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Freshpet Dog Food Review 2025
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Vet recommended
Written by Wag! Staff
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 05/30/2023, edited: 03/20/2025
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
Overview
Since launching in 2006, Freshpet has grown into a major player in the dog food game, with millions of pet parents serving Freshpet products to their pups. Freshpet focuses on producing pet food with premium, locally sourced, fresh ingredients. All meat, fruits, and vegetables used in Freshpet's foods are reared and grown in the USA and delivered fresh daily to Freshpet's kitchens in Bethlehem, PA.
Freshpet's extensive line includes fresh rolled and roasted dog foods made with all-natural ingredients. But is Fresh dog food good? Keep scrolling for Wag!'s in-depth Freshpet dog food review.
Freshpet dog food product ranges and flavors
Freshpet has a huge dog food range, with seven sub-brands including Vitals, Nature's Fresh, and Homestyle Creations.
All Freshpet dog food recipes are "complete and balanced," meeting the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient profile guidelines for maintenance (adults), growth (puppies), or all life stages.
Read the nutritional statement printed on each dog food label for more info.
Freshpet Roasted Meals Dog Food
Freshpet Freshly Roasted Meals
Freshpet's Freshly Roasted Meals range includes three delicious recipes, one of which is grain-free. Both chicken recipes are high in animal protein, with chicken and chicken liver are the first two ingredients.
The Roasted Meals Grain Free Chicken Recipe contains pea protein and pea fiber as grain alternatives. Ground oats are listed as the third ingredient in the grain-inclusive recipe, with rice bran and eggs rounding out the top five ingredients. Oats are a great fiber source and are rich in zinc, iron, and B vitamins.
Freshpet Freshly Roasted Meals also offers a grain-free formula that's a good choice for dogs who are allergic to grains or need less protein in their diet. The first ingredient in both recipes is US-farm-raised chicken. Potato, pea protein, and spinach act as excellent secondary protein sources.
Freshpet Roasted Meals contain an average of 42.4% protein as dry matter, which is above average for fresh dog food.
Freshly Roasted Meal flavors:
- Roasted Meals Tender Chicken with Garden Vegetables
- Multi-Protein Complete Meal: Chicken, Beef, Egg & Salmon
- Roasted Meals Grain-Free Chicken with Garden Vegetables
Freshpet Fresh from the Kitchen
Freshpet's Fresh from the Kitchen range consists of a single recipe: Freshpet Home Cooked Chicken. This fresh food is packed with texture and color, with shredded chicken, cranberries, and carrots making up the first three ingredients.
Cranberries are rich in antioxidants, while carrots contain beta-carotene, which produces vitamin A. Pea protein and pea fiber round out the top five ingredients. Freshpet Home Cooked Chicken Recipe contains 51.5% protein as dry matter.
Freshpet Homestyle Creations Dog Food
Freshpet Homestyle Creations
Freshpet Homestyle Creations is a high-protein, semi-moist refrigerated dog food line in three flavors. The two multi-protein recipes feature chunks of crumbled meat and veggies, while the chicken recipe features chicken-like patties complete with "grill" marks.
Like most Freshpet products, the ingredients list is minimal, featuring whole foods like meat, veggies, fruit, and natural preservatives like citric acid.
Freshpet Homestyle Creations are overall excellent quality, with unprocessed meat as the top ingredient and fewer than ten primary ingredients. Homestyle Creation recipes contain 50.3% protein as dry matter on average.
Freshpet Homestyle Creations flavors:
- Beef, Chicken & Turkey Recipe
- Chicken & Turkey Recipe
- Tender Chicken Complete Meal
Freshpet Multi-Protein and Small Dog Foods
Freshpet Multi-Protein dog food
The Freshpet Multi-Protein recipes contain multiple meat
sources that provide a variety of health benefits. All Multi-Protein
products include salmon, which is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for skin and coat health.
All recipes list a quality meat source as the top ingredient. As they contain multiple meat sources, Freshpet Multi-Protein may not be suitable for pups with food allergies or sensitivities. Freshpet Multi-Protein recipes comprise an average of 44.8% protein as dry matter.
Freshpet Multi-Protein flavors:
- Chicken, Beef, Egg & Salmon
- Complete Meal: Chicken, Beef, Egg & Salmon
- Small Dog Multi-Protein with Sweet Potatoes
Freshpet Bite Size and Small Dog foods
Freshpet's small dog range is formulated to have the correct
levels of protein and fat for small dogs. It's also made with smaller
pieces to reduce the risk of choking and help with digestion.
Freshpet's small dog recipes contain an average of 42.7% protein on average, which is above average for small breed fresh dog food.
Freshpet Bite Size & Small Dog flavors:
- Bite Size Chicken
- Bite Size Beef
- Small Dog Chicken & Turkey with Cranberries & Spinach
- Small Dog Multi-Protein with Sweet Potatoes
Freshpet Slice & Serve Roll Tender Chicken Dog Food
Freshpet Slice & Serve Roll dog food
In addition to the product ranges above, Freshpet also includes other Slice & Serve Roll products, as well as several health specific varieties.
The overall quality of these rolled foods is good — each recipe is made primarily of meat, with broth, eggs, and brown rice among the secondary ingredients. They contain no animal by-products. Freshpet adds EPA and DHA fatty acids to its puppy recipe to help pups grow up healthy and strong.
The Sensitive Stomach & Skin: Steam Cooked Chicken Recipe is rich in fiber, containing chicken, pumpkin, and brown rice for easy digestion. Vitamin A and omega fatty acids are added to improve skin and coat health.
Freshpet Complete Nutrition is grain-inclusive rolled recipe designed to support digestion and marketed as being as close as possible to a homemade meal. It's advertised as including ancient grains (brown rice and oats) which improve digestion and help maintain a healthy weight.
One downside is these rolled foods can have high fat-to-protein ratios. For example, The Tender Chicken Slice & Serve Roll contains 43.1% protein as dry matter but 31.8% fat as dry matter.
Freshpet Slice & Serve Roll dog food flavors:
- Puppy Chicken, Egg & Vegetable
- Tender Chicken
- Grain-Free Chicken
- Chunky Beef
- Chunky Chicken and Turkey
- Sensitive Stomach & Skin: Steam Cooked Chicken
- Complete Nutrition Chicken Recipe with Wholesome Grains
- Healthy Senior: Chicken with Cranberries & Carrots
Freshpet Vital dog food
Freshpet Vital is a line of limited-ingredient dog food available in grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties. Freshpet Vital has over 20 offerings, including their signature paté rolls and fresh chunky-style dog food.
This line has something for just about every dog, including recipes for large breeds, small breeds, and puppies.
Fresh Vital recipes are generally high in protein. For example, Vital Fresh Cuts Chicken with Sweet Potatoes consists of 50% protein as dry matter.
Like the other Freshpet subranges, Freshpet Vital contains no artificial preservatives, meat meals, or GMOs.
Vital Roll
These paté-style logs come in four grain-free flavors and contain named proteins like chicken and beef as the first ingredient. They also feature antioxidant-packed superfoods like cranberries, spinach, sweet potatoes, and blueberries.
One drawback of these rolls is they can be high in fat, making them unsuitable for pooches who are prone weight gain. For example, the Beef & Bison with Spinach, Cranberries & Blueberries contains as much as 33.3% fat aa dry matter.
Vital Roll flavors:
- Grain-Free Beef & Bison with Spinach, Cranberries & Blueberries
- Grain-Free Small Breed Multi-Protein
- Grain-Free Multi-Protein with Cranberries, Spinach, Blueberries & Sweet Potatoes
- Grain-Free Chicken, Beef & Salmon Puppy
Vital Fresh Cuts
Vital Fresh Cuts is a single-recipe line that is set apart from the rest by its meaty shreds and chunks of real veggies.
At 51% protein as dry matter and just 182 calories, Fresh Cuts Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Carrots is an optimal choice for dogs that want to maintain lean muscle. And since it is formulated for all life stages, it could be a great choice for multi-dog households.
Freshpet Vital Dog Food
Vital Large Breed
The Vital line has just one recipe for large breeds: a chicken, beef, egg & salmon recipe with pumpkin & spinach. These large chicken nugget-like chunks are formulated to support common concerns of large breeds like heart and joint issues.
The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin helps prevent joint stiffness and pain, while omega fatty acids reduce inflammation. Plus, it includes essential amino acids like L-carnitine and taurine, which help with energy levels and heart health.
Vital Bags
If your dog is not big on paté-like food, vital bags could be worth trying. This sub-range has a fresh, kibble-like consistency and is gently cooked to preserve maximum nutrients. It comes in three grain-free and one grain-inclusive recipe. It also features two formulas with smaller semi-moist chunks specially designed for smaller mouths.
Vital Bags flavors:
- Grain-Free Chicken, Beef, Salmon & Egg with Antioxidant-Rich Fruits & Vegetables
- Grain-Free Small Breed Chicken with Carrots, Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries
- Grain-Free Beef with Lamb & Antioxidant-Rich Fruits & Vegetables
- Small Breed Beef, Turkey & Lamb (grain-inclusive)
Vital Benefits
Vital Benefits is a line of limited-ingredient recipes with additional benefits like glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, pre- and postbiotics for digestion, and an antioxidant-rich recipe to support aging. This line has two bagged recipes and one roll recipe.
Vital Benefits flavors:
- Healthy Aging: Chicken & Salmon with Cranberries, Sweet Potatoes & Carrots (roll)
- Joint Health & Mobility: Chicken and Salmon with Cranberries & Green Beans (bag)
- Digestive Health: Chicken with Pumpkin & Spinach (bag)
Vital Balanced Nutrition
Vital Balanced Nutrition takes the same flavors your dog loves about their vital line and adds fiber-rich whole grains for healthy digestion. This line has two rolls and one bagged recipe.
Vital Balanced Nutrition flavors:
- Chicken with Peas, Carrots & Brown Rice (roll)
- Turkey with Carrots, Brown Rice & Spinach (roll)
- Chicken with Whole Grain & Green Beans (bag)
Freshpet Nature's Fresh, Deli Fresh, & Custom Meals
Freshpet Nature's Fresh dog food
Nature's Fresh is Freshpet's eco-friendly and humane pet food line. What sets this range apart from the others is the dedication to sustainable and humanely sourced ingredients. For instance, the chicken for these recipes complies with the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) for humane treatment.
Freshpet sources this range's veggies and grains from regenerative farms, and all of these recipes are crafted in eco-friendly kitchens. This line offers both grain and grain-free recipes as well as bagged and roll options.
Nature's Fresh formulas are among the best Freshpet offers — they consist of 85% animal protein sources and nutritious brown rice, eggs, and carrots.
Like many of Freshpet's recipes, Nature's Fresh can be high in fat. Most recipes contain around 27.5% fat as dry matter, which is above-average for wet dog food.
Freshpet Nature's Fresh flavors:
- Beef with Garden Vegetables & Grains (roll)
- Chicken with Carrots, Brown Rice & Spinach (roll)
- Grain-Free Turkey with Spinach, Cranberries & Blueberries (roll)
- Grain-Free Atlantic Salmon & Wild Alaskan Pollock (roll)
- Grain-Free Chicken with Carrots & Spinach (bag)
- Grain-Free Small Breed Chicken (bag)
Freshpet Deli Fresh dog food
If your pooch is spoiled on table food, Freshpet's Deli Fresh line might be just what they're searching for. This steam-cooked, semi-moist chunked food is crafted with real non-GMO chicken and fresh veggies to satisfy your pup.
The Freshpet Deli Fresh line is outstanding quality with chicken, chicken liver, eggs, cranberries, and spinach among the main ingredients. Both recipes are grain-free with pea fiber and potatoes as the main fiber sources. They contain around 30% fat as dry matter, which means they aren't the best choice for overweight pups.
Freshpet Deli Fresh flavors:
- Grain-Free Chicken with Cranberries & Spinach
- Grain-Free Chicken with Spinach and Potato
Freshpet Delivery Custom Meals
With the rise in fresh dog food delivery services like Farmer's Dog and Ollie, it's no surprise that Freshpet has decided to jump on the bandwagon too. Like similar services, fresh pet has a short quiz prospective customers can take to help build a custom nutrition plan for their pets.
Freshpet Delivery Custom Meals flavors:
- Multiprotein
- Beef & Chicken
- Shredded Chicken
Why Wag! likes Freshpet dog food
Here are a few reasons why Freshpet might be the right choice for your mutt.
Recommended by our vet team (with one catch...)
Do vets recommend Freshpet dog food? Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, member of Wag!’s licensed veterinary team, recommends Freshpet to her clients — but there's just one catch. "This food is very high in fat," says Dr. Jeremiah. So if your woofer needs to watch their weight, you may want to look elsewhere or feed smaller portions according to your vet's recommendations.
Despite the high fat content, Dr. Jeremiah says Freshpet's minimally processed foods "may be a good option for dogs with certain health conditions, such as food allergies or digestive issues."
No meat meal or fillers
One of the top reasons Wag! likes Freshpet is its dog foods contain no meat meal — all meat in Freshpet's recipes is all-natural and high-quality. A lack of fillers and meat meal means Freshpet dog foods are highly digestible and may be better for dogs with sensitive stomachs than other diets.
Steam-cooked to preserve nutrients
All Freshpet products are steam-cooked to retain as much nutritious goodness as possible. All
foods are cooked to FDA and USDA standards and go through 20 quality and
safety checks before shipping.
Locally sourced ingredients
Another reason we like Freshpet is for its transparency about where its ingredients are sourced. Freshpet states on its website that the brand sources all its vegetables, fruits, and meat from the USA. All Freshpet's food is refrigerated rather than canned or frozen, adding to its overall quality.
Concerns & considerations
Now that we've covered some of the pros of Freshpet dog food, let's take a closer look at things to consider before purchasing.
High fat content
As mentioned, many Freshpet dog foods have a high fat content, which can contribute to obesity in inactive dogs and pups that gain weight easily. Freshpet dog foods can comprise over 30% fat as dry matter, which is considerably more than you'd expect to find in typical canned foods and kibbles.
Some controversial ingredients
The ingredients lists of many Freshpet dog foods include "natural flavors", which are used to enhance flavor. A lack of transparency about what these natural flavors contain may concern some pet parents.
Freshpet dog foods also contain carrageenan, a thickening agent made from edible seaweed, which has caused controversy. Some studies suggest carrageenan can contribute to gastrointestinal issues in dogs. However, these studies are inconclusive.
Sodium selenite is another controversial ingredient in Freshpet dog food. It's an essential mineral but is toxic in high doses and is potentially more harmful than other chemical forms of selenium.
Cost
Like most fresh and refrigerated pet foods made with high-quality ingredients, Freshpet dog food is pricier than other dog foods on the market. At the time of writing, a 4.5-lb bag of Freshpet Vital Fresh Cuts Chicken costs $39.99 on Chewy, which works out to $8.89 per lb.
Short shelf life
Because it's refrigerated, Freshpet has a shorter shelf life than most dog foods. Opened bags and rolls of Freshpet food will stay good for up to seven days in the fridge.
What pet parents say about Freshpet dog food
"This is the only dog food my Beagle will eat. She loves the chicken logs. I love the fact that it's healthy. Sure do wish you had coupons though. They would help with affording the cost monthly. She also likes the treats that Freshpet makes. But we cannot always get them due to the high price."
"My French bulldog, Leo, had environmental and food allergies that were leading to rashes and gastrointestinal issues for over a year. I researched raw food diets and decided to try him on your food. Since transitioning to your food, he hasn’t had problems with either. We even buy the turkey treats, he loves them! We are so grateful we found your product. Thank you!"
"I have been feeding my dog Freshpet chicken dog food for approximately six months. I have had a repeated 15 minutes situation where the food spoils within 24 hours of the bag being opened. Our latest experience is that this food has made our dog very very sick. I suggest know when use this product. We will never use it again."
Freshpet dog food history
Freshpet got its start in 2006 when it was founded by a group of three former pet food execs. A year prior, the group, Jill Coppola, Scott Morris, and Cathal Walsh, had met in a cafe to discuss their idea to bring fresh, refrigerated pet food to the masses.
The company began in Secaucus, New Jersey, but it wasn't long before it expanded its operations to Pennsylvania, breaking ground on its Quakertown, Pennsylvania factory and acquiring a second facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, just seven years later. 2014 was another big year for Freshpet, as they became publicly traded. In 2020, they opened yet another factory to help meet the demand for their products, this time in Ennis, Texas.
Freshpet started with just a few recipes but has since added tons of variety and sub-lines to its brand, including Dog Joy, DogNation, and Spring & Sprout. Big things are still underway for Freshpet, and just this past year, they moved their headquarters to Bedminster, New Jersey. We can't wait to see what all this company has in store in the future!
Freshpet dog food recalls
Freshpet dog food has been recalled twice in its history as of March 2025.
2021 recall
Pet parents were advised to stop feeding this food to their dogs immediately and contact Freshpet for a refund. There were no reports of illness or injury due to this recall.
2022 recall
Pet parents with this product were advised to stop feeding it to their dogs and dispose of the food. They were also advised to contact Freshpet with the item's sell-by date and UPC code. There were no reports of illness as a result of this recall.
Images sourced from Chewy and Freshpet. Copyright Freshpet.
FAQ
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