Nom Nom Dog Food Review (2024)

Introduction

It doesn’t take much schooling or prior knowledge to know that good food equals good nutrition and healthy growth. Good food can mean a variety of things, but in the case of dog food, it means fresh and balanced. Nom Nom Now, or NomNomNow has since dropped the “now” and become known as Nom Nom. However, this has not in any way changed their recipes or the amount of love and care they have for your dog. All the recipes from NomNomNow has been expertly developed by Dr. Justin Shmalberg to ensure everything is made with fresh and whole ingredients.

With many other pet food subscription services out there, what makes NomNomNow special? That’s exactly what we are going to look at and address today in detail. All the food and ingredients to come out of NomNomNow kitchens are so good they are even edible by you! After all, it’s advised not to feed your dogs anything you wouldn’t consume.

About the Brand

The story of NomNomNow starts with two brothers, Zach and Nate Philips, who are also the co-founders of Nom Nom dog food. Zach’s dog, Harlee, was immuno-compromised. If you have or had a dog with such issues, you would know that boosting a weaker immune system is an everyday thing. It requires care from every single aspect, starting from the right food.

This is where Dr. Schmalberg came in. He was and still is Zach and Harlee’s vet. He was the one who helped develop initial recipes for NomNomNow in an effort to help nurse Harlee back to health. The food is natural, easy-to-digest and made from ingredients free of fillers and byproducts.

Not only that, but the food also tastes good as well! After Harlee went on this diet for a while, she began to make a miraculous recovery. Seeing the amazing effects is what inspired to cofounders and Dr. Schmalberg to start what is now known as Nom Nom.

What is amazing about NomNomNow is not only the well-balanced recipes, but it’s demographic. The Nom Nom brand doesn’t only create dog food, but cat food as well. Every single formula they prepare is done in small batches to ensure quality with ingredients that you can buy yourself at the store.

The recipe you end up receiving will be catered to your dogs’ and cats’ needs. Whether it be weight loss, or pinpointing and tackling other health issues, you will find each recipe packed with beneficial ingredients. Aside from that, we also stress the safety and adherence to nutritional profiles appropriate for all ages, sizes and breeds.

How It Works

So how exactly does it work? Like with many other pet food subscription services, you need to create a profile for your dogs and cats. They ask questions such as your dog and cat’s name, weight, target weight, health issues, preferred protein (flavor) and more. Once this has been filled out, you will then receive a rough quote to how much your order would cost.

The price of these fresh dog food subscription services will vary depending on your dog’s size, breed, age and needs. There is also a page listing all the potential ingredients for you to take a look at before you decide on the meal plan. Whether you are planning to purchase fresh food for your dog or cat, it’s essential to make sure that nothing they are allergic to goes into the mix.

Another thing that’s great about Nom Nom is their variety. As pet parents as well, the team at Nom Nom know that dogs can be picky and fickle. Instead of purchasing full meal plans and then figuring out Fido doesn’t like the taste, Nom Nom will present you with test packages or samples of all the main proteins for your pet to decide which one he likes. After that, you have the freedom to change or alter your order from your account on their website accordingly.

To entice first-time customers, Nom Nom will also include special treats in the first delivery. Look at the first shipment as sort of a trial run to further get to know what your pet likes and doesn’t like and what works and what doesn’t. After you have clearly identified your pet’s preferences, you can put in the final changes and expect delivery of monthly pet food shipments of 56 packets of fresh food.

Everything is packaged well and thoughtfully and the food comes ready to be served (once you have thawed it out).

Ingredients/Key Features

Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients board-certified veterinary nutritionist Dr. Schmalberg has decided to include.

All the ingredients included in each recipe are up to AAFCO standards. Produced in certified facilities, the food produced by Nom Nom is safe to consume. Everything is made with all-natural ingredients and carefully pre-portioned to fit your dog’s belly. They take into consideration the size of your pooch to give them the right amount. This is why filling in the information at the beginning of the process accurately is so important.

You have four main recipes to choose from but Nom Nom sets itself apart by also offering treats! You shouldn’t expect any less for your dog or cat in terms of the quality of treats. All of the yummy jerkies are made with USDA certified meats. What’s also very important that not many people tend to pay attention to is the ingredients list. Nom Nom practices full transparency when listing what exactly goes into every meal.

There is no ambiguous text with every clearly labeled from the largest quantity to the lowest. Not only that, but Nom Nom also offers a care grade guarantee. This is a little different than a money-back guarantee but still makes it a less risky purchase nonetheless. The parameters of the guarantee state that if your pet or you don’t see and feel the difference a fresh dog food diet can do within 30 days, then Nom Nom will cover your dog’s next diet up to $40.

This particular guarantee is less impressive than that of other pet food subscription services that offer 100% money-back guarantees. One other thing to note is that all packaging for the fresh dog food is recyclable. Nom Nom goes out of their way to be environmentally friendly as well!

Nom Nom seems to have expanded their services and have now launched microbiome test kit for dogs and a line of probiotics just for dogs. The test helps monitor your dog’s gut health and the probiotics help maintain it. The gut health products line work in tandem with their dog food to promote digestive health. If your dog often suffers from bloating, diarrhea, inflammatory diseases and more, this could be a good option to look at.

To top it all off, Nom Nom exhibits exceptional customer service. With thoughtful follow-ups and responsive staff members, you will feel like you are supported every step of the way.

Health Benefits

As fresh dog food starts to dominate the market slowly, its effects can also be seen quite clearly across the board. Fresh dog food can be tough to formulate on your own, but Nom Nom offers a healthy alternative and the expertise of a certified vet nutritionist.

Vegetables, what Nom Nom has an abundance of, has actually shown to have exceptional preventative properties and can have amazing effects on our dogs. Fresh veggies added to your dog’s diet, even if it isn’t through fresh food, can decrease and prevent cancer!

Of course, there is also a higher content of vitamins and minerals that are saved in fresh food that our dogs can readily absorb. That isn’t saying much compared to processed ingredients, which is why the effects and results of fresh dog food can be seen so quickly.

You will be noticing a happier, healthier, and a much more energetic dog. It will also boost your pooch’s immune system and better his overall health. As Harlee has demonstrated in the past, fresh food can not only be used to prevent diseases, but to treat them as well! A lot of common issues dogs suffer from can be prevented and even treated with fresh meals.

For dogs that suffer from weight problems whether it is being overweight or underweight, fresh food will help your dog and cat reach his target weight in a matter of weeks! When carried out hand-in-hand with proper exercise and rest, your dogs can will be at the healthiest state.

We all know a healthy dog is a dog that can be your companion through life even longer. If you were looking at 10 years, the number can easily be increased to 12 with proper fresh diet. Another thing to consider when feeding your dog is mental health. Not only will his body see improvements, but so will his mental capacity as well. Dogs with healthier diets have proven to be smarter, and exhibit improved cognitive functions.

And of course, there is the exterior factor. A dog’s health is reflected in the state of his skin and coat. Especially for fur babies with longer and lustrous coats, you want it to glisten and shine in the sun. A good way to do this is with proper food that contain fish oil and fats.

Flavors

After reading about all the benefits of serving fresh food, we now must bring the wonderful flavors to the table. The food from Nom Nom comes in a few distinct flavors: heartland beef mash, chicken chow wow, porkalicious potluck, tasty turkey fare.

The heartland beef mash sports a few main ingredients including natural beef, sweet potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas and fish oil. If your pooch is looking for a whole lot of protein, this is the recipe. It is balanced out by the included vegetables and the fish oil in the beef mash recipe will perform amazing effects on the condition of your pup’s skin and coat. Much like other dog food, the heartland beef mash recipe also includes necessary vitamins and minerals to further boost your pet’s immune system.

As for the chicken chow-wow, the main ingredient and source of protein is of course, chicken. You don’t get quite as much protein as the beef recipe, and you have sweet potatoes and yellow squash to add fiber. From these ingredients you can tell that this is an optimal recipe for those with digestive issues. The spinach main ingredient also acts as a source of protein and the fish oil will take good care of your pup’s skin and coat.

The porkalicious potluck sounds delicious even for humans! Once we read what goes into this recipe, it made us want a taste as well! You’re looking at pork, potatoes, green beans, yellow squash, mushrooms, kale and fish oil. The pork recipe by far has the most main ingredients with one of the highest moisture and lowest fat content. You’re also looking at the recipe with the most fiber, making this another easy to digest option that will spare no expense for gut and coat health.

Last but not least is the tasty turkey fare. If your pooch is more sensitive to grains, we would advise against this option as it does contain brown rice. However, brown rice is a good carb that makes the turkey fare a hearty meal for any dog. As for the main ingredients, you get turkey, eggs, brown rice, carrots, spinach and fish oils. Fish oils have been an ever-present ingredient in all recipes, and that is thanks to the wealth of benefits it provides.

Now that you know what recipes Nom Nom offers, you can now make the right choice for the new food. Chicken, turkey, beef or pork, whatever your dog prefers, you can rest assured that he or she will get the best.

Cost

As briefly mentioned before, the cost of the meal subscription plan will vary from dog to dog. The type of protein you select will also do a number on the total. We did, however, manage to procure a ballpark range for dogs from 10-15 pounds. If your dog falls under this category, you can expect a loose pricing range of 30-40 dollar (depending on the protein you choose).

Nom Nom isn’t known to be the cheapest fresh dog food subscription option but there is a reason for it – the amazing ingredients! The monthly cost will have to paid upfront (no surprise there) but the delivery fee is free (ah silver lining). What can hopefully make your day is knowledge that if you are a first-time customer, you get to enjoy a 50% discount for your first two weeks!

We know it can sound pricey and kibble can be much cheaper than that (especially if you opt for store-bought food), but the health of our fur baby and their everlasting companionship is priceless!

Offer

You may be able to find the occasional coupon online for Nom Nom dog food, but the biggest deal we would find is the 50% off your initial order.

We have a coupon for our readers to get this incredible offer below.

Recalls

Fresh dog food has a lower chance for recalls, and it has been very evident with a number of dog meal subscription companies. As of now, Nom Nom and their fresh food has not had a recall. This only adds to their brand reputation and quality assurance to their customers new and returning.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is fresh a buzzword?

What exactly does “fresh” mean? The word “fresh” at Nom Nom means that the ingredients are of high quality and safe for human consumption.To back this up, the all ingredients are USDA Grade A certified. All ingredients are freshly made and packaged then sent to your door. No artificialprocesses are involved to take away from the natural nutrition offered by any of the ingredients.

Does their food meet AAFCO standards?

As mentioned previously, yes! Food from Nom Nom either meets or exceeds standards set by the AAFCO nutritional profiles for all life stages.

Where is it made?

Make your way to the country music capital of the US, which is also where Nom Nom kitchen facilities are located. They also have facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Every ingredient is scrutinized and heavily evaluated before it makes its way into your dog’s belly. Every recipe is made to order and the small batches and small amounts allow for Nom Nom to regulate the quality more easily.

How does shipping work?

The process of getting it to your doorstep is less complicated than you think. Shipping is free across all 48 states Nom Nom works with. Each meal for your pooch is prepared only days before shipment. Nom Nom also carefully times each shipment to ensure that your dog won’t ever be left without food.

You can choose between bi-weekly or monthly shipping and all packaging is recyclable and specially designed to keep the food fresh.

You can make adjustments and cancel your subscription at any time via your account.

Returns

While Nom Nom doesn’t accept returns, which is understandable due to the perishable nature of fresh food, they do offer a full refund within the first month if you encounter any issues.

What about picky eaters?

If you have a picky pooch on your hand, it’s more than likely that he or she will tire of a specific recipe after a month. To ensure that your pet can enjoy a variety of delectable tastes, you can opt for multiple recipes in each order for an additional $5 per order.

Is Nom Nom really the best for my pet?

Aside from the fact that their meals are formulated by a board-certified vet nutritionist, Dr. Schmalberg, he also bases his recipes on recent findings in his field. No matter the need of your pet, Nom Nom’s algorithm will find and pinpoint problems and calculate the best formula for your pet specifically.

The food you feed your pet from Nom Nom didn’t come from a mass-produced lineup, but is instead made with care in a certified facility just for your pet alone. Just make sure you fill in the information as accurately as possible.

If at any time your pet experiences less than ideal complications such as unwanted weight gain and loss, you should contact their customer service immediately for the proper adjustments.

What if my dog is on medication?

Since Dr. Schmalberg is an expert, he is more than willing to communicate and discuss your pet’s need directly. You can also consult your trusted vet to see if a fresh diet is the best for your pooch.

Why can’t I do this myself?

While anyone can cook up food at home, the difference is whether you can ensure your pup will get all the necessary nutrients and if he is getting a balanced meal. Only a vet nutritionist (hopefully a board-certified one) has the proper knowledge to guarantee your dog will get everything he needs to thrive.

Even if you can master the right recipe for your dog, the next question is if you have the time to constantly prepare food for your dog. For most people this is a large barrier so a service like Nom Nom is a better option.

Conclusion

We love how Nom Nom isn’t only for dogs. So if you have a household with canines and felines, they can all enjoy freshly made food. Not only do they offer daily meals, but you can also look into their line of probiotics and microbiome tests to ensure your dog is healthy and happy. Unfortunately, this line of products is only available for canines at the moment.