Human grade dog food brands can be a huge draw for pet owners. It’s a quick and easy way to know that what you’re feeding your pup is the same quality you’d eat yourself!

There aren’t many truly human grade dog foods on the market, but two of the most popular are The Honest Kitchen and The Farmer’s Dog. Both brands are made with minimally processed, whole-food ingredients to deliver higher nutrition and better digestion for our furry friends.

But there are some noticeable differences between these top-tier brands. In this article, we’ll explore what differentiates The Honest Kitchen and The Farmer’s Dog so you can feel confident choosing the best option for your dog.

The Farmer’s Dog was founded in 2015 as a subscription-model company that delivers personalized, fresh meals for dogs. The company quickly became popular for its commitment to improving pet health through high-quality nutrition, unique preparation, and its home delivery model.

At the heart of The Farmer’s Dog is its mission to provide dogs with fresh, human grade food that promotes overall health and wellness. The company is transparent about quality and sourcing — no fillers, artificial preservatives, or processed foods are allowed.

One of The Farmer’s Dog's goals is to change how pet parents think about feeding their furry companions. By focusing on fresh, customized food, the brand strives to improve dogs’ digestive health, coat condition, and energy levels.

The Farmer’s Dog offers numerous fresh dog food options designed to meet different dogs' nutritional needs. Veterinary nutritionists formulate each meal to provide a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients for dog health.

Dog parents who shop with The Farmer’s Dog get a customized meal plan for their pup based on weight, age, activity level, and dietary preferences. The company also caters to special health issues and dietary needs, including grain-free, sensitive stomachs, or specific food allergies.

Some key selling points of The Farmer’s Dog include:

• Personalized meal plans: Each dog gets a customized meal plan based on their unique needs, ensuring precise, vet-approved nutrition.

• Fresh, human grade ingredients: The Farmer’s Dog uses only fresh, human grade ingredients from reputable suppliers.

• Delivery and convenience: Meals from The Farmer’s Dog are delivered directly to dog owners’ homes, packaged and ready to serve.

• Health benefits: The emphasis on fresh ingredients and balanced nutrition may help support a dog’s digestion, coat, skin, energy levels, and overall well-being.

While food from The Farmer’s Dog sounds like a home run, it’s important to consider its potential drawbacks as well. Let’s look into the possible cons of feeding fresh, its cost, and its environmental impact.

One of the primary considerations when opting for fresh dog food, like The Farmer’s Dog, is the need for constant refrigeration. Unlike dry kibble or dehydrated dog food, which can be stored at room temperature, fresh meals must be kept cold at all times to maintain quality and safety. This can be hard for dog owners with limited fridge space or those who have small dogs who don’t eat as much since The Farmer’s Dog foods can only stay in the fridge for four days.

Another thing to consider is cost. While fresh pet food is praised for its high-quality ingredients and nutritional benefits, it is often more expensive than other options. The cost will also be considerably higher for households with a large dog or multiple dogs.

Lastly, packaging should be taken into account when considering The Farmer’s Dog versus other pet food brands. The packaging used by The Farmer’s Dog is plastic-based to maintain freshness and hygiene, which is not as environmentally friendly as other options. This may be a concern for pet parents who are committed to living a green, sustainable lifestyle.

If you’re looking for an alternative to The Farmer’s Dog, fellow human grade pet food brand The Honest Kitchen could be a great option. Read more about the brand and its high standards below.

The Honest Kitchen’s mission is centered around providing cats and dogs with minimally processed, human grade food to enhance their overall well-being. The company prioritizes transparency in sourcing and production, using only ingredients that meet human consumption standards. This means that every ingredient in the food and every step of the production process is safe for humans to eat.

The Honest Kitchen believes that what our pets eat is essential to their quality of life. This commitment goes beyond nutritional balance to include holistic pet health.

The Honest Kitchen has many food options to cater to a wide range of dietary needs and preferences. These include:

• Wet food: The Honest Kitchen provides moisture-rich dog and cat food options that include human-grade meats, fruit, and veggies.

• Dehydrated food: As The Honest Kitchen’s first product— and signature product line — dehydrated food features whole food ingredients that maintain nutritional integrity and natural flavors in a convenient storage and travel option.

• Dry food: To complement their other options, The Honest Kitchen offers dry food clusters, a kibble alternative that offers pet parents convenience without compromising quality and nutritional benefits.

• Supplements and toppers: The Honest Kitchen features human grade supplements and toppers as a bonus for furry friends who need a boost of nutrition or a tasty topper to entice them to eat their meal.

• Treats: The Honest Kitchen’s treats highlight one or two ingredients to satisfy pets’ tastebuds while also giving owners confidence in quality.

The Honest Kitchen undoubtedly stands out for pet parents looking for a better, healthier diet for their dogs. Here are three key features to consider.

• Human grade certification: As one of the few truly human grade approved pet food companies, The Honest Kitchen is certified to guarantee all ingredients and production facilities meet the highest quality standards.

• Ingredient transparency: The Honest Kitchen prioritizes transparency by providing detailed information about ingredient sourcing, processing methods, and ingredient origins. With this information in hand, pet parents are empowered to make informed choices.

• Eco-friendly packaging: The Honest Kitchen takes sustainability seriously, and its eco-friendly packaging reduces the environmental impact without compromising the food’s freshness or convenience.

Now that we’ve learned about the details of each brand let’s compare The Honest Kitchen and The Farmer’s Dog directly.

Both The Honest Kitchen and The Farmer’s Dog use complete and balanced ingredients according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and are all certified human grade. The main difference regards transparency around which ingredients and how much each ingredient is used.

The Honest Kitchen provides in-depth nutritional information for every product offering, including each ingredient and a full nutrient profile.

The Farmer’s Dog, on the other hand, does not offer its recipes upfront unless you fill out the questionnaire for a food plan. The only information they provide upfront is that every recipe includes human grade proteins mixed with whole foods and balanced vitamins and minerals.

Since The Farmer’s Dog only offers fresh, refrigerated dog food, the meal prep and serving are the same across the board. You can simply take your pre-packaged, customized dog food out of the fridge and put it in your dog’s food bowl.

Alternatively, The Honest Kitchen offers more options. Both dry clusters and wet food can be served out of the package. For an in-between option, the dehydrated food options can be mixed with water or broth to create a hydrating stew. Additionally, The Honest Kitchen offers base mixes and boosters that can be added to homemade protein if you prefer.

Of course, just like people, every pet has their own preference when it comes to the food they enjoy. Some like wet food while others prefer a crunch. Both The Farmer’s Dog and The Honest Kitchen rely on real, whole-food ingredients that provide large flavor for pets but when it comes to texture, The Honest Kitchen provides more options.

The Honest Kitchen offers multiple pet food options and even food toppers, pour-overs, and supplements to support palatability for your pet’s preferences and tastes. These options can be extremely helpful for those picky eaters and for dogs navigating health changes that might impact their appetite.

Shelf life and storage are important factors to consider when choosing a pet food. Storing large amounts of pet food in your refrigerator may not be possible for some households, which is a reason to consider an alternative to The Farmer’s Dog.

The Honest Kitchen considers storage when crafting its recipes. Our dry and dehydrated food options are shelf-stable and come in easy-to-store packaging. Food from The Honest Kitchen can also be easily packed for travel.

Pricing should always be considered when comparing pet food. The main difference between The Honest Kitchen and The Farmer’s Dog is that The Farmer’s Dog is a subscription-based plan that is paid monthly. The cost depends on how much food your dog needs.

For example, The Farmer’s Dog reports a 75-pound Labrador Retriever’s daily food plan is $10.39 per day, whereas an 11-pound Yorkshire Terrier’s food plan is $2.80 per day.

The Honest Kitchen offers an auto-ship option but doesn’t require a subscription. For comparison, a 10-pound bag of The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain-Free Chicken dog food makes about 40 pounds of homemade food and costs $104.99, which can last several months for a small dog.

Transitioning dog foods can be daunting and requires patience, but if you want a dog food that is shelf-stable, convenient, and nutritionally and holistically balanced, try food from The Honest Kitchen. Learn more about The Honest Kitchen’s food offerings below.

The Honest Kitchen’s wet dog food is offered in stews and pates. It is a complete and balanced option for dogs who crave a wholesome, soft meal similar to fresh food but at a more affordable price. All wet food from The Honest Kitchen is made in small batches to maintain nutritional quality and exceptional taste.

Some of the human grade ingredients you can expect in The Honest Kitchen wet food include wild caught salmon, cage free chicken, broccoli, pollock, brown rice, and more.

The Honest Kitchen’s dry dog food is made with human grade ingredients cold-pressed into bite-size clusters, then roasted and slowly dehydrated to maintain nutrients and flavor. There are never rendered meats, artificial preservatives, or feed grade ingredients present. The Honest Kitchen also offers grain free and whole grain dry dog food recipes.

Some ingredients you’ll find in The Honest Kitchen’s dry dog food include beef, oats, chicken liver, barley, eggs, sweet potatoes, carrots, flaxseed, apples, kale, and more.

The Honest Kitchen’s dehydrated dog food is the best of both worlds as an in-between option between dry and wet dog food. Your pup will still get human grade, nutritionally-dense ingredients but in a food that’s convenient and easy to store.

The Honest Kitchen’s dehydrated dog food is more concentrated than a bag of kibble. The Dehydrated Whole Grain Chicken recipe includes over 14 chickens, five scoops of whole grain oats, and over two bunches of carrots. Even better, dehydrated food is more affordable as a full-time diet than other fresh foods.

Lastly, consider supplements and food toppers from The Honest Kitchen. These recipes pack a punch of flavor and add a boost of human grade nutrients your pup may be craving.

There are supplements to boost protein and support bone and gut health. Toppers from The Honest Kitchen can be used to support hips and joints, immune system, heart health, and skin and coat health. Crafted in stew recipes like chicken, beef, salmon, and turkey, and chicken and pumpkin, there’s sure to be an option even the pickiest eater will enjoy.

Human grade pet food can be one of the most nutritionally-dense options for nourishing your pet, but choosing the best food option is important. The Honest Kitchen upholds some of the highest nutritional standards in the industry while also striving to keep meal time convenient and affordable.

Try The Honest Kitchen today — shop dog food, treats, toppers, and supplements.