The best fresh dog food meal delivery services, according to vets

• Watch out for marketing buzzwords. Common terms like ‘small batch’ and ‘farm-to-table’ pop up a lot in the fresh dog food world. Only USDA-approved and AAFCO-approved have a concrete meaning.
• Fresh dog food diets are healthy. If you’re concerned about preservatives and fillers in store-bought kibble, fresh dog food might settle your mind.
• Ask your vet before changing your dog’s diet. Each dog is different with unique dietary needs, and your pup’s vet is the best person to address those needs.
• Pricing can vary greatly depending on the formula and pet. It can be tough to know exactly what you’re going to pay until you

Our stance on grain-free diets: We do not recommend grain-free formulas because research suggests that grain-free diets contribute to heart disease in dogs. Most fresh food brands are strictly grain-free, but all of our favorite brands offer grain-free alternatives.

Fillers. You’ll see a lot of fresh food waving the “no filler” banner. First of all, we need to define what ‘fillers’ are, which is actually difficult. There is no one solid definition as most people are not in agreement. In general, fillers are anything that doesn’t add the proper nutritional value to the food but is included to give it more substance. This includes ingredients like corn gluten meal, grains, soy, wheat, etc. Some experts argue that certain fillers are fine for dogs and are even beneficial. In the fresh dog food world, ‘no fillers’ often just means ‘fewer total ingredients.’

USDA-approved. While the term “human-grade” pops up all over, even in a section above, it has no actual legal meaning. What you want to look for are companies that use USDA-approved ingredients (meats, veggies, etc.). USDA-approved means that the United States Department of Agriculture has deemed the food safe for human consumption. Those foods the administration approves must be up to certain standards. USDA-approved and human-grade are often used interchangeably, but only one carries real weight.

AAFCO-approved. AAFCO stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials It is a non-governmental entity that releases guidelines on nutritional standards. Many fresh dog food delivery companies offer AAFCO-approved meals. AAFCO-approved means that the meals are balanced properly for an animal’s age according to nutritional standards determined by this group.

Animal byproducts. The USDA defines animal byproducts as anything other than the ‘dressed carcass’ of livestock. Dressed carcass means what is left of an animal after being slaughtered and butchered. Poultry byproducts are similarly defined. Byproducts include fat, skin, organs, blood, etc. Sorry for the colorful description, but it’s important to understand the meat of the issue.

Small batch. This is a buzzword you’re likely to come across often when perusing your dog’s fresh food delivery options. Like most buzzwords, it lacks an actual or even widely accepted definition. For your dog food purposes, companies use ‘small batch’ to mean their production of the food is not on the level of a massive corporation. The idea is that bigger dog food companies produce foods more efficiently in greater quantities. Small batch points to, in theory, a smaller operation. The idea is that the quality will be higher with small-batch foods. Whether that is actually true or not is another story.

Farm-to-table. In dog-food-speak, this is basically shorthand for ‘preservative-free.’ The notion here is that the meat comes from a farm. It goes to the kitchen where it is turned into a meal. Then your doggo gets a delicious delivery. All of that happens quickly enough where refrigeration is the only thing required to keep the food safe and fresh. However, never trust a buzzword. Always check the ingredients list yourself.

Pre-portioned. These meals will come in the pre-measured portion for your pup. This way there is no guesswork as to how much a serving is. Often when you sign up for fresh dog food delivery services, the company you choose will ask you to fill out a profile for your pooch. The profile includes things like size, weight, activity level, and dietary/health needs. The meal portion your dog enjoys is calculated based on those factors.

Lightly-cooked. This means the food is cooked at lower temperatures. It’s thought to make the meats easier for your pooch to digest.

🚨 Talk to your vet before you start a new diet.
If your dog has any health conditions, your vet can offer information on what ingredients and nutrients to look for in a fresh dog food meal service. Two terms you will want to see are USDA-approved and AAFCO-approved