Best Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies) (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between muddy buddies and puppy chow? ›

Muddy Buddies is actually the official name of the recipe marketed by General Mills, the maker of Chex cereal. Names like “puppy chow” and others have become layman's terms for homemade versions like this one.

What Is Puppy Chow? “Puppy chow” (a.k.a. muddy buddies) is the name for a homemade candy or snack that's made with cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. General Mills sells their own version of the popular treat, but it's easy to make at home with just a few ingredients.

Cool completely on a baking sheet until firm before packing into an airtight container. This step of cooling and drying is essential for puppy chow that will stay crisp, not soggy.

In 2002 General Mills developed Muddy Buddies, the same recipe as Puppy Chow. But it can't be said that General Mills invented the recipe since Midwesterners recall seeing it and eating it long before the early 2000s.

How Puppy Chow Got Its Name. Chex cereal, originally made by the Ralston Purina Company, debuted in grocery stores in 1937. Because the company referred to their dog food as “dog chow” and cat food as “cat chow,” they jokingly called their new cereal line “human chow,” according to Taste.

Puppy chow, also known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag, is the name for a homemade candy made in the United States, primarily in the Midwestern States.

Whether you call it muddy buddies or puppy chow, this classic is always guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. Rice Chex cereal is coated with a combination of melted chocolate and peanut butter, then tossed in powdered sugar for the ultimate easy sweet snack.

Muddy buddies will stay fresh for up to 1 week stored in an air-tight container at room temperature or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Why does my puppy chow taste stale? First, before you even start the recipe, make sure the Chex cereal is not stale. Don't make the mistake of using old cereal that nobody wanted to make this recipe. That old, stale taste will be noticeable even through all the chocolate.

Additionally, if you are looking for long term storage, Muddy Buddies can be kept in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. Why does my Puppy Chow get soggy? If you do not cool the Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow completely after you pour the chocolate on, the fats from the chocolate can break down the cereal and make it soggy.

Why does puppy chow give my dog diarrhea? ›

Certain ingredients may be harder for the puppy to digest, leading to loose stools or diarrhoea. Sensitivity or Allergies: Puppies, like adult dogs, can have sensitivities or allergies to specific ingredients in their food.

Easy answer: yes, your sack of dry dog food will go stale much faster if you leave it open. Unopened dry dog food tends to have a shelf life of around 12-18 months, but once you open it, you should aim to use it up in about 6 weeks. After that, it will start to go stale.

Puppy chow is a party staple in the Midwest, but not everywhere else. Puppy chow — a snack mix made of Chex cereal covered in melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar — is often a fixture at parties. People outside of the Midwest have often never heard of it, and they don't know what they're missing.

The recipe's origins are murky, but puppy chow, or muddy buddies, can probably be traced back to recipe pamphlets and community cookbooks from the 1960s.

Is Puppy Chow a Midwestern thing? Yes, people across the Midwest loved this sweet and crunchy snack year-round. The “puppy chow belt” runs through Wisconsin and Michigan, North and South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

Its brown kibble-like appearance harkens back to the chow of the Purina company, and the name wasn't subtle, people called it Puppy Chow, knowing well that the dog food company manufactured that cereal. While party mix was a little more universally known for many decades, Puppy Chow was a neat quirk of the Midwest.

Puppy food also has more amino acids, fat, and minerals than adult dog food. Some brands even add extra omega-3 fatty acids to puppy food to help with brain and eye development. On top of all of this, large-breed puppies have additional special needs.

Puppy food does have more calories than dog food, because puppies need more calories to support growth. AAFCO recommends a minimum of 8.5% for dry puppy food versus only 5.5% for adult dog food. More calcium in puppy formulas. Growing teeth and bones need extra support.

Puppy food isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't formulated for their specific needs. Puppy food tends to be higher in calories and proteins, which could contribute to obesity in adult dogs if they continue to eat it as their calorie requirements drop as they age.