Nom Nom vs The Farmer’s Dog: Which Food Service Is Best?

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Most dog food is made with cheap ingredients that are processed, cooked, dehydrated, and processed some more until you’re left with a shelf-stable bag of little burnt balls called kibble.

This kibble isn’t great. On the other hand, new research has shown that minimally processed, whole ingredients can have a profound effect on a dog’s health. In fact, Veterinarian Michael W. Fox states, “paying more for quality foods means paying less for health problems because good nutrition is the cornerstone of preventive medicine and sustainable health-care.”¹

In this review, we’ll compare two premium dog food options, Nom Nom vs The Farmer’s Dog, to help you decide which food is better for your dog.

In this comparison:

• Nom Nom vs The Farmer’s Dog: At a glance
• Which is better for you (by category)
• Overall winner
• What about Ollie?

Nom Nom vs The Farmer’s Dog: At a glance

Price	Starts at $3 a day*	Starts at $2 a day*
Shipping	Free	Free
Promo discount	20% off your first order, or 40% off with our exclusive link	20% off your first order, or 60% off with our exclusive link
Protein options	Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Turkey & Chicken, Lamb	Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork
Sourcing	High-quality proteins and vegetables are sourced from reputable U.S. growers and suppliers	All human-grade ingredients are sourced from reputable food suppliers, local farms, and other human food purveyors that meet USDA standards
Offers treats?	Yes; 5 treat options	No
Partial meal plans?	Yes. You can choose between full or half portions.	Yes. The Topper plan offers smaller meals to mix into and supplement current diets
Recipes created by board-certified veterinary nutritionists?	Yes	Yes
Accreditation	AAFCO certified for all life stages	USDA-certified kitchen and meats, AAFCO certified for all life stages
Money-back guarantee?	Yes, for your first 30 days of food.	As long as you agree to donate the unused portion to a shelter, you’ll receive a full refund.
Cancel at any time?	Yes	Yes
Giving back	If you have adopted through a partner shelter, they’ll donate $50 back to the shelter or rescue in your name	No official charitable donation

Nom Nom Dog Food vs The Farmer’s Dog: Which is best for you?

Next, we’ll compare how each company performs in different categories. We’ve assigned each category a point value based on its relevance to most pet owners (12 total points). Click an option from the list below to jump to that section.

Or, if you want to dig deeper into either service, you can learn more in our full Nom Nom Dog Food review or The Farmer’s Dog food review.

• Ingredient quality (2 points)
• Meal options (2 points)
• Snack options (1 point)
• Customizability (allergies, portion sizes & mixed recipes) (1 point)
• Other products (1 point)
• Price (2 points)
• Portioning (1 point)
• Packaging & sustainability (1 point)
• Shipping (1 point)
• Overall winner

>> Read more: Spot and Tango Dog Food Review: Is It Worth It?

Ingredient quality

Feeding your pup quality ingredients is the top priority with these services. Not only do Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Dog use fresh ingredients, but you can also expect to see real food pieces like carrots and potatoes in each recipe. All meals are formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists to be nutritionally balanced.

Both services minimally process the ingredients by cooking them separately over low heat to preserve as many nutrients as possible. You won’t see any of the artificial flavors, preservatives, fillers, meat meals, or other animal by-products traditional dry food includes. Once the food is cooked, it’s packaged and shipped, so you get fresh meals in a matter of days.

Nom Nom only uses high-quality proteins and vegetables you would find on your own plate. The food is sustainably sourced whenever possible from trusted and reliable U.S. growers and suppliers. They prepare all their meals in relatively small made-to-order batches in their own Nashville and San Francisco kitchens, where the ingredients are inspected and rigorously tested. Nom Nom does their best to ensure zero food waste in their facilities.

The Farmer’s Dog recipes are made with USDA meats and the ingredients are sourced from reputable food suppliers, local farms, and other human food purveyors that meet USDA standards. The meals are prepared in a New York USDA-certified kitchen that has the same standards applied to human food. It is then gently cooked at low temperatures and then quickly frozen to be shipped.

However, after examining the ingredient lists of every recipe, we think The Farmer’s Dog has a slight edge. The Farmer’s Dog uses animal liver in three of their meal options. Nom Nom, on the other hand, does not contain any organ meat. Nom Nom uses eggs in four of their recipes as a second protein. We believe organ meat is a better source of protein and nutrients, and it more closely resembles what your dog would consume in the wild.

Winner: The Farmer’s Dog (by a hair) (+1.5 points to Farmer’s Dog; +.5 points to Nom Nom)

Both pet food companies do an excellent job of sourcing healthy ingredients, so you’re in safe hands with either choice. However, The Farmer’s Dog edged ahead to win this category due to the inclusion of organ meat in three of their recipes.

Recipe options

When comparing Nom Nom vs Farmer’s Dog, you’ll notice they have many similarities.

Both food services utilize five to six core ingredients per meal, which consist of whole meats, healthy starches, and vegetables. Both then add supplemental minerals and essential vitamins to ensure the meals are nutritionally balanced for your pet’s dietary needs.

For those concerned about the connection between heart disease and taurine deficiency, it’s important to note that all of the recipes from both brands contain added taurine. It’s also important to point out that, with the exception of Nom Nom’s turkey and lamb recipes, which contain brown rice, the rest are grain-free. And all of The Farmer’s Dog’s recipes are grain-free. Some dog owners prefer grain-free meals, but you should be aware of the FDA’s warning ² about the unconfirmed link between grain-free diets and heart disease.

Nom Nom offers Lamb Pilaf, which is a highly digestible protein alternative to Chicken and beef. This is a good option for dogs who need a grain-inclusive, low-protein option.

Nom Nom maintains a minimum of 6% to 9% crude protein in their recipes. The turkey (9%) and the beef, chicken, and pork (8%) have a higher protein count than the other two recipes. The Farmer’s Dog maintains a minimum of 9% to 11%.

Nom Nom’s meal options

• Beef Mash: Beef, potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas, fish oil…
• Chicken Cuisine: Chicken, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, spinach, fish oil…
• Pork Potluck: Pork, potatoes, green beans, yellow squash, mushrooms, kale, fish oil…
• Turkey Fare: Turkey, eggs, brown rice, carrots, spinach, fish oil…
• Turkey & Chicken Cookout: Sweet potato, turkey, chicken, kale, eggs…
• Lamb Pilaf: Lamb, rice, eggs, carrots, peas…

>> See Nom Nom’s full recipes…

The Farmer’s Dog meal options

• Pork recipe: Pork, Sweet Potato, Potato, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Pork Liver, TFD Nutrient Blend, Salmon Oil
• Chicken recipe: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Chia Seeds, TFD Nutrient Blend, Salmon Oil
• Turkey recipe: Turkey, Chickpeas, Carrot, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsnip, TFD Nutrient Blend, Salmon Oil
• Beef recipe: Beef, Sweet Potato, Lentils, Carrot, Beef Liver, Kale, Sunflower Seeds, TFD Nutrient Blend, Salmon Oil

*TFD Nutrient blend ingredients: Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Bitartrate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid

Winner: Tie (+1 point each)

All of the meal options are great and similar in their ingredients. The best option for you is going to depend upon your dog’s specific needs.

Snack options

Nom Nom offers five treat options. Three are single-ingredient chew treats: Chicken Jerky, Beef Sirloin Jerky, and Sweet Potato Chews. The jerkies are crunchy, and you can break them into smaller pieces. Nom Nom says the Sweet Potato chew is a rawhide alternative, although it’s not as durable as rawhide. 

The other two treat options are Beef & Blueberry Wafers and Chicken and Cranberry Wafers. These include real meat and fruit, plus chickpeas for added plant-based protein.

Nom Nom’s treats vary in price from $9.99 to $14.99 and you can add them to your regular subscription.

Currently, The Farmer’s Dog doesn’t offer any dog treats.

Winner: Nom Nom (+1 point)

Nom Nom is the only brand that offers treats.

Customizability

For weight gain & allergies

To select the optimal recipe for your dog, both services gather information including your dog’s sex, age, breed, body shape, current weight, and activity level. This allows them to determine the number of calories your dog needs to maintain an ideal weight.

Nom Nom asks if your dog has any health issues or allergies but recommends recipes without knowing what those allergies are. If you indicate that your dog has allergies, they recommend the pork or lamb recipe, because they are a less common food allergen than chicken or beef, according to veterinarians Catherine Barnette and Ernest Ward.³ Still, we thought it was odd to recommend a recipe without knowing the allergens. They also ask about the dog’s coat, which can be an indication of some underlying health conditions.

After you’ve signed up for a paid plan, Nom Nom has far more extensive surveys so you can detail your dog’s specific health issues, such as joint health, microbiome/digestive health, and allergies. If you do not see the specific health issue, Nom Nom suggests you reach out to their team.

The Farmer’s Dog is a bit more thorough in investigating your pup’s needs before making a recommendation. The company gathers information such as whether or not your dog is neutered (which affects calorie count), whether they have specific health conditions like bad breath, constipation, and gluten sensitivity, or if your dog has a prescription diet for health issues like joint, skin, or liver issues. 

Just be aware that none of the meals are specifically formulated to address any of these issues, so you may want to get your vet’s approval first.

Supplemental meal plans

Both pet food delivery services offer supplemental meal plans for those who simply want to add variety or nutrition to their dog’s current diet. This is a good option for those on a budget. 

Nom Nom gives the option to choose a half portion. The half portion will save you anywhere from 41 to 44% in cost. 

The Farmer’s Dog allows you to select from a few different price and portion options, depending on your dog’s size. They eliminate some options as the whole meal’s calorie count goes down, so bigger dogs have more options. A 50-lb. dog may have up to three portion sizes to choose from, but because our little Yorkie eats only about 154 calories per day, there were no other portion sizes available for him.

Mixing recipes

If you’d like a mix of recipes in each shipment, Nom Nom allows up to 4 recipes for large orders and 2 for small orders.

The Farmer’s Dog allows you to mix a variety of meal options in one shipment, or you can stick with one flavor.

Winner: The Farmer’s Dog (+1 point)

The Farmer’s Dog wins by a hair because it’s more thorough in gathering health information to find suitable meals for your pet, and it offers additional portion options for those looking for a supplemental plan.

Other products

At Nom Nom, they don’t just stop at dog food. The company also offers two probiotic supplements. One of the dog supplements provides a general boost to your dog’s immune and digestive system by helping them absorb more nutrients from their food. The other is more targeted toward rebalancing the guts of dogs with gastrointestinal issues. You can find out more about these products in our full Nom Nom Dog Food review.

The Farmer’s Dog offers a DIY nutrient pack (with nine essential nutrients) to complete and nutritionally balance homemade meals. You choose which vet-created recipes you’d like to create at home, and The Farmer’s Dog will provide the right supplemental nutrition to complement that particular meal.

Winner: Nom Nom (+1 point)

Nom Nom has developed probiotics to help balance your dog’s microbiome and improve their overall wellness.

>> Read more: The Farmer’s Cat: Does The Farmer’s Dog Make Cat Food?

Price

With both companies, your price per day is going to depend on how much food your dog needs. This is determined by your dog’s size, breed, age, energy levels, the recipes you chose, and other factors. Here’s the pricing breakdown:

Nom Nom’s prices range from $3 a day for small dogs to $11+ a day for large dogs. You can also add a bag of treats to your subscription for an extra $10 to $15. Probiotics cost $40 for a 30-day supply.

We ran a quote for a 60-lb Afghan hound receiving only the cheapest recipe, Chicken, and the total cost was $77 per week. The cost will increase slightly by adding the other recipes to your order. Even with the Chicken recipe, The Farmer’s Dog meals are still less expensive. Nom Nom also offers half-portions that will save you approximately 42%. Our $78.62 order was reduced to $42 per week. Nom Nom states they provide cost savings for less frequent deliveries and offer a multi-pet discount. Learn more: How Much does Nom Nom Cost?

The Farmer’s Dog states that subscriptions start as low as $2 a day and go up to $10+ a day. Some of the recipe options are more expensive than others. You can expect to pay more for the chicken and turkey recipes than the beef and pork options.

For those on a budget, The Farmer’s Dog’s Topper Plan offers smaller meals to mix into and supplement a dog’s old diet. For our 60-lb. Afghan Hound, the Topper Plan gave us 3 different portion options to choose from: a half portion at $37.47 per week, a quarter portion at $28.84 per week, and a little bit more than 1/8th portion at $17.92 per week. Learn more in our guide to The Farmer’s Dog Pricing.

	Nom Nom price	The Farmer’s Dog price
6-lb. Yorkie male	$3.21 day / $22.47 week	$2.80 day / $19.60 week
25-lb. Pembroke Welsh Corgi male	$6 day / $42 week	$5.08 day / $35.56 week
60-lb. Afghan Hound male	$11.23 / $78.62 week	$10.10 day/ $70.74 week

Winner: The Farmer’s Dog (+2 points)

Our calculations found The Farmer’s Dog to cost less than Nom Nom across all recipes. Nom Nom’s prices can be reduced by choosing the Chicken recipe, as it is the least expensive option.

Portioning

At both Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Dog, vet nutritionists carefully calculate the calorie requirements of each dog to determine optimal portion sizes. However, each service portions their meals differently.

Nom Nom packs are small, consisting of a single serving in each pack. If you have a tiny dog, like a Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier, you may get two meals in each pack. These small packs make storing a day’s food in the fridge or freezer easier. And, since they are mostly a single serving, there’s no measuring involved and you know just how many calories your dog is getting. This can help if your dog needs to gain or lose a few pounds. The downside to this convenience is that there is more packaging to recycle.

Nom Nom starts dogs off with transition meals for the first seven days. These consist of 50% of the regular portion, so the dog can slowly adjust to the new diet. You have the option of skipping transition meals if your dog is already eating freshly cooked dog food. If you notice your dog is experiencing unwanted weight loss or gain, Nom Nom encourages you to reach out to them, so they can adjust the portions accordingly.

With The Farmer’s Dog, how many meals you get out of one pack depends on the size of the dog. A small dog may get eight meals (four days worth) per pack, while a large dog may get one or two meals per pack. They suggest this helps them keep costs down and reduce plastic usage.

The meals come in soft bags that need to be cut open and are not resealable. If you have more than one meal per pack, you’ll need to fold up the leftover pack and store it in the fridge in their biodegradable storage container. On the other hand, you won’t need to remember to thaw the food as regularly, and you’ll have less packaging to recycle.

Winner: Nom Nom (+1 point)

If you’re looking for easy, no-brainer portion control, Nom Nom is your winner.

Packaging & sustainability

Packaging & storage

Both companies pack their boxes with enough dry ice to keep the food cold until you get home on delivery day. It should arrive completely frozen and remain that way for several hours, giving you plenty of time to unbox it and store it in your freezer.

In either case, simply pop the next day’s food into the fridge where it will last for about four days, and put the rest in the freezer where, unopened, it will stay safe for up to six months. Thaw the amount needed in the fridge 24 hours in advance.

Nom Nom packs their food in small, easy-open packages, about the size of one or two stacked smartphones, depending on the size of your dog. The small packaging coupled with the option for weekly delivery makes Nom Nom a great choice for those with little freezer space.

The Farmer’s Dog food packs are larger since you’ll get multiple meals out of each pack. This means each pack may take up more fridge space, although the overall amount of food spread between the fridge and freezer should be about the same with either company (assuming the same delivery frequency).

In your first Nom Nom order, you’ll get the meals and a transition and feeding guide.

With your first The Farmer’s Dog order, you’ll get the food, a transition and feeding guide, a storage container, and a reusable, insulated tote bag.

The Farmer’s Dog makes feeding multiple dogs easy by individually labeling each food pack with the dog’s name and their specific feeding instructions. Nom Nom food packs, on the other hand, are not individually labeled by name. Instead, they’re labeled with the number of grams in each pack, so unless the difference in size between your dogs’ meals is obvious, you’ll need to reference the number of grams listed in each dog’s feeding instructions, which are included with each box and in your Nom Nom account.

Sustainability

Both Nom Nom’s and The Farmer’s Dog’s packaging is 100% recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable. Food from both companies arrives quickly in well-insulated, cardboard boxes and is vacuum-sealed to eliminate the need of preservatives or chemicals. 

Additionally, The Farmer’s Dog’s packaging is non-toxic and BPA-free. To prevent you from filling your recycle bin, the food storage container meant to hold your leftovers is biodegradable, and the insulation that lines each shipment is made from cornstarch, so it can be composted or dissolved under running water.

If you really want to be as sustainable as possible, The Farmer’s Dog allows you to order as much as eight weeks of food at a time, reducing the number of packages you receive. Of course, you’ll need the freezer space to store it.

Winner: Nom Nom for packaging, The Farmer’s Dog for sustainability (+.5 points each)

We really like the pre-portioned meals and easy-open seal on Nom Nom food packs. And the fact that the packs are small means they can easily be tucked into tight fridge or freezer spaces. 

However, The Farmer’s Dog’s personalized name labels on each food pack not only look nice, but they’re helpful if you have more than one dog. And the dissolving insulation and option for eight-week order sizes mean less stuff in your recycle bin.

Shipping

Both services provide free shipping to your door. And they’ll even ship to you wherever you’re traveling in the continental U.S. as long as you give them your new location before your next order is processed. Initially, you’ll be shipped two weeks’ worth of food to transition your pet to whole food.

After the initial two-week transition period, Nom Nom defaults to a two-week shipping and billing schedule, but you have the option to change the shipping to every week or every four weeks if you prefer. If you have a tiny dog, like our 6-lb. Yorkie, Nom Nom will default to shipping every four weeks. The company states that it offers a discount for bulk ordering and ordering for multiple dogs or cats.

Nom Nom lets you adjust your shipping schedule so your pup will never run out of food. When your food leaves the Nom Nom kitchen, you’ll receive tracking information to let you know its whereabouts.

After your initial shipment, The Farmer’s Dog’s shipping schedule varies based on how much food is being delivered. It typically defaults to every three weeks for large dogs and every eight weeks for tiny breeds, but you can change the shipping frequency in your account, where you can also edit the address and rush or delay an order, assuming it hasn’t already been processed.

Winner: It depends on your preferences (+.5 points each)

Although both offer great delivery options, Nom Nom takes it a step further and offers weekly delivery, which is helpful for those who have little to no freezer space.

However, if you want to minimize your carbon footprint or you like the idea of rushing or delaying orders when unexpected needs arise, The Farmer’s Dog wins.

Overall winner

	12 total points
The Farmer’s Dog	6.5
Nom Nom	5.5

The Farmer’s Dog wins by a hair, claiming 6.5 of 12 available points. But when you compare Nom Nom vs Farmer’s Dog, you’ll find that both services meet the goal of delivering top-notch dog food right to your door. The decision as to which one is better comes down to the fine details.

We really like how easily you can identify the ingredients in Nom Nom’s food, and yet this also makes the less-desired ingredients able to be avoided by picky eaters. The single-portion food packs make for one less thing to worry about at mealtime. The fact that Nom Nom offers weekly and biweekly shipping means you don’t have to store as much in your freezer. The service goes beyond just dog food, too; so if you are looking for supplements or snacks, Nom Nom may be right for you.

But for many dog owners, price is the top priority. In this case, The Farmer’s Dog wins by a hair. However, because there are so many factors that determine cost, like the dog’s calorie needs, the recipes chosen, and how often you need meals delivered, the best way to find out which service offers a better price for your dog, is to get a quote from each service.

You can do so for free and without any commitments (and score our discounts) by clicking either of the buttons below.

What about Ollie?

Ollie Dog Food is another human-grade meal delivery service that offers high-quality, USDA meats and produce sourced from U.S. farms. More than 60% of Ollie’s recipes are composed of meat, including nutrient-rich organ meats. While they also offer four meal choices, Ollie differs in that it offers a lamb meal instead of pork. And, depending on the calorie needs of your dog, Ollie may be a less expensive option than either Nom Nom or The Farmer’s Dog. 

You can learn more information about this service in our full Ollie dog food review or our comparison guides to The Farmer’s Dog vs Ollie and Nom Nom vs Ollie.

References

1. Pet Food and Feeding Issues by Dr. Michael W. Fox
2. FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy
3. Food Allergies In Dogs by Catherine Barnette, DVM, and Ernest Ward, DVM

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