The 15 Best Freeze-Dried Dog Foods for 2023

Freeze-dried dog food consists of meat with optional fruits and vegetables, which are specially prepared by a freeze-drying machine. This process freezes then sublimates (via vacuuming) to extract most of the moisture.

These steps ensure the dog food flavors and nutrients are retained while also extending the shelf life. That said, the various varieties of these foods contain different ingredients and flavors, and in this review, we cover the best freeze-dried dog foods that you can buy for your pet.

Editors' Picks for Top Freeze-dried Dog Foods

• #
  Preview
  Product
  Rating
• Bestseller No. 1
  
  TruDog Freeze-Dried Dog Food, Turkey: 99% Meat, 1% Natural Omega Oil Blend, No Fillers,...
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 2
  
  Stella & Chewy's Perfectly Puppy Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken and Salmon Dinner Patties Dog...
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 3
  
  Sojos Complete Turkey & Salmon Recipe Senior Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 7...
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 4
  
  Instinct Freeze Dried Raw Boost Mixers Grain Free Gut Health Grain Free All Natural Dog...
  Rating:

  
  

7 Best Picks: Review

1. Best Overall: Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs Grain Free Limited Ingredient Dog Entrée

• Lifestage: All Stages | Breed Size: Small Breeds
• Flavor: Turkey | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Ground Turkey with Bone, Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Herring Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, D-Alpha Tocopherol
• Protein: 49% (min) | Fat: 22% (min) | Fiber: 2% (max) | Moisture: 7% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Gluten, Fillers, Flavorings, Artificial Preservatives, Synthetic Vitamins & Minerals

Vital Essentials' Mini Nibs takes the overall best position it has a high protein content (49%) and all this is sourced 100% from the USA. The protein is turkey meat, bone, and organs, and the high protein level ensures your dog builds up a healthy muscular body.

The food comes in a raw form and this helps to promote digestive health, oral health, and a strong body frame with strong bones and firm muscles.

It is dry but does not require rehydrating before feeding. However, you can rehydrate the meal to increase its quantity while also softening it and infusing back the flavor.

Due to its high protein content, a transitioning schedule is included on the pack to help you shift from the old dog food. This can take up to 10 days depending on your dog. On the downside, the product is only designed for small dog breeds.

---

2. Best Budget: Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Stella's Super Beef Meal Mixers Grain-Free Dog Food Topper

• Lifestage: All Stages | Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
• Flavor: Chicken | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Chicken with Ground Bone, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Organic Cranberries…
• Protein: 48% (min) | Fat: 28% (min) | Fiber: 5% (max) | Moisture: 5% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Gluten, Hormones, Antibiotics, Potatoes

Freeze-dried dog food doesn't have to be expensive. You can get an affordable pack like this Super Beef Meal Mixers from Stella & Chewy's . The meal is chicken flavored and consists of 95% cage-free chicken meat, which is very healthy.

This meat is blended with chicken organs, bone, organic fruits, and vegetables to give your dog a healthy, 100% balanced mix. As such, it is ideal for supporting healthy growth in all life stages for all kinds of dog breeds.

Feeding can be done in a dry or rehydrated form, in which this requires 1/2 cup of water per cup of food. There is a feeding guide on the pack that clearly shows you the dog weight to cup/scoops to serve, which should be referenced for day-to-day feeding.

The only problem is that the ground bone can pose a risk if they get stuck on your dog's throat.

---

3. Best Patties: Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties

• Lifestage: All Stages | Breed Size: Small Breeds
• Flavor: Beef | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Heart, Beef Tripe, Beef Bone, Pumpkin Seed…
• Protein: 44% (min) | Fat: 35% (min) | Fiber: 5% (max) | Moisture: 5% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Gluten, Fillers, Antibiotics, Hormones

If you prefer serving your dog large chunks of food, then you should check out Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried raw dinner patties . As the name suggests, this dog food comes in the form of patties, which are easy to feed.

These patties contain 95% grass-fed beef and are minimally processed to maintain a 100% complete and balanced diet that is ideal for dogs in all growth stages.

Additionally, they are fortified with vitamins and minerals and are enhanced with probiotics and antioxidants to help improve the immune and digestion systems.

However, with a minimum of 35% fat, this might cause your dog to gain excessive weight if the feeding ratio is not strictly followed.

---

4. Best Natural: Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food Chicken Formula

• Lifestage: All Stages | Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
• Flavor: Chicken | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Necks, Chicken Gizzards, Organic Kale, Organic Carrots, Organic Yams…
• Protein: 37% (min) | Fat: 37% (min) | Fiber: 1% (max) | Moisture: 2% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Gluten, Corn, Wheat, Soy

Aside from having an extensive composition of organic fruits and vegetables as part of its ingredients, Primal's dog food is primarily flavored and made using meat from naturally raised chickens.

Basically, this means the chickens are raised without being fed/injected with hormones or antibiotics.

That said, the organic ingredients include kale, carrots, yams, sunflower seeds, etc. and the food is fortified using naturally-derived vitamins and minerals. These help to boost your dog's immune system for better health.

All in all, the food offers a complete, balanced diet that is ideal for all growth stages and is suitable for all dog breeds. The only problem is that the food has a high-fat content, which is 37% at a minimum.

---

5. Best Balanced: Stewart Raw Naturals Freeze-Dried Dog Food Grain Free

• Lifestage: All Stages | Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
• Flavor: Lamb | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Ground Lamb Bone, Broccoli, Apples, Carrots…
• Protein: 40% (min) | Fat: 31% (min) | Fiber: 5% (max) | Moisture: 8% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Gluten, Carrageenan, Soy, Potato, GMOs

Judging by its ingredient composition, Stewart's Raw Naturals offers the most balanced dog food solution because it contains 80% protein, 18% fruits, and veggies, and 2% vitamins and supplements.

These ingredients are processed via cold pasteurization, which does not destroy enzymes. Instead, it inhibits the growth of most decay-causing bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms in the food.

Lamb is used as the single protein source in the diet, which is lean and is easily digestible. However, ground lamb bone is also included and these small fragments can harm your dog if they get lodged in the throat.

---

6. Best Large Pack: Sojos Complete Natural Freeze-Dried Natural Raw & Dehydrated Grain-Free Dog Food

• Lifestage: Adult | Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
• Flavor: Beef | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Beef, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Whole Egg, Cabbage, Flax Seeds, Cranberries…
• Protein: 25% (min) | Fat: 14% (min) | Fiber: 5.5% (max) | Moisture: 10% (max)
• Not Contain: Soy, Fillers, Artificial Colors/Flavors, Preservatives

Coming in a large 7-lb pack, Sojos' dog food is quite a lot and it can be rehydrated to make up to 40 lbs. of food. This means it expands close to 6 times in size and therefore, you can make multiple servings using a single bag.

Additionally, rehydrating brings back the flavors and textures so that your dog can enjoy the meal as it was originally.

That said, the bag has a beef recipe that is balanced by several organic ingredients like sweet potatoes, parsley, and pumpkin. This ensures your dog gets a complete diet with proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

The only problem is that the pack is quite expensive, but this is because of the size. On the bright side, the product is made in the USA using the highest quality of globally sourced ingredients.

---

7. Best Topper: Instinct Freeze-Dried Raw Boost Mixers Grain-Free Recipe All-Natural Dog Food Toppers with Functional Ingredients

• Lifestage: Adult | Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
• Flavor: Immune Health | Form: Raw
• Ingredients: Chicken with Ground Bone, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Chicken Heart, Beets, Ground Flaxseed, Dried Kelp…
• Protein: 36% (min) | Fat: 30% (min) | Fiber: 15% (max) | Moisture: 6% (max)
• Not Contain: Grain, Corn, Wheat, Soy, Potato, Artificial Flavors/Preservatives

Instinct's Raw Boost Mixers is meant to be given as a treat or as a topper over the main dog food to enhance the diet quality. That said, it is composed of very healthy ingredients that include cage-free chicken and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

These ingredients give the treats healthy proteins for muscle building and natural antioxidants that help to boost the immune system. Furthermore, it lacks grains, corn, wheat, which are not good for allergic or food-sensitive dogs.

The ingredients are minimally processed to maintain most of the nutrients, and this also helps to preserve most of the natural flavors, vitamins, and minerals from the raw meat.

However, with ground bone as part of the ingredients, the food contains bone fragments that can get stuck on your pet's throat.

Other Good Recommendations - Review

8. Dry Dog Food | Puppy | Small Breeds: Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw

If you want your small breed dog to thrive, Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried dog food is a good option to consider. It has a high quality 95% cage-free chicken recipe with a high protein content (48%) that promotes healthy muscle growth.

The food is balanced using an assortment of organic fruits and vegetables, omega-rich chia seeds for building a healthy skin-and-coat, and probiotics to help with digestion.

Key Features

• High protein 95% cage-free chicken recipe.
• Perfect bite-sized morsels.
• 100% balanced diet.

---

9. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: K9 Natural Freeze-Dried Dog Food

We recommend K9 Natural's dog food for those who have a mix of different dog breeds at home. This is because the meal is 100% complete and balanced, which is certified as fit for all dog breeds in all growth stages.

That said, the product has a lamb recipe and it has a palatability guarantee that is ensured to satisfy even the pickiest eaters. You can use it as a whole meal or as a tasty topper to blend it with other flavors.

Key Features

• 100% complete and balanced.
• Suitable for all breeds in all growth stages.
• 100% New Zealand grass-fed lamb recipe.
• Wholemeal or topper.

---

10. Dry Dog Food | Adult | All Breeds: Merrick Backcountry Meal Mixer

If you have an adult dog that prefers a beef recipe, Merrick's Backcountry is worth checking out. The food is safely made in the USA and it has a beef recipe that can be served either as the main meal or as a mixer (topper).

The beef is fortified with minerals and vitamins, which assist in boosting the immune system.

Key Features

• Wholemeal or topper.
• Made in the USA.
• Fortified with minerals and vitamins.
• Grain and gluten-free.

---

11. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: Northwest Naturals Nuggets

For a sick or injured dog, you should serve it with this freeze-dried dog food because it has a 20% supplement recipe. This helps to increase the uptake of various healthy nutrients to boost the healing process.

On top of that, the meal is grain-free and gluten-free and does not have any added hormones or antibiotics, which makes it a very healthy meal.

Key Features

• 20% nutritious produce and supplement recipe.
• Grain-free and gluten-free.
• No added hormones or antibiotics.
• Beef flavored.

---

12. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: Nulo Raw Dog Food

Nulo's raw dog food has a probiotic advantage because it has patented GanedenBC30 probiotics that support the immune system and improve digestion in sensitive dogs.

It is composed of 83% beef, beef organs, and beef bones, which give a very meaty smell and taste. This is more than enough to entice even the pickiest eaters. That said, the food can be served as the main meal or side dish.

Key Features

• Patented GanedenBC30 probiotics
• Very meaty 83% beef, organ, and bone recipe.
• Main meal or side dish serving.
• 100% complete and balanced.

---

13. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: Steve's Real Food Raw Nuggets

Steve's Real Food's Raw Nuggets offers a healthy, versatile food mix that can be fed to your cat or dog. This is because the raw nuggets are fortified using raw goat milk, vitamins, minerals, which offer vital nutrients to keep your pets strong and healthy.

The food is beef flavored and the meat used is purely from grass-fed cows that are not exposed to hormones or antibiotics. As such, the meat is of very high quality.

Key Features

• Versatile nuggets for cats and dogs.
• Fortified using raw goat milk.
• Grass-fed beef.
• No antibiotics and hormones.

---

14. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: Small Batch Small Bites

With 95% duck meat, bone, and organs, Small Batch's Small Bites has a very meaty flavor that is ideal for enticing picky eaters. The meal contains no grains or fillers but has probiotics for aiding in the digestion process.

The remaining 5% is made up of healthy organic nutrients such as mushrooms for boosting the immune system, as well as sesame seeds, salmon oil, and coconut oil for providing omega 3, 6, and 9. These are ideal for creating and maintaining a healthy coat.

Key Features

• Very meaty 95% duck flavor.
• Probiotics for better digestion.
• Healthy organic nutrients.
• Omega 3, 6, and 9.

---

15. Dry Dog Food | All Stages | All Breeds: TruDog Feed Me

Rounding up the list is TruDog's Feed Me and this is the closest you can get to feeding your dog pure meat. It consists of 99% beef, beef organs, and beef bone, which gives a very tasty flavor that is sure to entice even the pickiest eaters.

Other than that, the food has antioxidants and minerals for balancing the diet and boosting immunity.

Key Features

• Very meaty 99% beef flavor.
• Fortified using vitamins and antioxidants.
• No fillers or preservatives.
• Suitable for all breeds in all growth stages.

How to Buy Best Freeze-Dried Dog Foods

1. Type of Dog and Age

The most important factor to consider before buying freeze-dried dog food is your dog's breed and age. These foods have different nutritional values that are suitable for feeding different dog breeds at their different life stages. This is usually indicated by the manufacturer.

Even though some can be universally fed to any type of dog at any age, at times specialization is recommended because it gives your pet the exact nutrients that it needs.

For instance, Vital Essentials' Mini Nibs has a high protein content that ensures small dog breeds build up a muscular body.

2. Processing Sources

Due to quality issues, you should check where the dog food is made from before buying. Most people prefer buying food made in the USA, Canada, Western Europe, New Zealand, or Australia because these countries have stricter quality control standards.

We highly recommend getting freeze-dried dog food made in these countries because you can be assured that it will not have unhealthy ingredients and pollutants.

3. Balanced Nutrition

The main component of dog food is meat but there are different meat varieties. What you need to look at is the meat quality.

For instance, hormone-and-antibiotic-free meat is very safe for your pets. Cage-free chicken is also good because it has a better nutritional profile as compared to battery chicken.

Other ingredients like organic food, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals are usually added in to balance the diet, and the more they are, the healthier the food. For this, you can check out Stewart's Raw Naturals , which adds on omega oils to make it very healthy.

It is worth mentioning that the fat content in freeze-dried food is usually quite high (above 20%) and therefore, it is recommended for active dogs. For sedentary dogs, look for food with less than 10% fat.

Q&A

1. What is the Difference between Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Dog Food?

Dehydrated dog food has more moisture in it, which results in a shorter shelf-life. Additionally, this food has fewer nutrients and does not retain the smell, taste, or texture as it was originally.

On the other hand, freeze-dried dog food has much less moisture, which gives it a longer shelf-life. Because it is prepared without heating, most of the nutrients, taste, smell, and texture is retained.

2. Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Good for your Dog?

Yes. Since it retains most of the nutrients, it is very good for your dog. Additionally, most don't contain gluten, grain, soy, artificial preservatives, colors, and flavorings.

3. Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Raw?

Not all. Some are made using raw meat while others are made using cooked ingredients. You can choose either but most pet owners prefer the raw type.

4. How is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Made?

Once the ingredients are mixed up, the process begins by freezing the mix to solidify the water inside. The frozen mix is then placed in a strong vacuum, which converts the solid water (ice) directly into a gas (sublimation). This extracts most of the moisture, leaving it at less than 10%.

5. How Long can Freeze-Dried Dog Food be Stored for?

Depending on the moisture level, the food can last up to 15 years without being refrigerated. In most cases, the drier it is, the longer the shelf life that it has.

However, the taste and texture will change over time (especially after opening the pack) and therefore, you should feed it to your pets within 3-4 months after opening.

6. Do you have to Add Water to Freeze-Dried Dog Food?

This is not necessary but is recommended. Not only does water help to bring back the flavor, taste, and texture, but it also increases the food quantity. If you serve it dry, be sure to place a bowl of water nearby for your dog to drink.

Buy on Etsy

Open Farm Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food, Humanely Raised Meat Recipe with Non-GMO Superfoods - Walmart Link

360 Pet Nutrition Freeze Dried Raw Complete Meal for Adult Dogs, Made in The USA, 16 Ounce - Walmart Link

ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Dog Food - All Natural, High Protein, Grain Free and Limited - Walmart Link

Primal Pet Food - Freeze Dried Chicken Nuggets Dog Food 14oz Bag with WoWing Pets Pendant - Walmart Link

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties - Walmart Link

Orijen Freeze-Dried Dog Food, Original, Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free - Walmart Link

Nature's Diet Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Raw Whole Food Meal - Makes 18 Lbs Fresh Raw Food - Walmart Link

Vital Essentials' Mini Nibs - Walmart Link

this Super Beef Meal Mixers from Stella & Chewy's - Walmart Link

Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried raw dinner patties - Walmart Link

Instinct's Raw Boost Mixers - Walmart Link

Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried dog food - Walmart Link

K9 Natural's dog food - Walmart Link

Nulo's raw dog food - Walmart Link

Steve's Real Food's Raw Nuggets - Walmart Link

Small Batch's Small Bites - Walmart Link

Buy on eBay

Open Farm Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food, Humanely Raised Meat Recipe with Non-GMO Superfoods - eBay Link

360 Pet Nutrition Freeze Dried Raw Complete Meal for Adult Dogs, Made in The USA, 16 Ounce - eBay Link

ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Dog Food - All Natural, High Protein, Grain Free and Limited - eBay Link

Primal Pet Food - Freeze Dried Chicken Nuggets Dog Food 14oz Bag with WoWing Pets Pendant - eBay Link

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties - eBay Link

Orijen Freeze-Dried Dog Food, Original, Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free - eBay Link

Nature's Diet Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Raw Whole Food Meal - Makes 18 Lbs Fresh Raw Food - eBay Link

Vital Essentials' Mini Nibs - eBay Link

this Super Beef Meal Mixers from Stella & Chewy's - eBay Link

Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried raw dinner patties - eBay Link

Instinct's Raw Boost Mixers - eBay Link

Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried dog food - eBay Link

K9 Natural's dog food - eBay Link

Nulo's raw dog food - eBay Link

Steve's Real Food's Raw Nuggets - eBay Link

Small Batch's Small Bites - eBay Link

Conclusion

To conclude, Vital Essentials' Mini Nibs is the overall best freeze-dried dog food because it is 100% made in the USA using high-quality turkey meat. It also has a high protein content that is recommended for all growth stages.

However, if you have a sick or injured dog that requires a balanced meal, Stewart's Raw Naturals adds on omega 3 and 6 to make it very nutritious. Natural organic ingredients are also very healthy and Primal's dog food is packed with these. Be sure to check it out.