We Feed Raw Review 2023: Is Raw Food Worth the Hype?

I first started looking into the benefits of raw dog food when my German Shepherd started having joint and digestive problems even though he was a young dog. At my vet’s recommendation, I switched him to a raw diet which showed significant results.

This is how I discovered We Feed Raw and its mission to help dogs and cats everywhere live healthy and fulfilled lives. Curious about their products, I worked with our team of specialists on a comprehensive review where we looked into plans and recipes, nutrition, prices, and other important factors. 

So, is We Feed Raw and its raw food meals worth the hype? Yes! Pet owners everywhere are happy with the meals, and the service provides a no-fuss, easy-to-use experience. But there’s a lot more to know, so make sure to read my detailed review if you’re interested!

Pros

• USDA-sourced, human-grade meals

• Well-balanced nutritional profile

• Nutritionist formulated and vet-approved recipes

• Special discount: Save 30% off your first subscription box. Code: DR30

Cons

• Meal plans not available for cats

• You need space in the freezer for safe storage

• It takes up to 12h to thaw the meals

We Feed Raw Meals

Plans and Recipes

The menu at We feed Raw includes six recipes, each featuring a different type of protein (chicken, duck, beef, venison, lamb, and turkey). The recipes are designed for cats and dogs alike, but customized meal plans are only available for dogs (although cats may have theirs in the near future).

For this, you’ll have to fill in a short quiz, where you specify your pet’s health condition, weight, age, level of activity, and allergies. Once this is ready (it takes about two minutes), you’ll get a meal plan recommendation which you can adjust.

Now, this type of quiz is quite common with companies that boast about building a customized meal plan for your pet, but to me, it seemed a bit on the superficial side. Also, my results are always the same (Chicken and Turkey) but in different quantities regardless of the dog breed or whether you’re buying for a dog or a cat.

Overall, I can’t attest to the level of customization, but I do like that you can choose which recipes you want before checkout. Also, if your furry friend is allergic to some of the proteins, you can remove them from the final list. 

All the recipes are designed as a complete and balanced diet for pets in all life stages, following AAFCO standards. Plus, everything was formulated by a Ph.D. animal nutritionist with over 30 years of experience in raw feeding and animal nutrition.

Ingredients

Each recipe includes meaty meat (muscle meat and associated connective tissue and fat), organ meat, and bone. The bones are edible (turkey, beef, chicken necks, and duck bones) and finely ground into the mix. 

We Feed Raw doesn’t use fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. The protein comes from high-quality, human-grade sources (US farms for beef, chicken, and turkey, and New Zeeland farms for lamb and venison).

I also like that each recipe contains a premix of vitamins and minerals designed to boost nutrients. Among others, the premix includes Flaxseed (great for its content of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids), Calcium Carbonate (for bone growth and healthy teeth), Vitamin E Supplement (for healthy cells), Riboflavin Supplement, and Folic Acid.

This premix is made in the USA and only includes nutrients necessary for cats and dogs to live a healthy life. So there’s no need to add anything to the food.

Nutrition

The Guaranteed Analysis is different for each of the six recipes to reflect the qualities of each protein. For instance, with the Chicken recipe, Crude Protein content is min. 13%, Crude Fat content is min 10%, and Crude Fiber content is min 1%. 

The Beef and Venison recipes have the highest content of Crude Protein (min. 18.5%), while the Turkey (14%), Duck (15%), and Lamb (14%) recipes are somewhere in the middle. The Duck recipe also has the lowest Crude Fat content (min. 7%).

You also get to see the caloric content of each recipe, so you can decide which works best for your furry friend. If your dog or cat is a little chubby, you may want to start with the Duck recipe since it only has 1425 kcal M.E./kg or 40 kcal M.E./oz. On the other hand, a skinny but hyperactive pooch may benefit from eating Lamb (2322 kcal M.E./kg or 66 kcal M.E./oz).

All the recipes are prepared in a USDA-certified facility with strict compliance requirements of BRC safe quality food manufacturing. Also, all the meats are cold pressed to reduce the presence of pathogenic bacteria. This way, the producer doesn’t have to use other methods (such as heat, chemicals, preservatives, or additives) to keep the food safe to eat.

Unboxing

One of the things I appreciate about customized meals is that I receive the exact quantity for my dog for the specified time span. Plus, with We Feed Raw, I don’t have to add anything to the meals since the recipes are well-balanced for a complete diet. 

So, when the box arrives, all I have to do is get out the frozen patties (which are wrapped in plastic to prevent any spillage) and transfer them to the freezer. Of course, I’ll also leave some to thaw (12 hours before feeding) in the fridge for the next day.

In the cardboard box (recyclable), you’ll find an insulated eco-friendly, compostable cooler packed with dry ice to keep the patties frozen during transport. The box also includes detailed feeding instructions for each pet. Plus, each patty is clearly labeled, so you can’t mix them up if you’ve ordered a combination of recipes.

The food will arrive frozen most of the time, but it’s still good for consumption even if it’s partially or fully thawed but really cold. You just have to refreeze the patties you want to keep for later. The food can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days and up to one year in the freezer (as long as the original packaging is sealed).

Shipping & Delivery

We Feed Raw has fee cold-shipping to all the 48 contiguous states for meal plans and bulk orders (minimum 30lbs per order). Also, once your order is on its way to your door, you will receive an email containing the tracking information (also available on your online account).

The cutoff date is Saturday at 11:59 pm ET, and all orders are shipped on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, depending on your zip code. If there are delays or your order is shipped among the last, you should receive your patties by Friday at the latest. If you miss the cutoff date, your order will ship the following week. 

Ordering from We Feed Raw

We Feed Raw accepts both subscription-based orders and bulk orders. For bulk orders, you can order boxes (big, classic, and small), bones (in 30lb increments), or individually-wrapped 5lb patties (as long as the weight of your cart is 30+lb).

The 5lb bulk patties are ideal for felines (cats) and small dogs of all life stages. The recipes are the same as the ones included in the meal plans, but you won’t get the feeding instructions. However, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out how much to feed your tiny furry friend. 

You don’t need an account or a subscription to order in bulk. However, you can easily turn a one-time purchase order into a subscription during checkout.

How to Sign Up

If you are interested in a subscription, click the Create your Meal Plan button and fill in the quiz with your dog’s details. Once you place the first order, you’ll also have an account where you can track orders and manage subscriptions. 

Managing Your Subscription

You can use your online account to cancel your subscription, skip a delivery, or edit the order as long as you respect the cutoff date, which is Saturday at 11:59 pm ET. Also, if you opt for a subscription, you can select the delivery frequency (every two, three, four, five, or six weeks). 

Keep in mind that the company does not accept returns (due to the perishable nature of the product), but you can get a refund if the product got lost or damaged before entering your possession. For this, you will have to get in contact with the customer service team. 

Customer Service

The customer service team is available via phone, email, and live chat (during standard working hours), but you may also find answers to your questions by checking the extensive FAQ section or the We Feed Raw social media channel (YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram). 

We Feed Raw Recalls

As of the date of my review, there are no recalls for the We Feed Raw food.

Prices

I’ll make it clear from the start - high-quality raw food is not a blessing for your budget! Plus, if your pooch is a large breed, you need a large freezer and a generous budget. But we’d do anything for our family members, right?

While We Feed Raw lets you choose between subscription and bulk orders, I think a subscription makes more sense. First, you will get a discount on your first order, and second, you will receive the right amount for your pooch. However, if you have room in the freezer and want to order in bulk once you know how much to feed, the costs are not that much different. 

To better understand the cost difference, I ran a comparison between a 5lbs Chihuahua and a 70lbs Bernese Mountain Dog. To keep things simple, I selected the Chicken recipe for both breeds.

After filling in the quiz, We Feed Raw recommended a six weeks plan for the Chihuahua, at a cost of $124 (4 oz/day), and a two weeks plan for the Bernese, at a cost of $225 (40 oz/day). In summary, the food for a Chihuahua costs around $2.94 per day, while the food for a large breed (like the Bernese) costs around $16.07 per day. 

The Bottom Line: Is We Feed Raw Worth It?

Yes! While it is a bit on the pricey side, you receive a lot of value for your money. The meals are well-balanced from a nutritional standpoint and arrive at your door ready for your pooch to enjoy (once thawed, of course).  

Also, you can trust that all We Feed Raw recipes contain human-grade quality protein and are prepared in facilities that follow current rules and regulations. 

However, if the price is a bit too steep for your budget or you have a rambunctious huge dog to feed and want to try something else, we tested other top pet delivery services and shortlisted the best dog food delivery services in this post.

FAQ

Is feeding dogs raw food safe?

Yes. But only if the food preparation process follows strict safety rules as it happens in the We Feed Raw facilities. The company makes sure that all ingredients are high-quality and safe to consume, plus the food is cold-pressed to avoid any bacterial contamination.

How does We Feed Raw work?

The service makes it easy to feed your dog or cat raw, healthy food by delivering highly nutritional frozen meals to your doorstep. Everything is packed and tailored to meet your pet’s needs, and you can store the meals in the freezer for convenience. 

Is a raw diet better than kibble?

Both diets have benefits, but a proper raw diet can help improve your dog’s digestive processes and reduce inflammation. Of course, this is only possible if the food is made with high-quality ingredients and nutrients designed to improve a dog’s health.