The 5 Best Pet Food Brands for Your Furry Companions

How does pet food delivery work?

Pet food delivery is a service that provides meals for your pet, delivered directly to your doorstep. You simply sign up online, enter relevant information about your pet, such as weight and activity level, choose your preferred recipes, and receive the delivery at your door. In most cases, the deliveries will arrive on a predetermined schedule, and you can cancel or pause at any time.

Can I buy fresh pet food in stores?

Yes, you can purchase fresh pet food, such as recipes from FreshPet and JustFoodForDogs, at select stores. Stores that carry the meals include Petco, PetSmart, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, and more. Purchasing the food in-store is a great way to try out fresh meals. Once you realize that your pet loves fresh food, setting up a recurring delivery is a simple and convenient process.

How to choose the best pet food brand for my pet?

Deciding which pet food brand is best for your pet is a very personal decision. Fortunately, our review of the best pet food brands outlines everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

When making your decision, start by finding a brand that develops food for your type of pet. All of our top pet food brands offer food for dogs. However, only FreshPet and JustFoodForDogs create recipes for cats.

Next, examine the types of food each offers and decide which one is most convenient for you. Many fresh foods, such as those from Farmer’s Dog, require refrigeration. If you don’t have space available, you might consider dried or dehydrated kibble from Ollie or Spot & Tango. JustFoodForDogs also offers shelf-stable meals for those with limited refrigerator space.

Lastly, choose a pet food manufacturer that offers meals tailored to your pet’s specific nutritional needs. Some, such as Farmer’s Dog, offer all grain-free options, while others make grain-inclusive meals available.

Good Nutrition Is Just One Part of Your Pet's Health

Feeding your pet a high-quality diet is one of the best ways to support long-term health, but nutrition is only part of the equation. Regular veterinary care, preventative screenings, and planning for unexpected illnesses or injuries all play an important role in keeping your pet healthy throughout its life. If you're reviewing ways to protect your pet's health, it's also worth comparing pet insurance providers. In our annual review of the Best Pet Insurance Companies, MetLife Pet Insurance earned our highest overall editorial rating for its combination of coverage options, value, and customer experience. See MetLife's pet insurance products here to compare plans before your pet needs care.

What are WSAVA guidelines?

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association publishes science-backed guidelines developed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists for the development and preparation of pet food, ensuring the best nutritional balance for each pet.

Their guidelines also dictate how dog food labels should indicate the amount of crude fat, crude protein, calorie content, and other relevant information. Pet food companies that meet these guidelines have worked diligently to meet each standard.

However, pet food does not need to meet WSAVA recommendations to be healthy, as the company has been criticized for favoring larger organizations with more resources.

What are AAFCO guidelines?

The Association of American Feed Control Officials outlines nutritional profiles for cat and dog food to ensure that it provides a nutritionally complete and balanced diet. Furthermore, they state requirements for what pet food manufacturers must include on pet food labels. Pet food that meets AAFCO guidelines can be considered nutritionally sound for all the pet’s life stages.

Comparing The Best Pet Food Brands

The Farmer’s Dog

Best Overall

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Farmer’s Dog: 9/10

Review

As we researched the best pet food brands, it was clear that Farmer’s Dog is the best pet food company overall. Developed with high-quality ingredients that could easily land on a human’s plate, their meals are a perfect alternative to the highly processed, dry, bagged food found in most pet stores. Your dog will love the custom meals and flavors of Farmer’s Dog, and you’ll love their healthy weight, shiny fur, and spark.

About

The Farmer’s Dog pet food brand is nationally recognized as a leader in the fresh pet food industry. The Today Show, Fast Company, Vogue, and CBS News have featured them due to their impressive meals, which they create using 100% human-grade meats and vegetables. They gently cook these ingredients to maintain nutritional integrity and taste and include nutrition that exceeds AAFCO standards.

Features and Benefits

• 100% Human-grade meat and vegetables

• Do-it-yourself plans available

• Pre-portioned meals are ready to serve

• Food meets the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) Guidelines.

• Complete and balanced for different life stages

• Personalized meals for your pet

• Grain-free

Why We Chose

During our ranking process, we evaluated each company's food cost, quality, and menu options. The Farmer’s Dog stood out for its affordable yet high-quality meal plans and inclusion of a do-it-yourself plan that includes recipes and nutrient mixes that you can easily use at home. We also loved how each meal is pre-portioned, eliminating the guesswork of determining how much to feed your dog.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Plans start at $2/day

• Fresh, wholesome ingredients

• Pre-portioned for easy feeding

Cons

• Meals for dogs only

• No grain-inclusive meals

• Not available in-store

Ollie

Best Introductory Package

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Ollie: 8.9/10

Review

Coming in second on our list of the best pet food companies is Ollie. Their vet-formulated fresh meals are curated to meet your dog’s nutritional needs through all of their life stages. Furthermore, Ollie chefs prepare the fresh, human-grade ingredients in kitchens right here in the USA and ship them directly to you on flexible plans that include full fresh, mixed bowl, and half fresh options. If you don’t have much refrigerator space to spare, you can rest assured as Ollie offers high-quality, baked kibble developed with the same high-quality ingredients as their fresh meals.

About

Ollie provides pet parents with high-quality meals for their pups through an affordable and easy service. Simply take their quiz to help them get to know your dog, sign up to receive your free starter box, choose your recipes, and watch as your pet’s meals are delivered right to your doorstep on schedule. Now, your dog can enjoy delicious recipes that help them maintain a healthy weight and bowel function.

Features and Benefits

• Plans for full, half, or partial meals

• Fresh or baked kibble options

• Grain-inclusive or Grain-free diets

• Introductory package includes heaps of freebies

• Formulated to meet nutritional needs through all life stages

• Meets WSAVA pet food guidelines

Why We Chose

Ollie stood out for several reasons, but their incredible welcome box is the real star of the show. Each new member receives a welcome kit that includes a puptainer for food storage, a matching scoop, access to the Ollie telehealth app, free shipping, and 50% off your first two weeks of food. That’s a fantastic deal you won’t find anywhere else!

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Baked kibble option

• Amazing introductory package

• Meets WSAVA and AAFCO pet food guidelines

Cons

• Dog meals only

• Available by delivery only

• Cost starts at $22/week

Find it at Petco

FreshPet

Best for Homes with Dogs & Cats

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for FreshPet: 8.8/10

Review

FreshPet easily earns a spot on our list of the top pet food brands. With availability in over 36,000 physical stores, including Walmart, PetSmart, Target, and Whole Foods Market, as well as online ordering and delivery, their availability is unmatched. Furthermore, they’re one of the few companies that provide high-quality, fresh meals for both cats and dogs.

About

FreshPet boasts that their driving passion is “protecting pets, people, and the planet.” They use those passions to create recipes with locally sourced ingredients when possible and options such as grain-free or grain-inclusive. Their recipes never include meat powders, meals, by-products, chemicals, or preservatives, and adhere to all AAFCO nutritional guidelines.

Features and Benefits

• Meals for both dogs and cats

• Half or full feeding plan

• Available in-store or via delivery

• Meets the nutritional needs of pets at all life stages

• Grain-inclusive and grain-free meals

Why We Chose

In our research, we found that FreshPet was the best option for pet parents with both cats and dogs, as well as people who wanted to buy their pet’s food in-store. However, if you prefer a more convenient option, their easy-to-use delivery service makes setup easy as can be!

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Meals for both cats and dogs

• Available in-store and via delivery

• Produced through sustainable practices

Cons

• No DIY option

• Scoop & Serve only, no pre-portioned packs

• No shelf-stable options

Find it at Petco

JustFoodForDogs

Best for Independent Shoppers

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for JustFoodForDogs: 8.7/10

Review

JustFoodForDogs and its newest line, JustCats, provide the widest variety of recipes among all the pet food brands we reviewed. They offer options for fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable meals. For those who prefer to DIY their pet food, JustFoodForDogs will provide plans with recipes, nutritional blends, and oils to ensure the meals are nutritionally sound.

About

Human-grade nutrition is the basis of JustFoodForDogs’ fantastic lineup of meals for pets. They provide high-quality meals developed after years of research, including feeding trials and peer-reviewed studies. Not only is their food exceptional, but JustFoodForDogs also invests in a program called The Adoption Project, which helps feed and facilitate the adoption of dogs nationwide.

Features and Benefits

• Fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable meals

• Wide variety of recipes

• Order online or buy in-store

• JustCats meals for felines

• Human-grade ingredients

• DIY plans with recipes, nutritional blends, and oils

Why We Chose

We were impressed by the sheer volume of options with JustFoodForDogs. They offer fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable meal options, ensuring your storage space never dictates how you feed your pet. Furthermore, they cater to those who want to get their hands dirty in the kitchen and make meals independently by providing nutritional support and recipes. Now, even cat parents can get in on the action with their JustCats line of meals. As if that isn’t impressive enough, you can find their meals on store shelves at Petco and PetSmart, or order via delivery!

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Meals for cats and dogs

• Available in-store and online

• Fresh, frozen, shelf-stable meals

Cons

• Scoop and serve, no pre-portioned options

• Not customized for your particular pet

Find it at Petco

Spot & Tango

Best (Un)Kibble

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Spot & Tango: 8.4/10

Review

Spot & Tango may be fifth on our list, but it’s not for lack of amazing features. Meals start at just $1 per day, and you can choose between fresh or their custom, dehydrated (Un)kibble. Unkibble arrives in a scoop-and-serve bag, while their fresh recipes are prepared and delivered in pre-portioned containers. While available only via delivery, shipping is free, and all new customers receive 20% off their first order.

About

Spot & Tango has been featured on CNN, Good Housekeeping, Refinery29, and TechCrunch due to its pure ingredients, personalized plans, and convenient delivery. Furthermore, veterinary nutritionists formulate each of their recipes to provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs through every stage of life.

Features and Benefits

• Choose from fresh meals or dehydrated kibble

• Human-grade ingredients

• Full, partial, and topper plans

• Starts at $1/day

• Grain-free and grain-inclusive meals

• Fresh meals are pre-portioned

• Tailored for all life stages

Why We Chose

Spot & Tango was an obvious choice for our list of the best pet food brands. Their meals are top-of-the-line, featuring fresh, human-grade ingredients that your dog will love. Furthermore, they are one of the few pet food companies that provide grain-inclusive meals.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Dehydrated (Un)kibble & Fresh

• 100% human-grade ingredients

• Starts at $1/day

Cons

• Dogs only

• No DIY plans

• Available by delivery only