Kitten digging in food dish

Because of the rising gas prices/food prices, unfortunately my husband and I have been feeding the kittens more dry food and less wet food. In the past they have had half and half, however, for the last few days they have been fed all dry.

First of all, none of the kitties like it that much (we usually have 2 feeding times a day, but w/ the dry food, they never eat it all, so we've switched to about 4 to make sure they get enough food). Also, I am drizzling the juice from the canned cooked chicken on it to make it taste better.

But, something one of my kittens has started doing is digging (like he does in the litter box) on his food dish and around his food dish. It spills the dry food everywhere, but really it also is just weird. I am sure he is not confused (in other ways he is really smart, so I'm just the one confused) but it just looks like he is going a little mental.

Any feedback? What is my kitty doing??? oooh, and by the way as my husband and I get a little more money we plan on putting wet food back into their diet again.

He's trying to bury it, instinct hasn't told him that there's no soil around his dish, it just tells him to hide the food.

Thank you so much! that makes a lot of sense. Before there was no left over food, now that there is instinct reigns!! Honestly, thank you, I was feeling clueless and now I know he is just a smart boy.