- March 16, 2024
An Expert Breakdown – Dogster
Our Final Verdict
We give Nom Nom a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Ingredients: 4.75/5
Variety: 5/5
Convenience: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5
It’s no secret anymore that traditional dry kibble diets are not the healthiest option for dogs. Not only are they highly processed and filled with suspect ingredients, but they offer very little variety in terms of nutrition and flavor. That’s why so many dog owners are turning to fresh pet food delivery services like Nom Nom.
Nom Nom was one of the first companies to offer customizable, pre-proportioned dog meals delivered to your door. They got their start in 2015 and, since then, have gained quite the following.
I am always interested in maximizing my dogs’ nutrition game and was very excited to give Nom Nom a try.
If my dogs were writing this article, it would be quite short because there is no question that they loved this food! But I’m a little more critical when it comes to what I’ll feed my furbabies.
Keep reading to find out what I love about this fresh pet food and where I see room for improvement in my full Nom Nom review, below.
At a Glance: What We Reviewed
About Nom Nom
Nom Nom is a customizable fresh pet food delivery service. They specialize in creating pre-proportioned meals for dogs using fresh, healthy ingredients.
After filling out information on your dog and their needs, Nom Nom creates perfectly sized meals and sends them straight to your door. They also offer tasty-jerky treat add-ons and probiotic supplements.
Who Makes Nom Nom and Where is it Produced?
Nom Nom was started in San Francisco in 2015. They quickly expanded, adding a new headquarters and kitchen in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2022, Nom Nom was purchased by Mars, who also owns Royal Canin, a kibble and canned dog food company. Nom Nom still operates autonomously and all of their meals are still cooked in small batches in their San Francisco and Nashville kitchens.
Which Type of Dog is Nom Nom Best Suited For?
With multiple recipe options and pre-proportioned meals, Nom Nom is a great choice for any dog who could benefit from a nutrition makeover. Whether you’re looking to improve on your dog’s kibble by supplementing with fresh food or want to go all-in on real meat and veggies, Nom Nom has you covered.
They’re also a great option for overweight pets who need help shedding some pounds. The company’s questionnaire will help identify the right amount of food to feed based on your pet’s current weight and body condition. And since the meals come in separate packages with no measuring required, you don’t have to worry about overfeeding.
Overview
Nom Nom takes the guesswork out of feeding your pet fresh fare. In this overview, we’ll take a closer look at their subscription service and dive deep into the ingredients that go into their meals.
Subscription
While there are many ways to buy Nom Nom (they’re now available on Chewy!), their most convenient option is their subscription service. With this option, you get perfectly proportioned meals sent right to your door so you never run out of food.
The first step to start this process is to fill out Nom Nom’s online questionnaire. Most importantly, you’ll tell them your dog’s age, weight, activity level, and preferences. Based on this, they’ll calculate how much food should go into each meal.
Your first box will arrive shortly after you finish this process. All the meals are shipped frozen in insulated boxes with dry ice. They should be stored frozen and thawed in the fridge overnight, as needed.
The next shipment will arrive before you run out of food. For most plans, this means one shipment every four weeks. However, this can vary depending on how much your dog eats and how often they are getting Nom Nom meals.
Subscription orders can be rescheduled through your profile and the service can be canceled at any time.
Meat
Each of Nom Nom’s four different recipes starts with the primary meat ingredient. When looking for quality dog food in the fresh food or kibble category, having a real, named meat ingredient first on the ingredients list is a great sign. Nom Nom definitely aces this test.
With the exception of beef fat added to the turkey recipe, all recipes include only one animal protein type. This is great for dogs with protein sensitivities who may not be able to eat certain types of meat.
All recipes also include added fish oil, a great source of omega fatty acids. The beef and turkey recipes include egg, a great source of protein and fat.
On the downside, none of these recipes include organ meat or ground bone. While these “extra cuts” are not overly appetizing to humans, they are important for dog nutrition.
Organ meat, like liver and heart, is packed with folate, vitamin B12, and many other vitamins and minerals not found in high quantities in muscle meat. Bones also have a valuable role in dog nutrition by supplying calcium. This vital mineral is important for growth, cardiovascular health, and muscle function.
Nom Nom makes up for a lack of “whole prey” ingredients by adding extra synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Carbohydrates
One great way to add more nutrition to your dog’s diet is to include low-starch, nutrient-dense vegetables. Nom Nom does a great job of this.
Each recipe contains a different combination of vegetables. These include:
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Green beans
- Squash
- Kale
- Cremini mushrooms
These veggies are a great natural source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Because they’re lightly cooked, they are easier for dogs’ systems to digest than raw vegetables. Plus, they are low in starch, a type of carbohydrate that many dogs struggle to process well.
The carbohydrate ingredients I am less excited about are the peas, potatoes, and brown rice. While these do offer some nutritional value, they are high in starch and often included in dog foods to up the protein content or as fillers.
Added Vitamins and Minerals
The one thing that surprised me the most about Nom Nom’s recipes is the inclusion of a long list of synthetic nutrients. This list is very similar to what you’ll find on the ingredients list for most kibble recipes.
Added synthetic vitamins and minerals are necessary to fill nutrient gaps left by the included whole food ingredients. Kibble typically has a lot of added nutrients because most of the nutrients found in the whole food ingredients are destroyed during processing.
The fresh, whole food ingredients in Nom Nom are only lightly cooked and not pressure processed, which helps preserve their nutrients. But a lack of organ meat and bone means that adding calcium, zinc, copper, and other nutrients is necessary to meet AAFCO nutrition standards.
Macronutrients
Compared to most commercial dog foods, Nom Nom’s recipes contain a much healthier ratio of macronutrients.
All recipes contain plenty of protein, with Pork Potluck having the least at 28% and Chicken Cuisine having the most at 37%. They also all contain a good amount of fat, between 17 and 26%. Fat is an important macronutrient for dogs and helps provide energy and maintain a healthy coat.
Reviews of the Nom Nom Recipes
1. Beef Mash
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas |
| Calories: | 182 kcal/cup |
| Protein: | 8% (34% dry matter) |
| Fat: | 4% (17% dry matter) |
| Fiber: | 1% (4% dry matter) |
This hearty recipe features ground beef, russet potatoes, peas, and carrots. With 34% protein and 17% fat, it’s a wonderful option for moderately active adult dogs.
In terms of calorie content, it sits in the middle of the Nom Nom recipe spectrum at 182 kcal per cup.
With plenty of beef, added fish oil, and natural flavors, this recipe is a favorite of doggies everywhere, even those picky eaters. Because it doesn’t contain any chicken or chicken fat or grains, it is also a great option for dogs with common allergies.
Like all Nom Nom’s recipes, this one is prepared fresh to order in small batches. It was formulated by a Board Certified Veterinarian and meets AAFCO standards of nutrition for dogs of all ages and breeds.
Pros
- High in protein
- Grain-free
- Made with only fresh ingredients
- Not processed
Cons
- Contains a lot of potatoes
- Most expensive option
2. Turkey Fare
| Main Ingredients: | Turkey, brown rice, eggs, spinach |
| Calories: | 168 kcal/cup ME |
| Protein: | 10% (36% dry matter) |
| Fat: | 5% (18% dry matter) |
| Fiber: | 1% (3.5% dry matter) |
This doggy favorite recipe features turkey as the first ingredient. Also boosting the macronutrient content of this formula are eggs and beef fat. It contains 36% protein and 18% fat. Like the beef recipe, this one is a great maintenance formula for moderately active adult dogs.
Of all the Nom Nom recipes, it is the best option for senior dogs and adults who are less active or a little overweight. This is because it contains the least amount of calories of all the recipes.
Helping to boost the nutrition content of this recipe are fresh carrots and spinach. These provide beta-carotene, vitamin A, and plenty of antioxidants. This recipe also contains brown rice, which brings great minerals to the table, but also a fair amount of starch.
With two protein sources, eggs, and grains, this recipe is not the best choice for sensitive dogs. But it is a great option for picky eaters and those looking for something fresh and different.
Pros
- High in protein
- Low calorie
- Made with only fresh ingredients
- Not processed
Cons
- Contains a lot of rice
- Not grain-free
- Not the best for sensitive pups
3. Pork Potluck
| Main Ingredients: | Pork, potatoes, green beans, squash, mushrooms |
| Calories: | 177 kcal/cup |
| Protein: | 7% (28% dry matter) |
| Fat: | 5% (20% dry matter) |
| Fiber: | 2% (8% dry matter) |
Is your dog looking to really mix things up? This pork-based recipe is just what they need.
Pork Potluck features ground pork, a rarely used dog food meat, as the first ingredient. It also comes with a flurry of different vegetables, including green beans, squash, kale, and cremini mushrooms. These provide plenty of vital micronutrients to help your dog thrive.
This recipe is the lowest protein option from Nom Nom, at just 28%. However, this amount is still well above that of most commercial foods. At 20% fat, it still contains plenty of calories for the average dog to feel energized and satisfied.
Since pork is rarely used in dog foods, this recipe is a great option for dogs who have developed allergies or sensitivities to commonly used proteins. It doesn’t contain eggs or any other animal proteins and is grain-free.
Like the beef recipe, this one does contain russet potatoes, which adds more starch to the recipe than I prefer to see. Still, I can’t deny how much my dogs love the flavor of this hearty option.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic formula
- Grain-free
- Made with only fresh ingredients
- Not processed
Cons
- Lower in protein
- Contains a lot of potatoes
4. Chicken Cuisine
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach |
| Calories: | 206 kcal/cup |
| Protein: | 8.5% (37% dry matter) |
| Fat: | 6% (26% dry matter) |
| Fiber: | 1% (4% dry matter) |
This recipe elevates a common dog food protein with nutrient-dense vegetables for a bowl full of healthy yum!
It appears to contain more meat than any of the other recipes from Nom Nom. I say this because you can see it in the food and because it has an impressive protein and fat percentage, 37% and 26% respectively. With no sneaky high-protein vegetables or grains, you can bet all that good protein comes from the fresh chicken.
This high-calorie recipe is a great option for young dogs, active adults, and those in need of a little extra meat on their bones.
Adding some healthy, natural nutrients to this dish are sweet potatoes and squash, both of which are high in beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber. Some of the high-fat content of this dish is likely from the added sunflower and canola oil. While added plant fats aren’t my favorite thing to see, they do help with the absorption of many vital nutrients.
Pros
- High in protein
- Grain-free
- Fresh and unprocessed
- Most affordable option
Cons
- Contains added plant oils
- Fewer whole-food ingredients
FAQ
Do you have to feed Nom Nom exclusively to do the subscription option?
No, the subscription option is highly customizable to meet all types of needs. If you would like to subscribe to Nom Nom to supplement your dog’s current food, you can do so by contacting them directly to set up your customized subscription profile.
How much does Nom Nom cost?
This depends largely on the size of the meals and how often you’ll be feeding Nom Nom. Which recipes you choose can also change the price. For my thirty-pound, low-activity, senior dog, it came to about $50 per week.
How are the proportions determined?
How much food your dog gets per prepackaged meal is calculated based on their size, activity level, and age. If they are getting other food in addition to Nom Nom, this will be taken into consideration, as well.
How fresh is Nom Nom?
In short, very! All ingredients that go into each meal are individually cooked at low heat to retain nutrients. They are then mixed into the predetermined recipes and packaged within days of being shipped out to you.
Do you automatically receive all four recipes?
This depends on your preferences. If your dog has allergies, any recipes containing that ingredient will not be included. You can also opt to only get one or two types of recipes each delivery and manually switch them up when you feel the time is right.
Our Experience With Nom Nom Dog Food
I’ll admit, I’m a little obsessed with dog nutrition. I spent over a decade of my life preparing fresh, homemade meals for my dogs. To make sure I was giving them all they needed, I attended as many classes and read as many books about canine nutrition as possible.
While motherhood has put my doggy chef days on hold, I am still a stickler for making sure my dogs eat the best food possible. That’s why I was so excited for the opportunity to try Nom Nom.
As you can see from my ingredient breakdown above, I was mostly impressed with the ingredients that go into these recipes. I would have loved to see organ meat and ground bone utilized, and fewer synthetic nutrients. But compared to commercial dog food, these recipes are quite impressive.
What was even more impressive was how much my dogs loved this food.
My Chihuahua, Papyrus, is a walking stomach and will literally eat anything, but even he seemed more excited than normal to gobble these recipes up.
My Dalmatian mix, Ragz, is a little more decerning, so it’s easy to tell when she really enjoys something. Not only did she inhale these meals, but she spent nearly ten minutes licking her bowl clean after. And then another ten minutes staring at me hoping for more.
Both dogs tolerated the food well on the back end, as well. I credit the fresh ingredients and real meat for the lack of tummy troubles that came with transitioning to this new food.
In addition to getting to test all of Nom Nom’s recipes, I also got the chance to try their beef and chicken jerky treats. These wholesome chews contain only one ingredient and are free from preservatives. Even more important when it comes to jerky treats, they are made in the USA.
These treats are a little hard for my senior dogs, but they still enjoy chewing on them.
I love the idea behind Nom Nom’s pre-proportioned, customizable dog meals. Making fresh food for your pup at home takes a lot of time and effort. Nom Nom gives you the same benefits as doing that with none of the effort.
Seriously, there is nothing easier than cutting open one of these packages and putting it in your dog’s dish. But the benefits of feeding this high-protein, fresh food over commercially processed kibble are huge.
The only thing stopping me from feeding my dogs Nom Nom for every meal (with the occasional raw bone and organ meat supplemented in), is the cost. To feed just Ragz these meals every day would add up to about $50 per week.
If you can afford that commitment, I say go for it. For me, I’ll opt for supplementing my dogs’ current diet with Nom Nom to help lower costs. I love that Nom Nom makes this an option.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to give your dog the benefits of home-prepared food without the effort, Nom Nom is a wonderful option. Their variety of recipes all include quality meat as the first ingredient, plenty of healthy veggies, and everything else your dog needs to thrive. And nothing can beat how easy Nom Nom makes it to feed this fresh fare.
This pet meal delivery service will cost you, but if you have the funds it is well worth it. And if not, consider using Nom Nom’s customizable meal options to supplement your pet’s diet with their wonderful selection of recipes. And don’t forget to add their single-ingredient, USA-made jerky chews.
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