iHeartDogs is reader-supported. If you purchase through hyperlinks on our website, we might earn an affiliate fee at no additional price to you.
Many canine dad and mom are making the change to freshly-made pet food as a result of it’s typically more healthy and extra customizable than kibble. But, in case your canine has been consuming dry meals their complete life, it may be a drastic change. So, you’ll must take numerous features into consideration earlier than selecting the very best freshly-made pet food model in your furry pal.
Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Canine are two of essentially the most well-liked freshly-made pet food manufacturers. So, let’s check out how they examine in a number of areas that will help you resolve if both is an effective match in your canine.
What’s Freshly-Made Canine Meals?
Freshly-made pet food is normally made with pure, high-quality elements which are cooked at a decrease temperature to protect their vitamins. If you have a look at the pet food, you’ll see full chunks of meat and greens, so that you’ll know precisely what’s going into your canine’s tummy. Most freshly-made pet food manufacturers supply customizable plans to cater to your canine’s wants.
Nonetheless, recent elements imply the meals has a shorter shelf life. So, the meals will must be refrigerated or frozen to maintain it recent. To make sure that your canine’s freshly-made meals by no means goes dangerous, the manufacturers will ship the meals on a daily schedule. The formulation are sometimes made particularly in your canine earlier than being despatched to your door.
Many pet dad and mom haven’t tried freshly-made meals but as a result of it’s pricier than kibble. But, the value is price it if you happen to think about the standard of elements and customization provided. Plus, many canines choose the flavour of freshly-made meals over dry meals. If it’s inside your price range, it’s price a strive.
Overview of the Freshly-Made Canine Meals Manufacturers
Should you’re contemplating shopping for freshly-made pet food in your pup, Nom Nom and Farmer’s Canine are two manufacturers you’ll possible come throughout. Listed below are the features we’ll examine:
- Substances
- Customization
- Comfort
- Selection
- Worth
- Storage
- Security
- Buyer Service
Nom Nom
Nom Nom makes freshly-made pet food filled with premium proteins and nutrient-rich veggies. After filling out a questionnaire about your canine, they may formulate a customized meal plan in your canine. The meals are shipped to your door, and so they’re in serving-size packages. The meals is gently cooked to protect vitamins, and it’s freed from filler elements.
The Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine is an analogous firm. Additionally they function by asking you to fill out a sequence of questions to allow them to create a customized meal in your canine. The meals ships to your door in frozen, ready-to-serve packages on a schedule. Like Nom Nom, all of the recipes are cooked at a low temperature to keep up a excessive dietary worth.
Nom Nom vs Farmer’s Canine
Now that a bit about every model, let’s dive into the small print of their qualities. For every class, we’ll listing a winner, despite the fact that they’re shut calls. One model isn’t general higher than the opposite, so it’s as much as you to resolve which classes matter most in your canine.
Substances
Each manufacturers use high-quality elements. The ingredient lists offers you a transparent understanding of what you’re giving your canine. Whereas the ingredient high quality of each manufacturers is analogous, they use distinctive formulation.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom’s recipes are created in small batches. The elements are slow-cooked to protect vitamins. Actual meat is all the time listed as the primary ingredient of their recipes, adopted by elements like potatoes, eggs, and brown rice, relying on the recipe.
About 72% to 77% of the meals is moisture, so round 7% to 10% is protein. Every system makes use of one most important protein paired with a sequence of greens like candy potatoes, carrots, and spinach. The total ingredient listing and assured evaluation are listed on Nom Nom’s web site, so you should have some thought of what to anticipate earlier than filling out your canine’s particulars.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine additionally slow-cooks made-to-order recipes from recent elements. Like Nom Nom, meat can be the primary ingredient listed, adopted by greens like carrots, inexperienced beans, and broccoli. Additionally they concentrate on fiber-rich elements like chickpeas, lentils, and candy potatoes.
This model doesn’t listing recipe particulars on its web site, reminiscent of potential ingredient lists and assured evaluation. Nonetheless, different sources state that the recipes have between 73% and 77% moisture and 9% to 11% protein. Their ingredient lists are additionally shorter than Nom Nom’s which could possibly be good for canines with allergic reactions.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
It’s a really shut name, however Farmer’s Canine wins as a result of it’s higher for delicate canines. Not solely does it have fewer elements, but it surely avoids greens that don’t add as a lot dietary worth and will trigger allergic reactions, reminiscent of russet potatoes and peas. Nonetheless, Nom Nom stands out as a result of it has all its dietary data simply accessible on the web site, whereas Farmer’s Canine doesn’t.
Customization
Each manufacturers supply personalised meals for canines, however their strategies of gathering data are barely completely different. Each require you to fill out a questionnaire earlier than they advocate the meals.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom asks numerous common questions on your canine, reminiscent of their breed, intercourse, age, weight, and physique situation. Additionally they ask if canines have particular well being circumstances, reminiscent of joint issues, digestive issues, and allergic reactions. In case your canine’s situation isn’t listed, they counsel you contact them. You’ll be able to speak with their canine nutritionist to resolve which system is greatest in your canine’s wants.
Although they ask about well being circumstances, they don’t have any formulation which are particularly designed to assist these areas. For instance, if you happen to mark that your canine has allergic reactions, they’ll counsel the pork recipe since its elements are the least more likely to trigger allergic reactions quite than discovering out what particular allergic reactions your canine has.
Farmer’s Canine
Farmer’s Canine asks for lots of the identical data, plus a number of additional issues. They wish to know your canine’s breed, intercourse, weight, age, physique form, exercise stage, present meals, and whether or not they’re mounted or not. The additional components can have an effect on calorie rely. Additionally they ask about your pup’s present well being circumstances.
Like Nom Nom, not one of the meals are particularly made to assist with sure well being circumstances, however the model will advocate which system is greatest based mostly on the way you reply the questions. Proper off the bat, in addition they ask you a number of private questions earlier than stepping into your canine’s particulars.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine questionnaire is extra detailed than Nom Nom, making the meals just a little extra personalised. Nonetheless, meaning it’s going to additionally take longer to get your canine’s meal plan arrange.
Comfort
Comfort performs a serious function when selecting a recent pet food supply service. Each manufacturers ship meals on to your door in insulated packaging with dry ice, conserving meals chilly and secure throughout transit and eliminating journeys to the pet retailer. Nonetheless, the way in which every model approaches packaging and meal prep creates a noticeably completely different day-to-day expertise.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals arrive individually portioned into single-serving packages, making mealtime so simple as opening and serving. Every bundle clearly lists calorie data, which could be useful for pet dad and mom intently monitoring consumption. To help digestion, preliminary deliveries embody smaller transition meals designed to be combined together with your canine’s present meals in the course of the first week.
Whereas this method removes the necessity for measuring, it additionally leads to the next quantity of packaging. Unused meals have to be saved within the freezer and transferred to the fridge about 24 hours earlier than feeding to permit correct thawing.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine additionally ships meals frozen with dry ice, however takes a extra streamlined, eco-conscious strategy to packaging. Meals arrive in bigger packs quite than single servings, permitting pet dad and mom to portion meals in line with their canine’s personalised feeding plan. Smaller canines might get a number of meals from one pack, whereas bigger canines might use one or two meals per bundle.
Associated: The Value of The Farmer’s Canine Meals by Weight and Breed
This strategy considerably reduces plastic waste whereas nonetheless conserving mealtime easy. Parts could be folded and saved within the fridge utilizing the model’s biodegradable storage container, and unopened packs stay freezer-friendly till wanted. Like most recent meals, meals must be thawed within the fridge about 24 hours earlier than feeding.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
Whereas each manufacturers supply handy residence supply, The Farmer’s Canine stands out for balancing ease of use with sustainability and adaptability. Its decreased packaging, easy portioning system, and environmentally acutely aware design make it a superb possibility for pet dad and mom who need recent meals comfort with out pointless waste, incomes it the sting on this class.
Selection
Each canine has completely different style preferences, dietary wants, and sensitivities, making selection an necessary consideration when selecting a recent meals service. Whereas the variety of recipes issues, so does how these choices can be utilized, whether or not as full meals or as versatile additions to an present weight-reduction plan.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom affords six core recipes, every constructed round a unique protein: Beef Mash, Hen Delicacies, Pork Potluck, Turkey Fare, Lamb Pilaf, and Turkey & Hen Cookout. Pet dad and mom can select between full or partial meal plans, making it potential to make use of the meals as a whole weight-reduction plan or complement. The corporate additionally sells a small number of dietary supplements designed to help particular well being wants.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine focuses on 4 rigorously crafted recipes made with pork, rooster, turkey, and beef. Relatively than prioritizing an extended listing of flavors, the model emphasizes easy ingredient lists and nutritionally full meals tailor-made to every canine’s profile. Pet dad and mom can select between full meal plans or a topper possibility, making it simple to introduce recent meals steadily or add selection to dry meals with out overhauling a canine’s total weight-reduction plan.
Dr. Terry Fossum, DVM, is a fan of pet food toppers. “In case your canine usually eats dry pet food like my canines do, a recent meals topper could also be a wholesome and enjoyable method so as to add some selection to your canine’s meals.”
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
Whereas Nom Nom affords extra particular person recipes, The Farmer’s Canine stands out for its sensible strategy to selection. With versatile meal and topper plans, thoughtfully restricted protein choices, and recipes designed to attenuate sensitivities, it delivers significant selection with out pointless complexity.
Worth
Each manufacturers are priced equally, however the price of meals will differ based mostly in your canine’s weight and dietary wants. For reference, dry pet food typically prices $1 to $2 per day, however costs differ based mostly on the model.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals begin at $2 per day. Half meals that you may combine together with your canine’s dry meals might be cheaper than full meals. For full meals, small canines are between $2 and $5 per day, medium canines are $5 to $7 per day, and enormous canines are $7 to $14 per day.
Transport is free, and you will get your a refund inside 30 days of receiving the primary field if you happen to’re not glad.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine has related costs. Their meals additionally begin at $2 per day. Small canines will price $2 to $5 per day, medium canines will price $6 to $8 per day, and enormous canines will price $8 to $11 per day.
Transport is free, and if you happen to’re not glad with the meals, you will get a full refund if you happen to donate the meals to a shelter or rescue.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
There isn’t an enormous distinction in pricing between these two manufacturers, however Farmer’s Canine has a greater deal for giant canines, despite the fact that their medium canine meals are barely extra. Nom Nom’s meals for giant canines typically surpass $10 per day, whereas The Farmer’s Canine hardly ever sells meals that price that a lot.
The Farmer’s Canine additionally affords a greater refund coverage. Clients can all the time request a refund if they don’t seem to be glad, and the model additionally encourages shelter donations.
Storage
Recent pet food requires refrigeration or freezing, so space for storing is a crucial consideration, particularly for households with restricted freezer or fridge house. How meals is packaged and the way typically it’s delivered could make a noticeable distinction in day-to-day comfort.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom meals arrive in particular person, single-serve packages. Pet dad and mom usually retailer the subsequent one or two meals within the fridge whereas conserving the remaining frozen. As a result of meals require about 24 hours to thaw, planning forward is important to make sure meals is prepared at mealtime. Nom Nom affords supply frequencies as typically as weekly, which helps restrict how a lot meals must be saved at one time.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine ships meals in bigger packs, which can initially take up more room within the freezer or fridge. Nonetheless, this packaging reduces the variety of particular person gadgets that must be saved, serving to decrease muddle. Like Nom Nom, supply frequency is versatile, with weekly being essentially the most frequent possibility, permitting pet dad and mom to handle storage based mostly on their obtainable house.
As soon as opened, meals could be folded and saved within the fridge, whereas unopened packs stay freezer-friendly till wanted. For a lot of households, fewer packages and fewer packaging general make group simpler over time.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
Whereas Nom Nom’s smaller parts could appear simpler at first look, The Farmer’s Canine affords a extra streamlined storage expertise general. Fewer packages, versatile supply schedules, and decreased packaging make it simpler to handle freezer and fridge house long run, giving The Farmer’s Canine the benefit on this class.
Security
Security must be a precedence for all pet food manufacturers. Fortunately, neither model has had any recollects. Each manufacturers are additionally secure for the surroundings as a result of they use recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable packaging.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom makes use of elements sourced in the US, and so they concentrate on sustainable sourcing every time potential. The meals meets USDA and AAFCO requirements, but it surely’s not cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. Nom Nom works with veterinary nutritionists to formulate the most secure meals for canines.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine solely sources meals from suppliers accepted by the USDA, and their meals exceeds AAFCO requirements. The elements are then cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. They’ve the identical requirements as human meals manufacturing. Farmer’s Canine additionally works with veterinary nutritionists when formulating recipes.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
Each corporations have related security requirements, however Farmer’s Canine gained by only a hair as a result of they prepare dinner their meals in USDA-certified kitchens.
Buyer Service
Customer support is an often-overlooked issue when selecting a recent pet food supply service, however it might probably make a major distinction, particularly when managing subscriptions, addressing supply points, or navigating modifications to your canine’s dietary wants.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom is well-regarded for its clear and environment friendly communication. Clients incessantly observe how simple it’s to pause, change, or cancel orders, and plenty of recognize the detailed monitoring emails despatched after putting an order. If points come up, the corporate is usually fast to reply and resolve them.
Nom Nom’s web site additionally supplies intensive details about its merchandise and processes, permitting many purchasers to seek out solutions to widespread questions while not having to contact buyer help instantly.
Farmer’s Canine
The Farmer’s Canine receives combined however largely optimistic suggestions on customer support, with many pet dad and mom highlighting the model’s private and empathetic strategy. Clients report immediate responses to issues and a willingness to go above and past to make issues proper. A number of opinions even point out considerate gestures, reminiscent of sending condolence notes or flowers after a pet’s passing, a stage of care that stands out within the pet meals house.
Whereas some pet dad and mom observe that particular formulation particulars require reaching out to buyer help instantly, these interactions are sometimes described as useful, thorough, and reassuring.
Winner: Farmer’s Canine
Each corporations supply dependable buyer help, however The Farmer’s Canine earns the sting for its extremely personalised, compassionate service. For pet dad and mom who worth considerate communication and a model that treats canines like household, not order numbers, The Farmer’s Canine stands out on this class.
Associated: Finest Dehydrated Canine Meals
Total Winner: The Farmer’s Canine
Total, each Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Canine rank among the many high freshly made pet food corporations obtainable at present. Nonetheless, when all components are thought of, together with comfort, storage, selection, customer support, and sustainability, The Farmer’s Canine constantly stands out because the stronger all-around alternative.
With thoughtfully crafted recipes, personalised meal and topper plans, streamlined packaging, and a customer-first strategy, The Farmer’s Canine affords a well-balanced mixture of high quality and practicality that works for a variety of canines and households. Whereas Nom Nom excels in sure areas, The Farmer’s Canine in the end delivers essentially the most full recent meals expertise.
For pet dad and mom seeking to make the change to recent meals with confidence, The Farmer’s Canine earns the highest spot general, and your canine nonetheless will get to get pleasure from flavorful, restaurant-quality meals made with actual elements.
Concerned about making your individual pet food as an alternative? Take a look at the Finest Selfmade Canine Meals Recipes.
iHeartDogs is reader-supported. If you purchase through hyperlinks on our website, we might earn an affiliate fee at no additional price to you.
