Which is better farmer s dog or nom nom

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated January 15, 2025

Contributions sourced from

Nom Nom vs The Farmers Dog: The Battle Of Fresh Food Brands

In an increasingly competitive market for healthy dog food, Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog are two of the leading companies that offer fresh meals personalized for every single canine customer. These subscription-based brands dont come cheap, so its important to learn about what they offer before signing up for your pup. We explore their recipe options, nutritional value, customer service, and many other features to help you decide.

Visit Nom Noms Website | Visit The Farmers Dog Website

Meal/Plan Variety

Both Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog offer beef, chicken, turkey, and pork recipes. All of The Farmers Dog recipes are grain-free, while Nom Nom offers one grain-inclusive option. Their turkey recipe includes brown rice for those of you who prefer whole grains in your pups diet. Is a grain-free diet safe for your pup? The FDA has not found a significantlink between grain-free dog food and heart health. However, its wise to talk with your vet before switching your dogs diet if you have any concerns.

However, thats not the only reason weve chosen Nom Nom as the winner in this category. Nom Nom also gives you the option of choosing half or full meals, although this is only offered for dogs weighing 40 pounds or more. Being able to purchase half meals is a fantastic way to improve your dogs diet while decreasing costs. Just mix in the fresh food with your existing dog food for a nutritious boost. Nom Nom is one of very few fresh dog food brands that gives you this option. The Farmers Dog does not.

Its also important to note that both of these companies ship your food in pre-portioned packaging, which makes mealtime a breeze. Theres no need to measure out food and store unused food for later.

Meal/Treat Variety Winner: Nom Nom

Nutritional Value

Both The Farmers Dog and Nom Nom use all-natural, responsibly sourced, whole-food ingredients in their recipes developed by veterinary nutritionists. All recipes meet Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) guidelines for a complete and balanced diet for all life stages.Both companies also only use USDA human-grade ingredients in all of their recipes, which are slow-cooked to preserve nutrients.

Although this isnt a major deciding factor in our comparison, Nom Nom doesnt prepare meals in kitchens licensed for human food production (currently, one of several guidelines for a pet food brand to be able to call its food human-grade). The Farmers Dog uses USDA-certified kitchens and is considered human-grade dog food.

Both The Farmers Dog and Nom Nom also add fresh vegetables, fish oil, and essential vitamins and minerals to their animal proteins. You can also feel good about giving your pup either companys meals because they contain no fillers, preservatives, or artificial ingredients (and no corn, wheat, or soy for allergy sufferers).

Nutritional Value Winner: Tie (Nom Nom & The Farmers Dog)

Meal Personalization

Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog have online dog profiles that you fill out so they can personalize your pups meals. Both sites profiles include your furballs breed, gender, age, current weight, and body condition (which indicates if your pup is underweight, ideal, or overweight).

Most personalized fresh dog food services also ask for your pups activity level (including The Farmers Dog). But Nom Nom doesnt. A more important difference, however, involves the specific health concerns you can add to your dogs profile.

The Farmers Dogs profile includes more than 15 health issues (allergies, gluten or grain insensitivity, ear infections, digestive issues, arthritis, etc.), with the option of adding any other health issues not listed. On the other hand, Nom Nom only lets you inform them of four general health concerns food allergies, a sensitive stomach, a dry or flaky coat, and arthritis or joint pain. We give our nod to The Farmers Dog in this category for a more extensive personalized profile.

Meal Personalization Winner: The Farmers Dog

Pricing

According to each companys website, The Farmers Dogs meals start at $2 per day, and Nom Noms start at $2.40 per day. Both companies base their pricing on how much food your dog needs and on the recipes you choose. They determine this by the profile you fill out for your pup, including weight, ideal weight, body shape, breed, age, activity level, gender, and health issues.

The pricing below is based on quotes we ran at the time of publishing. All were for a two-year-old mixed-breed dog at an ideal weight with no health issues. These are also for each companys chicken recipe for a better comparison of pricing.

Dogs Weight	Nom Nom	The Farmers Dog
10 pounds	$28/week	$23.99/week
40 pounds	$59.67/week	$51.29/week
60 pounds	$70.91/week	$60.15/week

Both companies offer free shipping, and you can cancel, skip, or pause your subscription at any time. The Farmers Dog comes out on top due to lower pricing and more flexible delivery frequency options than Nom Nom.

Pricing Winner: The Farmers Dog

Coupons

The Farmers Dog: Our readers have access to50% off your first box.No code is needed; usethis link, and the discount will be applied. You can also visit ourdedicated The Farmers Dog coupons page.

Nom Nom: Our readers have access to save50% off your first order of Nom Nom;no promo code needed. Use this linkto get started!

Customer Service & Reputation

Both companies have a sound reputation for producing high-quality fresh food, with no dog food recalls in their history. One fairly common complaint we see with all fresh dog food services is that the food is partially or thoroughly thawed upon delivery. From our extensive online research, Nom Nom gets more complaints about thawed food arriving than The Farmers Dog.

Regarding customer service, both companies offer support seven days a week: The Farmers Dog through phone and email, and Nom Nom via phone, text, email, and bot chat. While Nom Nom has more contact options, The Farmers Dog beats out Nom Nom in the overall quality of support.

Simply put, weve seen more complaints about unhelpful customer service, billing problems, and difficulty canceling with Nom Nom vs The Farmers Dog. But its important to point out that weve found hundreds of positive customer reviews for both brands.

Customer Service & Reputation Winner: The Farmers Dog

Whats Our Verdict?

Both of these companies are excellent healthy options for your pup. ButThe Farmers Dog gets our nod in this battle of the brands because theyre generally less expensive, have a more extensive pup profile, particularly for health concerns, and have fewer customer complaints compared to Nom Nom.

On the other hand, if grain-inclusive fresh food is important to you, Nom Nom beats out The Farmers Dog. And Nom Noms offering of half meals (for dogs 40+ pounds) may be an enticing option for your budget.

Overall Winner: The Farmers Dog

If you didnt find exactly what you were looking for in this comparison, weve dug deeper into these companies with individual reviews of The Farmers Dog and Nom Nom, including our personal experiences. And see how Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog compare to other top-rated fresh dog food delivery services.

Our Methodology

We analyze hundreds of dog food brands and individual formulas to provide our recommendations for the best nutrition. Each of the following elements helps us determine the best dog food for any dietary need. Our in-depth research includes:

Scrutinizing all ingredients included in every formula
Having firsthand experience with our dogs for many of the foods we recommend
Assessing the guaranteed analysis for every formula, including protein, fat, fiber, and caloric content
Investigating the latest scientific studies on dogs nutritional needs and benefits of ingredients
Researching the specific dietary needs for breed sizes and health conditions
Reading hundreds of customer reviews
Staying informed on every dog food recall
Diving into every pet food brands history and reputation
Keeping on top of pet food trends

Unlike many other review sites, we give unbiased reviews based on countless hours of research. Our goal is to provide our readers with the healthiest options for their pups.

Why Trust Canine Journal?

Sally has researched and reviewed hundreds of different dog food brands and specific formulas. Shes an expert at analyzing dog food ingredients based on current nutritional guidelines and scientific studies for the healthiest food for our pups. Shes part of a team of dog specialists at Canine Journal who have over a decade of experience in researching, testing, and writing about everything you need to know to keep your pup healthy and happy.

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Nom Nom vs. The Farmers Dog Freshly Made Dog Food: 2024 Comparison

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Nom Nom vs. The Farmers Dog Freshly Made Dog Food: 2024 Comparison

Written by: Quincy Miller

If youve decided that your dog needs to eat only the highest-quality food (and youre willing to pay whatever it takes to make sure they get it), you might have already come across Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog.

These services send you meals for your dog that are made using all-natural ingredients, so you dont have to worry about giving your dog artificial colors, animal by-products, or other questionable ingredients.

Both are high-end foods that are loaded with nutrition (and quite expensive), so its understandable that you want to research them before buying one. Here, we take an in-depth look at each to see which one is better for your dog and your wallet.

A Sneak Peek at the Winner: The Farmers Dog

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Our Favorite		The Farmers Dog Turkey	Wide array of vegetables Includes fish oil Loaded with amino acids like taurine	Click to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping!
	The Farmers Dog Beef	Includes organ meat Good amount of fiber Has nutrient-rich veggies like kale	Click to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping!
	The Farmers Dog Pork	Extra nutrients from liver High in fiber Excellent blend of nutrients	Click to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping!

The Farmers Dog edges out Nom Nom by the slightest of edges. The fact is that these two services are extremely similar in terms of price, quality, and variety, so you cant really go wrong with either one.

Both have similar ingredient quality and cost, but The Farmers Dog has a slightly better refund policy. It also has better meal options, while Nom Nom is a bit better in the snack department.

In the end, these two services are almost identical, but there are slight differences that might make one better for you than the other, and we explore those differences in more detail here.

The Farmers Dog Overview

The Farmers Dog is a mail-order dog food service that sends you pre-portioned meals for your dog. The meals are sealed, so all you have to do defrost and serve.

Of course, if youre considering brands like Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog, convenience is the least of your concerns, so lets break down the other factors that make this a quality food.

Ingredients

The Farmers Dog uses fresh, premium ingredients, just like Nom Nom. Its foods also exceed AAFCO standards and are made under the supervision of veterinary nutritionists.

As with Nom Nom, the recipes used by Farmers Dog follow a basic outline: Start with lean meat, then add veggies and a nutrient pack. It offers the same protein sources too: beef, turkey, chicken, and pork.

However, Farmers Dog is more likely to add in extra meat, including organ meats, ensuring that your dog gets more protein and a wider nutritional profile.

Will this make a night-and-day difference for your dog? Probably not, but the slightest edge is better than none, especially at these price points.

Price

At first glance, The Farmers Dog would seem to be just as expensive as Nom Nom. Its prices also start at roughly $2 per day, and your overall costs will largely depend on your pets needs.

However, Farmers Dog tends to be a bit cheaper at the higher end. Depending on your dogs size, you could pay from around $1.70/day up to $17. While Nom Noms meal plans regularly top $10 per day for full-sized portions. Weve got our The Farmers Dog pricing guide which explains it in more depth.

Youll be spending more on freshly made dog food either way.

As far as The Farmers Dog refund policy goes, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it comes with a catch: You have to donate the unused food to an animal shelter. The additional hoop to jump through may be a hassle, but its for a good cause.

Customization Options

This is a bit difficult to judge. On the surface, The Farmers Dog would seem to be way more customizable than Nom Nom. Its initial survey is more thorough and lets you enter more information about your dog, their medical history, and their nutritional needs.

But does any of that information actually impact the food that you get? Its hard to say that it does. At best, it seems like the website uses the information that you provide to guide you to one of their ready-made recipes, so dont expect a fully custom meal plan for your dog.

Ultimately, both these foods are geared toward improving your dogs general health through superior nutrition. If your dog has specific needs, youre likely better off just asking your vet to recommend a meal plan for you.

Variety

The Farmers Dog has roughly the same types of meals that Nom Nom offers. It doesnt sell treats, though (although its happy to offer recommendations). If thats important to you, it cant help you.

Pros

Includes many protein sources
Well-rounded nutritional profile
Encourages donating unused food to animal shelters
Extensive survey
A bit cheaper than similar services

Refund policy is a bit involved
Survey can be a pain to fill out
Doesnt offer treats or other items

Nom Nom Overview

Nom Nom may sound similar to The Farmers Dog because the two services are near-carbon copies of one another. They both operate under the same business model, they both sell food made from high-quality ingredients, and theyre both more expensive than your regular grocery store brands.

That said, there are a few key differences, which we will discuss further.

Ingredients

All of Nom Noms recipes are created by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, and each is designed to meet AAFCO Food Nutrient Profiles. This means you wont have to worry about your dog getting all the vitamins and nutrients that they need a common issue for pets being switched to a raw or freshly made diet.

Nom Nom uses premium ingredients in all its recipes, and each meal is slow-cooked to ensure that theres minimal nutrient loss. Whats more, the meals are cooked in kitchens that are completely devoted to making the food. Many other commercial dog foods share kitchens to save money, which can lead to ingredients from one food leaching into another. You dont have to worry about that with Nom Nom.

Real meat is the first ingredient in all its recipes, and you wont find any artificial ingredients inside. Youll also see foods like spinach, squash, and kale inside sometimes literally so you know that your dogs eating real food.

One issue that we have with Nom Nom is that several of its recipes are stuffed with russet potatoes. This isnt bad, per se, but neither is it ideal potatoes are kind of a nutritional blank for dogs. Still, some pups have trouble digesting them, and for the price, wed prefer to see a more nutritious food used instead.

Price

On average, Nom Nom clocks in at between $2 (for half portions) and over $10 per day (for full portions). Youll easily pay several hundred dollars a month for your dogs food if you sign up with Nom Nom.

Theres no way to sugarcoat it: Thats a great deal of money. However, this is some of the healthiest dog food that youll find anywhere, and it may save you money on medical bills, especially if your dog has diet-related issues (and Nom Nom will ask you about such things while preparing your meal plan).

That price is fairly standard for this type of meal service, so while its far more expensive than the dry kibble that you can buy at the grocery store, its in line with similar services. These foods are aimed at people who dont mind paying whatever it takes to keep their dogs healthy and happy.

Nom Nom bills you on a recurring basis, so you dont have to worry about reordering meals. The plans are designed to ensure that your dog never runs out of food, taking that worry off your plate.

Given that the meals are highly perishable, the company doesnt accept returns, but the first 30 days are protected by a money-back guarantee. It also has a multi-pet discount if youre feeding several dogs, though thats not enough to take much of the sting out of the cost of the subscription.

Customization Options

There are four basic recipes to choose from: beef, chicken, pork, and turkey. Nom Nom also has a Sampler Packthat gives you each one if youre not sure which your dog will like. You can set up your subscription to ensure that you get a mix of several foods if you prefer (though this might cause your costs to go up).

When you sign up, youll be asked to fill out a brief quiz about your dog. This is your chance to tell explain important things about your pups diet: what foods they like and dislike, any allergies or medical conditions, and whether they need to drop a few pounds.

The software will then figure out the diet that is recommended for your dog. You can customize which recipes you receive, but you cant do much past that. If your dog is allergic to a certain ingredient, for example, youll just have to choose a different recipe you cant remove or substitute that ingredient.

You can also decide between full and half portions. If your dog is overweight, it will automatically encourage buying half-portions, but thats about as far as it goes in terms of being dialed in for weight loss.

Variety

There are four basic recipes. Each starts with lean meat, then has a few vegetables, followed by an assortment of vitamins and minerals.

The menu is enough to ensure that the pickiest eater never gets bored, but its not going to blow you away with its expansiveness either. Most of the recipes are similar, and theyre all built on the same basic (but solid) foundation of meat and veggies.

Nom Nom also offers healthy jerky treats for your pup, so you dont have to feed them the processed junk found in most other dog treats, and they even have options for your cat.

Pros

Made by veterinary nutritionists
Uses high-quality ingredients
Multi-pet discount
Also offers treats
30-day money-back guarantee

Many formulas use potatoes
Extremely expensive
Not much room for customization

The 3 Most Popular The Farmers Dog Food Recipes

1. Turkey

This recipe kicks off with lean turkey before quickly adding chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, spinach, and parsnip. That means your dog will get an excellent array of nutrients and plenty of protein.

Fish oil is included for omega fatty acids, and the nutrient mix has important amino acids like taurine, which is vital for heart health.

The biggest issue we have with this recipe is that its fairly low in fiber, so dont expect it to keep your dogs digestive tract moving smoothly.

Pros

Wide array of vegetables
Includes fish oil
Loaded with amino acids like taurine

2. Beef

The beef option starts with beef, and further down the label, youll also see beef liver listed. That gives your dog extra protein and nutrients that can only be found in organ meats.

The issue of fiber is solved, as the second ingredient is sweet potatoes. Youll also find highly nutritious veggies like kale and lentils inside.

There arent as many veggies in here as in the turkey recipe, though.

Pros

Includes organ meat
Good amount of fiber
Has nutrient-rich veggies like kale

Not as many veggies as the other recipes

3. Pork

As with the beef recipe, the pork option has organ meat in the form of liver. It also has plenty of fiber, thanks to both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes.

Those regular potatoes are an issue, though, because they largely just take up space. As a result, there are only a few other veggies inside, such as cauliflower and green beans.

The nutritional blend does have everything that your dog needs to stay healthy, and theres even fish oil mixed in.

Pros

Extra nutrients from liver
High in fiber
Excellent blend of nutrients

Includes potatoes
Only has a few veggies

The 3 Most Popular Nom Nom Dog Food Recipes

1. Beef Mash

Ground beef forms the base of this recipe, but it also gets extra protein in the form of eggs. This is an excellent recipe for any dog that needs to drop weight or build muscle.

There are plenty of excellent veggies, including carrots and peas. Theres also a healthy dash of omega fatty acids due to the sunflower and fish oil inside.

The second ingredient is russet potatoes, though, so a large portion of this recipe is fairly useless from a nutritional standpoint. The potatoes and eggs could cause issues for dogs with digestive issues, so expect a fair amount of noxious emissions to emanate from your pooch.

Pros

Includes both beef and eggs
Good variety of veggies
Plenty of omega fatty acids

May cause digestive issues
Many potatoes inside

2. Chicken Cuisine

There are plenty of potatoes in this recipe, but these are sweet potatoes, which have more to offer from a nutritional perspective (including fiber).

This recipe starts with lean meat (in this case, diced chicken), and the veggies on offer are squash, spinach, and the aforementioned sweet potatoes. There are even omega fatty acids, as it includes canola, sunflower, and fish oils. As a result, this chicken recipe also has more fat than the beef recipe. Thats good and bad because it should keep your dog feeling full longer, but it may not be ideal for heftier pups.

Pros

Good amount of fiber
Includes high-quality veggies like spinach
Even more omega fatty acids than the beef recipe

May not be ideal for overweight dogs

3. Pork Potluck

If you like feeding your dog veggies, this is the recipe for you. It has green beans, squash, kale, and mushrooms, so your dog will get all sorts of important vitamins and minerals.

It has russet potatoes, though in fact, theyre the second ingredient listed. All those veggies also pushed out omega fatty acids, as this recipe only has fish oil.

Theres more fiber in here than the other recipes, though, so if your dog has issues staying regular, this might be the way to go.

Pros

Loaded with veggies
More fiber than the other recipes

Recall History of Nom Nom and The Farmers Dog

As best we can tell, neither of these companies has ever been subjected to a recall. However, while their foods seem well-made and safe, keep in mind that theyre highly perishable and need to be kept refrigerated before serving.

If you dont store these meals properly, they could spoil and harm your dog, even if thats no fault of either company.

Nom Nom & The Farmers Dog Head-to-Head Comparison

These two companies are similar, so dont expect huge differences or for one to blow the other one out of the water. Even so, we look at how each performs in several categories before we crown a winner.

Price

Edge: The Farmers Dog

Both services are comparably priced and both are incredibly expensive. At the lower end, the prices are virtually identical, but Farmers Dog tends to be a bit cheaper on the high side. You wont save much by going with Farmers Dog, but it is definitely less expensive.

Nutrition

Edge: Too Close to Call

Youll find high-quality, fresh ingredients in the foods from both services. Both are engineered by veterinary nutritionists, and both will meet all your dogs health needs.

So, which is better? Its hard to say. Youre not going to go wrong with either option, and your pet will likely thrive on freshly made food like this.

Ease of Use

Edge: Too Close to Call

As you might expect, given that these two services are virtually identical, theyre almost equally easy to use. Nom Noms packaging makes it a bit easier to store and open, but its not a world-changer.

As far as signing up for the services is concerned, its much easier to sign up for Nom Nom, but that might not be a good thing. If youre paying this much for dog food, having to spend an extra 10 minutes filling out information about your dogs dietary profile may be seen as a feature rather than a bug.

Ultimately, all of this comes down to personal preference, making this category another tie.

Conclusion

If youre trying to decide between signing up for The Farmers Dog or Nom Nom, take heart in knowing that its one decision that you cant mess up. Theyre both great food services, and theyre both extremely similar.

We gave The Farmers Dog the slightest of edges here, mainly because its a bit cheaper. Honestly, though, you wont see much of a difference either way.

Regardless of which service you end up choosing, your dog will be rewarded with some of the tastiest, healthiest food that theyve ever had and thats a big win for everyone.

You may also be interested in these other reviews:

About the Author

Quincy has been around mutts his entire life and has been writing about them for the past nine years and now consists of sharing a house with three spoiled pups who couldnt hold down a job to save their lives. Quincy never intended to be a cat person. When his wife brought home a kitten one day, he told her she had one week to find it a new home. That week turned into 10 years (his wife moves very slowly), and that kitten turned into three (they got two more, the kitten didn't self-replicate). After a decade of sharing his home with the dogs and three cats, one horrifying realization finally set in: oh God, he's a cat person now too, isn't he???