The best fresh dog food, tested and reviewed

With several companies now offering fresh dog food made with gently cooked, whole foods, finding the right one for your pet can be overwhelming. The best fresh dog food brands we recommend lead the pack with expert-formulated recipes and strong quality control measures. These services also offer convenient home delivery and generous discounts when you sign up.

To make my picks for this guide, I tested fresh dog food delivery services with my 50-pound dog, Lyla, and evaluated the experiences of other reporters who also fed their pups fresh food. I also consulted two board-certified veterinary nutritionists and a food safety expert for their insights. After comparing eight popular brands, I chose JustFoodForDogs as the best fresh food overall. It offers a wide variety of frozen and shelf-stable fresh recipes, backed by pet nutrition research and feeding trials. Below, I also recommend other top-rated fresh dog food delivery services for a range of budgets and needs.

When it comes to feeding fresh rather than canned food or kibble, the veterinarians I spoke with say fresh isn't necessarily better. Be aware, too, that an April 2025 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine reported an association between a new type of bladder stone found in some dogs. Out of 25 affected dogs, the owners of 24 reported feeding them fresh diets that contain choline bitartrate, a nutrient often included in fresh dog food, nutrient blends for homemade dog food, and some supplements. Recipes from JustFoodForDogs, The Farmer's Dog, Nom Nom, and PetPlate contain this ingredient, so check with your vet before switching your pet to one of these diets.

Whatever you choose, the best dog foods are always those that meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards for complete and balanced nutrition. Vets also recommend foods from brands that adhere to the Global Nutrition Guidelines from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA).

Read more abouthow Business Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.

Our top picks for the best fresh dog food

Best overall: JustFoodForDogs Fresh Dog Food - See at JustFoodforDogs

Best budget: The Farmer's Dog - See at The Farmer's Dog

Best for puzzle feeders and training: Freshpet Delivery - See at Freshpet

Best runner-up: Nom Nom Fresh Dog Food - See at Nom Nom

Best overall

JustFoodForDogs is the best fresh dog food delivery service, thanks to its variety of protein options, special diets, and adherence to the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. These guidelines help ensure food is safe and highly nutritious for your pet, says Dr. Emily Luisana, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and cofounder of Peak Veterinary Specialists. Plus, JustFoodForDogs has conducted AAFCO feeding trials to confirm the nutrition and digestibility of its food.

The brand offers six main Fresh Frozen recipes and four JustFresh shelf-stable recipes. JustFresh is the only shelf-stable food we tested; it needs refrigeration only after opening. Among the frozen meals, the chicken and fish recipes are suitable for all life stages, while the turkey, beef, venison, and lamb foods are formulated for adult dogs. The shelf-stable protein options include chicken, beef, turkey, and pork, which are for adult dogs only. There are additional frozen options for sensitive stomachs and joint support, or you can order a custom prescription diet.

JustFoodForDogs is among the most expensive brands we tested, especially for medium and large dogs, though you can save 5% with auto-shipments. Fresh Frozen meals come in 18-ounce pouches, and JustFresh in 12-ounce pouches — both of which are sold in several multi-pack sizes. While it's a small inconvenience, you'll need to portion out the servings.

The Frozen recipes were loved by our dogs. I tried the Beef and Russet Potato and Lamb and Brown Rice recipes, both hits with my picky pup. Freelance reporter Jill Waldbieser's 60-pound dog gobbled up all six frozen recipes. The JustFresh recipes resemble the frozen line, but are easier to store and feed thanks to slim, vacuum-sealed plastic pouches that fit neatly in my cupboard until serving. The food looked and smelled exactly like human food, and I'd even say it smelled pleasant. Lyla enjoyed the turkey and pork recipes the most, with beef close behind, and chicken her least favorite, but still one she polished off at nearly every meal.

To get started with JustFoodForDogs, you can use its convenient feeding calculator, which recommends recipes and portions based on your dog's age, weight, allergies, and more. You can order directly from JustFoodForDogs or through retailers like Chewy, Petco, and Amazon, all of which offer similar auto-shipping discounts.

Best budget

Founded in 2014, The Farmer's Dog is one of the first fresh dog food subscription services. What sets it apart most is its value: It costs about 40% less than our top fresh frozen picks when feeding a 45-pound dog. During signup, you can choose up to three all-life-stages recipes (chicken and grain, beef, turkey, chicken, pork). The Farmer's Dog recently added its chicken and grain recipe, which Business Insider Reviews senior editor Jaclyn Turner recently tested with her pup, Reese. It was one of his favorites, in addition to the beef and original chicken recipes.

Like our other picks for the best fresh dog food, The Farmer's Dog meets all of the WSAVA guidelines. Its full-time staff includes a board-certified companion animal nutritionist and a veterinary nutritionist. The brand has also tested its recipes through AAFCO feeding trials. In March 2025, it announced the completion of a yearlong feeding study in partnership with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. A press representative says the results will be released later this year.

We found The Farmer's Dog convenient to store and feed. The long, stackable pouches fit neatly in my freezer. The included feeding directions were clear, and Turner says it was easy to eyeball the serving size for each meal (¼ of a pack per meal for her small dog).

If you'd like to learn more about The Farmer's Dog recipes before subscribing, you'll need to go through the signup questionnaire and provide your email address. This seems like an unnecessary step, especially since the other brands featured in our guide provide easily accessible details for recipes.

Read more about our experience in my The Farmer's Dog review.

Best for puzzle feeders and training

It's not surprising that fresh dog food can be messy to serve and store, but Freshpet Delivery is an exception. Three of the recipes — Multiprotein, Beef and Chicken, and Beef, Turkey and Lamb — stand out for their unique texture. The soft, nugget-shaped pieces are easy to use for training, puzzle feeders, and other enrichment activities, Plus, they are formulated to meet the AAFCO nutrition standards for both puppies and adult dogs. Take note, however, that the Beef and Chicken recipe and the Beef, Turkey and Lamb recipe are not nutritionally complete and balanced for large breeds. Freshpet also meets all of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines.

Over the course of a month, freelance reporter Elizabeth Holbrook fed her dog, Roo, all four of the recipes. "Personally, I loved that the texture allowed me to put it in a treat pouch and use it for training outside or in food puzzles for enrichment," she says. That said, if your dog is already familiar with juicier, wetter fresh dog food, they may not get as excited about Freshpet. And while a shredded chicken recipe is also available, it's also on the drier side. Still, it's these characteristics that make the brand our top pick for its versatile, low-mess recipes. To add to the convenience, the food arrives cold but not frozen. Simply store the pouches in the refrigerator as soon as you unpack them. If you are short on space, you can freeze the food as well, but Freshpet says it can alter the food's texture.

Roo licked her plate clean at every meal and had a clear favorite: the Multi-Protein recipe, which contains chicken, beef, and salmon. While feeding amounts varied by recipe, the included feeding guide and measuring cups simplified portioning.

Freshpet is also the second most affordable service in this guide. Compared to our budget pick, The Farmer's Dog, feeding a medium or large dog costs 15% to 20% more per meal. However, it's a little cheaper to feed a toy breed with a Freshpet Delivery subscription. The recipes we tested are exclusively available through the Freshpet Delivery subscription, but several other of the brand's recipes are sold in brick-and-mortar stores and online at Chewy, Petco, Petsmart, and more.

Best runner-up

Nom Nom is a fresh dog food delivery service that offers six tasty recipes for dogs of all ages. I was impressed by the simple, user-friendly website and easy signup process. In addition to adhering to the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines, the brand has participated in published research to assess the digestibility of its food and its effects on the gut microbiome, but it has not conducted AAFCO feeding trials like JustFoodForDogs.

If you're feeding a medium-sized dog, a subscription will cost you about the same per day as JustFoodForDogs. But for very small dogs, Nom Nom is the priciest of our picks. It offers five protein options (chicken, beef, turkey, pork, lamb), and the turkey and lamb recipes are grain-inclusive. However, you can only select up to two recipes for your dog's meal plan. I do like that the recipes are formulated for all life stages, which includes puppies.

I fed my dog the Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck, and Turkey Fare recipes. She preferred the pork and turkey over the chicken, gobbling them up quickly at almost every meal. I found the food can be dry, especially when not immediately eaten. While dryness isn't a nutrition concern, food left out too long is. Dr. Teresa Morishita, professor of poultry medicine and food safety at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, says fresh dog food is at a greater risk of spoiling if left out for hours, so be sure to toss it promptly if your dog doesn't finish their meal.

Freelance reporter Liz Coleman tried the grain-inclusive Turkey and Chicken Cookout and Lamb Pilaf recipes with her dog, Olive. "Olive is pretty indifferent to her kibble, and she's usually a hard sell with new foods (even with treats and toppers). But Nom Nom took little coaxing," she says. "As I prepared her first meal, she was bouncing on her paws, trying to see what was in the bowl." Coleman found those recipes had a moist but not soupy texture and were a cohesive mix of whole vegetables and meat.

Nom Nom's two-week trial is a great way to get started with some of the best fresh dog food, or you can order a sampler pack instead. Chewy and Petsmart sell individual packages, too, but you won't get the convenience of preportioned servings.

You can learn more in my Nom Nom dog food review.

What else we tested

Although the brands below rated lower than my top picks, The Pets Table stands out because it meets the AAFCO standards and WSAVA guidelines, but it has not yet conducted or participated in nutrition research.

I had good experiences feeding PetPlate, Ollie, and Open Farm. However, all three companies lack a full-time veterinary nutritionist or PhD-level nutrition expert, something the veterinarians I interviewed recommend. Instead, these brands consult with nutritionists.

The Pets Table

The Pets Table is a newer service in the fresh pet food space, launched by meal kit company HelloFresh in June 2023. Recently, it expanded its offerings from three to five all-life-stages recipes containing beef, chicken, turkey, or pork — two of which are grain-inclusive. I liked that I could order up to three different recipes, and the ones I tried were all enticing to my dog. My first box also included a storage container, a cute bandana, and a complimentary bag of treats.

The Pets Table is one of only four services we've tested that employs a full-time veterinary nutritionist. However, the brand has not conducted any feeding trials or participated in research on its food.

Price-wise, The Pets Table falls in the middle on a per-meal cost, but it's the only service that charges shipping. You also don't have flexibility with delivery frequency, but you can cause pause and skip orders. We recommend it if you're looking for a mid-range option with a good variety. And if you'd like to save more money, you can also order half-meals to feed alongside your dog's usual food.

For more information, you can read my full review of The Pets Table.

Ollie

Ollie sells its fresh dog food exclusively through its subscription service. The company offers excellent recipe variety and is comparable in price to The Pets Table. If you'd like to spend less, you can subscribe to smaller portions to supplement your dog's regular kibble.

Regarding its impressive customization and variety, Ollie is similar to PetPlate. With your subscription, you can select up to four of the five recipes for all life stages, including three grain-inclusive options. Your first box also includes a convenient storage container and a scooper.

Ollie doesn't employ a full-time nutrition expert but instead consults with two board-certified veterinary nutritionists, falling short of the WSAVA guidelines. It's worth noting, however, that the brand has a full-time licensed veterinarian on staff.

Recently, Ollie began offering some complementary health screening services that may seem like a nice bonus, but veterinarians advise against these virtual screenings. If you have concerns about your dog's weight or stool consistency, your veterinarian should always be the person to evaluate your pet.

Learn more in our Ollie dog food review.

PetPlate

PetPlate is the only fresh dog food subscription service that allows you to include up to six recipes in your dog's meal plan. Dr. Korinn Saker, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and retired associate professor of clinical nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, says variety isn't necessarily important in a dog's diet as long as you provide the same nutritional value at each meal. However, some people may want the option to try a variety of recipes. Be aware that this is the priciest service, though you can order smaller portions to use as toppers.

PetPlate falls short of meeting all of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. For one, its food is produced in facilities owned by co-manufacturers. The company also does not employ a full-time animal nutrition expert, but the recipes are formulated by Dr. Renee Streeter, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and consultant to PetPlate.

I like that no matter which recipes you choose, you can access a detailed feeding guide via your PetPlate account. The guide includes instructions for portioning, storing, and heating your dog's food, which is particularly useful since my dog prefers warm food. Lyla tried the Lip Lickin' Lamb and the Tail Waggin' Turkey and enjoyed both, although I had to add broth to keep her interested during the last half of our trial period.

PetPlate arrives in 20-ounce containers that are easy enough to measure out portions, but it would be nice if the meals came in preportioned packages. If you're sensitive to strong odors, this might not be the best service for you. The food has an odor that may be off-putting to some people, but my dog didn't mind it one bit.

Open Farm

Open Farm falls in the middle of the price range for fresh dog food. However, it differs from all other services in that it is a Certified B corp that bills itself as an ethical and sustainable alternative to other commercial pet food. Depending on the recipe, you may see certifications from Certified Humane, Global Animal Partnership, and Ocean Wise, and you can view the sources of each food's ingredients on its product page. Open Farm also participates in the TerraCycle program, although you must save and ultimately ship the used packaging for recycling for it to have any benefit.

Open Farm's line of fresh food consists of nine recipes, including one specifically for puppies, two for all life stages, and six for adult dogs only. The recipes are sold by the box (8 lbs. or 16 lbs.) via the Open Farm website and at brick-and-mortar pet stores around the US. Meal plans and subscriptions are not offered, but setting up auto-ship will get you a 5% discount.

Like PetPlate and Ollie, Open Farm does not employ a full-time nutrition expert but consults with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

What to look for in fresh dog food

Veterinarians say there are some key things to consider when choosing the best food for your dog.

AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement: Always look for the AAFCO statement on a pet food label. The label should state that the food is complete and balanced for your dog's life stage, meaning it includes the minimum amounts of recommended nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. A food may be labeled maintenance, meaning it's appropriate for adult dogs over 1 year of age. Foods labeled growth are intended for dogs under a year old and pregnant and lactating dogs. A food that says it's for all life stages is appropriate for any age.

In addition, a food's label should include a guaranteed analysis, which lists the minimum percentage of essential nutrients like protein and fat present in the food. The AAFCO minimums for protein are 22.5% for puppies and 18% for adult dogs, and for fat, the minimums are 8.5% for puppies and 5.5% for adults. Brands might also list percentages of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, but there is no requirement for this information to be on the label.

WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines: The WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods are a guidepost for choosing pet food from a manufacturer that meets high quality control standards. The veterinarians I interviewed recommend purchasing food from a company that meets the guidelines, which include best practices for food formulation and manufacturing. WSAVA also warns pet owners that marketing terms like "holistic," "natural," and "free of fillers" are not based on regulated standards and do not signify a brand or food is of higher quality.

Recipe variety: Look for brands with a variety of protein options and grain-inclusive recipes. For this guide, I looked for at least four different protein options, particularly since some dogs are sensitive to more common meats like chicken and beef.

While grain-free dog food has received a heavy marketing push over the last decade, there is a link between grain-free diets and increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a serious and sometimes fatal disease of the heart. For this reason, many veterinarians recommend feeding a grain-inclusive diet until more is known about the relationship between DCM and grain-free foods. Always ask your vet if any food you're considering is the best for your dog.

Healthy extras: Experts say that when it comes down to it, fresh food isn't inherently better than dry and canned food just because it's cooked whole. However, many fresh dog foods contain extra ingredients, such as fish oil and probiotics. These ingredients may offer additional health benefits. For example, the best fish oil for dogs contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can support heart and joint health, while the best probiotics for dogs can aid in digestion.

Ease of ordering and feeding instructions: Signing up for fresh dog food delivery should be simple. A brand should, at minimum, ask about your pet's age, weight, activity level, sex, whether they are spayed or neutered, and any food sensitivities. Saker recommends avoiding brands with questionnaires that skip over these questions, which are useful in determining the appropriate nutrition profile for your pet. Regardless of whether meals are preportioned, the company should also provide detailed feeding instructions, ideally on the packaging.

Cost: The best fresh dog food costs significantly more than other pet foods. Most companies offer a big discount on your first order, so read the fine print to determine the price for additional shipments.

Customer service: It should be easy to reach a customer service representative if you have questions or concerns about your order. Services that offer phone, chat, and email support are especially convenient.

Shipping and delivery notifications: Shipping and delivery notifications help you keep track of your pet's food. Because fresh food is at risk of spoiling if allowed to thaw, delivery notifications are especially important.

Packaging: Unlike kibble and canned pet food, fresh dog food doesn't contain preservatives and has a shorter shelf life. To prevent spoilage, it's important to follow the storage and feeding directions. Vacuum-sealed containers are best for fresh dog food. All of the brands I tested package their food in vacuum-sealed containers. You'll also want to consider how the food is kept frozen during shipping. In my testing, foods packed in dry ice tended to be completely frozen upon arrival, while ice packs sometimes allowed food to begin thawing before I unpacked the box. If food arrives thawed or at room temperature, you should not feed it to your dog. Instead, contact customer service to let them know about the issue.

Sustainability: With growing concerns regarding climate change, I looked at each brand's sustainability initiatives. Some recyclable packaging was present in my orders, usually in the insulation. However, most brands package the food in non-recyclable plastic, which isn't ideal. You can also look for brands committed to initiatives like climate neutrality and lowering carbon emissions.

How we test the best fresh dog food

Before selecting which fresh dog food brands to test, I made sure each company's recipes met the AAFCO nutritional standards. I also prioritized brands that follow all of the veterinarian-recommended WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. However, some brands fall short of the guidelines, something I've made clear in my reporting here.

Ultimately, I chose six brands to test for at least one week each. While a week is a short trial period, other Insider Reviews reporters have since tested our top picks and Ollie for a full month. I also tested JustFoodForDogs JustFresh and The Pets Table, a newer addition to this guide, for an entire month.

To better understand how fresh dog food is made and what to look for in a nutritious recipe, I spoke with several experts. My sources are Dr. Emily Luisana, a veterinary nutritionist at Friendship Hospital for Animals; Dr. Teresa Morishita, a professor of poultry medicine and food safety at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine; and Dr. Korinn Saker, a board-certified veterinarian and associate professor of clinical nutrition at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Fresh dog food FAQs

What is the best quality fresh dog food?

While plenty of excellent fresh dog food companies exist, there is no one-size-fits-all food for every pet. But that doesn't mean certain baseline criteria don't apply. Experts say any food you feed your dog should meet the standards set by the AAFCO and, ideally, WSAVA. These organizations evaluate the nutritional needs of animals and establish best practices for quality control.

Even then, it's vital to run any potential new diet by your veterinarian, who knows what's most appropriate for your dog. They can also ensure a brand's feeding recommendations meet your dog's caloric and nutritional needs. "[I]t is important to keep in mind that there are many nutritional considerations when picking a diet outside of the obvious labels such as 'fresh' or 'kibble' such as nutrient content and food safety," Luisana says.

Morishita says that, in addition to ensuring the nutritional content of food, the best fresh dog food must be handled safely. A big element of food safety happens during production, so you'll want to choose brands with high quality assurance standards, which include abiding byFDA regulations for pet food. Morishita says that consumers play an equally important role in safely handling their pets' food, and they should always follow basic food safety procedures when handling fresh dog food. These procedures include keeping the food in the refrigerator or freezer until feeding, cleaning and wiping down all surfaces the fresh food touches, and ensuring that the food isn't left out so long that it can spoil. She says a good rule of thumb is to treat your pet's fresh food like your own. Pets are not immune to spoiled food, even if it's fresh.

Do veterinarians recommend homemade dog food?

"Homemade foods may be recommended for pets that have unique medical needs where there are few, or sometimes no, ideal commercial options," Luisana says, noting that homemade food may also come down to personal preference. But she cautions against going the homemade route if your veterinarian does not recommend it. "The most important thing to understand about homemade diets is that they are difficult to get right and easy to get wrong," she says. If you choose to make your dog's food from scratch, you'll want to do so under the guidance of your veterinarian and a veterinary nutritionist.

The best fresh dog food can be a nice compromise for those who want to feed their dogs something other than kibble or canned food. The companies recommended in this guide make foods formulated by animal nutrition experts to ensure they contain complete and balanced nutrition.

Are dog food subscriptions worth it?

It depends on what you're looking for. The best dog food delivery services can take some of the work out of shopping for and preparing your dog's food. And if your dog is a picky eater, fresh food might be the thing to keep them licking their bowl clean at every meal. However, these services are expensive and require some forethought before feeding, such as remembering to thaw packages in the refrigerator overnight. Choosing the best food for your dog ultimately comes down to a recipe's nutrient profile and your dog's needs — not whether it's fresh or shelf-stable.

Should I feed my dog raw food?

Some people talk about the purported benefits of raw dog food diets, but feeding your dog raw food can be dangerous. Your dog may be more at risk for bacterial infections from raw food, and this type of diet increases the chances of nutritional deficiency. Morishita says raw food contains much of the bacteria that are typically killed during the cooking process, which poses a threat to your pet if they ingest it and to you via cross-contamination. Opting for fresh or processed foods that are cooked is always safer.

The post The best fresh dog food, tested and reviewed appeared first on Business Insider