If you’re ready to try them out for your pooch, we’re rolling out some of the best fresh dog food options based on their ingredient quality, value for money, nutritional benefits, and real-life experiences.
Top 5 Fresh Dog Food Subscriptions
- Nom Nom - Best Fresh Dog Food Overall
- The Farmers Dog - Best for Senior Dogs
- Ollie - Best Fresh Dog Food for Puppies
- PetPlate
- Spot
Nom Nom is our top pick for the best fresh dog food on the roster for two reasons:
- While all products offer personalized meals, Nom Nom is the only product in our list whose recipes include a custom combination of important nutrients like vitamins D, B1, B2, and B12, iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, choline, and taurine, which are all beneficial for optimal dog health.
- Each serving is individually packaged (two servings per day per dog). Nom Nom’s packaging is also the handiest and only one perfect for on-the-go use.
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What Is Fresh Dog Food?
Definition and Basics
Pet owners have been increasingly disillusioned with traditional pet food products over concerns over the quality and safety of ingredients; increasing focus and awareness on how traditional dog food or kibble can positively or negatively affect dog health, which has led owners to look for alternatives, like opting for fresh dog food products or making fresh dog meals at home.
The Process Of Making Fresh Dog Food
Fresh dog food is made with every day, whole-food ingredients. Standard fresh dog food includes animal meat, seafood, and eggs for protein, fatty acids, and grains or vegetables for carbohydrates and other important nutrients. Dairy products, seafood, and certain vegetables help provide calcium.
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The ingredients are usually cooked and stirred in a pot. Once done, you can put the fresh dog food into containers or bags in the refrigerator or the freezer for weeks up to months. The amount of homemade dog food your dog will require also depends on how much your dog weighs and how active they are, which varies from one dog to the other.
Benefits of Fresh Dog Food
Fresh food has a higher nutritional value and is typically higher in moisture than kibble or traditional dog food because the high temperatures used to cook kibble can destroy some of the nutrients. The moisture also allows the dog food to be digested more easily than kibble since it helps break down food, making it easier for your dog’s body to absorb.
In terms of taste, fresh dog food is often more palatable to pick eaters than standard kibble, given that fresh food is made with real, whole ingredients that they recognize and usually prefer. Making fresh dog food at home lets you avoid various preservatives or fillers.
Opting for fresh food also offers a lesser risk of allergies in dogs since it only has a limited number of ingredients, which allows you to sort out any allergens your dog may be sensitive to or add any ingredient suitable for your dog.
Best Fresh Dog Food Brands
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Nom Nom is a fresh dog food delivery service that provides healthy, fresh food for dogs. Their approach to nutrition is personalized, ensuring that each dog receives a meal plan tailored to its specific needs. Here's a summary of what they offer:
They create a meal plan based on a dog's immediate goals and make adjustments as needed to ensure the dog's journey through better health.
Expert Formulation: The food recipes are researched and formulated by in-house Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. This ensures that dogs receive quality nutrition.
How It Works:
Step 1: Tell Nom Nom about your dog, and they'll make recommendations and help you build a meal plan based on the dog's unique needs.
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Step 2: Once you order, their team starts preparing and portioning the meals in their USA kitchens.
Step 3: The meals are packed to stay cold and fresh, then delivered to your door.
Subscriber Perks:
Nom Nom grows with your dog, updating the meal plan as needed.
They offer multiple recipes, allowing for variety in the dog's diet.
Subscribers can access personalized insights into their dog's weight, GI, and joint health.
Trial Options: For those wanting to try out Nom Nom, they offer a Variety Pack with sample portions of their recipes.
Products come in four tasty recipes with fresh, whole ingredients, all crafted by Nom Nom’s in-house board-certified veterinary nutritionists.
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Ingredients
For Beef Mash
- Ground beef
- Russet potatoes
- Eggs
- Carrots
- Peas
For Chicken Cuisine
- Diced chicken
- Sweet potatoes
- Yellow squash
- Spinach
For Pork Potluck
- Ground pork
- Russet potatoes
- Green beans
- Yellow squash
- Kale
- Brown mushrooms
For Turkey Fare
- Ground turkey
- Brown rice
- Eggs
- Carrots
- Spinach
Pros
- Uses quality meats and whole-food ingredients
- Contains chelated minerals
- Works for dogs in all life stages
- No high temp vats
- Easy to prepare
- Offers 50% off on the first purchase
- Offers personalized meals
- Free shipping
Cons
- Slightly pricier than most brands
Price Point
Nom Nom plans usually cost $1.57 per meal, but the price depends on the dog’s age, weight, and activity level.
The Farmer’s Dog is a brand that makes feeding real fresh food to dogs easy and fuss-free. Each pack offers simple, vet-approved meals with fresh, high-quality human-grade meat and vegetables that maintain whole food and nutritional integrity – a feature rarely found in traditional kibble.
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The brand offers a plan tailored to your dog’s needs, with meals pre-made and pre-portioned to their calorie needs based on the dog’s profile. Each pack is made free from preservatives, pellets, and fillers to ensure maximum safety and quality.
Ingredients
The Farmer’s Dog offers turkey, chicken, and beef flavors variably containing carrots, green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and lentils.
Pros
- Uses fresh, human-grade meat and vegetables
- Offers personalized plans with sufficiently-sized meals
- Uses eco-friendly packaging
- Free, nationwide shipping
- Has a 24-hour customer service
Cons
- Not portable
- Very expensive compared to other fresh food brands
Price Point
The price depends on the dog’s age, weight, activity level, and other data you enter in the personalized quiz. For a female 2-year-old jack russel terrier weighing 17 lbs with no health issues or special food requirements, her meals cost $3.30/day.
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3. Ollie
Ollie delivers fresh, healthy dog food with real, human-grade ingredients tailored to suit a dog’s nutritional needs. Ollie offers a personalized plan that generates fresh dog food with expertly portioned meals with quality whole-food ingredients that benefit overall dog health.
All personalized recipes are delivered to your doorstep, ready to serve or store. Each package has a custom instruction manual, a standardized scoop to ensure proper portions, and a storage container to help you go through the fresh dog food journey better and more easily.
Ingredients
Ollie’s meat options include beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, and pork. Its variety of vegetables includes sweet potatoes, peas, spinach, potatoes, carrots, and chickpeas, which vary in each flavor pack.
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Pros
- Uses fresh, quality ingredients
- Offers a wider variety of flavor options
- Transparency with ingredients list
- Promotes better digestion
- Results in less odorous poops
Cons
- Not amenable to on-the-go feeding
Price Point
Ollie offers three types of plans – full fresh, mixed, and half-fresh, all sold as a weekly plan. Again, for a female 2-year-old jack russel terrier weighing 17 lbs with no health issues or special food requirements, the cost of her meal is as follows:
Full Fresh Plan (hero plan) - $13.20/week
Mixed Plan - $10.80/week
Half-Fresh - $9.24/week
4. PetPlate
PetPlate helps your dog be in the best state of health as it can be, one perfectly balanced, nutrient-rich meal at a time, each delivered straight to your door and ready to be served.
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Each meal contains quality ingredients carefully selected by their in-house vet nutritionists. They are made in convenient batches to ease the effort of getting the right portion sizes.
Aside from freshly cooked meals and baked entrees, PetPlate also offers dog health supplements and doggie treats.
Ingredients
PetPlate offers six meat options – beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, and venison- all lean proteins. Each option contains green beans, barley, red peppers, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, red lentils, apples, brown rice, quinoa, broccoli, and flaxseed.
Pros
- Quality, human-grade ingredients
- Easily digestible
- Has a wider variety of meat options
- Has grain-free options
- USDA-approved
- Offers a 100% money-back guarantee
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Cons
- Packages may come a little bulky
Price Point
PetPlate offers three types of plans: Topper, Full, and FreshCombo. Again, for a female 2-year-old jack russel terrier weighing 17 lbs with no health issues or special food requirements, the daily cost would be as follows:
Topper Plan- $0.98/day
Full Plan - $2.00/day
FreshCombo Plan - $1.71/day
5. Spot & Tango
Spot & Tango helps conceptualize the ideal meal plan for your dog’s health needs using its proprietary algorithm. Each meal has fresh fruits & vegetables and no artificial additives, preservatives, or fillers to ensure maximum health benefits.
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Available in two options – UnKibble and Fresh Recipes. UnKibble comes in the form of pellets but is made with fresh, natural ingredients, while Fresh Recipes comes in the standard fresh whole-food form.
Ingredients
UnKibble lean protein options include chicken, beef, cod, and turkey. It variably contains barley, brown rice, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, kale, flax and sunflower seeds, ginger root, dried kelp, carrots, green beans, beets, cranberries, rosemary, apples, and spinach.
Fresh Recipes come in turkey, beef, and lamb. It’s also made with eggs, brown rice, red quinoa, peas, carrots, apples, parsley, flax, apple cider vinegar, and blueberries.
Pros
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- Contains a wider variety of ingredients with every flavor option
- Has grain-free options
- Environmentally-friendly packaging
Cons
- Limited flavor options
Price Point
Using a female 2-year-old 17 lb jack russel terrier with no health issues or food requirements as an example, the daily cost per plan would be as follows:
UnKibble - $1.08/meal
Fresh Recipes - $1.57/meal
Scientific Data Supporting Fresh Dog Food
Studies On The Health Impact of Fresh Food On Dogs
Data published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Animal Science revealed that dogs who ate fresh whole food had fewer and smaller poops, given that fresh dog food has fewer ingredients, resulting in lesser waste. Another study showed that dogs absorbed more nutrients with fresh food than when eating standard kibble.
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Additional studies also show that fresh whole foods benefit gut health by increasing microbiome diversity and promoting positive changes in their skin's bacterial composition.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How long does fresh dog food last in the fridge?
Fresh, homemade dog foods can last in freezers for weeks up to a month. Their longevity may depend on how well they are sealed/stored or the ingredients used. Canned dog food should be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Can puppies eat fresh dog food?
Many veterinarians recommend that puppies eat fresh, whole foods for young, growing dogs to help them grow better. You can introduce soft whole foods once they’re four weeks old, gradually increasing servings and intake until they reach six months.
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Conclusion
Fresh whole foods are the future of dog nutrition since they offer more health benefits to dogs and let you avoid ingredients that can affect their overall health. Ask your trusted vet to help you get started with fresh dog food preparations and weigh the best whole food options.
We rated Nom Nom as the best fresh dog food delivery service available on the market today.
Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
