Dr. Heather's Top Fresh Food Delivery Picks for Your Pup
Pet food is a $60 billion industry in the United States, $120 billion globally -- and the market is saturated with many processed dry and canned foods whose labels boast that they are “veterinary recommended,” “all-natural,” “holistic,” or “limited ingredient." But the vast majority of these foods were, in product testing, found to have ingredients not listed on the label. In a marketplace flooded with mediocre products, my job as a veterinarian is to prioritize pet welfare and to recommend the best diets I can find.
I am extremely selective when it comes to recommending good pet foods. The ideal food can slow a pet’s rate of aging, optimizing their health and quality of life -- but it's not enough for it just to be nutritionally balanced and complete. Ideally, it should also be designed by a veterinarian, made with quality ingredients from trustworthy and sustainable sources, minimally processed to preserve essential nutrients and minimize byproducts and other unwanted and potentially carcinogenic ingredients, and comprised of the best micronutrients for pets’ optimal physical and mental health.
Many conscientious pet parents like to prepare food for their pets at home, and there's nothing wrong with that, as long as they've consulted a nutritionist or have ensured that the food is balanced by adding the necessary fats and vitamins and minerals. But many pet parents simply don’t have the time in their busy lives to cook for themselves, let alone their pets. To make busy lives easier, I’ve compiled a list of my top five dog foods that are sourced and made in America, including foods that happen to be grain-free but do not contain any of the ingredients that were initially identified by the FDA in 2019 to be associated with the development of heart issues in dogs. I recommend these foods for my patients as the basic building blocks of optimal health and longevity.
Evermore Pet Food is made with Animal Welfare Certified, organic ingredients as often as available, and their protein sources are grass-fed and free-range with the utmost attention paid to the humane conditions and sustainability of their food animal sources. Over 90% of the ingredients are sourced from California and the Pacific Northwest. This is human-grade food made in a USDA/FDA-inspected human-grade kitchen with food safety a top priority; each batch is lab-tested for pathogens. They use a low-heat (sous-vide) cooking method that vacuum-seals their meals in BPA-free, food-safe pouches to preserve nutrients and increase food safety, with improved flavor. Evermore is low-carbohydrate and high protein, and includes organ meats with macronutrient breakdowns of each recipe on their website. This food is frozen and shipped directly to your door; options include Mary’s Free-Range Heirloom Chicken, 100% Grass-Fed Regenerative Farmer Beef, Mary’s Free-Range Turkey, or 100% Grass Fed Atkins Ranch Lamb, specifically formulated for adults. They are in the process of adding high-quality pork to the dog food repertoire (and two recipes for cats) in the coming months.
Raised Right Pets is a veterinarian-formulated real food diet that utilizes human-grade ingredients in a human-grade kitchen, and every batch is lab-tested for safety. This food is low in carbohydrates to reduce the glycemic load and blood glucose spikes after meals. These are single-source protein meals that include organ meats, and all of the ingredients are sourced from reputable farms that are traceable on the Raised Right website. They boast carbon-free shipping through a partnership with carbonfund.org to offset carbon emissions, and are Certified Plastic Neutral through a partnership with rePurpose Global that removes equivalent amounts of plastic from the ecosystem for every package of food sold. This food is lightly cooked and frozen before shipping directly to your door. Their recipes include Turkey, Beef, or Chicken options, and recipes are formulated specifically for adults or puppies (and Chicken or Turkey for adult cats). They have recently added veterinary recipes for kidney support as well as pancreatic support for dogs.
Chi Dog uses human-grade unprocessed high quality real (lean) meat and veggies, without organ meat, making this diet very easily digestible for the youngest or oldest pets. This is a veterinarian-developed and formulated food that not only meets and exceeds AAFCO standards for all life stages, but also utilizes key healing concepts in Traditional Chinese Veterinary medicine, fostering the “food is medicine” ideal. This is low carbohydrate food to reduce the glycemic load and blood glucose spikes after eating. This food is made in a USDA-certified kitchen with safety and quality at the forefront. This food is lightly cooked and frozen before shipping directly to your door. Their recipes include Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Beef, and Pork options that are formulated for adults and puppies. Use code DR. Heather at checkout
Steve's Real Food has made a commitment to sustainability and the ethical treatment of animals, using free-range poultry, grass-fed beef, and humanely raised pork in their recipes. All of their farms are USDA-certified and raise human-grade food animals and produce, and are completely traceable on their website. This is a fresh, raw, whole ingredient food made with non-GMO and pesticide-free ingredients, with minimal processing to ensure maximal nutrient retention. Food safety is ensured through ultra-quality sourcing, manufacturing in FDA-inspected facility, high-pressure processing using cold water to eliminate harmful pathogens while retaining essential nutrients, in addition to small batch production with safety testing prior to sale. Recipes incorporate muscle meat, organ meat, bone, and fresh superfoods for optimal vitamin and mineral content. Recipes include AGRI beef, Mary’s Free-Range turkey, Carlton Farms pork, Draper Valley Farms chicken, Maple Leaf Farms (duck) turducken, BAP-, ASC-certified and Certified Sustainable Pacific Seafood White Fish, or Amaroo Hills (emu) and Superior Farms (lamb) Lamu in frozen or freeze-dried varieties. Their freeze-dried varieties are very convenient for travel and pets on the go. These recipes are all formulated for adults but only the whitefish, lamu, pork, and chicken recipes are formulated for puppies.
Darwin's Natural Selection Products are completely balanced, species-specific ancestral diets that are formulated under the guidance of several renowned veterinary nutritionists exceeding AAFCO (American), FEDIAF (European), and NRC (National) standards. Recipes contain high protein, low carbohydrate, and high moisture levels. These unprocessed meats are made fresh, vacuum-sealed, and then frozen 100% raw. They incorporate human-quality and ethically sourced ingredients from free-range, cage-free, or pasture-raised USDA meats free of steroids, hormones, and antibiotics and organic vegetables. These recipes are free of grains, fillers, or chemical preservatives, and are delivered directly to your door. The Natural Selections product line is formulated for adults and puppies, although it is recommended to lightly sauté for 8-12 minutes if feeding puppies under 4 months of age. Their Intelligent Design Prescription Veterinary Meals feature formulas for kidney support, liver support, cancer support, and joint maintenance/support. Use code DR. Heather at checkout.
With a proper food transition taking place gradually over one week, these diets can be successfully incorporated without digestive upset and many times pets will stop experiencing flatulence and other gastrointestinal symptoms within a week of eating the new food. Stools may become smaller and pets can experience weight loss if that is a goal, as the food quality and digestibility has increased compared to a processed food. Most importantly, your pet’s engagement, activity level, and mobility can improve dramatically once diet and nutrition have been optimized.
Happy feeding!
-Dr. Heather
