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In this review
In this review
You might be confused by all the minimally-processed dog foods out there:
- Which…
- has the nutrition and ingredients your dog needs?
- will your dog enjoy?
- provides the best value and convenience?
That’s why we created this mega review of the 5 leading brands, with the help of Veterinarian Dr. Joseph Menicucci and our picky in-house tester, Yale - a 10lb Yorkie. We reviewed each on ingredients & cooking process, formulation, taste & variety, and value. Here are our winners - and what to avoid.
The Top Fresh Dog Food Brands, Compared
We’ve highlighted green the top performers in each category.
Ingredients & Cooking Process
Minimally-processed dog food means high-quality, recognizable ingredients - gently cooked to preserve nutrients and improve digestibility. Beyond that, “look for real meat protein as the first ingredient, visible ingredients like meat and vegetables, and no unnecessary fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives and colors,” says Dr. Menicucci.
All five brands we tested meet AAFCO standards.
🥇 First Place: Nom Nom. Uses whole foods and cooks each ingredient separately, then combines just before freezing to maximize nutrition. Recipes contain whole meats, real vegetables, and in some instances, egg for a full amino acid profile. No fillers, no additives.
🥈 The Farmer’s Dog: Uses whole ingredients, but cooks everything together in batches. That reduces nutrient availability. The brand uses high-quality proteins and veggies but is missing egg, a good source of amino acids and protein
❌ Ollie: Cooked in large batches, reducing nutrition retention. Contains fruit, biologically inappropriate for dogs and high in sugar.
❌ FreshPet: Some unnecessary ingredients like peas and legumes.1
❌ JustFoodForDogs: High volume of peas and legumes (biologically inappropriate for dogs), and unnecessary fillers like whole wheat macaroni and white rice.
Taste & Variety
When switching diets, “taste is crucial,” says Dr. Menicucci. “Minimally-processed diets often have fresher taste and better textures - making them more appealing to dogs.”
🥇 First Place: Nom Nom. Offers 6 vet-developed recipes with 5 protein sources. The food smelled the most appealing, and Yale loved every single recipe - zero leftovers.
🥈 Ollie: 5 recipes. Yale wasn’t a fan of the Pork & Apples, but ate the others happily.
🥈 JustFoodForDogs: Offers the most variety (7 recipes). But Yale wasn’t impressed - he left the veggies in the bowl, and the smell was less like freshly-made food.
❌ The Farmer’s Dog: Just 4 recipes, and Yale wouldn’t touch the turkey. The texture was mushy and unappetizing.
❌ FreshPet: 4 recipe options, but wasn't Yale's favorite - he refused the beef and lamb.
Formulation
According to Dr. Menicucci, the best dog foods are formulated by a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist - trained specifically to evaluate and formulate dog diets. Without one, you’re relying on guesswork.
🥇 First Place: Nom Nom. Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
🥇 First Place: The Farmer’s Dog. Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists on staff.
❌ Ollie: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
❌ FreshPet: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff.
Value
When making a long-term diet switch, it’s always a balance between price and quality. Below are prices for our 10lb Yorkie.
🥇 First Place: Nom Nom. $4.21/day. Midpack on price, but with the most variety + thoughtful cooking process, it’s our top pick for value.
🥇 First Place: The Farmer’s Dog. $3.64/day. Second-lowest price with relatively high-quality ingredients.
❌ FreshPet: $3.11/day. Lowest price, but lower value on ingredients and taste.
❌ Ollie: $4.42/day. Higher price than Nom Nom with lower ingredient quality.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: $5.50/day. Most expensive by far, despite lower-quality ingredients and no on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist.
Our #1 Choice for Minimally-Processed Dog Food: Nom Nom
Nom Nom is the clear winner of our mega review. It has top-quality ingredients and nutrition, expert formulation, and great value. Dr. Menicucci agrees: “I recommend Nom Nom because of its commitment to using high-quality, real ingredients, gently cooked to preserve nutrients.”
Ready to try Nom Nom? Use TCJ’s exclusive discount to get 50% off your first box:
