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9 Best Freeze-Dried Dog Foods in 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

freeze dried dog food

Freeze-dried Dog Food is a relatively new concept that has grown incredibly popular, with a lot of new companies and brands emerging with their version of the best raw dog food.

From raw patties to dry kibble toppers, there are a lot of different options to choose from. While it may be confusing to sift through all the options, we thankfully did the dirty work for you.

We tested each product to find which one is the best, with quality and value in mind. Here are our in-depth reviews of the 10 Best Freeze-Dried Dog Foods:

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (Updated 2022)

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Stewart Stewart
  • Hormone-free chicken
  • Soft and easy to chew
  • Flavorful
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Sojos Complete Sojos Complete
  • No preservatives
  • Easy to prepare
  • Contains a variety of fruits & veggies
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Nulo Nulo
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Protein-rich blend
  • Contains probiotics
  • Grandma Lucy's Artisan Grandma Lucy's Artisan
  • All-natural blend
  • No by-products or preservatives
  • Great for dogs with food allergies
  • Primal CCF-FD Primal CCF-FD
  • Naturally-sourced vitamins & minerals
  • No added fillers
  • Easy to prepare
  • The 9 Best Freeze-Dried Dog Foods – Reviews & Top Picks

    1. Stewart Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food — Best Overall

    Stewart

    If you’re looking for the best quality freeze-dried raw dog food, Stewart 402962 Raw Naturals is a freeze-dried dog food packed with wholesome ingredients and nutrients to keep your dog healthy. The first ingredient is fresh hormone-free chicken, with no protein by-products. It also contains fish oil, which gives your dog a daily dose of essential fatty acids rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6.

    Stewart Raw Naturals is soft and easy to chew for most dogs, so it can be fed to a variety of dog breeds. It’s also got a great flavor that dogs seem to really enjoy, without the strong smell of other freeze-dried foods. The only issue is that this brand is a bit more expensive than other brands, but it’s a high quality, great-tasting food that your dog can benefit from.

    Pros
    • Hormone-free chicken
    • Fish oil for Omegas 3 and 6
    • Soft and easy to chew
    • Flavorful with no bad smell
    Cons
    • On the expensive side

    2. Sojos Complete Freeze-Dried Dog Food

    Sojos Natural Pet Food

    If you and your dog are new to freeze-dried dog food, Sojos Complete Natural Freeze Grain-Free Dog Food is a great option to try. Sojos Freeze-Dried Dog Food uses high-quality ingredients without the premium price. It also contains a healthy blend of fruits and vegetables for a boost in your dog’s immune system. This dog food is easy to prepare, and it has a great flavor that most dogs seem to enjoy.

    The only problem we found with Sojos Dog Food is that it has a slightly strong smell, which can be unpleasant for both you and your dog. We kept it out of our #1 spot because picky eaters may not enjoy this brand. Otherwise, we found Sojos Complete Natural Freeze-Dried Grain-Free Dog Food to be the best freeze-dried dog food for the money.

    Pros
    • No preservatives
    • Contains a variety of fruits & veggies
    • Easy to prepare
    • Best value compared to other brands
    Cons
    • Slightly strong smell

    3. Nulo Freeze-Dried Dog Food — Premium Choice

    Nulo

    Nulo 55FB13 Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food is a premium raw freeze-dried dog food with a nutrient-dense recipe for optimal nutrition. It contains high-quality ingredients with a protein-rich blend for a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins for your dog. Nulo Dog Food also contains GanedenBC30 Probiotics, which help support your dog’s digestive and immune systems.

    This brand is on the expensive side compared to other brands, but it’s a great brand for those looking for a premium choice of dog food. We also found Nulo to crumble a bit easier in the bag if you’re not gentle while handling it, leaving more powder than other brands do. Because of this, we kept it out of our Top 2 spots. If you don’t mind handling it with care and you’re can spend the extra dollars, Nulo 55FB13 Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a great option for your dog.

    Pros
    • High-quality ingredients
    • Protein-rich blend
    • Contains probiotics
    Cons
    • More expensive than other brands
    • Crumbles too easily inside the bag

    4. Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food

    Grandma Lucy

    Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food is freeze-dried raw dog food made with an all-natural blend of fresh pork and vegetables. Grandma Lucy’s uses only a select amount of ingredients, with no questionable ingredients like by-products or preservatives. It features a truly grain-free formula, which can be great for dogs with food allergies. The problem is that this brand has a pretty strong smell, which can be overwhelming to some dogs. Also, the flavor may be too strong or rich, so it’s not suited for picky eaters or dogs with sensitive stomachs.  If your dog has allergies and you’re looking for a specialized diet, Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food is a good place to start.

    Pros
    • All-natural blend
    • No by-products or preservatives
    • Great for dogs with food allergies
    Cons
    • Strong smell
    • Not for picky eaters
    • Too rich for sensitive stomachs

    5. Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food

    Primal Pet Foods

    Primal CCF-FD Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a raw freeze-dried dog food that specializes in a balanced diet for your dog’s well-being. This brand uses naturally sourced vitamins and minerals for essential health benefits, without sacrificing on flavor. Primal is also free of fillers like corn, soy, and wheat, so it’s a good option if you’re looking for a grain-free raw food diet for your pup.

    This brand is on the expensive side, so we recommend trying Sojos Freeze-Dried Dog food for a better value. It also has a strong odor to it even when it’s dry, which can deter some dogs away from eating it. Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food may also be too rich for dogs with sensitive digestive systems. We recommend trying Stewart Naturals Freeze-Dried Dog Food for an overall better diet for your dog.

    Pros
    Cons
    • On the expensive side
    • Strong odor even when dry
    • Not for dogs with sensitive stomachs

    6. Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Dog Food

    Buckley

    Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a versatile type of dog food made with raw freeze-dried lamb and nutrients. It can be rehydrated for a well-balanced diet, served as a treat, or mixed with your dog’s favorite kibble. Buckley Liberty also contains fish oil and flaxseed oil rich in fatty acids, essential for healthy skin and coat. This brand also does not contain corn, soy, or wheat ingredients that can cause allergen flare-ups.

    One issue with Buckley Liberty Dog Food is that it’s on the expensive side compared to high quality-brands like Stewart and Sojos. Another problem is this brand is high in fats, which can be a problem for dogs that have pancreatic conditions. Buckley Liberty Dog Food may also lead to dehydration if your dog doesn’t drink enough water with it, so dogs that tend to drink less than normal should try other brands first.

    Pros
    • Can be fed as a meal or treat
    • Contains fish & flaxseed oils
    • No corn, soy or wheat ingredients
    Cons
    • On the expensive side
    • Higher in fats than other brands
    • Can be dehydrating

    7. Stella & Chewy Freeze-Dried Dog Food

    Stella & Chewy

    Stella & Chewy Freeze-Dried Dog Food is an all-natural lamb recipe made into convenient patties to make dinner time an easier task. Stella & Chewy doesn’t contain any fillers, preservatives or additives. While there are high-quality ingredients, the patties are hard to chew for smaller dogs. This brand is also only meant for dogs under 40 pounds, which can be a dealbreaker if your dog is a large breed of dog. Stella & Chewy is also more expensive than most brands because the patties are small, and your dog may need more than one per meal. We recommend trying other brands with larger serving sizes per bag.

    Pros
    • All-natural patties
    • No fillers, preservatives & additives
    Cons
    • Hard to chew for smaller dogs
    • Only for dogs under 40 lbs.
    • More expensive than most brands

    8. Open Farm Freeze-Dried Dog Food

    Open Farm

    Open Farm Freeze-Dried Dog Food that can be fed as a meal or in conjunction with a high-quality kibble. The Open Farm brand uses all-natural ingredients with humanely raised meats rich in protein. This brand’s recipe contains turmeric and coconut oil for multiple health benefits, with pumpkin for aiding digestion. Unfortunately, Open Farm Freeze-Dried Dog Food has a strong odor that can be unpleasant when you’re feeding your dog. The taste of this freeze-dried food is also too strong, so picky eaters will probably turn it down. It’s also quite expensive for the quantity, so it’s better as a topper than a kibble replacement.

    Pros
    • High-protein meat sources
    • Contains turmeric, coconut oil & pumpkin
    Cons
    • Strong odor even in dry form
    • Not suitable for picky dogs
    • Expensive for the quantity

    9. TRIKOS Freeze Dried Premium Dog Food

    TRIKOS

    TRIKOS Freeze Dried Premium Dog Food is a raw chicken and vegetable blend freeze-dried and shaped into small, easy-to-serve patties. This brand does not contain any by-products or fillers, but it does contain a preservative that can be a concern. While the patties may seem convenient, they break too easily in the bag and quickly turn into chicken patty dust. TRIKOS patties are also very small, so they’re too expensive for larger breeds that require a raw food diet. TRIKOS Freeze Dried Dog Food may seem like a great deal for high-quality ingredients, but there are other brands with higher quality recipes and more value for your money.

    Pros
    • Raw chicken freeze-dried patties
    • No by-products or fillers
    Cons
    • Crumbles too easily inside bag
    • Contains a preservative
    • Too expensive for bigger dogs

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    Conclusion

    After going over the reviews of each freeze-dried dog food, we found Stewart 402962 Raw Naturals Freeze-Dried Dog Food to be the best overall freeze-dried dog food. It uses all-natural ingredients and supplements for your dog’s health and wellness in mind. For best value, we found Sojos Complete Natural Freeze-Dried Grain-Free Dog Food to be high in quality and low in cost. It also has a great flavor that dogs seemed to enjoy.

    We hopefully have made it easier for you to find the best freeze-dried dog food for your dog. With quality and value in mind, we looked for the best products on the market. If you’re ready to start a new dog food, consult your veterinarian first.


    Featured image credit: Anna Hoychuk, Shutterstock