Fresh dog food has surged in popularity over the past decade, with more and more pet owners opting to feed their pups refrigerated or frozen meals over traditional kibble. With new brands popping up all the time, determining the most appropriate option for your pet and their needs isn’t always a one-size-fits-all answer. After chatting with veterinarians, gathering feedback from Forbes Vetted staffers who feed their pups fresh food (myself included) and poring through customer reviews, we believe the best fresh dog food overall is The Farmer’s Dog. There are plenty of other nutritious and wholesome options, however, including Ollie and JustFoodForDogs, that you may want to look into.
The best fresh dog food ultimately comes down to your dog’s lifestyle and needs, including any health issues or allergies they may have, as well as your budget and which recipes are most palatable for your pup. That may mean going through some trial and error before you find the right one. “I’m a huge advocate for fresh food because I’ve seen firsthand the improvements in both clinical outcomes and quality of life for pets,” says Dr. Hillary Wolfe, a veterinarian and food therapist. “However, not all pet food is created equal, and simply reading the ingredient list doesn’t give us the full picture … Pet guardians should look for food developed by a veterinary nutritionist and tested for pathogens before it reaches the shelves.”
All of the brands we recommend in this list partner with veterinary nutritionists to formulate their meals and adhere to guidelines established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Still, we advise consulting your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet. While we didn’t include raw options on this list, if you’re interested in going that route, we tested the best raw dog food as well. We’ve also covered homemade dog food diets and the best dog food delivery services, which include options beyond fresh dog food.
The Farmer’s Dog is one of the premier names in fresh dog food, and for good reason; most of the veterinarians I spoke with recommend it, and several Forbes Vetted staffers feed it to their pups and give it glowing reviews. The brand works with on-staff, board-certified nutritionists to create pre-portioned meals for your dog based on their breed, age, activity level, ideal weight and food sensitivities. Like most options on this list, The Farmer’s Dog provides recipe recommendations based on a quick survey you’ll fill out about your pet.
The brand’s four recipes—beef, chicken, turkey and pork—feature a mix of proteins, vegetables and ingredients like chickpeas, lentils and salmon oil. They’re prepared in a human-food facility, meaning the recipes are subject to the same standards as human food, and gently cooked at a temperature high enough to kill potential pathogens but low enough to preserve nutritional integrity. Meals ship frozen and should be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw them. While each pack is labeled with your pup’s name, making it convenient for situations like boarding or doggie day care, note that the packaging must be cut open and the bags are not resealable.
Although The Farmer’s Dog, like many fresh dog food services, offers meals formulated for all life stages, Dr. Brett Shorenstein, a New York City-based veterinarian, advises waiting until your pup is around a year old before transitioning them to fresh food. “I’ve seen puppies that aren’t gaining weight, for instance, because the amount of calories provided and, potentially, the ratio of fat just hasn’t been right for that puppy’s growth,” he says. With commercial diets, it’s easy to use the feeding guidelines on the back of the bag to ensure you’re feeding your puppy the appropriate amount as they continue to grow.
Similar to the other delivery services on our list, the exact cost of a meal plan will depend on your dog’s size and caloric needs. Generally, though, The Farmer’s Dog is competitively priced and on the lower end compared with other leading fresh-food brands. You can also choose to add chicken, pork or turkey treats to your delivery.
What our editors say: “We slowly transitioned our mixed-breed puppy to The Farmer’s Dog and now she finishes the bowl every day, where her food used to just sit untouched,” says deputy editor Rose Gordon Sala, whose dog had suddenly lost interest in her food. Julie Finken, associate product manager at Forbes Vetted, also shares that she finds the brand’s customer service to be top-notch—noting how easy it is to update her order just by replying to texts, for instance, without needing to log into her account.
Ollie offers five fresh food recipes, each formulated with ingredients intended to address a particular health concern. Chicken with carrots, for instance, is designed for dogs with a sensitive stomach; beef with sweet potato aims to promote eye health and blood sugar regulation; turkey with blueberries is formulated for a healthier coat and skin; pork with apples may be a good allergy-friendly choice for dogs with food sensitivities; and lamb with cranberries targets immune support and digestion. Ollie’s selection of recipes may also be particularly enjoyable for pups with picky palates: Many customer reviews highlight how their otherwise fussy eater is happy to finish every last morsel of their meals.
Like most fresh dog food delivery services, signing up for an Ollie subscription starts with a quick survey about your pup (spoiler: this includes a question about their poop). Based on your responses, the brand recommends which recipes might be most suitable for your dog, and you can mix up to four different options in each delivery. If you’re looking to supplement your pet’s fresh food with a shelf-stable offering, Ollie also offers baked food in chicken and beef recipes, made with human-grade ingredients.
In addition to treats and supplements that you can add to your order, Ollie also provides virtual digestion, dental and weight screenings for customers’ dogs. Using the Ollie app, you can upload photos for the brand’s team of veterinary experts to review. While we recommend consulting your regular veterinarian when health concerns arise, it’s a unique extra that some pet parents may find helpful.
What our editors say: Cory Baldwin, Forbes Vetted executive director, says she finds Ollie’s serving-size instructions easy to follow and the resealable packaging convenient. “I was also shocked to find that some of the recipes actually smelled appetizing, and of course my dog went crazy for the stuff—especially the lamb flavor,” she adds.
With six recipe options to choose from, each with a different protein as its base, PetPlate’s fresh food meal plans are an especially good choice for pups with food allergies. The service—which came recommended by several experts I spoke with—makes it easy to vary your dog’s diet, with chicken, turkey, venison, lamb, beef and pork formulas.
While some recipes, like venison and lamb, are slightly more expensive than the other options (for instance, venison is $1 more per 28-ounce container, which serves as a full day’s meal for my 75-pound dog; lamb is 50 cents more and beef and pork are 25 cents more), you can mix and match as many as you’d like in every delivery, at no extra charge. If your dog is allergic to poultry and beef, for example, you still have three meals to choose from. PetPlate also offers baked food, as well as the option to add its selection of treats and supplements to your order.
I’ve been feeding my dogs PetPlate for several years and appreciate how easy the lidded containers make it to store leftovers without worrying about getting dog food all over my fridge; they’re also convenient to travel with. Each recipe has a different-colored lid, so you can quickly tell which one is which when you’re moving them out of the freezer to thaw. I particularly appreciate the texture of PetPlate’s food. It’s not a puréed, uniform mush; you can clearly see chunks of meat and other ingredients like green beans, carrots or grains of rice in every container.
Note that the brand does not employ an in-house veterinary nutritionist, but it worked with Dr. Renee Streeter, veterinary nutritionist, as a consultant to craft its recipes. And because its food is made in a facility owned by co-manufacturers, it doesn’t meet all WSAVA global nutrition guidelines, though PetPlate is AAFCO-compliant.
What our editors say: When I adopted my dog, an American bully named Gizmo, over two years ago, he had a few missing patches of fur due to a potential food allergy. I got him started on PetPlate’s venison recipe right away, and his skin and coat issues cleared up quickly; he’s had a full, glossy coat ever since, and no digestive issues of concern.
JustFoodForDogs reigns supreme when it comes to the sheer number of recipe options available for your pup, from fish and sweet potato to venison and squash. (The brand even offers a plant-based recipe with tofu and quinoa, for dogs with many allergies or sensitivities who could benefit from a novel protein.) It’s also one of the only fresh dog food brands that offers prescription diets designed to target issues like kidney or liver disease. Every veterinarian I spoke with recommends JustFoodForDogs, particularly because of its prescription meal selection. The brand also provides individualized nutrition consultations, allowing pet parents to create a truly customized recipe tailored to their dog’s needs.
“There really isn’t a health condition I can think of that wouldn’t benefit from a fresh food diet,” says Dr. Wolfe. “Conditions like kidney and heart disease, urinary stones, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disorders, arthritis and obesity can all improve with specific dietary modifications.” While she advises nutritional consultations as well as considering a homemade diet, you’ll need to chat with your veterinarian (and obtain a prescription) before starting your dog on a prescription diet from a service like JustFoodForDogs.
In addition to its selection of frozen fresh meals, which include recipes to target non-prescription issues like sensitive stomachs, weight loss or joint and skin concerns, JustFoodForDogs carries a line of “Pantry Fresh” meals—shelf-stable formulas made with human-grade ingredients—as well as “Just Fresh” meals, which are also shelf-stable and convenient to travel with. The brand has several brick-and-mortar stores around the country and can be found in-store at select Petco locations too.
What our testers say: I’ve had my senior dog Connie on JustFoodForDogs’ prescription hepatic diet (for liver issues) for the last few months, and she not only eats the frozen fresh version but loves the shelf-stable option too. My dogs have also tried a few of the brand’s recipes in the past and seem to have thoroughly enjoyed each one. Jennifer Bruno, VP of business strategy at Forbes Vetted, feeds JustFoodForDogs to her dog as well. Before transitioning him to the brand’s diet, he often had stomach issues, and she would cook him chicken and rice meals. “Since switching, he’s had no problems and absolutely loves his food,” she says.
In the decade since launching, Nom Nom has picked up plenty of loyal customers along the way. As one of the first fresh dog food brands to enter the market, it continues to keep things simple, offering just four recipes: beef, chicken, pork and turkey. Unlike many fresh food services on this list, two of Nom Nom’s recipes include egg, which has high nutritional value but is also a common allergen—so make sure to keep that in mind if your dog has any food sensitivities.
One notable thing about how Nom Nom prepares its meals is that every ingredient is cooked separately, rather than all together within the same recipe or alongside other ingredients; this helps maintain each one’s optimal nutritional value. The brand’s recipes are also evaluated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists.
Because all dogs may react differently when presented with a new diet, even after the transition period is over—from persistent digestion issues to simply not being interested in the food—we appreciate Nom Nom’s trial and refund policies. If you aren’t certain you’re ready to commit to a subscription, it offers the option to purchase a sampler pack to see if it’s the right fit for your pup. And if you aren’t satisfied with its meals for any reason, you can request a full refund of your first order within 30 days. Other offerings from the brand include probiotics and jerky treats that you can add to your order.
What our testers say: Elliot Vinzon, Forbes senior designer for marketing, creative and design, tried Nom Nom’s subscription service for his pup a couple of years ago at the advice of his vet. “The personalization of the meals felt really premium, and for the price, it made sense.” He primarily stuck with the chicken recipe for his dog, as the beef and pork options gave her stomach issues, and now often picks up frozen packs piecemeal at PetSmart as needed.
You may have seen FreshPet rolls stocked in the refrigerator at your local grocery or Petco store—but you can also build a customized meal for your pup directly via FreshPet’s site. The brand offers a wide variety of fresh food, from recipes tailored to seniors and small breeds to formulas featuring proteins like chicken, beef, turkey, fish, bison and egg. FreshPet works with a network of veterinarians, food scientists and researchers to craft its meals and, like all of the fresh food on this list, adheres to AAFCO standards.
FreshPet can be stored in your fridge until its sell-by date, and once opened, should be fed to your pup within seven days. In addition to its food packaged in roll form, the brand also carries a fresh shredded chicken recipe made with carrots, spinach and cranberries. While the rolls and the bagged chicken recipe are more affordable than most of the other options on this list, the pricing of FreshPet’s tailored meal plan, delivered to your door, is on par with—if not a bit less expensive than—most of the services above. Plus, you can try out its meal plan delivery service for a one-week trial before committing. If your dog has a chicken allergy, however, this plan isn’t for you; only three recipes are offered, and all of them include chicken as a primary or secondary ingredient.
One other thing worth noting: While FreshPet’s offerings can be found at Chewy, Petco and other national retailers online and in-store, some of its recipes have limited availability. For instance, I live in New York City and couldn’t find a few of its recipes (namely its senior diets) in-store in my area, nor were they available online.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted home and kitchen team is dedicated to finding the best pet products on the market.
- I regularly cover pet content at Forbes Vetted (including our monthly pet column Pet Peeves), maintain a wide network of veterinary experts and am active in the dog rescue community. I’ve also been a dog owner for over a decade.
- The Forbes Vetted team has experience covering canine diet topics from the best dry dog food to the best dog food delivery services to how to approach fresh, homemade dog food.
- Several Forbes Vetted and Forbes staff members shared their experience feeding their dogs meals from the delivery services on this list.
- Home editor (and dog owner) Kelly O’Sullivan, who has written many pet-related pieces at Forbes Vetted, edited this article.
- Forbes Vetted regularly updates stories to ensure top picks are in stock and advice remains up to date. This story was written in April 2025 and will be updated as necessary.
I also consulted with three veterinary health experts to inform this story:
- Hillary Wolfe, DVM, CVFT, a Florida-based veterinarian, food therapist and founder of Tula Veterinary Nutrition, where she provides consultation services and offers pet food courses. Dr. Wolfe is certified in food therapy, natural nutrition and integrative therapeutic nutrition.
- Heather Zarrella, DVM, a veterinarian at Chewy, where she helps oversee the company’s telehealth platform, Connect With a Vet. She earned her undergraduate degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University and attended veterinary school at the University of Florida. Before joining Chewy, she practiced small animal general medicine in South Florida.
- Brett Shorenstein, VMD, co-founder of Veterinary Innovative Partners (VIP), a network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned and -operated hospitals across 12 states. Dr. Shorenstein also practices at Abingdon Square Veterinary Clinic in New York City.
How We Chose The Best Fresh Dog Food
I took the following steps to determine the best fresh dog food for a variety of needs and budgets:
- I relied on my personal experience as a dog owner of a decade-plus and a tester of several fresh dog foods.
- I spent hours carefully sifting through scores of customer reviews and ratings as well as the fresh dog food brands’ FAQ pages.
- I incorporated feedback from several Forbes staff members who have experience feeding their dogs meals from the brands on this list.
- I interviewed three experienced veterinarians (including one with a particular focus on pet nutrition nutrition) for their guidance.
- I highlighted the most important features to consider when choosing the right fresh dog food for your pup. These include each one’s selection of recipes, average cost per day, delivery options and personalization offerings.
- I made sure each recommendation meets guidelines for dog food set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Note, however, that unlike the FDA or USDA, AAFCO is not a governing organization that can “approve” foods or food brands.
- I prioritized brands that adhere to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) global nutrition guidelines. While The Farmer’s Dog, Ollie, JustFoodForDogs, Nom Nom and FreshPet all claim to meet or exceed these guidelines, PetPlate does not, for the reasons noted in its description.
What To Look For In The Best Fresh Dog Food
- You’ll want to make sure the brand mentions working with veterinary nutritionists; an in-house team of experts is even better.
- Recipes made from “human-grade” ingredients—meaning those that are fit for human consumption (versus the “feed-grade” ingredients found in most commercial dog food)—are also ideal to look out for. “If a pet food contains ‘human-grade’ ingredients, it means the food meets the same safety and quality standards as food intended for human consumption,” says Dr. Wolfe. “The entire manufacturing process must comply with FDA regulations for human food. This differs from traditional dog food, which is made with ‘feed-grade’ ingredients—those deemed safe for pets but not necessarily suitable for humans.”
- Make sure you consult with your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist before switching, to ensure the caloric and overall nutritional requirements of your particular animal are being met. “They will be able to discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks of each option and can help guide you toward the best choice for the unique needs of your pet,” says Dr. Zarrella.
- Consider your pet’s life stage. Dr. Shorenstein recommends fresh food diets only for dogs over a year old, for example, in order to ensure they’re getting their calories and nutrients necessary for optimal growth and development, which he says is easier to measure using traditional commercial food. Dr. Wolfe adds: “I generally recommend avoiding all life stage formulas for dogs prone to obesity or those who are already overweight. Senior diets vary widely in nutritional content, and there’s no regulation governing what should be included. So it’s not quite as simple as picking up a diet labeled for seniors.” She advises annual nutrition consultations for senior pets, to ensure their diet fully supports their individual needs.
- Before fully switching over onto new food, you’ll want to start with 25% new food, 75% old food for two days, then half and half for two days, followed by 75% new food and 25% old food for two days, advises Dr. Shorenstein. “Not every diet is right for every pet,” he says. “We can see people transition, where their pet’s stool was perfect, and everything was perfect. And once they transition, they’re going more frequently or their stool is more soft, and so that might be a fiber-related concern.” Sometimes an over-the-counter fiber supplement can remedy this, but if stool issues don’t resolve within a month or so, Dr. Shorenstein recommends going back to your dog’s original diet before potentially trying a new one that works better for them.
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