Fresh Dog Food Price Comparison (Top Brands & The Costs)

The pet food market is changing, with many pet owners spending more on high-quality foods. After deciding on switching to high-quality diet, you probably wonder about fresh dog food price comparison for different brands. Read my guide to help you decide on your next buy.

The Cost of Fresh Dog Food

In my experience, making homemade dog food costs an average of $3.09 per day for a 30lb canine. Today’s best dog food delivery subscriptions for fresh meals cost an average of between $2.61 and $18.55 depending on the plan you choose. Traditional dog food or dry dog food is way cheaper at $0.98 per day. When you have decided to feed your pup fresh meals and dog treats, you will have to decide how to buy your dog food. Fresh dog food subscription services are a popular option for convenient meal packs. Average cost per day is important to the value of the dog food plan you choose.

The importance of pets in our lives is increasing, directly affecting the pet food market and totaling billions of dollars in the U.S. The amount of food your dog eats and how it is prepared has become vital to a dog’s health. The American Kennel Club explains the best fresh dog food will add 20 percent to the life of your pup.

The Benefits of Fresh Food

For decades, a typical pet owner would choose dry food and canned wet food as the staple diet of pets. The problem is the U.S. pet food sector is not regulated. Self-regulation allows commercial pet food manufacturers to use by-products to produce wet canned food and dry food. The use of byproducts has led to pups suffering from skin allergies and breathing issues. Therefore the elimination of additives and preservatives can limit these issues for your pup. Creating a hypoallergenic diet or dog food for allergies can be done with fresh food. 

Fresh dog food, however, are inspected by many regulating bodies as well as board certified veterinary nutritionists so every pet parent can guarantee quality. With so many perks, it’s no wonder to me that my dog prefers fresh meals. The benefits of fresh pet food include:

• High energy levels
• Shiny coats
• Healthy skin
• Smaller and healthier stools
• Fewer medical issues

USDA Meats

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict rules for human-grade meat products even those used for the pet food industry [1]. The majority of fresh dog food delivery services have made the switch to USDA-accredited suppliers. The use of USDA standards makes it easy for dog owners to feel confident in the diet of your pup. Feeding the correct amount of food for your pup is simple when using fresh food retailers. Fresh dog food meal plans are tailored to your dog’s weight, size, breed, and health conditions. 

The Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog of New York City to help take the guesswork out of fresh dog foods. A team of certified pet nutritionists has developed an algorithm to plan your dog’s diet. The plans available from The Farmer’s Dog use USDA-certified meats. The high-quality meat products are the basis of each meal plan offered. Pet owners choose between a base protein, including beef, chicken, pork, and turkey. The algorithm used by the fresh food supplier helps you choose the right supplements. The average cost of a plan for a 15lb dog is between $3.97-$4.35 per day. A 55lb dog’s diet plan costs an average of $8.23-$9.37 per day. A 95lb dog’s plan climbs to an average of $12.79-$15.55 per day.

Nom Nom

Nom Nom is based in California and uses restaurant-quality food to create a custom meal plan for your dog—even a picky eater will love this. Certified nutritionists develop a diet for a dog food delivery plan. Nom Nom does not use artificial fillers or preservatives to keep quality levels high. The protein options from Nom Nom include ground beef and turkey. Ground or diced proteins create a custom meal plan of human-grade foods for dogs that include other ingredients like brown rice, eggs, vegetables, and more. Supplements and vegetables are added to create a perfect meal plan tailored to your dog’s requirements. The cost of Nom Nom is $4.20 per day for a 15lb dog. The average cost for a 55lb dog is $7.79. The largest dogs up to 95lb fed with fresh foods for a total of $13.47 per day.

Just Food for Dogs

The original fresh dog food delivery company was established in 2010 in Los Angeles. Just Food for Dogs offers educational opportunities for customers to visit its California kitchens. The ethos of this brand includes teaching pet parents about the benefits of fresh foods. Partnerships between Just Food for Dogs, Petco, and Pet Food Express make it easy to find new recipes. A wide range of proteins and vegetables makes this fresh dog food delivery a high-quality service. The company produces fish and sweet potato recipes with potatoes, green beans, and chicken gizzards. Protein options have expanded to include lamb and venison. The traditional chicken, turkey, and beef are available. The brand has expanded its plan options to include the activity level of the dogs provided for. The average cost of a meal plan for a 15lb dog is $2.61-4.51 per day. A 55lb dog costs an average of $5.61-$11.92 per day. The largest dogs reaching 95lb cost an average of between $7.59-$18.55 per day.

Other Options

There are plenty of pet food delivery services on the market to choose from. The options include Ollie Dog Food and PetPlate. Choosing the delivery service that suits the needs of yourself and your pup is the best option.

Fresh Dog Food Price Comparison

Average Cost Of Fresh Dog Food Brands

Brand	$/lb	$/1,000 kcal	$/100g protein
Ollie	5.44	8.53	12.11
Petplate	6.55	10.42	15.95
The Farmer's Dog	6.76	10.88	15.21
Nom Nom	7.04	11.79	17.72
Spot and Tango	9.84	15.58	17.64
A Pup Above	12.66	19.12	20.75

CALCULATION METHOD FOR PRICES

All the information for calculating the prices are obtained from the websites of each brand. All the brands shown above require completing a questionnaire except for “A Pup Above” which directly shows price per pound of the food. After completing the questionnaire which usually involves entering information such as pet’s breed, weight, age, etc., you get the recommended meal plan, personalized portions (calories) per day required by the pet, and the price per day.

The prices are calculated using the following assumptions:

• Male Labrador retriever weighing 73 pounds

• Has been neutered

• Birthday is on January 2018

• Active lifestyle, but not more than average

• No allergies/sensitivities/etc.

Calculations were performed using these formulas:

Price per pound = (Price per day * Calories per pound of food) / Calories required by pet per day

Price per kcal = Price per day / Calories required by pet per day

Price per gram protein = Price per day / Grams of protein required by pet per day

(Grams of protein required per day is calculated by using protein percentage in food on an as-fed guaranteed analysis basis and the grams of food given per day)

Cost comparison Graph

FAQs

1. What is the average cost of fresh dog food?

Each retailer of fresh foods has its own average cost for meal plans. The average cost of a meal delivery service is between $25 and $33 per week.

2. What’s the cheapest fresh dog food?

Just Food for Dogs and Spot & Tango offer meal plans starting at $2.61 per day.

3. Is there a cheaper alternative to The Farmer’s Dog?

The Farmer’s Dog has an average price for meal delivery services. There are cheaper alternatives to The Farmer’s Dog.

4. Is fresh dog food more expensive?

Kibble costs an average of less than $1 per day. Fresh food offers a healthier option for your dog. The expense of fresh food is paid for in the quality of life of your pooch.