JustFoodForDogs Review 2023: Is It Worth It?

Overview

JustFoodForDogs crafts nutritionally balanced meals for dogs of all life stages. In this JustFoodForDogs review, you’ll find out what this company is all about. You’ll also learn whether it’s a company you should buy from to keep your pup happy and healthy without breaking the bank.

I’ve researched JustFoodForDogs extensively.  I took into account plans and recipes, ingredient quality, nutritional value, pricing, shipping, ease of use, and customer service. Read on to find out my verdict and whether this company is worth your while.

Overall, JustFoodForDogs is a great choice for any life stage. It works with a team of veterinarians and specialists who craft the meals. The company also works with a board-certified veterinary toxicologist to ensure the foods are all human-grade.

JustFoodForDogs Meals

Plans and Recipes

You’ll find 3 main categories on the menu: Daily Meals, Special, and Other. The Daily Meals category is where you’ll find your pup’s main food. The Special category is for vet support and custom diets, and the Other category is for treats, supplements, and bundles, along with a tiny selection of cat-related items.

The main dog meals are Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh, DIY Homemade, and Variety Packs. Each category has roughly a dozen options, if not a few more.

Fresh Frozen

Fresh Frozen meals come frozen and comprise human-grade ingredients. These also contain no preservatives.

You’ll find choices like Chicken & White Rice, Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni, Fish & Sweet Potato, Beef & Russet Potato, and much more. This category also includes some specialty items like Sensitive Skin & Stomach, Healthy Weight, and a few others.

Pantry Fresh

Pantry Fresh meals comprise whole food ingredients and are shelf-stable for up to 2 years. Like the Fresh Frozen meals, these also contain no preservatives, and you don’t have to place them in the fridge.

Options here include Fresh Lamb & Brown Rice, Renal Support, Joint & Skin Support, Hepatic Support, Metabolic Support, and more. It also includes bundles like chicken, beef, and even digestion support.

DIY Homemade

If you’re more into DIY dog food, there are plenty of options for you to pick from. Each option comes with a shopping list and is based on a specially formulated nutrient blend. This helps make sure your furry buddy is getting the right balance of nutrition.

Here, you’ll find options like chicken, beef, turkey, fish, lamb, and even venison. Each option comes as either a regular DIY nutrient blend or a DIY + Omega bundle. Omegas have the added benefit of supporting joint, coat, skin, and heart health, along with boosting your pup’s immune system and cognitive functioning.

Variety Packs

On the other hand, Variety Packs exist to let you and your pup try out different items. You can try out a few different items, albeit only from 1 category at a time. For example, you could try a few recipes from the Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh, or even DIY Homemade categories to see which one your pup loves.

The Variety Packs are great for a few reasons. They can be good starter packs, or they can be used as meal toppers for slow transitioning.

Vet Support

You’ll find a good collection of Vet Support recipes. The recipes here require a prescription, however. They also still include the same preservative-free ingredients as the rest of the food.

Options here include food for critical care, metabolic support, renal support, hepatic support, and some low-fat and low-protein options. There are roughly 6 to 7 options available, ranging from Fresh Frozen to Pantry Fresh.

You can simply schedule a consultation with a nutrition consultant to get started. After that, veterinary food creators will look at your pet's medical records and partner with you to talk about options that will best suit your pup’s need(s).

Ingredients

JustFoodForDogs adheres to stringent quality protocols. This brand is committed to maintaining high standards by ensuring its dog food undergoes rigorous testing and is scientifically validated by a reputable university. 

The company has consistently aligned with National Research Council guidelines. This is a body that collaborates with the FDA to establish and update nutritional regulations for pet food and more.

All of the food on offer is preservative and GMO-free, ensuring you get real, unprocessed, and nutrient-rich ingredients. The meats are also USDA-approved for human consumption, similar to what you find in restaurants and grocery stores.

You’ll also be getting nutritionally balanced food fortified with extra supplements. JustFoodForDogs doesn’t believe that pets can get all of the necessary nutrition from food alone.

Chicken & White Rice Recipe

Here’s a list of ingredients you can expect in this very popular recipe (1,200+ reviews). You’ll find:

• Chicken Thighs

• Long-Grain Enriched White Rice

• Spinach

• Carrots

• Apples

• Chicken Gizzards

• Chicken Liver

• Fish Oil

• JustFoodForDogs Nutrient Blend

The JFFD nutrient blend consists of:

• Dicalcium Phosphate

• Calcium Carbonate

• Salt

• Choline Bitartrate

• Potassium Iodide

• Zinc Amino Acid Chelate

• Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate

• Vitamin E Supplement

• Ferrous Amino Acid Chelate

• Copper Amino Acid Chelate

• Cholecalciferol (source of Vitamin D3)

• d-Calcium Pantothenate

• Riboflavin

• Vitamin B12 Supplement

Dicalcium phosphate is important for dogs. It provides essential calcium and phosphorus, which is crucial for maintaining strong bones and teeth. It also supports their overall bone health and plays a vital role in various bodily functions, including nerve transmission and muscle movement.

Nutrition

This same recipe – the Chicken & White Rice Fresh Frozen meal – is high in protein. It contains a minimum crude protein level of 8%, which is respectably high. However, it’s not the highest I’ve seen. For example, Spot & Tango’s meals tend to be higher, which you can learn about in my colleague’s review.

On that note, all of the meals average around 8 to 10% minimum crude protein. The highest I’ve seen is the turkey recipe from the Fresh Frozen category, as it contains 10%. You’ll find that the rest of the ingredients are properly balanced with protein for optimal nutritional value.

Crude fat tends to hover around that 4% mark. However, I’ve seen it as low as 2% and as high as 6.5%. You’ll have to go through the menu to see which meal works best for your pup.

What I love is that the food is made in kitchens that are open to the public. The food is cooked and prepared in a way that’s very similar to human-grade food, if not identical. This type of cooking practice locks in vital nutrients and makes sure they don’t degrade before freezing. Freezing is also another great way to lock in nutrients.

What Makes It Different

JustFoodForDogs is different in that it offers prescription-only, vet-support meals. These meals cater to specific ailments and illnesses such as:

• Renal (kidney) support

• Hepatic (liver) support

• Low protein

• Low fat

• Critical care support

• Metabolic support

You’ll need to consult with your vet about which of these options is best for your pup. After that, you can schedule a call with a nutritional expert at JustFoodForDogs. This will help you make sure you’re buying the correct food to support whatever your pup is dealing with.

Unboxing

Whatever you order, it’ll come neatly organized in a standard cardboard delivery box. The food either comes in a tetra pack (Pantry Fresh items), vacuum-sealed baggies (Fresh Frozen items), or regular bags (DIY Homemade kits and treats). Aside from that, the supplements come in standard pharmacy-style bottles.

Frozen meals will come in an insulated box with ice to keep them from thawing too much. Once these meals arrive, place them in the freezer right away, unless you plan on feeding them to your pup within 7 days.

Frozen meals will be good for up to 18 months in your freezer. Once the meals are thawed, they stay fresh when sealed in the original package for up to 7 days. Once opened, your pup will need to consume them within 5 days.

Prices

Pricing is sort of all over the place with JustFoodForDogs. There are so many different combinations of items, along with different box sizes.

For example, prices can range anywhere from $25 for DIY Nutrient kits to $200+. A large box of the Fresh Frozen Chicken & White Rice recipe (31.5 lbs) will set you back $237.93. However, a small box of the same would only run you about $72, give or take.

As a result, I could never accurately tell you about every individual combination of prices. You’d have to peruse the website to see what works for your pup. After that, you’d have to find out how much you need to order to determine how much to spend.

Use the Feeding Calculator to determine how much to order for your dog. It asks you a few simple questions if you’re unsure of what you need.

Shipping is also free for orders of at least $99 before taxes. If you spend less than that, orders are subject to a $19.99 flat fee. Bear in mind that shipping is only free on frozen orders over $99 and dry orders over $99 (you can’t mix and match dry and frozen to hit this threshold).

Shipping & Delivery

Home Shipping

Your order ships within 3 to 5 business days of placing it. Shipping and delivery days vary depending on the order date and the delivery location. Delivery is available to all 48 contiguous states. Shipping isn’t available to AK, HI, Canada, or Puerto Rico at this time.

You can’t choose your delivery day(s). Orders placed on Monday or Tuesday arrive by Thursday or Friday. Orders placed on Wednesday arrive by Friday, and orders placed between Thursday and Sunday arrive the following Wednesday.

Autoship is also available. Frequencies between 1 and 12 weeks are available. With Autoship, you can make changes before your order is processed. Autoship orders are processed every Friday before the upcoming week.

You don’t need to sign up for autoship! It simply serves as a convenient and attractive feature if you don’t like the burden of having to keep re-ordering food.

Changes to any autoship orders must be made by Thursday, 11 am Pacific Time the week your order is scheduled to process. Simply click Autoship under Order Management from within your account dashboard. More on how to manage your account in my How JustFoodForDogs works section.

In-Store Pickup

Pickup is also available. Use the store locator function on the website to find a location nearest to you. Any order placed at least 2 hours before closing time can be picked up the same day. If you want to know how to schedule an in-store pickup, check step 5 in my How To Sign Up section.

How JustFoodForDogs Works

It’s really easy to buy from JustFoodForDogs. You can just buy one-time purchases like you would at Amazon or Target, or sign up for autoship. Here’s how that works.

How to Sign Up

1. Hover over Shop and browse the site. Head to JustFoodForDogs.com and take a look at the varied menu. Then, decide on a product you’d like to buy. You can pick any category, whether it be Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh, DIY Homemade, or anything else – there’s no reason you can’t mix and match any items within the same order.

2. Pick a meal you want to buy. In this example, I’ve chosen a Fresh Frozen meal – the Chicken & White Rice from before. Choose a size (Small, Medium, or Large box) and add it to your cart! You can choose a one-time purchase or autoship – it’s completely your decision. Autoship customers 40% off their first order + 5% on future orders. Click Add To Cart.

3. Click on the little shopping cart icon at the top right.

4. Review your information. Then, click Continue To Checkout. 

5. Complete the checkout process. Enter your personal details and your payment method, then scroll down to the bottom. Once you’re certain you’ve filled in all your details correctly, click Place Order. Hint: If you’d rather pick up your order in-store, find a location and call it directly. Details are on JustFoodForDogs website.

Managing Your Subscription

If you need to make any changes to your autoshipment subscription, it’s easy. Changes need to be made by Thursday, 11 am Pacific Time 1 week before the processing of your order. To make the changes, click Autoship under Order Management from your account dashboard.

Customer Service

You can reach JustFoodForDogs using 3 different methods. The first is live chat, available from Monday to Friday 6 am to 6 pm, and Saturday to Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. Phone lines are also open at (866) 726-9509 during these same business hours.

There’s also a contact form you can use on the website. However, since the company provides great live chat hours, I always recommend giving that a shot first if you need more immediate answers to your questions.

So, I tried out the live chat feature. The agent was courteous, professional, and friendly, though they didn’t seem to want to answer my question with a definitive “yes” or “no”. I asked whether the Vet Support meals are medicated since they require a prescription to purchase.

An FAQ section is also available that covers a few dozen commonly asked questions. Though it’s a good place to start, personally, I prefer speaking to a real person. Call me lazy – but you have to remember that these answers may not always be completely up-to-date either.

Also, JustFoodForDogs promises to give you a full refund if you’re not completely satisfied with your first purchase. The same doesn’t apply to any subsequent orders. However, if you do have an issue with the food, just reach out to the customer service team for help.

JustFoodForDogs Recalls

There have been no JustFoodForDogs recalls since at least 2018. 

How JustFoodForDogs Compares to Other Pet Food Services

JustFoodForDogs vs. The Farmer's Dog

The Farmer's Dog surpasses JustFoodForDogs by prioritizing fresh, human-grade ingredients in its recipes. This focus on less processed food means pets enjoy a diet closer to their natural needs. Find out more in my colleague’s The Farmer’s Dog review.

The Farmer's Dog also excels in creating tailored nutrition plans based on extensive pet profiles, which ensures a more personalized feeding experience. In contrast, JustFoodForDogs, while offering quality meals, doesn't match the level of customization that The Farmer's Dog provides.

JustFoodForDogs vs. Ollie 

Ollie is different in that it emphasizes customizing meal plans to individual pets' needs. This includes considering a pet's age, weight, activity level, and even allergies. Ollie's approach ensures a more targeted and beneficial diet for pets, something that JustFoodForDogs' more generalized offerings don't quite achieve.

You can learn more about how the company is a better alternative in our Ollie review.

JustFoodForDogs vs. The Honest Kitchen 

The Honest Kitchen offers a significant advantage with its dehydrated, human-grade pet food. This format is not only convenient to store but also boasts a longer shelf life, making it a practical choice for busy pet owners. 

Additionally, The Honest Kitchen's range of flavors and ingredients provides a varied diet, ensuring pets don't miss out on different nutrients. JustFoodForDogs, with its fresh meal approach, may not offer the same level of convenience and variety as Honest Kitchen. Find out more about the company in my colleague’s The Honest Kitchen review.

The Bottom Line: Is JustFoodForDogs Worth It?

It may or may not be the optimal choice for every pet owner. While JustFoodForDogs offers high-quality, fresh meals formulated by veterinarians, it does lack certain customization options. Its menu is also not as large and varied as that of The Honest Kitchen, for instance.

The decision hinges on individual pet needs and owner preferences. If customization based on detailed pet profiles, ingredient quality, and convenience are top priorities, competitors like The Farmer's Dog, Ollie, and The Honest Kitchen might offer more suitable options. If you want to learn more, take a look at our list of the best human-grade dog food delivery services.

Ultimately, JustFoodForDogs is a solid option. However, assessing its value should be based on specific requirements and how it stacks up against leading alternatives.

FAQ

Is JustFoodForDogs good for them? 

Yes, JustFoodForDogs is beneficial for dogs. It provides meals made from fresh, whole-food ingredients, which is a healthier option compared to traditional kibble. The recipes typically include high-quality proteins, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates, adhering to modern canine nutritional standards.

Is JustFoodForDogs a topper? 

JustFoodForDogs is not just a topper. While it does offer meal toppers, the core of its product line consists of complete meals designed to provide a balanced diet for dogs. These meals can serve as the primary food source rather than just an addition to kibble. The company has lots of options, ranging from Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh, DIY Homemade, Vet Support, and more.

Where is JustFoodForDogs made? 

Its meals are made in the USA. Its products are prepared in kitchens located across the United States. The company emphasizes transparency in its sourcing and production, ensuring quality control and safety standards are maintained. The kitchens are also open to the public if you’re interested in visiting.

What is the healthiest dog food on the market today?

The healthiest dog food varies. It's challenging to pinpoint a single "healthiest" dog food brand. The best choice depends on an individual dog's nutritional needs, health conditions, and preferences. Plus, it's essential to consult a veterinarian to determine the best diet for a specific dog.

However, JustFoodForDogs is often recommended for its human-quality ingredients and comprehensive nutrition profiles. The food aligns with National Research Council guidelines, which is very respectable in the industry. The food is also supported by veterinarians.