Ollie vs. Nom Nom 2024: Which Fresh Dog Food Is the Best?

It’s no secret that both Ollie and Nom Nom are leaders in providing fresh, quality dog food that you can’t find in a supermarket. Nom Nom offers meal plans for cats, too, while Ollie focuses exclusively on dogs.

I thoroughly researched both brands to see if this focus makes Ollie’s dog food a notch better. And in a few ways, it does – for instance, Ollie sticks to using only wholefoods in its meals and its ingredient lists tend to be shorter. 

Still, Nom Nom has advantages of its own, including add-ons such as probiotic supplements. You can see exactly what the deal is with both brands in my analysis below.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Ingredient Quality

Winner: Ollie

Both Ollie and Nom Nom offer wet food that’s been gently cooked at low temperatures to keep it as nutritious as possible. 

Ollie tests each of the batches – all of which are hand-packed in USDA-certified kitchens – to ensure they’re safe for your pooch. Then it's vacuum-sealed to preserve the goodness. 

Meanwhile, Nom Nom cooks each ingredient separately and combines them at the end using a custom-made machine for exact calorie measurement.

Ollie sources its meat from family-run farms in the US and trusted suppliers in Australia, and all of it is certified hormone-free. Nom Nom sources all of its ingredients in the US from reputable suppliers and local farms.

All ingredients used by both companies are safe, even for human consumption. Ollie’s ingredients are USDA-certified as well.

The recipes both companies offer meet (and exceed) AAFCO standards and are formulated with the help of board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Nom Nom has two on its team, while Ollie has one, who also helped calibrate the algorithm that customizes your dog’s meals.

In any case, neither company use fillers, artificial preservatives, or by-products, so the ingredient lists are actually readable and you can easily understand what’s in each meal. 

Ollie has the shorter ingredient lists though. When I read through the ingredients, I found that your pet gets the vitamins and minerals it needs in the form of meat organs or whole veggies, rather than adding them to the mix as supplements.

Both companies pack their meals with superfoods to maximize the nutritional value of each dish. Ollie includes ingredients such as cod liver oil, chia seeds, blueberries, cranberries, and kale in its recipes, while Nom Nom regularly uses kale, spinach, and fish oil.

These foods are high in antioxidants, which not only help with aging, but reduce the risk of heart disease and other conditions in dogs. Ollie features more of these so-called “superfoods” overall and lists specific ingredients like cod liver oil as opposed to generic “fish oil”.

When it comes to the protein content, both Ollie and Nom Nom do a great job, but Ollie wins here, too, by a small margin. Ollie’s recipes contain a minimum of 9-11% crude protein, while Nom Nom’s are 7-10%.

Meals and Customization

Winner: It’s a tie

Both Ollie and Nom Nom offer four dog food recipes. They both feature beef, turkey, and chicken as main ingredients, with Ollie using lamb for its fourth recipe, while Nom Nom uses pork.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom’s plans are customized to fit your dog’s specific dietary needs, so – from the number of calories to specific ingredients – there's no guesswork involved.

To see which recipe is suited for your dog, you’ll just need to answer a short quiz. It’s all very straightforward, and at the end, you’ll be given a shortlist where you can choose your preferred recipes, plus the quantity and the price.

Ollie customizes its results based on your dog’s sex, age, breed, weight (and target weight, though this is optional), spay status, activity level, and food allergies.

So if your dog has any sensitivities or allergies, you can exclude those ingredients. I found the list quite extensive.

Nom Nom asks about any specific health problems your pup may have, including food allergies, but doesn’t provide a list to exclude them yourself. You should read the ingredients carefully if you have any doubts.

In any case, the recipes from both Ollie and Nom Nom are well-thought-out in order to be suitable for most dogs. There's a good chance that all the recipes will be suitable for your dog, even if it has health problems.

When it comes to treats, Ollie offers four types of treat for your pooch, each containing only one ingredient. That’s how you know they’re the real deal.

Nom Nom offers two types of one-ingredient treats for your dog, but it also offers probiotic supplements and a gut-health testing kit. You can ask for a consultation with a specialist if you want a more personalized approach as well.

Ordering and Delivery

Winner: Nom Nom

Both Ollie and Nom Nom make it super easy to order via their websites. You can make changes to an order directly from your account – nothing complicated here either.

There’s no minimum order. At first, you’ll get a starter box with food that’s supposed to last for two weeks, to see if your pup likes it. Nom Nom calls it a trial box, but it’s the same thing. After this initial box, you can either cancel your subscription or adjust the date for your next order.

Unlike Ollie, Nom Nom gives you the option to order half portions, which is ideal if you want to mix it with your dog’s current food, either to save money or ease them into their new diet. It also offers variety boxes, so your canine can try each recipe before you subscribe.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom deliver to all 48 contiguous US states. With Ollie, you can choose to receive your boxes any day of the week that suits you, excluding Saturdays and Mondays. Your boxes should arrive at the same time each week.

With Nom Nom, your delivery date will vary depending on your location, but you’ll never get a delivery on Mondays.

Both companies allow you to choose the frequency of your deliveries, too: every week, every two weeks, every four weeks – whatever you need. 

Neither company has an app, but the website is easy enough to navigate when it comes to  ordering or editing an upcoming delivery. If you want to reschedule an order, simply make sure to do this before your cut-off date – roughly three days before your next delivery is scheduled to be shipped.

How Do the Meals Arrive?

Winner: It’s a tie 

Both companies deliver your dog’s meals in an insulated box with dry ice. You should put the meals in the freezer, where you can store them safely for up to six months. 

Be sure to place each meal in the refrigerator to thaw before you serve it to your dog, though. They can be stored there for up to a week.

You don’t have to prepare anything – just thaw and serve. Ollie includes a handy scoop in your first box, as well as a pup-tainer (container) to store any food for later, odor-free.

Both companies ensure the meals are perfectly portioned for your dog, so one package of food is enough for a single day. You can choose to divide it into breakfast and dinner, but that’s up to you.

You’ll find everything you need to know on the packaging itself. Ollie also offers a feeding guide with your first order.

When it comes to the packaging itself, Nom Nom shows a greater commitment to sustainability, since every material it uses is either recyclable or recycled.

With Ollie, even though the liner is made out of recycled cotton and you can easily recycle the cardboard box, the seal from the food packages needs to go in the trash. There is room for improvement here.

Pricing

Winner: It’s a tie 

Both services have plans starting at less than $4 per day – but let’s see how much you’d pay in a week for dogs of different breeds and sizes… 

For a 6 lb Yorkshire Terrier, you’ll pay $21.70 per week with Nom Nom, and $22 with Ollie. Not a big difference, but Nom Nom is marginally cheaper. For a 30 lb English Cocker Spaniel, you’ll pay around $41 per week with Nom Nom and around $44 with Ollie. Again, only a small margin, but it can add up over time. 

For larger doggos, Ollie is the better deal. If you have a 170 lb English Mastiff, you’ll pay around $149 a week with Nom Nom, and only $125 with Ollie. 

For both companies, shipping is free on every plan, including your starter box.

When it comes to extras, Nom Nom’s variety packs cost $15 each. The treats cost $13 for a 2oz bag, and $20 for 4oz. The two different kinds of probiotics – Full Spectrum and GI Targeted – cost $40 for a 30-day supply.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom have a 30-day money-back guarantee for your starter box if your dog isn’t happy with the food. You’ll get a full refund on your order, and you can try a different meal plan.

What you can also take into consideration is that Nom Nom offers a multi-pet discount, so if you have more than one pup or if you also have cats, you could save more in the long run. Always ask customer support and see what you can work out!

Features Comparison: Ollie vs. Nom Nom

And The Winner Is: Ollie

This was a tough one as the category breakdowns came in as a tie, but Ollie wins for me because of the cleaner recipes and its greater effort to include more wholefoods. Plus, it works out significantly better value for larger dog breeds. 

Nom Nom is certainly better if you have cats too, or if you have multiple dogs, as you can use the multi-pet discount. If you’re concerned with carbon footprint and recyclable packaging, Nom Nom also scores higher in this regard.

If your dog has a strong preference for either lamb or pork, then you can base your decision on this criteria, as Ollie exclusively offers a lamb recipe, and Nom Nom a pork one.

In any case, both Ollie and Nom Nom are great brands that offer fresh food designed by professionals with great care to maximize your pooch’s health. In my opinion, you can’t go far wrong with either company, but hopefully, my comparison has helped you decide which one best fits you and your pet.

FAQ

Are Ollie and Nom Nom good for dogs?

Whether you have a healthy, strong pup that can eat anything or a more sensitive dog that needs special care, both Ollie and Nom Nom are suited to cater to its unique needs. 

The recipes are customized, perfectly portioned, and contain healthy, responsibly sourced, human-grade ingredients. The health benefits of Ollie and Nom Nom’s fresh diets should be noticable shortly after you make the switch from supermarket brands.

Is Ollie or Nom Nom healthier for dogs?

Ollie is a better option for super health-conscious dog parents. When I researched Ollie’s ingredients, I found its lists to be shorter and packed with nutritious superfoods such as cod liver oil, chia seeds, blueberries, and cranberries.

Nom Nom uses kale and spinach to up the nutrient content of its meals, but I feel like Ollie does a better job overall.

Is Ollie or Nom Nom cheaper?

It depends on your dog’s breed and size, as well as the number of dogs you have. If you have more than one pet, you can use Nom Nom’’s multi-pet discount. This also includes cats.

But for a single dog, check out my price analysis of both services to see what you can expect to pay. For larger dogs, Ollie offers better deals on its plans.