Spot & Tango vs. The Farmer’s Dog 2023: Fresh Food Faceoff

Have you been looking for better-quality dog food for your canine family member? Spot and Tango and The Farmer’s Dog are both popular options for pet owners looking for more transparency in the food they are purchasing for their dogs. 

The Farmer’s Dog is known for healthy fresh dog food, but my research shows that Spot & Tango is better because there are a few more choices to pick from including a dry food option made with the same high-quality ingredients. Try Spot & Tango today.

I’ve researched many different brands and this article will cover all the important factors in choosing the best dog food for you including ingredients, recipe options, delivery, and price. 

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Ingredient Quality

Winner: Tie

Both The Farmer’s Dog and Spot & Tango utilize top-quality ingredients. Both options are made with human-grade ingredients. Everything is sourced from local farms and fresh food suppliers that the companies have built relationships with. It’s impossible to choose a winner when the two options are so closely aligned with the top-quality ingredients.

The Farmer’s Dog is hyper-focused on ingredients. Nothing is processed to be shelf-stable and nothing is made from feed-grade ingredients. It’s all USDA proteins, simple produce, and different vitamins and minerals. Each meal, like the one pictured below, is made fresh, gently cooked, and then quickly frozen for shipping and for you to store until you’re ready to serve.

One difference in ingredients is that The Farmer’s Dog is completely grain-free and does not contain any fruit. The recipes also include liver which helps with the protein count. 

Spot & Tango believes in using minimal ingredients and lists everything right on the front of the packaging. All the ingredients that go into the meals are items that you could feed your family members.

You’ll find a bit more variety in ingredients with Spot & Tango and overall the protein count is higher on average than The Farmer’s Dog, but both have great, healthy options.

Meals and Customization

Winner: Spot & Tango

While both companies offer a similar selection of fresh food options and have great questions to get to know your dog and help customize a plan. Spot & Tango has additional options of treats and a kibble alternative, so it gives a little more variety to choose from.

Spot & Tango offers two different types of food, and each has three different recipes. The UnKibble is the dry food option and a fresh option. 

• UnKibble has three different flavors including Duck & Salmon, Beef & Barley, and Chicken & Brown Rice 

• The fresh food recipes include Turkey & Red Quinoa, Beef & Millet, and Lamb & Brown Rice

Take a quick three-minute quiz to discover the recommended plan for your pet based on their needs. The picture above shows an example of the summary you will receive and the suggested option. It will customize your plan based on your dog’s weight, activity level, and any health needs. 

The Farmer’s Dog has options that include beef, chicken, turkey, and pork. There is no kibble, or dry food, option from The Farmer’s Dog, but the fresh food option is nutritious and customized for your pup. The one perk of The Farmer’s Dog is the option of ordering different meals so your dog gets some variety in food. You can mix and match which isn’t an option for Spot & Tango.

The Farmer’s Dog uses the questionnaire pictured above to gather information about your pet. Your trial box will include a few different recipes for them to try. There are a few topper options for larger dogs to include other supplements if they are necessary.

Ordering and Delivery

Winner: The Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog wins by a small margin here. It sends food every two weeks with an easy option to pause or skip a delivery. It’s also simple to change your variety of meals online. You don’t have to worry about finding too much storage space for the food thanks to this delivery schedule. 

Both companies require setting up a personalized account where you’ll manage your deliveries and future orders. This will make it incredibly easy to make any changes for future shipments. 

The biggest difference is the frequency of deliveries. Spot & Tango keeps it easy to edit and manage deliveries, but you’ll need enough storage space for 28 days at a time. 

How Do the Meals Arrive?

Winner: Tie!

Spot & Tango and The Farmer’s Dog both utilize proper packaging to ensure the food stays cold and fresh. You’ll receive all the information on how to store the food as well as all the preparation information. 

The Farmer’s Dog has each meal labeled and portioned for you in individual packets, like the ones you see pictured below. These are customized for your pet, so you don’t have to worry about measuring out the correct amount of food.

Spot & Tango also sends pre-portioned food when you choose the fresh option. If you opt for the UnKibble options, you will get a personalized scoop that is created based on the amount of food your dog needs with each meal.

With the fresh food options from both The Farmer’s Dog and Spot & Tango, you can store the packets in your freezer for up to six months. When the boxes arrive, put two or three in the fridge and freeze the rest until you’re ready to use them.

Pricing

Winner: Spot & Tango

Spot & Tango offers high-quality dog food at a lower price point than The Farmer’s Dog thanks to the UnKibble option provided. But the answer is a bit more complicated. When comparing only the fresh food options, The Farmer’s Dog actually comes in with a lower price point. 

Let’s look at two different examples to compare. The first is for a 25 lb active dog without any dietary restrictions. Spot & Tango offered two recommendations. For an UnKibble plan, the price would be $22.36 per week. For the fresh plan, it recommended the Turkey recipe and the price would be $39.87 per week. The Farmer’s Dog only offered one plan as a recommendation and the price would be $29.54 per week.

For a 75 lb active dog, you’ll need more food, so let’s compare those prices as well. The Farmer’s Dog offers a balanced diet with fresh food for $60.13 per week. Spot & Tango recommended a dry food diet of Beef & Barley with a price of $47 per week. For the Spot & Tango fresh food diet of Turkey and Red Quinoa, the price would be $81.64 per week. 

Spot & Tango also offers two different treat add-ons for either $12 or $14 per bag. Plus there are plans available to just purchase partial portions to add the fresh food to your dog’s current kibble to improve the overall quality at a fraction of the price. With those options, this company has a wide range of price options.

Features Comparison: The Farmer’s Dog vs. Spot and Tango

And The Winner Is: Spot & Tango

Both companies have incredible food options for your four-legged family member, but Spot & Tango has just a few advantages. Being able to choose between fresh food and dry food, pet owners have more options to help switch a dog’s diet to high-quality, balanced meals. Plus, you can add treats and choose partial plans.

If your dog needs food without grain, The Farmer’s Dog has more choices. Their fresh food is also a bit cheaper than Spot & Tango's, so it really depends on what you want. You can also look at our full list of the best dog food delivery services for more good choices.

FAQ

What is the healthiest dog food brand?

Healthy dog food brands should meet all the requirements of the AAFCO and include quality ingredients. Spot & Tango and The Farmer’s Dog are both great options for healthy dog food. The companies only use human-grade ingredients and everything is clearly labeled and listed so you know exactly what you’re feeding your pup. 

Do vets recommend Farmer’s Dog?

All the recipes from The Farmer’s Dog are formulated by a veterinary nutritionist to meet all the different nutritional levels set up by the AAFCO following years of research and veterinary hospital practices. If you have any concerns, discuss them directly with your vet. Each dog has different needs with the diet. 

Is Spot & Tango raw food?

Spot & Tango has two different types of food and neither one is raw. There is a fresh option that is gently cooked and then a dry food option called UnKibble. Both options utilize only human-grade ingredients and provide a balanced diet for your dog.