Sponsored By Ollie

3 Leading Fresh Dog Food Brands, 2 Weeks of Research, 1 Personal Favorite

I took a deep dive into the best fresh dog foods on the market and narrowed it down to three… but chose just one.

3 Leading Fresh Dog Food Brands, 2 Weeks of Research, 1 Personal Favorite

I Decided Fresh Food Was Our Best Option When My Vet Suggested a Diet Change for My Pup

The first time I went shopping for Theo, I picked his food based on the brand names I’d heard before. Popularity had to indicate some level of quality, right? A year later, I was sitting in the vet’s office lamenting about Theo’s confusing dips in energy and sporadic weight gain. Then, the clinician posed a transformative question: “What’s in his food?”.

Our vet threw out a few of the brands her clients tend to favor: Ollie, Farmer’s Dog, and Just Food for Dogs. (Her personal fav is Ollie.) So of course, I dove in to learn everything I could about each one before I made what I believe to be the best selection for Theo. Here’s what I found…

When They Say “Fresh” What Do They Mean? 

Turns out, fresh dog food is impressive in its simplicity: real, whole, and natural ingredients are combined thoughtfully to maximize nutrition and overall satisfaction in terms of both taste and quality. 

I narrowed my search down to three brands…

Research has found that fresh food can boost a dog’s energy levels and even increase muscle mass. Fresh food servings are also portioned more precisely, which is helpful for dogs whose weight needs to be closely monitored. This is a more common scenario than most people realize, as 22% of pet parents report overfeeding their animals, and 60% of US dogs are overweight or obese.

Money, Money, Money: Depends

Farmer’s Dog, Ollie, and Just Food for Dogs each have an online survey inquiring after your dog’s needs and preferences. At the end, they recommend a specific flavor (or several) and serving size. I filled each one out using Theo’s info: Cavapoo, a teensy bit overweight, very active, etc. Then, all that was left to do was compare.

This is more than I spend on my own meals most days!

Just Food for Dogs was the most expensive, with plans ranging from $5.78 to $16.58 per day. Theoretically, we could have lowered the portion to “Topping” size and consequently lowered the price, but crumbling a bit of fresh food on top of kibble didn’t feel like enough of a difference for Theo. 

The pricing for Ollie’s recommended plan for Theo was a refreshing decrease, ranging from $3.30 to $4.71 per day

Finally, the suggested Farmer’s Dog meal plan was roughly $4.08 per day. It’s not just you—all of the numbers made my head swim, too… but since Ollie had the least expensive option for what I needed, they were the obvious winner here.

Ingredients (What Are You Feeding Your Best Friend?): 2-Way Tie

Let me start by leveling the playing field. Ollie, Farmer’s Dog, and Just Food for Dogs all share several key elements: human grade ingredients, compliance with AAFCO standards, and no preservatives. I had to dive in pretty deeply to locate differentiating factors.

Ollie stresses a lack of “harmful fillers” like corn, wheat, and soy, and they also cook their recipes slowly and at low temperatures so as to preserve the nutritional quality rather than cooking it off (so to speak). 

I loved the idea of whole, fresh ingredients in Theo’s bowl.

Farmer’s Dog also tauts the slow-baked approach, but Just Food for Dogs makes no mention of this (which bothered me). What was the point of using quality ingredients if they were being seared to bits and losing all value anyway?

I also noticed that Just Food for Dogs frames many of their food options around the inclusion of what Ollie would likely call a “filler.” Don’t get me wrong, Theo occasionally gets a mouthful of pasta, but I didn’t love the idea of his entire meal revolving around a starch

Farmer’s Dog seems to avoid those as much as possible, and Ollie opts for wholesome starch iterations like rice (good source of fiber, protein, and Vitamin D) and oats (full of healthy Omega-6 fatty acids, good for shiny coats!). That said, Just Food for Dogs naming a meal “Turkey and Whole Wheat Macaroni Recipe” didn’t sit well with me. For this reason, Ollie and Farmer’s Dog tied this category.

Variety (Or Lack Thereof): Ollie

I’ll never forget what my best friend said when I told her I was worried about Theo’s health: “How would you feel if you ate the same highly processed pellets multiple times a day?” At the top of my mind when looking for Theo’s new food, then, was a wide range of flavor options.

Just Food for Dogs offers 9 (!) different options, including two remedial formulas designed for specific conditions: Balanced Remedy (for sensitive stomachs) and Joint & Skin Support. Theirs were most exciting out of the bunch—examples include Fish and Sweet Potato, Venison and Squash. All of their food comes in the same soft/wet format, but there are packaging options for both refrigerated and shelf-stable storage. 

Farmer’s Dog makes four different recipes, simply named: Turkey, Chicken, Beef, and Pork. The mundanity there was hard to ignore, particularly coming off of the deluxe Just Food for Dogs menu. Farmer’s Dog’s formulas are all wet/soft too, but must be either refrigerated or frozen. There is no shelf-stable option. :/

My little man chillin’ out while his mom (that’s me) furiously researches the best dog food.

Last but not least came Ollie. They have 7 recipes total and two food formats: Baked and Fresh. Ollie’s Baked food is different only in that it’s (a) shelf-stable, (b) costs less, and (c) introduces new texture to your pup’s bowl. The Mixed Plan from Ollie allows customers to order a combination of both Fresh and Baked recipes, which is a win for your wallet AND for the excitement in your dog’s bowl. 

Customer Experience: Ollie

This category is huuuuge for me… here’s what you need to know: Farmer’s Dog and Ollie both offer free shipping on all orders, but Just Food for Dogs has a $99 minimum. Plus, at the time of writing this, each brand had its own special introductory deal running. While I know promotions come and go, I thought it was worth nothing the extent to which each company helps their customers out.

Farmer’s Dog, Just Food for Dogs, and Ollie all tied with a 50% off first box discount, which I loved. I also realized that Ollie includes a dishwasher-safe Puptainer (essentially Tupperware for dogs) and a portion-friendly scoop in your first box. I really appreciated their anticipation of customers’ desires for accurate measurements and leftover storage options.

(Spoiler alert).

I also respected the fact that both Just Food for Dogs and Ollie have shelf-stable food options. It was reassuring to think that I wouldn’t have to pack my fridge or freezer in order to be fully stocked with dog food. In the end, between that bonus, free shipping, and the stellar Puptainer, Ollie nabbed this category.

TLDR; Ollie is My Best Fresh Bet

My final decision (if you hadn’t guessed) was Ollie. As I moved through the categories and compared pros and cons, it was impossible to ignore the stacked benefits that Ollie has to offer.

Between 7 recipes, 3 meal plans, and 2 formats of food, I was beyond confident that I could curate a menu to keep Theo satisfied and healthy (especially using the recommendations from their survey).

Ollie & Theo lived happily ever after!

Cut to the present day… this entire decision-making ordeal happened six months ago, and we haven’t looked back since. Theo is decidedly more energetic, and while he’s always loved eating, I’ve never seen him race to his bowl the way he does for Ollie. It makes me sad to think about the alternate reality in which I continued to feed him his sad, highly processed kibble.

 The question is not, “Is fresh food right for you?” It’s right for every pup. The question, instead, is “Which brand best aligns with our needs?” For us, the answer was Ollie.

Experience the crème de la crème of fresh dog food and register for a Starter Box with Ollie today… you’ll save 50%! If you’re anything like me, you (and your doggo!) certainly won’t regret it.

You'll Be Proud to Serve It

Whole, fresh, food for dogs.

Try it now!