Simply Meals For Canines overview: A customizable contemporary meals supply service that doesn't require a subscription

Once you purchase by way of our hyperlinks, Insider could earn an affiliate fee. Study extra.

As somebody who has labored within the pet trade for 20 years — as an assistant in veterinary workplaces and as a pets editor and author — I do know extra about the perfect pet food than most.

I’ve at all times fed my canine premium kibble and canned meals, however within the final yr, I attempted out corporations that prepare dinner and ship contemporary pet meals, together with Simply Meals For Canines. On this Simply Meals For Canines overview, the corporate supplied samples to feed my 10-year-old miniature poodle, Jäger. 

Simply Meals For Canines overview

Simply Meals For Canines is nice for pet dad and mom who need choices. You’ll be able to select from 5 several types of meals: 

• Contemporary Frozen: thaw and serve
• Pantry Contemporary: shelf-stable for as much as two years
• Vet Assist: frozen and shelf-stable therapeutic diets that require a prescription out of your veterinarian
• DIY Do-it-yourself Kits: recipes and nutrient blends, to which you add contemporary meat and different elements to make selfmade pet food
• Customized Diets: Formulated for canines with particular wants

Simply Meals For Canines additionally sells its personal line of dietary supplements and treats — and cat meals, too, when you have a feline member of the family.

Methods to order Simply Meals For Canines

Most contemporary pet meals corporations require you to enroll in a subscription that features auto-delivery. Not so with Simply Meals For Canines. Though autoship is obtainable, it isn’t required. 

You should purchase meals on-line at JustFoodForDogs.com, Amazon, Chewy, and Petco — the corporate delivers to all 50 states. However if you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to reside close to one of many firm’s eight open-to-the-public kitchens, you’ll be able to stroll in and purchase your meals. You can too purchase meals in particular person at greater than 200 pantries situated inside veterinary clinics and choose Petco and Pet Meals Categorical places.

Simply Meals For Canines makes all its meals in its USDA-inspected kitchens, that are in California, New York, and Washington, and are staffed by full-time meals security consultants and diet consultants who may also help you select the perfect meals on your canine. Distant consultations are additionally out there.

Earlier than selecting my samples, I had a diet session over the cellphone. My seek the advice of was useful and fairly thorough, but it surely took a while to go over the numerous completely different meal choices. With Contemporary Frozen meals, you’ll be able to select from six recipes.

Pantry Contemporary meals can be found in eight recipes. Every Contemporary Frozen recipe incorporates only one protein supply. Grain-free and gluten-free choices like Fish and Candy Potato and Venison and Squash are additionally out there. My guide arrange my account and positioned my first order. Now I can log in and reorder meals anytime.

Supply and feeding

For the needs of this overview, I chosen two recipes every from the Contemporary Frozen and Pantry Contemporary meal traces. The recipes I attempted price about $30 to $37 every week to feed my 20-pound canine.

My first supply got here on schedule. As a result of I occur to reside near certainly one of Simply Meals For Canines’ kitchens, I used to be capable of have the meals delivered proper to my door through certainly one of their automobiles. My fresh-frozen meals was packed in an insulated bag with frozen gel packs. I obtained e mail alerts letting me know that the driving force was on their method.

As you may count on from the corporate’s identify, Simply Meals For Canines Contemporary Frozen meals appear to be actual meals. Every part is chopped up and blended collectively, however you’ll be able to see the person elements like floor beef, potatoes, and carrots. The consistency of the PantryFresh meals is nearer to canned pet food, however with seen chunks of contemporary elements all through.

Contemporary frozen meals have to be thawed within the fridge in a single day earlier than feeding, however Pantry Contemporary meals may be fed proper out of the field. To find out how a lot to feed your canine in keeping with their weight, examine the beneficial feeding quantities for every recipe. Simply Meals For Canines additionally affords a useful feeding calculator on-line. Though you’ll be able to measure how a lot to feed by the cup, I discovered that measuring by weight with a kitchen scale was extra correct.

What makes Simply Meals For Canines stand out

My canine loves each the Contemporary Frozen and Pantry Contemporary meals. He races to his bowl and licks it clear each time. In reality, that little stinker lately turned up his nostril at certainly one of his favourite canned meals — one thing he is by no means performed earlier than! I can inform that Simply Meals for Canines agrees with him by taking a look at his poops, that are small and fashioned.

I additionally love that every one the elements are inspected and permitted by the USDA for human consumption. I additionally like that the elements and diet info for every recipe are printed proper on the package deal. All recipes have been formulated by a crew of veterinarians to satisfy the dietary ranges established by the AAFCO Canine Meals Nutrient Profiles for upkeep and/or development. And here is one thing huge: Simply Meals For Canines is the one contemporary pet meals firm that has performed feeding trials on its recipes.

The underside line

It ought to come as no shock that contemporary pet meals is dearer than kibble and canned pet food. There’s a increased price related to utilizing high-quality, human-grade elements, using a crew of veterinarians to develop recipes, and conducting feeding trials and different analysis. However many pet homeowners take into account the well being advantages of contemporary, minimally processed pet food effectively value the fee.

We have reviewed and beneficial different contemporary pet meals manufacturers, together with Farmer’s Canine, Nom Nom, Ollie, Pet Plate, and Spot and Tango. However no different contemporary pet meals firm comes shut when it comes to selection and buying choices. For pet homeowners seeking to feed their canines the easiest, Simply Meals For Canines is a superb alternative.

Execs: Contemporary meals, USDA-approved elements, no preservatives or byproducts, six completely different meals sorts, extensive number of recipes to select from plus rotating seasonal specials, veterinary help and customized diets out there, no subscription required (though autoship possibility is accessible), diet consultants out there

Cons: Costly, feeding quantities fluctuate relying on the kind of meals and likewise by recipe, meals packs have to be transferred from the freezer to the fridge to thaw, contemporary meals cannot be overlooked all day like kibble