I've tested the most popular fresh dog food brands with my pup, and JustFoodForDogs leads the pack with vet-formulated recipes

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My 3-year-old dog, Lyla, is a picky eater, so I'm always on the lookout for nutritious foods she'll be excited to eat. I first discovered JustFoodForDogs when I tested its Fresh Frozen line, and its wide range of research-backed recipes quickly impressed me. In fact, the brand earned the top spot in our guide to the best fresh dog food.

More recently, JustFoodForDogs expanded its lineup with JustFresh, a new collection of shelf-stable, ready-to-serve meals. Naturally, I was eager to see how these convenient recipes would go over with Lyla.

For this review, I fed Lyla all four JustFresh recipes for a month. While I had previously tested the Fresh Frozen meals for a week, this time freelance reporter Jill Waldbieser conducted longer-term testing with her 6-year-old dog, Embrey, for a full month.

JustFoodForDogs meals can be delivered directly to your home, or you can buy them from online retailers or in its brick-and-mortar stores. Both the Fresh Frozen and JustFresh recipes are good options, but there are some key differences between them. Keep reading to find out which option might be a better fit for you and your dog.

How it works

Recipes: JustFoodForDogs formulates its recipes to meet the nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and follows the Global Nutrition Guidelines established by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). Together, these benchmarks help ensure dog food is nutritionally complete and balanced and produced under rigorous quality control standards. These are also the criteria we prioritize when making recommendations for the best dog food.

What sets JustFoodForDogs apart from many other fresh food brands is its strong emphasis on veterinary expertise and research. Its recipes are formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, as recommended in the WSAVA guidelines, and the company has a research advisory board of 14 veterinarians who conduct nutrition research. Additionally, the meat used in its recipes is USDA-inspected and approved for human consumption.

Just keep in mind that fresh food isn't necessarily healthier than traditional options like canned food or kibble. In recent findings from the University of Minnesota's Urolith Center, researchers identified a new type of bladder stone in dogs called calcium tartrate tetrahydrate (CTT). The stone has been linked to choline bitartrate, an ingredient found in fresh dog foods from several brands, as well as in some pet supplements. If your dog has been diagnosed with CTT stones, it's important to consult your veterinarian immediately about dietary changes. This may include switching to a commercially formulated food that doesn't contain choline bitartrate, such as options from brands like Hill's, Royal Canin, or Purina.

Ordering: On the JustFoodForDogs website, you can place a one-time order for a variety pack or a specific recipe, or sign up for recurring shipments. The best way to get started is with the Meal Plan Builder. Based on details such as your dog's weight, activity level, and food preferences, the brand provides recipe and portion recommendations. If you sign up for the autoship plan, you'll get 50% off your first order and 5% off recurring orders. You can also choose your shipping frequency. Just note that you'll be charged $19.99 for shipping for Fresh Frozen orders under $99 and JustFresh orders under $49. Larger orders ship for free.

Customization: Fresh Frozen boxes include only one type of recipe, but you can order smaller boxes of individual recipes to add more variety to your dog's diet. With JustFresh, you can order a single recipe or choose from a few different variety packs. JustFoodForDogs also offers the option to order enough food for full meals, half meals to supplement a portion of your dog's regular food, or smaller amounts to use as a meal topper. While you can't customize the recipe ingredients to accommodate food intolerances or allergies, JustFoodForDogs has a team that formulates custom diets.

Delivery: Orders ship within three to five business days. You can skip a delivery or change your autoshipment frequency (from once a week to once every three months) within your account.

Packaging: Fresh Frozen recipes come in plastic pouches and arrive frozen in a large box with dry ice and recyclable paper insulation. JustFresh meals come in resealable plastic pouches, which are bundled in individual, smaller boxes within a larger box. As a result, there's more cardboard to dispose of. Because the food is shelf-stable, no insulation is in the package.

Our review of JustFoodForDogs Fresh Frozen food

There are six main frozen recipes to choose from: Chicken and Rice, Turkey and Whole Wheat Macaroni, Fish and Sweet Potato, Beef and Russet, Venison and Squash, and Lamb and Brown Rice. I fed Lyla the Beef and Russet and Lamb and Rice recipes, while Waldbieser fed Embrey all six. You can also order special recipes, such as Balanced Remedy for sensitive stomachs, Joint and Skin Support, and a Tofu and Quinoa vegetarian recipe. Additionally, JustFoodForDogs is the only fresh dog food brand that offers prescription fresh food for conditions such as diabetes and liver disease.

During testing, we both found the Fresh Frozen meal prep straightforward. First, we thawed the pouches in the refrigerator overnight. I found the meals easy to scoop out of the package and serve — I'm a big avoider of messes, so this was a plus. Waldbieser, on the other hand, says some spills were inevitable, and scooping all of the food from the package was a challenge compared to the ease of serving kibble. However, we both agree that the directions and serving sizes were clear and intuitive. Some other fresh dog food brands I've tried come with a lot of directions that are trickier to follow.

Waldbieser says the food looked fresh, with easily identifiable pieces of meat and vegetables. It also doesn't have any odor, which is ideal for pet parents like me who are sensitive to smells. Both of our dogs enjoyed the recipes and scarfed down the food during breakfast and dinner. I also found success packing the food in a Kong to further enrich Lyla's mealtimes. The food held together well and didn't leave a major mess on my floor.

Beyond our recent testing, Insider Reviews deputy editor Bronwyn Barnes shared her experience with the brand. She fed her dog, George, the brand's regular Fresh Frozen food before he was diagnosed with diabetes at age 10. Although her veterinarian initially recommended a canned prescription diet, George continued to gain weight, and his other symptoms showed no improvement.

Barnes then decided to try JustFoodForDogs' prescription Metabolic Support recipe with her vet's approval. "George clearly enjoyed eating it and, just as importantly, seemed satisfied between meals," she says. "That mattered a lot because he was on a strict twice-daily insulin injection schedule, and snacking in between meals was discouraged."

The cons

Waldbieser and I have larger dogs, 60 and 50 pounds, respectively, so they ate similar portion sizes. JustFoodForDogs doesn't send pre-portioned pouches, so you'll need to measure your dog's servings based on the recommended feeding guidelines. For us, this meant feeding our pups about one package of food a day.

After breakfast, we had to save the rest of the food in the refrigerator for later. The packages aren't resealable, so you'll need to put them in a container. Waldbieser pointed out that this can take up precious space in the fridge, and I agree. Feeding your dog fresh food can also be inconvenient if you're often on the go and short on time. It takes more time to serve than simply putting kibble in a bowl, and you'll need to remember to thaw packages overnight.

Cost is also a downside. While first-time purchases with an autoship subscription are 50% off, recurring orders have a hefty price tag, even with 5% discount tacked on. Before discounts, a month's worth of food for a 50-pound, moderately active dog ranges from about $11.80 a day for the turkey recipe to $22.25 a day for the fish recipe.

Our review of JustFoodForDogs JustFresh food

JustFresh is ideal for busy pet parents who need to get a tasty meal in front of their dog in as few steps as possible. Unlike Fresh Frozen food, which must be thawed before serving, all I had to do was tear open the package and watch Lyla scarf it down. For her size, one package equals one meal. If you have a smaller or larger dog, you'll need to measure out portions. Then, you can refrigerate the leftovers right in the resealable pouch.

There are four protein options in the JustFresh line, a more limited selection compared to the Fresh Frozen line. I fed Lyla the JustFresh Variety Pack, which included all of them (chicken, beef, turkey, and pork). The recipes and their presentation are similar to the frozen line, but the feeding experience is much easier. The food is packaged in vacuum-sealed, thin-profile plastic pouches, so storing them in the pantry is a breeze. I appreciated not having to sacrifice any freezer space. I also like how, being vacuum-sealed, the food doesn't require any thawing. It's just open and serve.

I was surprised by how well Lyla ate this food. Each meal went down easy, and I rarely had to save leftovers. She didn't seem hungry after eating, nor did she lose or gain any weight over the course of the month, so I feel portion sizes were accurate for her.

The cons

My only complaint about the food itself is the portioning. I was comfortable feeding Lyla a full pack per day, but if I had a smaller or larger dog, it could be difficult to measure out the food. If you go through the Build a Meal Plan process on the website, you can access a specific feeding guide for your pup. But for one-off purchases, the feeding instructions on the package are more general, so you may need to consult your vet about the right amount to feed your dog.

And, of course, there's the cost. JustFresh Beef is the cheapest of all the recipes we've tested, but beyond that, it's not so cut-and-dried. While the JustFresh and Fresh Frozen chicken recipes cost about the same amount to feed a moderately active 50-pound dog like Lyla, you'll save about $3 a day if you feed the JustFresh beef recipe instead of the Fresh Frozen beef. The opposite is true with the turkey recipes. For a 50-pound dog, the JustFresh turkey will cost you about $4.50 more a day than the Fresh Frozen turkey. The most expensive of the JustFresh food is the pork recipe, which would be a hefty $18 per day without autoship discounts.

Which one should you choose?

From a convenience perspective, JustFresh, the pantry-friendly option, is your best bet. The food doesn't require thawing and is easy to store in its resealable pouch, making it a smart choice if you don't want to spend much time preparing your dog's dinner. If cost is also a key factor and your dog is happy to eat chicken or beef, JustFresh makes the most sense. Pork is only available as a JustFresh recipe, and it's the most expensive of the four.

The larger range of Fresh Frozen recipes, including fish, venison, and lamb, might be a better fit for dogs with more particular palates or those who require a novel protein. The Fresh Frozen turkey recipe is one of the most affordable of all the recipes we tried. You'll also find options for dogs with special dietary needs, like stomach sensitivities, weight management, and meat protein allergies. Just keep in mind that the Fresh Frozen meals aren't as easy to serve and store as their shelf-stable counterparts.

What are your alternatives?

If JustFoodForDogs isn't the right fit for you and your pup, you may want to learn more about Freshpet and The Farmer's Dog. Freshpet is less expensive, and you can select all four of its recipes as part of your subscription. It does require refrigeration, which could take up some valuable real estate in your refrigerator. The Farmer's Dog stands out as the most budget-friendly fresh food, and you can order up to three different recipes if you want to give your dog some variety. However, only one of the recipes is grain-inclusive, and you're limited to chicken, beef, pork, or turkey.

The bottom line

JustFoodForDogs offers more recipes than other fresh dog brands we recommended, making it an excellent choice for a variety of needs and preferences. Even more, the JustFresh recipes are super easy to prepare, and the Fresh Frozen recipes include a wide range of proteins. And, just as important, our dogs have enjoyed every bite.

The big drawback is the price, but you can choose one of the less expensive recipes among the offerings. You can also give your pup a taste of JustFoodForDogs with smaller portions by signing up for half meals or toppers. With autoship, you'll get 50% off your first order, then 5% off recurring shipments.