Acorn Squash Makes a Great Dog Treat for the Fall Season

If you are looking for something a little different to surprise your pup with, try an all natural, yummy treat like roasted acorn squash.

Acorn Squash is a delicious treat that is packed with all kinds of nutrients and fiber [1].  It is great for us and our dogs too! 

The goal is to transform the squash into cooked chunks your pup can easily enjoy.  The chunks are a little messy, but our dogs do love them.  

Our pups enjoy roasted acorn squash as a treat - here they are both going for a piece

Here are the steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit 

2. Place the uncooked squash on a cookie sheet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes or so.

Place the uncooked squash on a pan and put in the oven

The idea here is to partially cook the squash so you can then cut the ends off and prep it for its final form.  It's a lot easier to cut the squash after its been cooked for just a bit.

Best to also use a piece of parchment paper under the squash to make for an easier cleanup.

You will also want to wash and dry your squash first.  The acorn squash skin is safe to eat [1] and will be left on the final chunks.  The skin is packed with fiber and antioxidants.

3. After the 15 or 20 minutes are up, take the squash out of the oven and place on a cutting board for some prep work before putting the squash back in the oven to finish cooking.

cut the end off of a partially cooked acorn squash
Start by cutting off the end where the stem is.
Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds in the middle
Place the squash on it's cut end and slice in half.
Next scoop out the seeds and middle stuff.
Cut the squash half into slices
Then, cut the squash into slices.  Make each slice about an inch thick.

4. Place the slices back onto the baking sheet and put it all back in the oven.  Cook for another 20 minutes.

arrange the cut squash slices onto the baking sheet and put back in the oven

5. Next, flip the cooked pieces and bake another 15 minutes or so.

Flip cooked pieces with a fork
Cooking times are always a little variable so good to check in on its progress :-)

6. After the flipped side has had its chance to cook, see if the slices look soft and roasted.

check to see if the squash is cooked
If it looks done, I then let the slices cool a bit and then cut them into chunks with a pair of scissors.   

7. Once everything is all cool, its time to share the treats!  You can store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Pups digging into the acorn squash treats
Well that's it!  All pretty simple. 
Let us know if you tried it and how it all worked out!
I am sure your pup won't mind sharing with you too :-)
Happy Autumn!

References

[1] Acorn Squash: Nutrition, Benefits and How to Cook It
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/acorn-squash

Gina Anderson...

Gina Anderson founder of Good Paws Bakery and Gifts
LOVEs to make dogs and their people HAPPY! Prior to starting Good Paws, she was a human factors engineer making software easier for people to use.  She is a fine artist, loves metaphysical studies as well as learning all things dog. She also enjoys helping people understand things from a dog’s perspective.  Connect with Gina on Linked In
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