What should I look for when buying Fresh & Raw Dog Food?

PawBench · Best Picks

Best Fresh & Raw Dog Food

Fresh-delivered and freeze-dried raw options for minimally processed feeding.

Buying Guide

Fresh and raw dog foods have exploded in popularity, and for good reason: they use whole, recognizable ingredients with minimal processing. Fresh foods (like The Farmer's Dog and Nom Nom) arrive refrigerated and pre-portioned. Freeze-dried raw (like Stella & Chewy's) offers similar benefits with shelf-stable convenience.

The tradeoff is cost. Fresh food delivery services typically run $5-12 per day depending on your dog's size, compared to $1-3 per day for premium kibble. Freeze-dried raw is a middle ground — it's shelf-stable and can be used as a full meal or mixed into kibble as a topper.

Safety note: raw diets carry a small risk of bacterial contamination (Salmonella, E. coli). This matters most in households with young children, elderly people, or immunocompromised family members. Freeze-dried and gently cooked options reduce this risk significantly compared to truly raw feeding.

Spec	#1💰 Best Budget The Farmer's Dog Fresh Food Subscription 4.8	#2⭐ Best Value Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties 4.7	#3💰 Best Budget Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Nuggets 4.5
Buy	🐾 Chewy · $6.50/day 📦 Amazon · $6.50/day	🐾 Chewy · $42.99 📦 Amazon · $42.99	🐾 Chewy · $38.99 📦 Amazon · $38.99
Scores	Overall 9.6 Value 9.8 Quality 9.8 Durability 9.1	Overall 9.4 Value 8 Quality 9.6 Durability 9	Overall 9 Value 8.2 Quality 9.2 Durability 8.6
Serving Format	Pre-portioned fresh packs	—	—
Protein Source	Beef, Chicken, Turkey, or Pork (varies by plan)	Grass-Fed Beef	Duck (single-source)
Life Stage	All Life Stages	Adult	All Life Stages
Grain-Free	Grain-free and grain-inclusive options	Yes	Yes
Special Feature	Personalized portions, USDA human-grade kitchen	Freeze-dried raw, 95% meat/organ/bone, just add water	Single-source protein, certified organic produce, nugget format
Bag Size	—	25 oz	14 oz

* Prices may vary. Click to see latest pricing at each retailer.

Life Stage:

Budget:

Top Pick

The Farmer's Dog Fresh Food Subscription

💰 Best Budget

4.8

The Farmer's Dog is what happens when you apply the meal-kit model to dog food — USDA-quality ingredients, portioned to your dog's exact caloric needs, delivered to your door. Most owners report visible coat improvements within weeks, and the dogs absolutely lose their minds at mealtime. The only real barrier is the price.

Compare vs #2 →

Pros

✓USDA-quality human-grade ingredients
✓Personalized portions based on your dog's profile
✓Pre-portioned packs eliminate guesswork
✓Dramatic coat and energy improvements reported by owners
✓Vet-developed recipes with balanced nutrition

Cons

✗Most expensive feeding option at $6-12/day
✗Requires refrigerator/freezer space for storage

Serving Format

Pre-portioned fresh packs

Protein Source

Beef, Chicken, Turkey, or Pork (varies by plan)

Life Stage

All Life Stages

Grain-Free

Grain-free and grain-inclusive options

Special Feature

Personalized portions, USDA human-grade kitchen

Runner Up

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties

⭐ Best Value

4.7

Stella & Chewy's solved the biggest problem with raw feeding — the mess and the food-safety anxiety. These freeze-dried patties deliver 95% meat, organ, and bone nutrition that rehydrates in minutes, and they work brilliantly as either a complete meal or a kibble topper that makes dogs think they won the lottery.

Compare vs #3 →

Pros

✓Raw nutrition without the mess or safety concerns
✓95% grass-fed meat, organs, and bone
✓Just add water to rehydrate — incredibly convenient
✓Organic fruits and vegetables round out the formula
✓Can be used as a complete meal or kibble topper

Cons

✗Expensive when used as a sole diet for larger dogs
✗Rehydrated texture can be unappealing to some owners

Bag Size

25 oz

Protein Source

Grass-Fed Beef

Life Stage

Adult

Grain-Free

Yes

Special Feature

Freeze-dried raw, 95% meat/organ/bone, just add water

Great Value

Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Nuggets

💰 Best Budget

4.5

Primal Nuggets are the best on-ramp into raw feeding for skeptical owners — the single-source protein makes elimination diets easy, and the nugget format takes the intimidation out of portioning. The certified organic produce and antibiotic-free meats justify the price for owners who want to go raw without going all-in on a subscription.

Pros

✓Single-source protein with organ meats included
✓Certified organic produce in every formula
✓Antibiotic-free and steroid-free meats
✓Easy nugget format for precise portion control
✓Great entry point for owners new to raw feeding

Cons

✗Smaller bag size means higher cost per ounce
✗Limited protein variety compared to competitors

Bag Size

14 oz

Protein Source

Duck (single-source)

Life Stage

All Life Stages

Grain-Free

Yes

Special Feature

Single-source protein, certified organic produce, nugget format

← Back to Dog Food & Nutrition

Best Fresh & Raw Dog Food

Buying Guide

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Farmer's Dog Fresh Food Subscription

Pros

Cons

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties

Pros

Cons

Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Nuggets

Pros

Cons

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