The world of pet nutrition has seen significant transformations in recent years, with fresh dog food delivery services gaining popularity. In this article, we will delve into the concept of fresh dog food, its advantages, and the top fresh dog food brands in the market.
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The Rise of Fresh Dog Food: A few years back, we, Mike and Steph, discovered The Farmer’s Dog and Pet Plate, two leading fresh dog food delivery services. Prior to this, we had been feeding our long-haired dachshund, Django, premium dry dog food supplemented with homemade, high-quality animal proteins and vegetables.
To this day, we continue to offer Django a variety of fresh dog food from our favorite brands. Why, you may ask? For one, Django absolutely loves it. The first time we introduced him to Pet Plate, he was so enamored that he carried his dinner bowl into the living room to savor every last bit. When Django anticipates his fresh dog food, he gets ecstatic. We also appreciate the fact that we can provide Django with nutritious, high-quality food that isn’t over-processed and hasn’t spent months on a store shelf.
In this article, we’ll explore what fresh dog food is and how it distinguishes itself from standard dry kibble. We’ll also share our top fresh dog food brand recommendations, based on years of experience with these products.
Exclusive DJANGO Promo Codes: If you’re contemplating trying one of our recommended fresh dog food brands, be sure to use these discount codes to save on your first order:
- 50% Off The Farmer’s Dog
- 50% Off Pet Plate
- 50% Off Nom Nom
- 50% Off Spot & Tango
Fresh Dog Food: An Overview: Fresh dog food refers to ready-to-eat dog food made with minimal additives or preservatives, gently cooked to preserve the nutritional integrity of all its ingredients. Like dry dog food, commercial fresh dog food brands are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Fresh dog food is often marketed as food made from “human-grade ingredients,” essentially something you could eat yourself. These recipes are meticulously crafted by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and produced in USDA human food facilities. The typical ingredients in fresh dog food meals include:
- High-quality, unprocessed USDA-certified animal proteins
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Legumes and carbohydrates (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes)
- Fresh eggs
- Whole grains
- Omega-3 rich oils
- Essential vitamin and mineral supplements
Unlike the high-pressure and high-temperature cooking process used for dry dog kibble (exceeding 100°C or 212°F), fresh dog food is slow-cooked at lower temperatures to preserve the nutritional value of all components.
Fresh dog food comes in various packaging forms. We’ve received Django’s fresh dog food in resealable plastic pouches, non-resealable pouches, and yogurt-like plastic containers. Most fresh dog food brands employ flash freezing to preserve pre-portioned meals, delivering them promptly to your doorstep in insulated, eco-friendly packaging. Dry ice is usually used to prevent thawing during transit.
Due to its lack of heavy processing, fresh dog food has a relatively short shelf life. Once thawed in the refrigerator, it typically lasts 4-7 days. When kept frozen, fresh dog food remains good for 4-6 months.
Why Fresh Dog Food is So Popular: Sales of fresh dog food in the U.S. surged by 70% between 2015 and 2018. Brands like The Farmer’s Dog, Nom Nom, Pet Plate, and Spot & Tango have quickly replaced many low-quality dog kibble brands in U.S. households. Several factors contribute to the popularity of fresh dog food:
1. Quality: Fresh dog food brands we adore use high-quality animal proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and nutrition-dense legumes and carbs. These recipes are crafted by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals to meet your dog’s dietary needs. In contrast to highly processed dog kibble that comes as uniform pellets, fresh dog food allows you to see and taste the individual ingredients.
2. Customization: Dog subscription services tailor recipes based on your dog’s age, breed, dietary restrictions, and activity level.
3. Convenience: Purchasing a large bag of dry dog food can be cumbersome. Fresh dog food delivery services offer the convenience of shipping pre-portioned meals on dry ice directly to your home, eliminating the need for bulky storage containers. The pre-portioned meals can be quickly thawed in the refrigerator or kept frozen for several months.
4. Nutritional Consistency: Fresh dog food delivery services have veterinary nutritionists who meticulously formulate every recipe based on scientific studies. All recipes meet the nutritional levels set by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages. Unfortunately, homemade dog food recipes don’t always provide the same nutritional balance and consistency required for optimal dog health. In a study conducted by the AVMA, 95% of homemade dog food recipes lacked at least one essential nutrient.
5. Health Benefits: Fresh dog food retains the nutritional value of its ingredients because it isn’t processed or cooked at excessively high temperatures like dry dog kibble. This ensures that your dog gets more nutrition with every meal. A study in 2013 discovered that dogs fed fresh food lived longer than those fed kibble.
Fresh Dog Food vs. Dry Dog Kibble: Compared to dry dog kibble, fresh dog food offers a host of nutritional benefits. The preparation process of fresh dog food preserves the nutritional value of ingredients and avoids harmful additives. Fresh dog food has been linked to various health benefits throughout a dog’s life, including:
- Higher energy levels
- Stronger immune systems
- Lower triglycerides in the bloodstream
- Deeper sleep
- Easier digestion
- Shinier coats
- Healthier eyes and skin
- Fresher breath
- Healthier stools
- Longer lifespans
Unfortunately, dry dog food, while the most popular pet food, is not the healthiest option. The extrusion process used to create dry dog kibble destroys nutrients, resulting in less nutritional value. Lower-quality dry dog food brands often use subpar or even unhealthy ingredients, including:
- Animal digest and by-products
- Meat meal and/or blood meal
- Corn and corn gluten meal
- Peas instead of animal proteins
- Artificially dried fruits and vegetables
- Added colors and dyes
- Chemical preservatives such as BHA/BHT
- Rice flour
- Soy flour and textured soy flour
- Wheat gluten
- Synthetic vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
For a more detailed breakdown of dry dog food ingredients to look for and avoid, refer to our article “A guide to the best and worst ingredients in dog food.” Additionally, learn more about the production of dry dog kibble and how the extrusion process impacts nutrient content in “What is dog kibble and how is it made.”
The Downside to Fresh Dog Food Delivery Services: One main drawback of fresh dog food is its cost. The daily expense of feeding your dog fresh food typically exceeds the cost of dry dog food. Fresh, high-quality ingredients packaged conveniently and delivered directly to your door come at a higher price than standard dry kibble, which can sit on store shelves for extended periods.
According to CostHelper, basic kibble costs around $250 per year ($41 per month) for a 30-pound bag every two months. Premium dry dog kibble is pricier, with costs totaling about $400 per year ($67 per month) for a 30-pound bag every two months. Comparing these annual costs to fresh dog food annual expenses (shown in the table below), it’s clear why cost-conscious dog owners prefer dry dog food.
The cost of fresh dog food subscription services varies based on your dog’s size, breed, and activity level. Here is what you can expect to spend on fresh dog food per day, month, and year:
- Tiny Dogs (Less than 10 lbs): $3/day, $93/month, $1,116/year
- Small Dogs (10 to 20 lbs): $4/day, $124/month, $1,488/year
- Small/Medium Dogs (20 to 30 lbs): $6/day, $186/month, $2,232/year
- Medium Dogs (30 to 40 lbs): $7/day, $217/month, $2,604/year
- Medium/Large Dogs (40 to 50 lbs): $8/day, $248/month, $2,976/year
- Large Dogs (60 to 70 lbs): $10/day, $310/month, $3,720/year
To offset the higher cost of fresh dog food delivery services, you can use these meals as a ‘topper’ in addition to high-quality dry dog food. This approach significantly extends the life of each delivery. The best part is that most dogs don’t seem to mind; they’re just delighted to enjoy fresh, homemade dog food.
Top Fresh Dog Food Delivery Services: After trying nearly every fresh dog food delivery service available, we have some clear favorites. Here are our top recommendations:
1. The Farmer’s Dog: We’ve been feeding The Farmer’s Dog to Django for several years. This brand offers four fresh dog food recipes (turkey, chicken, beef, and pork), gently cooked at low temperatures to preserve nutritional value. Each recipe is fortified with The Farmer’s Dog Nutrient Blend, a proprietary mixture of essential canine vitamins and minerals. Notably, all of The Farmer’s Dog’s proteins are high-quality, sourced from local farms and food suppliers that meet USDA standards. Every ingredient is from the USA, and the meals are prepared and packaged in USDA facilities. Even better, The Farmer’s Dog employs environmentally-friendly packaging, including recyclable cardboard boxes and biodegradable insulating materials.
- Starting Price: $2.56 per day ($7.86 per day for a 50-pound Labrador Retriever)
- Recipes: Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork
- Delivery Frequency:
- Small dogs: Every eight weeks
- Medium dogs: Every five weeks
- Larger dogs: Every three weeks
- Shipping: Free and expedited shipping to the 48 contiguous states
- Return or Guarantee Policy: 90-day return policy
2. Pet Plate: Pet Plate boasts a Cornell University-trained veterinary nutritionist who ensures that recipes meet or exceed AAFCO standards. The meals are gently cooked in small batches and flash-frozen in USDA kitchens. Each microwave-safe container includes two pre-portioned meals. Pet Plate also offers a topper plan if you want to mix fresh dog food with kibble.
- Starting Price: $2.85 per day ($8.07 for a 50-pound Standard Poodle)
- Recipes: Barkin’ Beef, Chompin’ Chicken, Lip Lickin’ Lamb, Tail Waggin’ Turkey
- Delivery Frequency:
- Small or medium dogs: Every three weeks
- Large dogs: Every two weeks
- Shipping: Free two-day shipping to the 48 contiguous states
- Return or Guarantee Policy: 100 percent money-back guarantee
3. Nom Nom: Nom Nom offers healthy dog and cat food prepared and slow-cooked in their own facilities. All ingredients are restaurant-quality and sourced from U.S. growers and suppliers, with many being sustainably sourced. The recipes are enhanced with the NomNomNutrient Mix, a proprietary blend developed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. The individually packaged meals are easy to freeze and quick to thaw, providing ultimate convenience.
- Starting Price: $3.89 per day ($7.78 per day for a 50-pound Pharaoh Hound)
- Recipes: Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck, Turkey Fare
- Delivery Frequency: Biweekly or monthly
- Shipping: Free shipping to the 48 contiguous states
- Return or Guarantee Policy: No returns, but full refunds available within 30 days of purchase
For DJANGO Dog Blog readers, we have an exclusive offer: Get 50% off The Farmer’s Dog, Pet Plate, or Nom Nom by using the provided links.
Conclusion: The world of dog nutrition is evolving, with fresh dog food becoming an increasingly popular choice for pet owners. While it may come at a higher cost, the benefits of feeding your dog fresh, high-quality food are numerous. Not only can it lead to a healthier, happier pup, but it also offers the convenience of delivery services that save you from the hassle of lugging heavy bags of kibble. The top fresh dog food brands we’ve recommended are not only convenient but also prioritize your dog’s well-being, using quality ingredients and innovative recipes formulated by experts in veterinary nutrition.
In the end, choosing the right food for your dog is a personal decision. Understanding the options available and the benefits they offer can help you make an informed choice that ensures the health and happiness of your furry friend.
