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Many dog parents are making the switch to freshly-made dog food because it’s often healthier and more customizable than kibble. Yet, if your dog has been eating dry food their whole life, it can be a drastic change. So, you’ll need to take a lot of aspects into consideration before choosing the best freshly-made dog food brand for your furry friend.
Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Dog are two of the most popular freshly-made dog food brands. So, let’s take a look at how they compare in several areas to help you decide if either is a good fit for your dog.
What is Freshly-Made Dog Food?
Freshly-made dog food is usually made with natural, high-quality ingredients that are cooked at a lower temperature to preserve their nutrients. When you look at the dog food, you’ll see full chunks of meat and vegetables, so you’ll know exactly what’s going into your dog’s tummy. Most freshly-made dog food brands offer customizable plans to cater to your dog’s needs.
However, fresh ingredients mean the food has a shorter shelf life. So, the food will need to be refrigerated or frozen to keep it fresh. To ensure that your dog’s freshly-made food never goes bad, the brands will send the meals on a regular schedule. The formulas are often made specifically for your dog before being sent to your door.
Many pet parents haven’t tried freshly-made food yet because it’s pricier than kibble. Yet, the price is worth it if you consider the quality of ingredients and customization offered. Plus, many dogs prefer the flavor of freshly-made food over dry food. If it’s within your budget, it’s worth a try.
Overview of the Freshly-Made Dog Food Brands
If you’re considering buying freshly-made dog food for your pup, Nom Nom and Farmer’s Dog are two brands you’ll likely come across. Here are the aspects we’ll compare:
Ingredients
Customization
Convenience
Variety
Price
Storage
Safety
Customer Service
Nom Nom
Nom Nom makes freshly-made dog food full of premium proteins and nutrient-rich veggies. After filling out a questionnaire about your dog, they will formulate a personalized meal plan for your dog. The meals are shipped to your door, and they’re in serving-size packages. The food is gently cooked to preserve nutrients, and it’s free of filler ingredients.
The Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog is a similar company. They also operate by asking you to fill out a series of questions so they can create a personalized meal for your dog. The food ships to your door in frozen, ready-to-serve packages on a schedule. Like Nom Nom, all the recipes are cooked at a low temperature to maintain a high nutritional value.
Nom Nom vs Farmer’s Dog
Now that you know a bit about each brand, let’s dive into the details of their qualities. For each category, we’ll list a winner, even though they’re close calls. One brand isn’t overall better than the other, so it’s up to you to decide which categories matter most for your dog.
Ingredients
Both brands use high-quality ingredients. The ingredient lists will give you a clear understanding of what you’re giving your dog. While the ingredient quality of both brands is similar, they use unique formulas.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom’s recipes are created in small batches. The ingredients are slow-cooked to preserve nutrients. Real meat is always listed as the first ingredient in their recipes, followed by ingredients like potatoes, eggs, and brown rice, depending on the recipe.
About 72% to 77% of the food is moisture, so around 7% to 10% is protein. Each formula uses one main protein paired with a series of vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach. The full ingredient list and guaranteed analysis are listed on Nom Nom’s website, so you will have some idea of what to expect before filling out your dog’s details.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog also slow-cooks made-to-order recipes from fresh ingredients. Like Nom Nom, meat is also the first ingredient listed, followed by vegetables like carrots, green beans, and broccoli. They also focus on fiber-rich ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, and sweet potatoes.
This brand doesn’t list recipe details on its website, such as potential ingredient lists and guaranteed analysis. However, other sources state that the recipes have between 73% and 77% moisture and 9% to 11% protein. Their ingredient lists are also shorter than Nom Nom’s which could be good for dogs with allergies.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
It’s a very close call, but Farmer’s Dog wins because it’s better for sensitive dogs. Not only does it have fewer ingredients, but it avoids vegetables that don’t add as much nutritional value and could cause allergies, such as russet potatoes and peas. However, Nom Nom stands out because it has all its nutritional information easily accessible on the website, while Farmer’s Dog doesn’t.
Customization
Both brands offer personalized meals for dogs, but their methods of gathering information are slightly different. Both require you to fill out a questionnaire before they recommend the food.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom asks a lot of general questions about your dog, such as their breed, sex, age, weight, and body condition. They also ask if dogs have specific health conditions, such as joint concerns, digestive problems, and allergies. If your dog’s condition isn’t listed, they suggest you contact them. You can talk with their canine nutritionist to decide which formula is best for your dog’s needs.
Even though they ask about health conditions, they don’t have any formulas that are specifically designed to help those areas. For example, if you mark that your dog has allergies, they’ll suggest the pork recipe since its ingredients are the least likely to cause allergies rather than finding out what specific allergies your dog has.
Farmer’s Dog
Farmer’s Dog asks for a lot of the same information, plus a few extra things. They want to know your dog’s breed, sex, weight, age, body shape, activity level, current food, and whether they’re fixed or not. The extra factors can affect calorie count. They also ask about your pup’s current health conditions.
Like Nom Nom, none of the meals are specifically made to help with certain health conditions, but the brand will recommend which formula is best based on how you answer the questions. Right off the bat, they also ask you a few personal questions before getting into your dog’s details.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog questionnaire is more detailed than Nom Nom, making the food a little more personalized. However, that means it will also take longer to get your dog’s meal plan set up.
Convenience
Convenience plays a major role when choosing a fresh dog food delivery service. Both brands ship meals directly to your door in insulated packaging with dry ice, keeping food cold and safe during transit and eliminating trips to the pet store. However, the way each brand approaches packaging and meal prep creates a noticeably different day-to-day experience.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals arrive individually portioned into single-serving packages, making mealtime as simple as opening and serving. Each package clearly lists calorie information, which can be helpful for pet parents closely tracking intake. To support digestion, initial deliveries include smaller transition meals designed to be mixed with your dog’s current food during the first week.
While this system removes the need for measuring, it also results in a higher volume of packaging. Unused meals must be stored in the freezer and transferred to the refrigerator about 24 hours before feeding to allow proper thawing.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog also ships meals frozen with dry ice, but takes a more streamlined, eco-conscious approach to packaging. Meals arrive in larger packs rather than single servings, allowing pet parents to portion food according to their dog’s personalized feeding plan. Smaller dogs may get several meals from one pack, while larger dogs may use one or two meals per package.
Related: The Cost of The Farmer’s Dog Food by Weight and Breed
This approach significantly reduces plastic waste while still keeping mealtime simple. Portions can be folded and stored in the fridge using the brand’s biodegradable storage container, and unopened packs remain freezer-friendly until needed. Like most fresh foods, meals should be thawed in the refrigerator about 24 hours before feeding.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
While both brands offer convenient home delivery, The Farmer’s Dog stands out for balancing ease of use with sustainability and flexibility. Its reduced packaging, straightforward portioning system, and environmentally conscious design make it an excellent option for pet parents who want fresh food convenience without unnecessary waste, earning it the edge in this category.
Variety
Every dog has different taste preferences, dietary needs, and sensitivities, making variety an important consideration when choosing a fresh food service. While the number of recipes matters, so does how those options can be used, whether as complete meals or as flexible additions to an existing diet.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom offers six core recipes, each built around a different protein: Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck, Turkey Fare, Lamb Pilaf, and Turkey & Chicken Cookout. Pet parents can choose between full or partial meal plans, making it possible to use the food as a complete diet or supplement. The company also sells a small selection of supplements designed to support specific health needs.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog focuses on four carefully crafted recipes made with pork, chicken, turkey, and beef. Rather than prioritizing a long list of flavors, the brand emphasizes simple ingredient lists and nutritionally complete meals tailored to each dog’s profile. Pet parents can choose between full meal plans or a topper option, making it easy to introduce fresh food gradually or add variety to dry food without overhauling a dog’s entire diet.
Dr. Terry Fossum, DVM, is a fan of dog food toppers. “If your dog typically eats dry dog food like my dogs do, a fresh food topper may be a healthy and fun way to add some variety to your dog’s meals.”
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
While Nom Nom offers more individual recipes, The Farmer’s Dog stands out for its practical approach to variety. With flexible meal and topper plans, thoughtfully limited protein options, and recipes designed to minimize sensitivities, it delivers meaningful variety without unnecessary complexity.
Price
Both brands are priced similarly, but the cost of meals will vary based on your dog’s weight and dietary needs. For reference, dry dog food often costs $1 to $2 per day, but prices vary based on the brand.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals start at $2 per day. Half meals that you can mix with your dog’s dry food will be cheaper than full meals. For full meals, small dogs are between $2 and $5 per day, medium dogs are $5 to $7 per day, and large dogs are $7 to $14 per day.
Shipping is free, and you can get your money back within 30 days of receiving the first box if you’re not satisfied.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog has similar prices. Their meals also start at $2 per day. Small dogs will cost $2 to $5 per day, medium dogs will cost $6 to $8 per day, and large dogs will cost $8 to $11 per day.
Shipping is free, and if you’re not satisfied with the food, you can get a full refund if you donate the food to a shelter or rescue.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
There isn’t a huge difference in pricing between these two brands, but Farmer’s Dog has a better deal for large dogs, even though their medium dog meals are slightly more. Nom Nom’s meals for large dogs often surpass $10 per day, while The Farmer’s Dog rarely sells meals that cost that much.
The Farmer’s Dog also offers a better refund policy. Customers can always request a refund if they are not satisfied, and the brand also encourages shelter donations.
Storage
Fresh dog food requires refrigeration or freezing, so storage space is an important consideration, especially for households with limited freezer or fridge space. How food is packaged and how often it’s delivered can make a noticeable difference in day-to-day convenience.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals arrive in individual, single-serve packages. Pet parents typically store the next one or two meals in the refrigerator while keeping the rest frozen. Because meals require about 24 hours to thaw, planning ahead is necessary to ensure food is ready at mealtime. Nom Nom offers delivery frequencies as often as weekly, which helps limit how much food needs to be stored at one time.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog ships meals in larger packs, which may initially take up more space in the freezer or refrigerator. However, this packaging reduces the number of individual items that need to be stored, helping minimize clutter. Like Nom Nom, delivery frequency is flexible, with weekly being the most frequent option, allowing pet parents to manage storage based on their available space.
Once opened, meals can be folded and stored in the refrigerator, while unopened packs remain freezer-friendly until needed. For many households, fewer packages and less packaging overall make organization easier over time.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
While Nom Nom’s smaller portions may seem easier at first glance, The Farmer’s Dog offers a more streamlined storage experience overall. Fewer packages, flexible delivery schedules, and reduced packaging make it easier to manage freezer and fridge space long term, giving The Farmer’s Dog the advantage in this category.
Safety
Safety should be a priority for all dog food brands. Luckily, neither brand has had any recalls. Both brands are also safe for the environment because they use recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable packaging.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom uses ingredients sourced in the United States, and they focus on sustainable sourcing whenever possible. The food meets USDA and AAFCO standards, but it’s not cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. Nom Nom works with veterinary nutritionists to formulate the safest meals for dogs.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog only sources food from suppliers approved by the USDA, and their food exceeds AAFCO standards. The ingredients are then cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. They have the same standards as human food production. Farmer’s Dog also works with veterinary nutritionists when formulating recipes.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
Both companies have similar safety standards, but Farmer’s Dog won by just a hair because they cook their food in USDA-certified kitchens.
Customer Service
Customer service is an often-overlooked factor when choosing a fresh dog food delivery service, but it can make a significant difference, especially when managing subscriptions, addressing delivery issues, or navigating changes to your dog’s dietary needs.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom is well-regarded for its clear and efficient communication. Customers frequently note how easy it is to pause, change, or cancel orders, and many appreciate the detailed tracking emails sent after placing an order. If issues arise, the company is generally quick to respond and resolve them.
Nom Nom’s website also provides extensive information about its products and processes, allowing many customers to find answers to common questions without needing to contact customer support directly.
Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog receives mixed but largely positive feedback on customer service, with many pet parents highlighting the brand’s personal and empathetic approach. Customers report prompt responses to concerns and a willingness to go above and beyond to make things right. Several reviews even mention thoughtful gestures, such as sending condolence notes or flowers after a pet’s passing, a level of care that stands out in the pet food space.
While some pet parents note that specific formulation details require reaching out to customer support directly, those interactions are often described as helpful, thorough, and reassuring.
Winner: Farmer’s Dog
Both companies offer reliable customer support, but The Farmer’s Dog earns the edge for its highly personalized, compassionate service. For pet parents who value thoughtful communication and a brand that treats dogs like family, not order numbers, The Farmer’s Dog stands out in this category.
Related: Best Dehydrated Dog Foods
Overall Winner: The Farmer’s Dog
Overall, both Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Dog rank among the top freshly made dog food companies available today. However, when all factors are considered, including convenience, storage, variety, customer service, and sustainability, The Farmer’s Dog consistently stands out as the stronger all-around choice.
With thoughtfully crafted recipes, personalized meal and topper plans, streamlined packaging, and a customer-first approach, The Farmer’s Dog offers a well-balanced combination of quality and practicality that works for a wide range of dogs and households. While Nom Nom excels in certain areas, The Farmer’s Dog ultimately delivers the most complete fresh food experience.
For pet parents looking to make the switch to fresh food with confidence, The Farmer’s Dog earns the top spot overall, and your dog still gets to enjoy flavorful, restaurant-quality meals made with real ingredients.
Interested in making your own dog food instead? Check out the Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes.
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