it to a storage bin?
Doing both is most convenient: leave the kibble in the original bag and place that bag inside a sealable container. This gives you the protection of a tightly sealing container, while keeping the information on the packaging, such as the best-before date, at hand.
That sealing makes a difference. In a field study in ten Scottish households, dry dog food was stored for three months. Afterwards, storage mites were found in six out of ten paper bags, compared to one out of ten sealed plastic containers (Gill et al., 2011, in Olivry & Mueller, 2019).
If you prefer to put the kibble loose in a container, make sure to clean the container and let it dry thoroughly before putting a new bag inside.
For one of our own dogs, the bag of kibble is kept in a sealable container in the hallway, with the measuring cup simply on top. It doesn't get easier than that!
What are storage mites and should I be worried about them?
Storage mites are tiny mites that can grow in dry food products, but according to research, they barely grow when stored in a cool and dry place indoors. In freshly opened bags of dry dog food, they are usually undetectable, and if present, they occur in small numbers (Olivry & Mueller, 2019).
The difference arises when food is stored in warm and humid conditions. In an Australian lab study, kibble was kept at 26 degrees and 80% humidity. After three weeks, mites were found in 2 out of 9 samples, and after six weeks in 7 out of 9 (Hibberson & Vogelnest, 2014, in Olivry & Mueller, 2019).
Researchers therefore recommend using freshly purchased bags when conducting an elimination diet, which is the investigation into food allergies. Have questions about itching or allergies? Consult your veterinarian.
How long does dog food stay good after opening?
There is no fixed timeframe for an opened bag of kibble: the date on the packaging is your most important guide, and the sooner a bag is finished, the better. Every dog food label must display a minimum shelf life, for example as a "best before" date (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority [NVWA], 2026).
That date applies to a well-stored package. Once opened, air, heat, and moisture come into play. If the kibble smells musty or rancid, or if you see moisture or mold, throw it away.
Our sample pouch is a different story: store that in a cool, dry place and use it within 3 weeks of delivery.
Which bag size fits my dog: 4 kg or 10 kg?
Choose the bag that your dog will eat within a reasonable amount of time: for small dogs, 4 kg is usually more convenient; for large dogs or multiple dogs, 10 kg is better.
A calculation based on our feeding guidelines: A dog weighing 1 to 5 kg eats 55 to 120 grams per day. With a 4 kg bag, that will last them between just over a month to over two months. A dog of 45 to 60 kg eats 545 to 680 grams per day and will get through 10 kg in about two to two and a half weeks.
You can find feeding guidelines for every weight with our vegan dog kibble, on the product page. Take your dog's activity level into account and weigh them occasionally to adjust the amount as needed.
Don't feel like keeping track of when the bag is almost empty? With the Kwispel Subscription, you choose whether you want kibble delivered every 4, 6, or 8 weeks, and you can adjust this whenever you like. Any questions about ordering? Take a look at our frequently asked questions about VerdaDog.
Written by Team VerdaDog. This article is based on scientific research. We do not provide veterinary advice: if you have questions about your dog's health, consult your veterinarian.
Sources
Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. (2026). Information sheet 5: Labeling of animal feeds (version 3). https://www.nvwa.nl/documenten/diervoeder/diervoeder/publicaties/infoblad-etikettering-van-diervoeders
Olivry, T., & Mueller, R. S. (2019). Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (8): Storage mites in commercial pet foods. BMC Veterinary Research, 15, Article 385. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2102-7
