Freshpet began as a private company in 2006. It went public in 2014, raising $164 million. The company’s original president and co-founder is still with the company.
Freshpet produces moderately cooked, refrigerated dog food with 6 sub-brands that offer 41 recipes. The company manufactures its dog and cat foods in facilities in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Their treats are made in co-manufacturing plants. Freshpet foods are widely available in grocery stores and large retailers.
For our Freshpet dog food reviews we’ll look at each food line individually, based on the food ingredient quality and safety. Each dog food review was based on these criteria.
Freshpet Vital Dog Food Review
Score: 5.8/10
Package Ingredients For Vital Grain Free Beef & Lamb Recipe With Cranberries & Spinach Dog Food Recipe: Beef, beef liver, beef broth, lentil flour, lamb, egg, spinach, pea protein, pea fiber, natural flavors, cranberries, calcium phosphate, sunflower oil, vinegar, salt, carrageenan, potassium chloride, celery powder, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Vital is considered a moderate risk dog food.
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderately High In Carbohydrate: The carbohydrates as calculated in this line average 14% (with a range from 10% to 26%) on a dry matter basis, for comparison with dry foods. This is a fairly average range for a cooked dog food. The carbohydrates primarily come from brown rice, oats and sweet potatoes, which are high in starch. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to gut imbalance. The average protein content for this line is 43% on a dry matter basis.
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When dog foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix is added to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Unnamed Animal Ingredients: Unnamed animal ingredients can be a sign of lower quality. This dog food contains fish oil, which could be virtually any species of fish. These types of ingredients are usually just waste products that are low quality.
Seed Oil: Several recipes contain sunflower oil, which is a highly processed and highly inflammatory oil. This is an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils.
Plant Protein: Plant proteins are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and are more digestible.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with Freshpet Vital dog food:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: Many of the recipes in Freshpet’s Vital line contain foods in the top 5 ingredients that are known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Spinach, oats, peas and lentils (unless organic) are crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, leaving them with more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases. However, it’s good to note the dog foods in the Vital line are not made with GMO ingredients.
Carrageenan: Carrageenan is a highly processed derivative of seaweed used as a thickener or texturizer. It may be linked to intestinal inflammation and other negative health effects.
Rice: Some recipes contain rice, where arsenic contamination is a significant concern since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.
Natural Flavor: Foods from Freshpet Select contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. Natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Freshpet Select Dog Food Review
Score: 5.8/10
Package Ingredients for Freshpet Select Home Cooked Chicken Recipe: Chicken, cranberries, carrots, pea protein, pea fiber, ground oats, natural flavors, vinegar, carrageenan, cassia gum, salt, potassium chloride, spinach, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin b12 supplement, vitamin d3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Select is considered a moderate risk dog food. Here are our concerns:
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderately High In Carbohydrate: The average carbohydrates are calculated as 17% for the Select line, ranging from 11% to 28% (on a dry matter basis). This is a fairly average range for a cooked food. The carbohydrates primarily come from brown rice, oats and sweet potatoes, which are high in starch. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to gut imbalance. The average protein content for this line is 43% on a dry matter basis.
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix is added to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Unnamed Animal Ingredients: Unnamed animal ingredients can be a sign of lower quality. This dog food contains fish oil, which could be virtually any species of fish. These types of ingredients are usually just waste products that are low quality.
Contains Plant Protein: Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and are more digestible.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with Select line:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: Many recipes in Freshpet Select contain foods in the top 5 ingredients that are known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Peas, spinach, oats and lentils (unless organic) are crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, leaving them with more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
Contains GMOs: Several recipes in Freshpet Select contain known GMO ingredients that include potatoes and soy. There are limited safety studies on genetically modified and Roundup Ready crops, and they are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. GMO crops also strip nutrients from soils, require increased pesticide risk and may be involved in bee die-off.
Carrageenan: Carrageenan is a highly processed derivative of seaweed used as a thickener or texturizer. It may be linked to intestinal inflammation and other negative health effects.
Rice: Arsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.
Natural Flavor: Foods from Freshpet Select contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. But natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Freshpet Deli Fresh Dog Food Review
Score: 5.2/10
Package Ingredients Deli Fresh Grain Free Chicken Recipe With Spinach & Potato Recipe: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, spinach, potatoes, eggs, pea protein, carrageenan, natural flavors, pea fiber, salt, potassium chloride, inulin, fish oil, celery powder, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Deli Fresh is considered a moderate risk dog food. Here are our concerns:
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderately High In Carbohydrate: The average carbohydrates in this line are 15% (on a dry matter basis). This is an acceptable level for a cooked food. The carbohydrates primarily come from potatoes, sweet potatoes and peas, which are high in starch. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to gut imbalance. The average protein content for the Deli Fresh line is 45% on a dry matter basis. .
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix is added for the food to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Unnamed Animal Ingredients: Unnamed animal ingredients can be a sign of lower quality. This dog food contains fish oil, which could be virtually any species of fish. These types of ingredients are usually just waste products that are low quality.
Contains Plant Protein: Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and are more digestible.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with Deli Fresh line:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal or no processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: The 3 recipes in the Deli Fresh line all contain foods in the top 5 ingredients that are known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Potatoes, spinach and peas (unless organic) are crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, leaving them with more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases. However, it’s good to note the dog food in the Deli Fresh line are not made with GMO ingredients.
Carrageenan: Carrageenan is a highly processed derivative of seaweed used as a thickener or texturizer. It may be linked to intestinal inflammation and other negative health effects.
Natural Flavor: Freshpet Deli Fresh recipes contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. But natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, low quality
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Freshpet Homestyle Creations Dog Food Review
Score: 6/10
Package Ingredients for Freshpet Homestyle Creations Natural Beef Recipe: Beef, Beef Broth, Beef liver, pea protein, pea fiber, natural flavors, salt, cultured dextrose, choline bitartrate, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Homestyle Creations is considered a moderate risk dog food.
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderate Carbohydrate: The average carbohydrates for this line are 11% (on a dry matter basis). This is good to see for a cooked food. The average protein content is 59% dry matter, which is also a good level for a food in this category. However, there are plant proteins in this food (see below), which are less desirable than animal proteins.
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix is added for the food to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Seed Oil: Several of the recipes contain canola oil, which is a highly processed and highly inflammatory oil that’s also genetically modified. It’s an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils.
Plant Protein: Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and are more digestible.
Contains Sugar: The 4 recipes in Homestyle Creations contain cultured dextrose. Sugar is often found in pet food to increase palatability or as a preservative or humectant. It is a low quality ingredient that can cause unwanted gut changes, obesity and insulin spikes.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with Homestyle Creations line:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal or no processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: Except for the Beef, Chicken & Turkey recipe, several recipes in Homestyle Creations contain ingredients in the top 5 that are known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Peas (unless organic) are crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, leaving them with more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
Natural Flavor: Several recipes in Homestyle Creations contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable.Natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.
Rice: The Beef, Chicken & Turkey recipe contains rice. Arsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Dog Food Review
Score: 6.4/10
Package Ingredients For Grain Free Atlantic Salmon & Wild Alaskan Pollock Recipe: Salmon, fish broth, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, ocean whitefish, sweet potatoes, lentils, sunflower oil, pea protein, carrageenan, natural flavors, celery powder, potassium chloride, salt, inulin, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, dicalcium phosphate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
The Nature’s Fresh claim is that the ingredients are all locally sourced with BPA free packaging. Freshpet also promises that Nature’s Fresh is carbon neutral and that its poultry is Animal Welfare Certified, which is a meaningful certification that features on-farm verification.
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Nature’s Fresh is considered a moderate risk dog food.
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderate Carbohydrates: The carbohydrates as calculated average 16% for this line, with a range from 11% to 23% (on a dry matter basis). This is a decent range for a cooked food. The carbohydrates primarily come from brown rice, peas and sweet potatoes, which are high in starch, plus cranberries and blueberries, which contain some sugar. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to gut imbalance. The average protein content for the Nature’s Fresh line is 43% on a dry matter basis.
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix is added for the food to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Unnamed Animal Ingredients: Unnamed animal ingredients can be a sign of lower quality. This dog food contains fish oil, which could be virtually any species of fish. These types of ingredients are usually just waste products that are low quality.
Seed Oil: Some of these recipes contain sunflower oil, which is a highly processed and highly inflammatory oil. It’s an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils.
Plant Protein: This line contains fewer plant-based protein sources than Freshpet’s other lines, but some recipes include pea protein. Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and are more digestible.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with the Nature’s Fresh line:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal or no processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: Several of the Nature’s Fresh recipes contain ingredients in the top 5 that are known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Peas and spinach (unless organic) are crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, leaving them with more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops, even genetically modified ones. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
Carrageenan: Carrageenan is a highly processed derivative of seaweed used as a thickener or texturizer. It may be linked to intestinal inflammation and other negative health effects.
Rice: Arsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.
Natural Flavor: All of the recipes in the Nature’s Fresh line contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. Natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, which is another very low quality ingredient with limited safety studies.
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Freshpet Spring & Sprout Dog Food Review
Score: 2.5/10
Package Ingredients for Plant-Based Protein & Cage-Free Egg Recipe: Eggs, pea protein, water, cranberries, soy protein, natural flavors, canola oil, carrots, oat bran, oat flour, spinach, milk, oat protein, soy fiber, pea fiber, pumpkin powder, tapioca starch, bean protein, rice bran, sunflower oil, salt, vinegar, yeast extract, methionine, taurine, citric acid, choline bitartrate, vitamin E supplement, vitamin a supplement, calcium pantothenate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, potassium iodide, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite
Using our evaluation criteria, Freshpet Spring & Sprout is considered a high risk dog food.
Ingredient Quality
Overall, there are several concerns when it comes to ingredient quality:
Moderately High In Carbohydrate: Freshpet’s Spring & Sprout has a carbohydrate level of 27% (on a dry matter basis) which is to be expected from a plant-based food. High carbohydrate diets have been linked to gut imbalance. High carbohydrate diets also mean lower protein diets and yet the protein content is 54% on a dry matter basis, which is high for a plant-based food.
Excessive Added Vitamins and Minerals: When foods are highly processed and/or contain lower quality ingredients, a vitamin and mineral premix must be added for the food to meet minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. These premixes can often cause toxicities, especially for vitamin D and copper.
Added Amino Acids: Protein from animals is more complete in amino acids than protein from plants. Even though eggs are used in this recipe, amino acids are added to compensate for incomplete plant proteins. Spring & Sprout contains both taurine and methionine.
Seed Oil: This recipe contains canola oil and sunflower oil, highly processed and highly inflammatory oils that are inexpensive alternatives to higher quality animal fats and oils.
Plant Protein: This food has several sources of plant protein, which isn’t surprising in a vegetarian food. Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources, and they are more digestible.
Ingredient Safety
Many pet food ingredients are unsafe or are grown using unsafe chemicals. Here are some of the issues with the Spring & Sprout line:
Moderately Processed: Heating foods will cause losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Minimal processing is preferred.
High Pesticide/Herbicide Foods In The Top 5 Ingredients: The Spring & Sprout recipe contains peas (and GMO soy – see below) in the top 5 ingredients, which are both known to carry a large pesticide/herbicide residue. Crops that are spray-dried with Roundup, result in more glyphosate/herbicide residue than other crops. Glyphosate is an antibiotic that can kill beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
Contains GMO Foods in The Top 5 Ingredients: The Spring & Sprout recipe contains soy protein, a known GMO ingredient in the top 5 ingredients. There are limited safety studies on genetically modified and Roundup Ready crops, although they are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. GMO crops also strip nutrients from soils, require increased pesticide risk and may be involved in bee die-off.
Rice: Arsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it’s grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues.
Natural Flavor: This recipe contains natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. Natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.
Read more Freshpet Dog Food Reviews
Is Freshpet A Good Dog Food?
Freshpet cooked dog foods are considered moderate risk foods, with scores ranging from 5.2 to 6.4, except for the Spring & Sprout food, which is considered high risk with a score of 2.5. The Nature’s Fresh is their best scoring line.
Freshpet is a publicly traded company that has an obligation to its shareholders and this is worth mentioning since it puts pressure on the company to turn profits, which may or may not impact the quality of the product.
The Freshpet lines are generally similar, although some are non-GMO and one is vegetarian. On the ingredient quality side, they all feature excessive added vitamins and minerals, which can indicate lower quality ingredients. It’s also notable that Freshpet often uses sodium selenite as a source of selenium. Some research suggests that sodium selenite may be associated with potential toxicity, so selenium yeast is the preferred form of this mineral. The carbohydrate content in these foods seems reasonable, although many of the foods contain plant protein to boost protein levels.
When it comes to ingredient safety, the foods often feature carrageenan and natural flavors. Known high pesticide ingredients also make a frequent appearance in the top 5 ingredients, as well as genetically modified foods.
Overall, the food scores about the same as many premium dry and canned foods so Freshpet might not be worth the extra price point. There are also low risk cooked foods available that might have comparable pricing. It’s also worth noting that many of the foods claim a protein content of 43% or more on a dry matter basis
Freshpet claims its meat is 100% farm-raised, and that it uses producers that maintain standards for responsible farming and ranching practices. These practices have no meaning without recognized third-party certification. However, Freshpet states it uses chicken from producers certified with Global Animal Partnership, a 5-step rating system for animal welfare standards.
They also say their ingredients are from local sources and that they’re all-natural and antibiotic-free. Natural is another overused marketing term that has no meaning under pet food regulatory standards. It should be noted that all meat, poultry and dairy foods sold in the US are antibiotic-free, as required by federal law. Freshpet states they use muscle and organ meat, not meat meals.
The company practices sustainability by recycling and reusing everything. They use wind energy at their manufacturing plants and are working toward obtaining a zero carbon footprint.
Other concerns worth mentioning are …
Glam Ingredients: Some Freshpet recipes contain glam ingredients. These are expensive or desirable ingredients like blueberries, kale or apples often added to appeal to But when they appear below the salt in the ingredient list, it means they are in tiny amounts that contribute little or no nutritional value to your dog.
Ingredient Splitting: This is a technique of splitting ingredients into sub-categories to move certain ingredients higher or lower on the ingredient list. This is often used to disguise the amount of lower quality ingredients in the food, such as corn, potatoes or peas, and moves desirable ingredients, like proteins, higher.
Does Not Provide Omega-6 to 3 Ratio: Also worth noting is the fact that the brand doesn’t list the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. Omega-6 fats are pro-inflammatory so this is a concern because AAFCO allows a highly inflammatory ratio of 30:1.
Evaluation Criteria
Are the Ingredients High Quality?
Here are some common low quality ingredients or markers we look for:
- Is there excessive carbohydrate content, which can cause gut imbalances?
- Does the food contain unnamed proteins, which are low quality?
- Does the food use cellulose (wood pulp) as a source of fiber instead of real food?
- Are there excessive vitamins and minerals added in place of real food nutrition?
- Are there excessive added amino acids or plant proteins instead of expensive meat protein?
- Does the food contain inflammatory processed seed oils?
How Safe Are the Ingredients?
Many ingredients come from unhealthy, inflammatory sources or are full of pesticides so we look for:
- How processed is the food?
- Does the food contain known genetically modified foods?
- Does the food contain ingredients known to be high in pesticides?
- Does the food contain natural flavor, which is often MSG or animal digest?
- Does the food contain rice, which is high in arsenic?
Each food is objectively evaluated by these criteria and a score is assigned using the average of ingredient quality and safety.
This is NOT a paid list and there are no affiliate links. Dogs Naturally has partnered with DogFoodReviews.com to make sure dog owners have unbiased, objective criteria to help them choose the best dog food on the market. You can view the full Evaluation Criteria at DogFoodReviews.com.
