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I tested each of these natural and organic food brands with my two pooches. Here are my thoughts on the best brands that are safe, healthy, and affordable for your furry friends.
Our pets are our everyday pride and joy. A little puppy love is enough to turn a bad day around. We want the best for them, and that’s why we feed our pets the very best food to ensure they’re healthy and happy. But with so many options out there all claiming to be the best, how do you find the best fit for your pet?
Why choose organic food for our dogs?
Like us, our pets need nourishment from the inside out, and the food we give them plays a huge role in that. Unfortunately, much of the dog food out there is extremely processed and filled with harmful ingredients such as fillers, additives, and artificial ingredients, which can be detrimental to an animal’s health.
Many pet owners find that organic and natural pet food can help with allergies, skin conditions, and digestion issues since it often contains higher-quality ingredients. Plus, organic farming practices are generally better for the environment, so you’re not just benefiting your furry friend but you’re also supporting eco-friendly practices. That’s why we’ve collected some of the best dog food brands that offer healthy and natural formulas with a range of wholesome and integrative nutrition options. (And even meal service subscriptions!)
How to choose the best organic option for your pooch:
Just like humans, our dogs need well-rounded diets with enough fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals that will keep them living long, happy and healthy lives. Also just like humans, our pets also have individual needs: Depending on their breed, lifestyle, and age, your vet might recommend wet or dry food, or even to try something more specialized like a raw diet.
No matter what the ideal diet is, practical constraints come into play here, too. Budgets, freezer access, and other factors play an important role in what kind of food we choose to invest in, too. And of course, there are the pups themselves, who can sometimes be extremely opinionated about what we’re serving!
Our criteria:
Our editors have fed our pets natural and organic foods and researched the best options on the market to put together this list — and then my two pups put them to the test.
Penny and Theo are both Basset mix rescues with distinct dietary needs (and very strong personalities!). Theo is a four-year-old Basset/beagle mix who is the itchiest little hound you ever did meet. He also has the sort of separation anxiety that gives him GI issues — poor guy throws up at least once a month because I had the nerve to leave the house. Penny is a senior Basset/corgi mix who had an accident with a door in her youth that resulted in a broken bag leg and a bunch of surgeries. Add to this her full, gorgeous Reubenesque figure, the arthiritis in both back legs, and, well. Penny is supposed to be losing weight. (But don’t tell her we said so — we think she’s perfect just as she is!)
All of the brands here are clean and organic, have healthy ingredients, and we’ve even included affordable options that rival your normal kibble. We frequently update this list with new favorites that meet the following criteria.
- NATURAL AND ORGANIC | We’ve chosen options that are shown to have natural and organic ingredients with no harmful preservatives, artificial ingredients, or unnecessary fillers.
- HEALTHY | Each of these formulations includes daily essentials to help support your pet’s health and happiness for the long haul.
- AFFORDABLE | We’ve included affordable options — check out the subscriptions! — to keep your pet well-fed without breaking the bank. All of the prices listed below are based on the meal size of a 30-pound medium-sized dog.
Ready to go the natural route with your pets? Whether you’re looking for fresh food, dry food or a mix of both, there’s a perfect option for you and your fur family! Be sure to also check out these sustainable dog beds and nontoxic cleaning supplies too, so your pets stay both comfortable and healthy in your space.
1. Ollie
Best For | Customized meal plan subscriptions
Ingredients | Human-grade ingredients, high-quality meat, plant-based proteins, superfoods
Price Per Meal | Starts at $1.57 per meal
Ollie makes feeding time easy with their customizable fresh and baked meal plans for your pup! Through Ollie’s personalized meal portal, your dog’s food is created specifically for their unique needs and preferences before being delivered to your doorstep. The meals are made without fillers and developed by animal nutritionists with fresh and nutritious ingredients (that are human-grade). Ollie meals last up to 6 months when stored unopened in the freezer, and is good for 4 days once unthawed. Delivery happens weekly on the same day, but is adjustable based on your pup’s needs. Sign us up!
Editor Review | “Ollie was the top brand for both the dogs and for me. I loved the straightforward process of building our meal plan on their website, and how easy it was to make a plan for Theo and Penny separately. We did a mixed wet and dry food service, plus some supplements for each of their more individual needs (skin & coat and calming chews for Theo, hip joint and probiotics for Penny). The wet food came frozen in flat packs that were clearly labeled and easy to fit into our packed freezer, and included a super cute storage container and scoop that made portioning out and storing the food easy and clean! The kibble came with a scoop that doubled as a bag clip, even though the bag had a velcro detail that made it secure enough to close on its own. But the real reason Ollie topped our list was that my dogs transitioned to eating it without any issue at all — no tummy troubles or runny poops. It was the only food on the list that they instantly loved, both wet and dry, and they always beg for it whenever they see the cute coral container. And the icing on the cake? Ollie is actually cheaper than the grocery store brands we’d been feeding them for years!”
2. Nom Nom
Best For | Whole nutrition wet food
Ingredients | High quality meat & vegetables, custom vitamins & minerals mixture, no fillers
Price Per Meal | Starts at $3
Nom Nom meals are developed by Veterinary Nutritionist Dr. Justin Shmalberg, with a focus on real, fresh food. The brand carries a selection of treats and supplements for your dog’s health and longevity, including a gut health testing kit. After a comprehensive analysis, you’ll receive nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations for your dog which work in conjunction with Nom Nom’s fresh meal plans. Nom Nom meals arrive frozen and can be thawed and stored in the fridge as needed so their ready to be served to your pup on-demand — as long as their consumed within 5 days! Try mixing it in with your dog’s current food to help them with the transition into fresh food. Customize your plan and keep your four-legged friend(s) looking and feeling their best!
Editor Review | “Nom Nom’s fresh meals came packed tightly in generously proportioned frozen bundles that seemed like more than our dogs would possibly eat — until they gobbled up every morsel with such gusto we started to worry we didn’t have enough! After filling out a quick but comprehensive survey we put together a custom plan for each dog to support their individual health needs. I was impressed with the quality of the foods, and the way that they calculate the exact caloric portion for you, so you aren’t trying to weigh and measure it all yourself. We usually do a combo of kibble and wet food, but Nom Nom’s gently cooked, well-rounded meals seemed to make the kibble unnecessary. The dogs were so enthusiastic about it that the cat started trying to steal a nibble, too!”
3. Open Farm
Best For | Nutrient-dense, grain-free kibble
Ingredients | Animal welfare certified meats, wild-caught & sustainably-sourced fish, no growth hormones or antibiotics
Price Per Meal | Start at $3
Protein is Open Farm‘s focus when creating quality pet food. The brand’s meat is sourced sustainably from local family farms, and superfoods — like coconut oil, greens, and turmeric — are added to every formula. You’ll be pleased to know that the meals contain 100% animal welfare certified beef, organ meats, and wild-caught salmon. Open Farm offers deliveries based on your preferred schedule as well as one-time purchases if you wanted to give the food a try before committing. Their dry food can be served directly to your pup, while their cooked foods must be thawed first. We love Open Farm’s approach to crafting pet food that’s both nutritious and better for the planet!
Ediotr Review | “Every time I’ve tried a weight management dry food from the grocery store, Penny stands sentry at the full dish, letting out a mournful groan as she forces herself to eat it. Call me a pushover, but life is too short to give this sweet baby yucky food! The Open Farm kibble was a totally different story — unlike other brands that claim to be grain-free while still smelling like cereal, this chicken & whitefish recipe was undoubtedly chockfull of fish. You could smell it from the moment you opened the bag! Don’t be fooled by Penny’s prone position while I offered her this dish in the photo below — our queen is often lounging, but that is Penny in fullout begging-mode.”
4. Viva Raw
Best For | Raw diets
Ingredients | USDA-inspected & humanely-raised meat, organic fruits & veggies, whole food supplements
Price Per Meal | Starts at $6
Viva Raw’s dog food recipes are complete and balanced. The brand’s collaborated with multiple vets and nutritionists to develop their recipes, testing over 50 whole food ingredients to ensure they exceed minimum nutrient requirements and enhance pet health. Sourcing high-quality, USDA-inspected meat from humane farms, each meal is ground, mixed, and packaged in their facility, only requiring thawing before feeding. Delivered every four weeks, Viva’s subscription box is a great way to test out their collection of available foods to see what your pup loves best!
Editor Review | “I was equal parts excited and freaked out to try the raw diets for our pups, but nothing could have prepared me for their reaction — which was, in a word, suspicious. They circled the bowls for a full minute the first night I offered it, as if they thought I was trying to trick them (we do tend to give medicine in only really special food, so I guess this was on us!). The second night, however, they went bananas for it! We gradually introduced the meat to their diet, and it was exciting to offer such options as rabbit or duck along with the more familiar chicken and beef. After a week, we noticed their poops were smaller, which is apparently one of the positive side effects! I personally didn’t love having so much raw meat around to store, defrost, and sanitize around, but the dogs were all in.”
5. The Honest Kitchen
Best For | Sensitive stomachs
Ingredients | Non-GMO produce, human-grade ingredients, organic grains, Marine Stewardship Council certified fish
Price Per Meal | Starts at $2
We love how transparent The Honest Kitchen is about where they source ingredients. Along with being committed to creating human-grade food, the brand crafts dog and cat food with wholesome ingredients, like free-range chicken and organic quinoa. Customers report seeing 80% improvement in their pets’ digestion and a 77% improvement in their wellbeing and energy levels. Impressive! To save some cash, consider The Honest Kitchen’s subscription where you can save 25% off your order, plus get your dog’s food delivered based on their needs. These meals are ready to serve and are shelf-stable before opening — just be sure to store in a dry, cool place!
Editor Review | “We tried a few things from The Honest Kitchen, including their kibble, a dehydrated whole grain and meat food, and a broth topper. The dehydrated mix was sort of like if soup and oatmeal had a baby — it looked like mush but smelled like Campbell’s. I was intrigued by it as a cost-effective and space-saving alternative to bulky frozen meals, and love the extended shelf life — without sacrificing on nutrition. The dogs wouldn’t touch it on its own, but mixed with the broth topper or a kibble did the trick. Theo was more reluctant with this one but Penn gobbled it down quite eagerly.”
6. Maev
Best For | Whole, unprocessed foods
Ingredients | Human-grade & USDA certified food, AAFCO-approved
Price Per Meal | Starts at $5
Maev dog food emphasizes the importance of unprocessed, nutrient-dense whole foods and proteins for dogs. Made with recognizable real ingredients, Maev’s raw formulas support seven essential health benefits, including weight and digestion, hip and joint health, anxiety and calming, skin and coat health, immune health, oral health, and early development. The food is frozen to protect ingredients, promote nutrient absorption, and support dental health. Easy to prepare, simply rip, open, pour, and serve. Delivery frequencies are also flexible too!
Editor Review | “Maev’s frozen, unprocessed dog food was the one I was most excited to try, mostly due to its total novelty. The frozen bags of food were packed with USDA certified raw proteins — including organ meats — supplements like peanut butter and fiber-rich chicory root, and recognizable fruits and veg like green beans and blueberries. The brand recommends serving the meal as is — frozen. They say you can let it sit for 10-15 minutes to soften the texture, but they also warn about sanitizing the area so we just opted to do it cold. We also got some frozen bone broth toppers that looked like sugar cubes. The dogs were confused at first — we have never had dogs who love vegetables, though I know they’re out there! After a few days, they were ready for the temperature and the texture, and they seemed to be enjoying it more. Theo is a weirdo who picked pieces out and left them all over the house, which meant we were often stepping on little thawed globs of peanut butter and beef liver in the early days. By the time we finished the samples, however, even my suspicious little beagle was wolfing down his greens! I wouldn’t recommend this one for anyone who lacks freezer space, however — this one was by far the more cumbersome to accommodate, since it doesn’t come pre-portioned, but in large bags.”
7. PetPlate
Best For | Widest variety
Ingredients | Human-grade ingredients
Price Per Meal | Starts at $2
PetPlate checks all of the boxes. The brand delivers personalized, vet-formulated meals that are made with kettle-cooked USDA meats, fruits, and veggies — and without artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. They’re human-grade, calorie-based, and flash-frozen to lock in freshness. PetPlate’s frozen meals can be stored in the freezer for up to a year and in the fridge for up to 5 days, while their non-perishables can be kept in a cool dry place. Deliveries occur weekly — plus we’re loving that PetPlate offers baked and cooked options, as well as toppers for dogs who prefer different textures. And they come in resealable pre-portioned containers! Your pup will thank you.
Customer Review | “What a fabulous product! My very picky eater LOVES this food and scarfs it up as soon as I put it down—which has never happened with any other food. His stomach issues have also cleared up and he seems more energetic. So happy we switched!” – Kelly R. (Read all reviews.)
Stephanie H. Fallon is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a writer originally from Houston, Texas and holds an MFA from the Jackson Center of Creative Writing at Hollins University. She lives with her family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she writes about motherhood, artmaking, and work culture. Since 2022, she has been reviewing sustainable home and lifestyle brands, fact-checking sustainability claims, and bringing her sharp editorial skills to every product review. Say hi on Instagram or on her website.
