Looking for a better way to feed your picky eater, older dog, or allergic pup? As my 6-year-old Shih-Tzu Cloud has aged, he’s become pickier, less energetic, and slower on walks. When I learned that less processed dog food can help,¹ I set out to find him a better diet. 

We tested the top three gently cooked dog food brands - Nom Nom, The Farmer’s Dog, and Ollie - on 1) ingredients, 2) taste, 3) convenience, and 4) customization. With help from our expert Veterinarian, Dr. Joe Menicucci, DVM, we found a clear winner.

How We Chose These Dog Foods to Review

To make sure Cloud (and your pup) get the best possible nutrition, we:

• Consulted Veterinarian Dr. Joe Menicucci (DVM), who specializes in holistic dog health.
• Selected brands that use real, whole ingredients.
• Selected only brands that follow USDA food safety standards.
• Tested each meal plan over three weeks to evaluate real-world results in taste, energy, and digestion.

What to Look for in Fresh Dog Food

Gently cooked means ingredients are lightly cooked at low temperatures for safety, digestibility, and nutrient retention. According to Dr. Menicucci, the best dog food:

• 🥩 Uses real, high-quality meats (like chicken, beef, turkey) as the first ingredient
• 🐶 Tastes good, because even the healthiest food is useless if your dog won’t eat it
• 🚫Avoids fillers like corn, wheat, soy, and artificial preservatives
• 📦 Offers customized meal plans based on your dog’s age, breed, and activity level

So, how do Nom Nom, The Farmer’s Dog, and Ollie compare? Let’s find out.

1. Best Taste: Nom Nom

Each brand offers multiple proteins, but Nom Nom leads with six different recipes - more than Ollie (five) or The Farmer’s Dog (four). Let’s see how each brand fared for Cloud, a picky eater:

Nom Nom: Cloud inhaled each of the Chicken Cuisine, Beef Mash, and Pork Potluck recipes as soon as I put them down. The food looked like actual food - chunks of real beef and eggs, visible carrots, and no mushy texture. His stools also looked healthy - no GI issues.

Ollie: Cloud tried Ollie’s Beef with Sweet Potatoes, Turkey with Blueberries, and Pork with Apples. He enjoyed the Turkey and Beef, eating them quickly. But he didn’t touch the Pork. I noticed looser stools after he ate the Turkey.

The Farmer’s Dog: We tried the Chicken, Turkey, and Beef meals. Cloud ate his full bowl of the Chicken and Turkey, but left most of the Beef in his bowl. Throughout our testing, he had a few urgent, loose bowel movements. 

Nom Nom was Cloud’s favorite. Of course, I was happy that Cloud enjoyed all the Nom Nom recipes, but felt bad discarding the Ollie and TFD flavors he wouldn’t touch. If you want the best chance of your dog tolerating their new diet, Nom Nom is the best choice.

2. Best Nutrition: Nom Nom

All three brands meet the requirements for gentle cooking, but Nom Nom stands out with its nutrient-preserving cooking process. 

Nom Nom cooks each ingredient separately, mixing just before freezing. The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie cook entire recipes together in large batches and then freeze. That can affect taste and nutrient availability (think overcooked soup).

Nom Nom’s approach gave me more confidence in what I was feeding Cloud - and that showed in his excitement at mealtime, his energy levels, and his stools.

In fact, on Nom Nom, I noticed more energy throughout the day - Cloud ran to grab toys more frequently and was more excited on walks - and his stools were less smelly and more solid. With Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog, Cloud experienced a few looser stools during our testing and I saw no change in his energy levels or excitement.

3. Most Convenient: Tie, Ollie & Nom Nom 

All brands deliver two weeks of meals at a time in insulated boxes with ice packs - great if you want to skip trips to PetSmart.

The Farmer’s Dog ships all food in identical, unportioned packs. For Cloud, the instructions said to cut the pouch across the middle and serve ¼ pack per meal. That meant I was reaching for scissors, handling a gooey bag, and eyeballing portions twice a day. The whole process was more involved than I expected.

Ollie was easy to serve with pre-portioned meals in bags with peel-off lids. The mushy texture meant the food sometimes clung to the container and required scooping.

Nom Nom was easiest to serve. Each meal also comes pre-portioned in flat, peel-off pouches. Because the ingredients are less mushy, I could pour the food straight into Cloud’s bowl with no mess.

Freezer space is important, especially if you have a bigger dog. Both Nom Nom and Ollie meals stacked neatly and efficiently in the freezer. The Farmer’s Dog tubes did not; they are bulky and uneven.

4. Most Personalized & Customizable: Nom Nom

Picky eaters and dogs with allergies need customized plans. All brands asked for Cloud’s weight, age, breed, and activity level. But Nom Nom stood out as the only brand to provide personalized recommendations.

Based on Cloud’s picky palate and active lifestyle, Nom Nom recommended the Chicken Cuisine to “please picky eaters” and the Pork Potluck to “help support healthy digestion.” 

Neither The Farmer’s Dog nor Ollie, provided any personalized recommendations. And it showed - as mentioned, Cloud did not tolerate some of their recipes.

Best Overall Dog Food: Nom Nom

Nom Nom is our top pick. Nom Nom uses real, high-quality ingredients, cooks ingredients separately for better nutrition, has easy to serve meals, and provides easy customization for your picky/allergic eater.

Our vet expert Dr. Joe Menicucci agrees: “I recommend Nom Nom because of its commitment to using high-quality, varied ingredients, gently-cooked to preserve nutrients.”

Ready to try Nom Nom? With TCD, save 50% on your first order:

References

1. University of Illinois