In people’s quest toward a fresher, less-processed diet, the trend has gone to the dogs — literally.
As pup parents, we always want what’s best for our doggos, especially when it comes to nutrition, so it’s no surprise that if we’re eating better, we want them to, too.
The fresh dog food movement has picked up steam in recent years, and there is now a healthy crop of options on the market. Let’s check out some of the best available and learn more about this rising trend.
In a hurry? Check out our quick picks below if you just need a fast recommendation!
Quick Picks: Best Fresh Dog Food Brands
- #1 Ollie [Best Overall Fresh Dog Food Option]: Each recipe is made with human-grade ingredients, customized for your dog, and designed by a canine nutritionist. What more could you want? Get 50% off with code K9OFMINE!
- #2 A Pup Above [Best Slow-Cooked Fresh Food Option]: More protein compared to many other fresh food services and is slow-cooked via sous vide to lock in as many vitamins and nutrients as possible! Plus, you can get 50% off your first order by using code K950.
- #3 Nom Nom [Most Convenient Fresh Dog Food Option]: These foods are made with restaurant-quality ingredients and shipped in single-serving pouches. Just cut one open and pour it in your pet’s bowl!
- #4 JustFoodforDogs [Best No-Subscription-Required Fresh Food Option]: Want to try a fresh food without making a long-term commitment? JustFoodforDogs offers a variety of premium fresh-frozen options and backs them with a money-back guarantee.
- #5 Spot & Tango [Most Innovative Fresh Dog Food]: Spot & Tango offers fresh-frozen foods that are made with super simple ingredient lists, and they also offer Unkibble — a truly unique, dry fresh food that’s great for owners on a budget. Get 50% off when you use code K9OFMINE50 at checkout!
- #6 FreshPet [Most Affordable Fresh Dog Food Option]: Many of the best fresh dog foods are very expensive, but FreshPet offers budget-limited owners the chance to give their pooch the fresh food he deserves!
What Is “Fresh” Dog Food?
As the name implies, fresh dog food is made “fresh” for your pooch, usually within a week of his dinnertime.
This differs from most pre-packaged kibbles and canned foods that are made months before they reach your pupper’s bowl. As a result, fresh dog foods contain few to no preservatives, and they are generally shipped more frequently than canned foods or kibbles are, as they must be eaten within their limited shelf lives.
The basic idea of fresh foods is, the less processed your dog’s dinner is, the better.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fresh Dog Foods?
Fresh dog foods are no-doubt revolutionary in the canine nutrition arena, but they do present some benefits and drawbacks you should consider, such as:
Advantages
- Minimally processed: A lack of additives is a major win for some, as more paw-rents are skeptical of the synthetic chemicals appearing in some doggy diets.
- Customizable: Most fresh dog food services allow you to customize your dog food so that your pup’s meal plan works perfectly for him, helping you avoid potential allergens, manage Max’s weight, and switch things up as you please.
- Tasty: Most fresh dog food arrives in a mash of meat, veggies, and sometimes fruits, which can be too tempting even for the pickiest dog food pooches to ignore.
Disadvantages
- Expensive: There is no doubt about it — fresh dog foods are pricey (and the costs can become pretty astronomical if you’re feeding more than one dog).
- Limited shelf life: It may not be an issue for some, but since most fresh foods lack preservatives, the food will spoil quickly if not eaten or frozen.
- Requires refrigeration: Since they lack preservatives, fresh dog foods must be stored in either a refrigerator or freezer, depending on the variety. This can be a bit of an unexpected challenge for some owners, who’re used to just storing a bag of kibble in the pantry.
The Best Fresh Dog Foods: Doggo Dinners That Look Like Yours!
There are a ton of fresh dog food options currently on the market, which can make owners feel overwhelmed. But we’ve handpicked the top options available to make things easier on you.
1. Ollie
About: Ollie is a subscription-based fresh dog food manufacturer that delivers tasty, nutritious meals to your door on a pre-set schedule. The dog food is shipped frozen, allowing you to thaw according to your dog’s feeding needs.
Features:
- Canine nutritionist-designed meal plans that are customized for your pup, taking into account his body condition, weight goals, allergies, and dietary preferences (making it ideal for sensitive tummies and pickier pups)
- Can be fed as your dog’s only food source, as a dog food topper for conventional kibble, or as an occasional mix-in treat
- Made in small batches with human-grade ingredients
- Prepared in the USA
- The meals arrive in a plastic meal tray that includes a scoop for measuring out your four footer’s food
- Want more info? Read our full hands-on Ollie review!
- Don’t forget, you can get an exclusive 50% off discount as one of our readers – just use code K9OFMINE at checkout!
Ingredients List
Lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, chickpeas, kale...,
rice, cranberries, green beans, potatoes, tricalcium phosphate, chia seeds, salmon oil, salt, zinc gluconate, taurine, vitamin e supplement, ferrous sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine hydrochloride, manganese amino acid chelate, vitamin d3, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), potassium iodide, folic acid.
Protein Content (for lamb): 11% min
Options:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Lamb
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Ollie
U.S.-made, custom-blended dog foods that are made with human-grade ingredients.
Pros
- Extremely high-quality option, made with top-notch ingredients in USDA-approved kitchens.
- Provides owners with the chance to fine-tune their pup’s diet (making it excellent for dogs with food allergies).
- Leftover storage is easy, thanks to the brand’s tray-like packaging.
- Most dogs love the taste of Ollie’s recipes.
Cons
- Like most other fresh dog foods, Ollie’s recipes are expensive (though mix-in options offer a cost-effective way to spruce up your dog’s traditional kibble).
- You have to measure out each meal individually, which isn’t as convenient as single-serving packaging.
2. A Pup Above
About: A Pup Above is a versatile provider of fresh dog food, that offers a subscription-based service, an on-demand ordering option, and in-store availability at a limited number of stores.
A Pup Above is uniquely positioned among canine competitors in the fresh dog food space due to the fact that they cook their dog food using sous vide techniques — a slow cooking method that some contend preserves more nutrients than standard cooking procedures.
Features:
- All recipes are crafted by a veterinary nutritionist, balanced, and made with only USDA meats and pesticide-free vegetables
- Prepared via a slow-cook method (sous-vide), which may preserve nutrients and almost certainly improves the dog foods’ flavor
- Cooked in a USDA-approved facility
- The optional subscription-based plan lets you pick between feeding your dog 100% A Pup Above recipes or using a half-and-half approach by mixing in one of these recipes with your dog’s kibble
- Includes savory bone broth for flavor and possible GI and bone benefits
- Arrive in 3-pound bags or 3 frozen 1-pound patties that can be dethawed as needed
Options:
- Turkey Pawella
- Porky’s Luau
- Texas Beef Stew
- Chicka Chicka Bow Wow
Ingredients List
Pork, Pork Liver, Sweet Potatoes, Pork Bone Broth, Green Beans...,
Pineapple, Turmeric, Thyme, Parsley, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement.
Protein Content (Porky’s Luau): 19.81%
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
A Pup Above
Fresh, nutritionist-designed recipes that are cooked “low and slow” for maximum flavor.
Pros
- Most dogs seemed to really love the taste of these recipes
- No subscription required, which provides additional flexibility (and the chance to try a recipe before making a long-term commitment)
- The recipes provide a ton of protein to your pooch
- A great option for owners who want to use a fresh dog food as a topper to improve the taste of their dog’s kibble
Cons
- The packaging isn’t as convenient as some other fresh dog food options
- A Pup Above doesn’t provide as many recipe options as some other fresh dog food brands
We had the opportunity to try A Pup Above ourselves, so Remy was lucky enough to dig into a sampler pack.
It’s no surprise that Remy loved the food, and I even noticed his itching subsiding a bit (although it’s hard to say for sure that the food was what had an effect).
One particularly interesting thing I found was that, for me, the gross-out factor was much lower with A Pup Above than other dog foods – even other fresh ones.
The consistency of A Pup Above’s food was a bit more sturdy and retained its structure, not breaking up as much as other foods. I’m assuming this is due to the sous vide cooking, although it’s hard to say for sure.
In any case, and for whatever reason, I found it much easier for me to handle this fresh food without the ick factor – I even used my hands to stuff this food in a Kong toy!
You can try A Pup Above’s sampler pack for 50% off with code K950 for a no-commitment trial to see if your dog is a fan.
3. Nom Nom
About: Restaurant-quality ingredients and single-serve sizes are hallmarks of Nom Nom, a fresh dog food delivery service.
And in addition to their impressive ingredient lists, Nom Nom makes it easy to serve up dinner, as there’s no need to measure — you can just pour the dog food in your pup’s bowl for him to enjoy.
Features:
- Meals are catered to your dog’s individual needs, including factors like weight, age, and overall body condition
- All formulas are crafted by a board-certified veterinarian and nutritionist
- Ingredients are human-grade, and recipes are never mass-produced
- Fresh dog foods are prepared in one of two USA facilities
- Numerous meal plan options are available via this subscription service, including feeding solely Nom Nom, a mix of your pup’s food and Nom Nom, or Nom Nom as an occasional treat, allowing you to control cost (plus multi-pet discounts!)
Ingredients List
Ground beef, russet potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas...,
dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, natural flavor, citric acid, calcium carbonate, taurine, vinegar, fish oil, sunflower oil, choline bitartrate, water sufficient for processing, iron amino acid chelate, zinc gluconate, vitamin E supplement, copper gluconate, niacin (vitamin B3), manganese gluconate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), potassium iodide, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement.
Protein Content: 10% Min
Options:
- Beef Mash
- Turkey Fare
- Chicken Cuisine
- Pork Potluck
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Nom Nom
Custom-formulated fresh foods, made with restaurant-quality ingredients.
Pros
- A number of discounts are available to help reduce the costs of these dog foods.
- Looks more like your food than most other options.
- Most dogs loved the taste.
Cons
- Not as customizable as some other fresh options.
- Single-serving packaging isn’t as eco-friendly as the packages some other fresh dog foods use.
Want more info about Nom Nom’s foods?
Get all the details by reading our full Nom Nom review!
4. JustFoodforDogs
About: JustFoodforDogs is a premium pet food brand who offers several different types of dog food for Fido, including custom diets, veterinary support recipes, pantry fresh dog foods, DIY kits, and fresh frozen meals — the option we’re focusing on here.
Like all of JustFoodforDog’s recipes, their fresh frozen options are designed by a team of canine nutritionists, made with some of the best ingredients available, and prepared in the brand’s unique open-to-the-public kitchens.
That’s right — you can actually watch a culinary team prepare these dog foods in several U.S. cities.
Features:
- The brand is a leader in empirical dog nutrition research, and they’re the only fresh dog food manufacturer that’s carried out systemic feeding trials on all of their daily canine recipes
- Individual dog food packages are available via JustFoodforDogs retail establishments
- Environmentally conscious shipping (they only ship full boxes to reduce the brand’s overall carbon footprint)
- No preservatives are included in JustFoodforDog’s recipes
- All dog foods are made in the USA, in brand-owned kitchens
Options:
- Chicken & White Rice
- Beef & Russet Potato
- Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni
- Fish & Sweet Potato
- Lamb & Brown Rice
- Venison & Squash
Ingredients List
Chicken Thighs, Long-Grain White Rice, Enriched, Spinach, Carrots, Apples...,
Protein Content: 8%
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Just Food for Dogs
Fresh-frozen dog foods that are made in the USA and available without a subscription.
Pros
- Easy to try — there’s no need to sign up for recurring shipments or “subscribe” (though you can enroll in their auto-ship program if you like)
- All of the brand’s (non-custom) recipes are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
- Every recipe is made with premium, “human-grade” ingredients and designed by a team of canine nutritionists
- You can choose from six different fresh frozen recipes, as well as a variety of other types of food
Cons
- Presently, JustFoodforDogs doesn’t offer “variety packs” or any way to mix-and-match recipes
- Full-box shipping is eco-friendly, but it imposes some minor quantity issues (you may have to order slightly more or less than you want at a time)
5. Pet Plate
About: Pet Plate is another worthy fresh dog food option for owners seeking fresh, high-quality dog foods, shipped directly from their USDA-approved facilities.
These dog foods are made in small batches and flash-frozen to prevent spoiling during shipment. But once you’re ready to serve dinner, these foods defrost easily in the microwave for ready-to-eat meals.
Features:
- All of their fresh dog foods are designed by a veterinary nutritionist and made in the USA with human-grade ingredients
- Your dog’s meal plan is structured based on his overall health and individual needs, including body condition and activity level to ensure he maintains a proper weight
- All meals are sold as part of a subscription service
- You can select a 100% Pet Plate feeding plan or a mix-in option (called the Topper Plan) that’s more affordable
- All meals are delivered in 100% recyclable plastic containers
Options:
- Chicken
- Beef
- Turkey
- Lamb
Ingredients List
Ground beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, beef liver, carrots...,
apples, peas, pumpkin, dicalcium phosphate, natural flavor, safflower oil, calcium carbonate, salmon oil, minerals (ferrous fumarate, zinc oxide, manganese gluconate, magnesium oxide, potassium iodide, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin B6], thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], vitamin D3 supplement), mixed tocopherols (a natural preservative), taurine, salt.
Protein Content for Barkin Beef: 7.9% Min
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Pet Plate
Custom-crafted fresh dog foods that are packed in reusable and recyclable containers.
Pros
- Most pups went bonkers for the taste of these meals
- Reusable containers make it easy to store unused portions and leftovers
- Ground-up texture makes it hard for picky pooches to selectively avoid (often nutritious) ingredients
- The Topper Plan provides owners with an affordable way to improve the taste and appeal of their dog’s dinner
Cons
- You must sign up for a subscription to purchase these fresh dog foods
- No dog food sample option available
- Large storage containers will take up a significant amount of real estate in the fridge
6. Spot & Tango
About: Believing that “a happy and healthy life starts with good food,” Spot & Tango offer two different kinds of dog food, including one that’s pretty darn revolutionary.
But let’s start by looking at their flagship product line, which is comprised of fresh, ready-to-serve meals that are made with human-grade ingredients and shipped directly to your front door. These meals are crafted to suit your dog’s specific dietary needs by a team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists, and they’re made using some of the highest quality ingredients available.
Spot & Tango’s other product line is known as Unkibble – the world’s only fresh dry dog food.
In many ways, Unkibble is quite similar to the other fresh dog foods discussed here. It uses human-grade ingredients, it’s customized in several ways to suit your specific pooch, and it’s shipped right to your door.
But unlike most fresh options, this is a shelf-stable product – it doesn’t require refrigeration, and you can just store it in the bag right by your doggo’s food bowl (assuming he can be trusted not to help himself!).
Unkibble is gently dried at low temperatures to maintain maximum pooch appeal and it has a very attractive price tag, which brings it within range of many owners who can’t quite afford fresh-frozen options.
Features:
- Spot & Tango offers two different types of dog food, including a fresh-frozen and fresh-dry option. Their fresh-frozen meals are exactly what you’d expect, but their fresh-dry dog food is the brand’s new take on kibble, which they call Unkibble.
- Spot & Tango ingredient lists are some of the simplest ones around. Unlike some other dog foods, which are full of unfamiliar, strange-sounding ingredients, these recipes have only a handful of ingredients, like chicken, carrots, and quinoa.
- Every recipe is suitable for dogs of all life stages, including large-breed dogs. Unlike some other foods, which are only suitable for dogs of a given age or size class, all Spot & Tango dog foods meet or exceeds the AAFCO guidelines for all doggos.
- Spot & Tango recipes are made without any preservatives. Most typical fresh dog food is preservative-free, but Spot & Tango’s Unkibble line is also made without preservatives.
- Spot & Tango’s fresh dog food can also be used as a topper. This is a great choice for owners who want the benefits of fresh dog food, yet can’t quite afford to feed Fido fresh dog food exclusively (although owners in such circumstances should also consider Unkibble, as it is much more affordable than other fresh options).
Options:
- Turkey & Red Quinoa (Fresh)
- Beef & Millet (Fresh)
- Lamb & Brown Rice (Fresh)
- Cod & Salmon (Unkibble)
- Beef & Barley (Unkibble)
- Chicken & Brown Rice (Unkibble)
Protein Content: 13.69% (fresh Turkey & Red Quinoa Recipe)
Ingredients (Fresh Turkey & Red Quinoa Recipe):
Ingredients List
Turkey, Red Quinoa, Spinach, Carrots, Peas...,
Protein Content: 26.58% (Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe)
Ingredients (Unkibble Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe):
Ingredients List
Chicken, Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Apples...,
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Spot & Tango
Enjoy your choice of traditional fresh-frozen recipes or Unkibble — Spot & Tango’s revolutionary fresh-dry dog food.
Don’t forget, you can get 50% off when you use code K9OFMINE50 at checkout!
Be sure to enter the code: K9OFMINE50 when checking out to earn special savings as a K9 of Mine reader!
Pros
- Owners love these ingredient lists and appreciate being able to recognize just about everything on the list.
- Spot & Tango’s Unkibble is a fresh food that’s available for about 40% less than traditional (fresh-frozen) meals, making it an excellent alternative for budget-minded owners.
- Dogs appear to go ga-ga for the taste of Spot & Tango’s fresh-frozen and fresh-dry options.
Cons
- Spot & Tango offers slightly fewer recipe options than some competing brands.
- Spot & Tango’s Unkibble has a slightly different texture and shape than traditional kibble, which – while very palate-pleasing for dogs – means that it doesn’t work well in all puzzle feeders.
Remy and I were lucky enough to test out Spot & Tango ourselves.
Remy loved his fresh food, eagerly awaiting it every morning and evening. In fact, when it was near meal time, Remy would rush over to the fridge as soon as I opened it, eager for his tasty new noms!
At first, I was a little confused by Spot & Tango’s “dry fresh food” – Remy adored it though! While the dried fresh food didn’t have uniform shapes, making it incompatible with Remy’s favorite Bob-A-Lot puzzle feeder, it seemed to taste just as good as the wet fresh food since Remy had no qualms about gobbling it down.
Initially, I thought I wouldn’t be inclined to keep using Spot & Tango’s Unkibble, since it couldn’t fit properly in Remy’s puzzle feeder, which is how I would normally dispense kibble to Rem.
But I ended up finding that Spot & Tango’s Unkibble works fantastically as a training treat!
The difficulty with training treats is that dogs really like stinky treats. Freeze-dried treats work great, but they can be pricey. Spot & Tango’s Unkibble is more affordable than standard freeze-dried treats. Plus, since it’s designed to be a normal food, it contains fewer calories than a whole big helping of freeze-dried treats.
While we were out on walks practicing loose leash walking, Remy was very motivated by the Unkibble. He’s been making some really stellar progress since I started using Unkibble as a training treat. Plus, I don’t need to worry about how much I’m giving him on our training walks since it can easily be subtracted from his daily meal quota – definitely a big plus!
7. The Farmer’s Dog
About: The Farmer’s Dog is a subscription-based company that brings fresh dog food to your door in ready-to-serve, biodegradable pouches.
Best of all, these meals are custom-crafted for your doggo to suit his specific, individual needs, leaving the guesswork out of things like allergy and weight management.
Features:
- Provides customized nutrition for your dog, based on his weight, activity level, snacking habits, pickiness, and potential allergies or sensitivities
- Each meal is made is a USDA-approved kitchen in the USA
- These meals are made with only human-grade ingredients
- Every recipe is veterinary nutritionist-approved to ensure your dog gets a complete diet
- Shipped frozen to ensure safe delivery
- Special discount available: get 50% off your first order!
Options:
- Turkey & parsnip
- Beef & lentil
- Pork & sweet potato
Ingredients List
USDA Pork, sweet potato, potato, green beans, cauliflower...,
USDA pork liver, fish oil, Vitamins & minerals [tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin B12 supplement, taurine, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, vitamin E supplement, copper amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid]
Protein Content for Pork & Sweet Potato: 11% Min
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
The Farmer’s Dog
Custom-crafted fresh dog food that’ll leave your dog lickin’ his lips and begging for more.
Pros
- Most dogs love the taste of Farmer’s Dog recipes
- Environmentally friendly packaging is a big plus
- Trial option allows you to try a small quantity before loading up your fridge
Cons
- No grain-inclusive recipes offered
- The portioning/serving process can be a bit messy
- Difficult to find some info on the brand’s site without completing a full questionnaire
Learn more about The Farmer’s Dog in our in-depth Farmer’s Dog review! Or, check out our side-by-side stack up comparing Ollie vs Farmer’s Dog vs Nom Nom!
8. FreshPet
About: FreshPet is a line of fresh dog food offered in most big-box and pet stores in the U.S.
But despite the fact that FreshPet meals contain fresh dog food just like the other options we discuss here, they’re made in much larger batches. This means that you won’t be able to customize it to suit your canine, but you won’t have to spend as much on it either.
With a wide assortment of flavors and formulas including grain-free and grain-inclusive choices, there’s a FreshPet for most doggos.
Features:
- All recipes are made in USDA-approved facilities in the USA
- Made with high-quality, preservative-free ingredients in formulas crafted by canine nutrition experts
- Readily available in most grocery and pet stores
- Offered in a variety of forms, including meat rolls, vacuum-sealed bagged meals, and single-serve containers
- Online selector tool allows you to input your dog’s information, including weight, activity level, and dietary restrictions to best-select the FreshPet food for him
Options: FreshPet has several lines that cover a host of dietary concerns from limited-ingredient to grain-free. They offer most proteins as well, with the exception of pork.
- FreshPet Select is the brand’s largest line, offering six protein combinations in roll form, four proteins in resealable bag form, and two single-serve stews (grain-free beef & pumpkin and grain-free chicken)
- Vital is an all-natural variety designed to be as close to natural form as possible, with five protein combinations offered in roll form and three combinations available in resealable bagged form
- Nature’s Fresh is a locally-sourced line that is GAP-certified, offering five roll formulas and two bagged chicken options (regular and small breed)
- Deli Fresh is a Costco-exclusive brand of grain-free bagged chicken and a grain-free chicken roll
- Homestyle Creations are the ultimate for shaking up mealtime — just pick a protein pack (chicken or beef) and a mixer (three fruit & veggie combos to choose from)
Ingredients List
Chicken, Carrots, Chicken Broth, Peas, Eggs...,
Chicken Liver, Brown Rice, Rice Bran, Carrageenan, Natural Flavors, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Celery Powder
Protein Content: 9% Min
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
FreshPet
A high-quality fresh dog food that’s much more affordable than some other options.
Pros
- Widespread availability (no need to wait for a delivery if you need food in a hurry)
- Wide assortment of flavors and textures
- Resealable bags make storage easy
- Much more affordable than other fresh options
Cons
- Convenient, but not customizable
- Not as universally loved by dogs as most other fresh dog food options
Is Fresh Dog Food Safe?
With any new canine craze, it’s understandable (not to mention wise) to question its safety. The limited shelf life of fresh foods might give some owners pause, but fresh dog food is just as safe for your pooch as traditional kibble (provided that you practice good food safety and storage practices).
Additionally, most fresh foods are typically designed by a veterinarian or canine nutritionist (or team thereof), ensuring a high-quality, well-rounded diet.
And in some cases, fresh dog food is made with human-grade ingredients in USDA-approved kitchens, which you could argue makes them even safer than regular dog chow.
Fresh Dog Food Delivery vs Buying In-Store: Which Option Is Better?
Obtaining fresh dog food is easier than you’d think, as the market has grown significantly and there are now more options available than ever before.
In fact, you may be surprised to find fresh food readily available in the aisles of some pet stores. Some big box retailers offer fresh options as well.
But for convenience’s sake, it’s often better to purchase fresh foods online.
Most brands offer customization options via their websites, you can sign up for automatic shipments, and some offer “subscribe and save” programs (which are especially helpful, given the higher cost of fresh foods). Plus, you don’t have to worry about running out to the store.
Finally, fresh food manufacturers often ship their recipes in pre-portioned packages as well, which will make it much easier to serve up dinner to your hungry hound.
Does Your Dog Need Fresh Dog Food?
It’s worth noting that while many owners are making the switch to fresh dog food, kibble is still a solid option.
Many fresh dog food companies rail against the dangers of meat meals and preservatives, but there’s always more to the story.
Properly identified meat meals like chicken meal or beef meal may sound not as appetizing as fresh, whole deboned meats, but meat meals actually provide more protein per unit of weight than deboned meats due to the large amount of water content found in whole meats.
And while preservatives sound like unnecessary chemicals, there are many completely safe and natural preservatives modern manufacturers use that help the dog food stay good for longer. In fact, you probably consume many of these natural preservatives on a daily basis.
Every kind of pet food has its own advocates, and marketing can be misleading. Ultimately, you’ll just need to discuss the issue with your vet and make the best decision you can for your pup.
However, there’s no denying that fresh dog foods often offer some significant health benefits when compared to conventional options, which have led some fans to claim them as the healthiest type of dog food available.
Additionally, it is important to provide your dog with a food that he enjoys, and there’s simply no comparison between fresh dog foods and kibble — the vast majority of dogs display a significant, obvious preference for fresh options.
You don’t need to feed your dog a fresh option, but many owners note things like improvements in coat condition, stool consistency, and energy level, and almost all dogs will thank you for serving up tastier meals.
***
Fresh dog food can be a pricey investment, but many owners sing its praises. Have you tried fresh dog food for your bestest buddy? Have you tried any of the above?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
3 Comments
December 26, 2021
You know precisely what you’re feeding your dog. Ingredients are minimally processed. Freshly prepared dog food is healthier for dogs and results in marked health improvements for many dogs.
February 6, 2021
Hi Meg, Thank you for the article . What are your thoughts on Just Food for Dogs.
February 8, 2021
Hey, Timbu.
We’re actually fans of Just Food for Dogs. We’re adding their foods to our custom dog food round up article as we speak!