Yes, common sense isn’t always common 
Since the motor is DC, you can easily reverse as needed.
The other option is to use some kind of impeller and just have it turn 4-5 complete turns or run it for 3-4 seconds.
As the impeller turns, food is grabbed then funnelled out.
One version I’ve seen simply turns a bottle 360° around its center axis.
Food falls out at 180° limited by the bottles opening.
FYI
