In this review
In this review
We’ve had our 6-year-old Yorkie, Yale, since puppyhood, and have been spoiling him with treats, dog parks, and belly rubs since. But as Yale ages, he’s slowing down: less excitement for walks and even less interest in his “premium” kibble. We learned it’s common for dogs to lose appetite and energy as they age - and that switching to fresh, less-processed food can help improve both.1
That’s why we created this mega review of the 5 leading brands (Freshpet, Ollie, JustFoodForDogs, Nom Nom, and The Farmer’s Dog), with the help of Veterinarian Dr. Sarah Furtney and our picky eater, Yale - a 10lb Yorkie. We reviewed each brand on ingredients & quality, formulation, taste & variety, and value and found a clear winner.
Should I Switch to Fresh Dog Food?
Kibble is highly processed and cooked at high temperatures in a way that strips out many of its nutrients. It’s also low in moisture content, packed with filler ingredients like corn and soy, and typically made with meat byproducts rather than whole meats.2,3
Fresh dog food, by comparison, is minimally processed and steam-cooked in batches to preserve nutrients. It has higher moisture content to support hydration and digestion, avoids filler ingredients, and uses real meats. That translates to improved energy, coat quality, digestive health, and overall long-term wellness – plus more excitement at mealtimes.4,5
The Top Fresh Dog Food Brands, Compared
Green = Best, Yellow = Mid-pack, Red = Last
Ingredients & Quality
Fresh dog food means high-quality, recognizable ingredients - gently cooked to preserve nutrients and improve digestibility. Dr. Furtney, our Vet, says look for:
- “Real meat protein as the first ingredient.”
- “No unnecessary fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives and colors.”
- “Vitamins A, D, E, and B-Complex to ensure meals are complete and balanced.”
- Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, and skin & coat health.
- Vitamin D supports strong bones and teeth.
- Vitamin E supports strong muscles and reproductive health.
- B-Complex Vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin) support energy metabolism, red blood cell production, and nervous system health.6
- “AAFCO approved,” meaning it meets nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, an independent board which guides animal feed regulations.7
The best fresh dog food uses high quality ingredients vetted by trusted third parties. The Clean Label Project (CLP) is a national non-profit that independently tests foods for contaminants that can impact long-term health. We consider CLP Certified dog foods to represent the highest standard of quality in the industry.8
We compared each brand’s chicken recipe using Dr. Furtney’s guidance. All five brands we tested meet AAFCO standards and list real meat as the first ingredient.
🥇 First Place: Freshpet.
- Freshpet’s chicken recipe contains whole meats and has the highest protein level of the group with 14.5% crude protein - that’s important for maintaining muscle mass, which can degrade with age.9
- With vitamins A, D3, E, and B-Complex including biotin & folic acid, it has the most comprehensive vitamin blend to support your dog’s overall health.
- We noticed an improvement in Yale’s energy and digestion on Freshpet – longer walks and softer, more consistent poops than when he was on kibble.
- Freshpet is the only brand with the CLP Certification and Purity Award for ingredient quality across all of its products. That means all products were independently tested for industrial contaminants, heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury), and pesticides and contained no detectable levels.
🥈 The Farmer’s Dog:
- Uses whole ingredients, including high-quality proteins and veggies, but is less protein-dense than Freshpet with 11% crude protein.
- Contains vitamins A, D3, E, and B-Complex, but is missing biotin, a crucial nutrient for maintaining healthy skin, fur, eyes, liver, and nervous system.10
- Yale’s poops were more consistent on The Farmer’s Dog, but were still hard and pellet-like.
- Only one Farmer’s Dog recipe (Beef) is CLP Certified, and no recipes have earned the Purity Award.
🥉 JustFoodForDogs:
- Lower protein than Freshpet & The Farmer’s Dog with 8% crude protein.
- Missing Vitamin A, biotin & folic acid, meaning it’s less nutritionally complete.
- Includes lower-quality filler ingredients (rice, macaroni) that have no nutritional value for dogs and seed oils (sunflower oil, flaxseed oil) which can contribute to inflammation.11
- We didn’t notice any improvement in Yale’s energy levels or digestion on JustFoodForDogs.
- Two JustFoodForDogs recipes have earned CLP Certification (Lamb & Brown Rice, Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni), but none have earned the Purity Award.
❌ Ollie:
- Has 10% crude protein, making it less protein-dense than Freshpet and The Farmer’s Dog.
- Missing Vitamin A, biotin & folic acid and is packed with carbs.
- We saw no improvement in Yale’s energy levels or digestion on Ollie.
- Ollie does not have any CLP Certifications.
❌ Nom Nom:
- Ties with JustFoodForDogs for lowest protein of the group with 8% crude protein.
- Contains vitamins A, D3, E, and B-Complex, but is missing biotin.
- Only brand that uses canola oil in its recipes, which can contribute to diarrhea or vomiting in dogs.12
- Yale’s energy levels and digestion on Nom Nom were the same as when he was on kibble.
- Nom Nom has zero CLP Certifications.
Taste & Variety
When switching diets, “taste is crucial,” says Dr. Furtney. “Fresh dog food’s minimal processing and better texture make it more appealing to dogs.” When transitioning from kibble to fresh food, it’s important to do so slowly to minimize GI issues.
We spent two weeks transitioning Yale from kibble to fresh by feeding him a mix of both and increasing the proportion of fresh food every few days. After he was fully transitioned, we fed Yale each brand for one week, taking note of his meal-time enthusiasm.
🥇 Freshpet: Offers 5 vet-developed recipes with 6 protein sources. The food smelled the most appealing, and Yale loved every single recipe. His favorite was the Multi-Protein Recipe - we caught him coming back to lick his bowl long after he finished the meal. Freshpet was also the most convenient to serve - its chunky format makes it easy to scoop, with no scraping.
🥈 Ollie: 4 recipes. Yale wasn’t a fan of the Pork & Apples, leaving some behind in his bowl, but he ate the others without issue and was happy to help lick the package clean.
🥉 The Farmer’s Dog: 4 recipes, but Yale only finished the Beef & Potatoes, and he wouldn’t touch the Turkey. We had hoped Yale would be more excited about fresh food, but he regarded The Farmer’s Dog the same as his kibble.
❌ Nom Nom: Only 2 recipe options, and Yale refused the Turkey & Chicken. He was enthusiastic about the Lamb Pilaf at first, but that excitement wore off after a few days, and Yale needed to be coaxed into eating it by the end of the week. Ingredients were dry and smelled more artificial - clearly overly processed.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: Offers the least variety with 1 recipe option. Yale wasn’t impressed - he left the veggies in the bowl, and the smell was less like freshly-made food. By day 4 he was barking at me to feed him something else.
Formulation
According to Dr. Furtney, the best dog foods are formulated by an on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist - trained specifically to evaluate and formulate dog diets. Without one, you’re relying on guesswork.
🥇 Freshpet: Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
🥇 The Farmer’s Dog: Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists on staff.
🥇 Nom Nom: Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
❌ Ollie: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
Price
Below are prices for our 10lb Yorkie, who eats two meals per day.
🥇 Freshpet: $0.77/meal with TCD’s discount. The most affordable option with the highest quality food and nutrition in this test. Even at full-price, Freshpet is still the best value here. That’s rare.
🥈 The Farmer’s Dog: $1.62/meal. Almost twice the cost of Freshpet, with less nutritionally complete recipes.
🥉 JustFoodForDogs: $1.95/meal. Midpack on price, but with the least variety and no on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist.
❌ Nom Nom: $2.27/meal. Almost 3x the cost of Freshpet for low recipe variety and less nutritional value.
❌ Ollie: $2.41/meal. Most expensive by far, despite lower-quality ingredients and no on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist or CLP Certifications.
Our #1 Choice for Fresh Dog Food: Freshpet
Freshpet is the clear winner in our mega review. It has quality ingredients and nutrition, expert formulation, and a strong value.
After feeding Freshpet for 2 months, we’ve seen Yale’s behavior and digestion improve. He is excited when he hears a bag opening, wagging his tail and nudging me to hurry up. We notice softer, less smelly poops that are more consistent in timing and shape. That plus his increased energy and excitement, make us confident that we made the right choice for his health (and happiness).
Our Veterinarian, Dr. Furtney, agrees: “I recommend Freshpet because of its commitment to using high-quality, real ingredients, steam cooked to preserve nutrients.”
Ready to try Freshpet? Use TCD’s exclusive discount to get 50% off your first box:
