This is our journey testing the best fresh dog food companies. In this fresh dog food review, we also detail what the differences are between Nom Nom, The Farmer’s Dog, Ollie, Pet Plate, among others. Each company also offers a trial order and a HUGE discount (see below).
The Best Fresh Dog Food: Nom Nom.
Who’s the top dog? Nom Nom is the smarter fresh dog food option by offering higher quality ingredients and better convenience through customized meal plans. Get 50% off by clicking here or the coupon link below. Coupon: 50% off Nom Nom
The Cheapest Fresh Dog Food: Ollie – 50% OFF
The best bang for your buck. Not only does Ollie have great ingredients, they have great savings too. Get 50% off your first box by clicking here or the coupon link below. Coupon: 50% off OllieMany dog owners are turning to fresh pet food delivery subscriptions as the perfect solution to feeding their dogs healthy foods without hours of preparation. We reviewed all of the current fresh dog food companies – here’s how we rank them.
Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery Services
Shopping Tip: If you have a picky eater and are worried that your dog won’t like it, input your dog’s weight as ~5lbs during checkout to get smaller portion sizes! Combine this with the trial coupons below, and you can try Nom Nom or The Farmer’s Dog for as little as ~$20.
Best Overall Nom Nom4 Recipes Trial Price ~$16/week (25lb dog) Our review 50% off coupon | Best Savings - 50% OFF Ollie4 Recipes Trial Price ~$18/week (25lb dog) Our review 50% off coupon | Runner-Up The Farmer's Dog3 Recipes Trial Price ~$17/week (25lb dog) Our review 50% off coupon | Excellent Choice Spot & Tango5 Recipes of UnKibble & Fresh Trial Price ~$18/week (25lb dog) Our review 50% off No Coupon Code Needed |
Which Fresh Dog Food is Best?
There are many different raw pet food delivery services out there today, and choosing one right for your dog can be difficult. We’ll go in-depth for each delivery service and you can choose whichever sounds right for your pet. It will largely be a combination of price, recipes, and personal preferences that lead you to your decision – there’s no single delivery service that’s “right” and others that are “wrong”. With that said, we found quite a few pros and cons of each dog foods company, and currently prefer The Farmer’s Dog and NomNom.
Nom Nom
NomNomNow is one of the go-to companies in this industry and often one of the most talked-about names, and for good reason. Nom Nom offers the largest selection of recipes (5) and also offers an egg and veggie medley for those with a lot of protein allergies or sensitive stomachs. Even though we list tear-apart lids as a pro on the list below, we did want to call out one issue with this (even though it may have been a fluke). One pack of our first 14-day trial order had a little bit of food underneath the seal which prevented it from having an air-tight closure.
As a result, after 2 days in the fridge, the bag expanded with air and had gone bad. Again, this was likely a fluke, so I personally wouldn’t let it affect my choice in ordering it again (as long as it wasn’t a frequent event).
- The most recipes available, coming in at 5.
- Nicely packed for shipment (actually the best among the rest)
- Tear-apart packs that don’t require scissors
- Daily-portioned sizes
- Each pack is thick and a bit misshapen, resulting in difficulty stacking these in the freezer
The Farmer’s Dog
Besides the fresh human-grade ingredients prepared in their New York facility, one of the most amazing things we love about The Farmer’s Dog is that they offer completely free DIY dog recipes. This goes to show that The Farmer’s Dog is on a mission to improve the health of dogs everywhere, and not just to increase profit. With that said, they do recommend including their supplement pack in your DIY recipes to balance out the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals dogs need.
During our review, we loved everything from the ordering process and shipment (including funny marketing materials on every box) to the high-quality and tasty recipes. Here are a few more reasons why Farmer’s Dog is one of our highest recommended fresh dog foods.
- Nicely packed for shipment
- Larger pieces of real food
- Offers DIY recipes for free
- Thin packs of food easily stack in the freezer
- Comes with a container to keep the dog food fresh
- Daily-portioned sizes
- Need scissors to open each package
A Pup Above (Previously Grocery Pup)
A Pup Above is the newest entrant and they are certainly making a splash. A Pup Above uses the new cooking craze sous vide, a low and slow method of cooking with incredibly precise temperatures; the result is more flavorful and nutrient-packed food.
Rather than customizing each pack to a specific daily feeding size, A Pup Above uses one size and relies on you to refrigerate the leftovers which I personally like since I have a larger dog.
- Sous vide for optimal flavor and nutrients
- Doesn’t require taking a new one out of the freezer to thaw every day
- Food was way moister than some other companies, especially the turkey recipe
- One of the cheapest options when factoring in competitor pricing
- Requires scissors to open each pack and measuring the food for each meal
Ollie
Ollie works a bit differently than the other dog food producers here on our list in terms of food containers and serving methods; however, in terms of quality, Ollie is just as high as the rest. We explain about their packaging a bit more in our full Ollie’s review, but the gist is: food is packed in larger containers and you use a custom-sized scooper to measure the correct amount for each feeding.
Another thing we really like about Ollie is their transparency. I highly recommend you check out their manufacturing process to see how they do everything from cooking to packaging.
- Doesn’t require taking a new one out of the freezer to thaw every day
- Lamb recipe available (lamb is often an offering in more of the premium brand recipes, and Ollie is the only one to offer Lamb in food delivery as of this article)
- Lid for easy leftovers
- Requires measuring the food for each meal
- Seems like heavier use of plastics. Definitely need to recycle the containers!
Spot and Tango
Spot and Tango is one of the most recent companies to make a splash in this niche. One area that sets them apart from some of the competition is their very limited ingredient formulas. Most of their recipes use only 12 ingredients! This is great for dogs that are very allergy-prone.
Spot and Tango’s packaging is very similar to The Farmer’s Dog; food is packed tightly in vacuum-sealed plastic bags which are pre-portioned specifically for your dog. Their kitchens are also USDA certified and they offer a 100% “happy pup guarantee.”
- Thin packs of food easily stack in the freezer
- Daily-portioned sizes
- Company is newer, have yet to verify customer experience
Pet Plate
Pet Plate had a brief media stint on ABC’s Shark Tank when founder and owner Renaldo Webb asked for a 10% investment in his company but ultimately left the room without a Shark. This didn’t stop Webb, as he is full steam ahead producing high-quality canine nutrition and introducing new recipes.
Pet Plate’s serving bowls definitely stand out from the rest. Serving each meal is very easy, as you don’t have to deal with squeezing food out of a package. With this convenience, however, comes a ton of plastic – so you’ll have to be sure to recycle!
- Limited ingredients; average around 12 per recipe.
- Bowls take up a lot more freezer space
- Poor packaging for shipment; bowls were loose in a box banging around
- Each pack is thick and a bit misshapen, resulting in difficulty stacking these in the freezer
- Heaviest use of plastics, definitely need to recycle!
Just Food For Dogs
Just Food For Dogs is one of the original fresh dog food businesses, and one that still operates a few physical stores in LA and NYC (where they also cook the food). They have a laser focus on quality, and have a few very unique human-grade recipes available, including one that uses venison and another that uses macaroni!
However, their online ordering system is a bit lackluster – perhaps this is due to their brick-and-mortar upbringing. In addition, the meal plans are not tailored to your specific dog’s age and weight. Instead, you simply order a set amount of food and then it’s up to you to determine how much to feed.
- Thin packs of food easily stack in the freezer
- A few unique recipes, such as venison
- Long-running company that focuses on quality
- Meal plans are not tailored/customized
- Online ordering is a bit clunky
Benefits of Fresh Dog Food
It’s no secret that fresh, healthy food is more expensive than highly preserved foods that can use less savory ingredients. Just like us humans are advised to stay away from preserved and processed food, so are our furry friends. What your dog eats can have some serious effects on their temperament, physical ability, and obedience. With that said, there are plenty of benefits to going with human-grade fresh meals. Here are some of the most obvious ones.
Fewer Ingredients
Fresh meals typically have around half of the ingredients as dry dog food, but that doesn’t mean fresh meals are lacking! This actually results in fewer artificial ingredients like rendered meats, by-products, and is grain-free.
Fresh Ingredients
Because all of the ingredients are ground up and mixed there is no way for you to tell the quality of materials that went into kibble. With human grade and fresh dog food, you can really see the ingredients that are going into the meal so there’s no way for undesirable food to enter your dog’s diet.
Convenience
While dry food may be the most convenient way to feed your dog, fresh food delivery services do make feeding your dog a top-quality diet much easier than doing it on your own. It’s a great time-saver, and the monthly scheduled deliveries mean you won’t have to worry about re-ordering.
Improved Physical Appearance
Feeding your dog fresh dog food that fits their dietary needs is going to improve their physical appearance. Your pup’s coat will be fuller and shinier, their teeth will be healthier, and their skin will be softer. One of the main reasons dog owners opt to feed their dog human-grade food is to improve their dog’s dental hygiene. Good dental hygiene prevents more serious physical health conditions in the future. Poor dental hygiene can result in infections and even death.
Great for Dogs With Special Dietary Needs
If your furry friend has allergies or they need to follow a special grain-free diet, fresh dog food is a better choice for them. Some pups have incredibly sensitive stomachs and they can only eat certain things, and making mistakes with their food can result in an upset stomach.
How to Transition to Fresh Dog Food
One of the most important steps a pet parent must make when deciding to change their dog’s diet is ensuring a slow transition, especially if they are currently on a kibble diet. Dogs that eat a full kibble diet can take upwards of two weeks in order to fully transition. This is because their stomachs get very used to digesting the kibble, and when you quickly switch to real food, your buddy’s stomach will be really sensitive and likely result in an upset stomach, diarrhea, loose stool, or even vomiting. How to slowly introduce fresh food while continuing to give kibble.
Step by Step
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- Test first: Give a treat-size portion of the food to your dog first just to make sure they don’t have any type of allergy you didn’t know about (fresh food has limited ingredients – so it should be easy to tell).
- Go 50/50: If you have a dog with an overly sensitive stomach, you may want to ease up to the 50/50 split by giving a little more each day for a week until you hit the 50/50 amount.
- Fully transition: After a week of eating 50% kibble and 50% fresh, you can gradually increase the amount each day, over the course of another week, until your dog is fully eating fresh.
Is Homemade Delivery Dog Food Hard to Make?
If you’re transitioning from dry food, you may be concerned about the difficulty or time it takes to serve your dog fresh food. With these delivery services, it’s not hard at all. Typically, the dog food recipes are made by veterinary nutritionists with packages delivered perfectly portioned which can be served immediately. No real cooking process needed or messy cleanup.
Fresh Dog Food Buying Guide
Match the Food to Your Dog’s Activity Levels
Some dog food brands will ask you a series of questions before recommending the best dog food formula for your pup. The food should match your dog’s activity levels and keep them full and happy until the next meal. Look out for dog food brands that ask lots of questions before recommending a meal plan for your pup. The more the dog food supplier knows about your dog, the better chance they have of recommending something appropriate for your dog.
Packaging
When you are on the hunt for the best fresh dog food, you can often forget about the importance of packaging. Packaging is particularly important when it comes to fresh dog food as it will determine how long the food will last. Vacuum packaging is the best for fresh dog food; however, as long as the food is air-tight the food will stay fresh.
Ingredients
Look through the ingredients carefully and take note of the protein, carbohydrates, and fat percentage in the food. Most fresh dog foods have been formulated by veterinary nutritionists that work out the ideal nutritional ratio for your dog’s breed, but double-checking is always a good idea.
USDA Approvement
Look out for dog food that has been USDA-approved. Dog food that has been officially certified by the USDA has to meet very strict food standards. Opting for USDA-approved foods gives pet owners peace of mind.
Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
Dog food brands that offer a money-back guarantee are very trustworthy. It is simple, if your dog likes the food and you can see they are happy and healthy then you can stick with the brand, but if the fresh dog food is no good for your dog, you can get your money back. Excellent customer service is very important and it shouldn’t be an afterthought. If you want to know how a dog food brand handles customer service, take a look at their customer feedback.
Sales and Discounts
Keep your eyes peeled for sales and discounts. Some brands will give you a one-time 50% off your first purchase, while other brands have sales and deals on a regular basis.
Fresh Dog Food FAQ
By most objective metrics, fresh dog food is superior to dry dog food. Fresh dog food has fewer preservatives and cheap filler ingredients that virtually all dry dog foods have from having to survive sitting on shelves for months before being fed.
You can mix dog foods as long as your dog tolerates it well. You may find that your dog gets picky about their food though, only eating the fresh food and leaving the dry food behind.
Yes, fresh dog food is great nutritionally for puppies. Many food companies such as Nom Nom have special puppy formulas that they’ll send you based on the pet profile you create when signing up.
Do vets recommend fresh dog food? Yes, fresh, human-grade dog food is recommended by vets all across the country. Your vet may advise you to refrain from dry-processed dog food altogether if your pup suffers from allergies. What brand of dog food do vets recommend? Vets highly recommend Royal Canin dog food. Your dog’s veterinarian may recommend a different dog brand based on your dog’s specific needs. Should I feed my dog raw food? Raw meat, eggs, and fish should be avoided. If you feed your dog raw food they are at risk of E. coli, listeria, and other unpleasant illnesses associated with eating raw meat.
