Reviews

Best Cheap Fresh Dog Food Alternatives 2026

Most Affordable Fresh Dog Food Alternatives

Last Updated on February 12, 2026 by Kieran Beckles

Are you looking to switch your fresh dog food subscription to a more affordable option?

Sundays For Dogs Quick Verdict
Sundays For Dogs Copper and Skye
Overall, Sundays is my top pick for air-dried dog food if you want the nutrition of fresh food without the mess of a fridge. It’s vet-formulated, customized to your dog's needs, and one of the easiest ways I've found to feed a high-quality diet.

I love feeding my Alaskan Klee Kai dogs fresh dog food, but their subscription plans can be expensive, given the rising living costs.

Some fresh dog food companies quoted me over $250 to feed their custom meals to my mini huskies. I couldn’t justify the cost.

While my Klee Kai tended to prefer fresh frozen meals, I found dog food delivery companies that offer human-grade dog food at affordable prices.

We updated this article in 2026 to ensure the pricing is correct, considering some of the brands mentioned have increased their subscription prices.

Want to see cheaper alternatives to fresh dog food? Here’s our real-world look at more affordable options after feeding them.

Cheap Fresh Dog Food Comparison Table

SundaysThe Farmer's DogUnKibbleThe Pets Table
Air DriedFresh mealsFreshly driedAir dried and fresh
3 recipes6 options3 options5 options
$3.07 a day per dog$3.24 a day per dog$2.73 a day per dog$3.79 a day per dog
$184.40 a month$194.40 a month$164 a month$202 a month
90% meat content40-50% proteins27% minimum26% minimum
No custom scooperPre-portionedCustom scooperNo
Picky eater approvedKlee Kai enjoyedSkye+Copper likedMixed reaction

Sundays Food For Dogs

Skye and her Sundays For Dogs food (Photo: lifewithkleekai)
Skye and her Sundays For Dogs food (Photo: lifewithkleekai)

My top pick is Sundays Food For Dogs. My Alaskan Klee Kai dogs love their air-dried food, which contains human-grade ingredients and is gently cooked with a treat-like texture.

Skye is a fussy eater, but Sundays offer a good variety of recipes: beef, chicken, and turkey. Copper and Skye’s favorite recipe was beef!

Their recipes have a high meat content and a treat-like texture, which kept Skye interested in Sundays. We continue to use Sundays in 2026.

I had no problems completing their sign-up questionnaire. It was easy to serve, and once mealtime was over, I resealed the bag and popped it in the cupboard.

I signed up for Sundays and paid $184 a month to feed their air-dried food to Copper and Skye. Sundays still represent good value despite our subscription increasing.

PROS
CONS
My dogs approved
Pricier than kibble
High meat content
Only three recipes
Cheaper than fresh
No scooper
No nasties

The Farmer’s Dog

Skye waits for The Farmer’s Dog (Photo: Life With Klee Kai)

I know The Farmer’s Dog provides fresh dog food, but they’re significantly cheaper than every other fresh dog food brand I’ve reviewed. So I included them!

They offer four different recipes (beef, chicken, pork and turkey). This is sufficient variation for you’ve got a picky dog like Skye.

We’ve retested The Farmer’s Dog every year, and it remains Copper and Skye’s favorite fresh dog food brand. They’ve stood the test of time.

I love that The Farmer’s Dog follows through on their customization promise, with individually labelled meals and pre-portioned guidelines.

The Farmer’s Dog is the only fresh dog food brand that my Klee Kai would consistently eat.

We paid $194.40 a month for The Farmer’s Dog, a minor increase from $193 when we first reviewed the brand in 2023.

PROS
CONS
Human-grade
Only 4 recipes
Custom pouches
Expensive
Pre-portioned
No custom scooper
AKK approved
Freeze space

UnKibble

Skye and Copper wait for UnKibble (Photo: Life With Klee Kai)

If you don’t like the sound of Sundays and you’d prefer a brand that offers something more like kibble, you won’t go wrong with UnKibble.

Spot and Tango created UnKibble to cater to pet owners who prefer to feed dry food rather than fresh food.

UnKibble has four recipes to cater to fussy pups like Skye. My Klee Kai’s favorites were the Beef & Barley and Chicken & Brown Rice.

I appreciated UnKibble included a custom scooper to take the brainwork out of getting the portions right at mealtime. I’ve reviewed over 30 dog food brands, but UnKibble is the only one that includes a custom scooper.

Once I completed UnKibble’s sign-up questionnaire, I was charged $164 a month to feed their dry food to my Alaskan Klee Kai dogs.

While UnKibble has increased its price from $140 to $164, it’s the most affordable option that we’ve reviewed on our website.

PROS
CONS
Human grade
Pricier than kibble
Recipe range
AKK prefer air dried
Custom meal plans
No chicken recipe
Cheaper than fresh

The Pets Table

The Pets Table dry food
The Pets Table dry food (Photo: Life With Klee Kai)

You may be new to The Pets Table. They’re a dog food company powered by HelloFresh, which most pet owners will likely have heard of.

While The Pets Table offers fresh dog food meals, I’m interested in their air-dried food plan for this guide. The Pets Table only has two recipes: beef and chicken.

Copper and Skye were happy to eat their beef and chicken dishes, although they didn’t show the same mealtime motivation as with the other brands.

I paid $202 to get a month’s supply of The Pets Table for my Klee Kai dogs. This is still cheaper than most fresh dog food subscription plans I’ve previously reviewed.

PROS
CONS
Easy to order
Only 2 recipes
Affordable
No multiple pet plan
On Amazon
Mixed review

Cheap Fresh Dog Food Pros vs Cons Comparison Table

BrandPros Cons
SundaysHigh meat content, treat-like texture, fussy eater approvedNo custom scooper, only three recipes, pricier than kibble
UnKibbleTransparent labelling, custom scooper, Klee Kai approvedOnly three recipes, more expensive than kibble
The Farmer's DogIndividually labelled, pre-portioned guidelines, valuePricer than dry dog food
The Pets TableFresh and air-dried options, easy sign-up processOnly two air-dried recipe options, no custom scooper

Wrapping Up

Sundays For Dogs Vs UnKibble: Our Pick
Sundays For Dogs Vs UnKibble (Photo: lifewithkleekai)

So there we have it. We’ve reached the end of our guide to the best cheap, fresh dog food alternatives, if you’re ready to reclaim your freezer space without sacrificing your dog’s diet.

My pick would be Sundays Food For Dogs based on my experience feeding their air-dried food to Copper and Skye over the past year or so.

I’d recommend UnKibble as a good option if you’ve tried Sundays and are interested in a different human-grade dog food brand.

If you’re eager to give fresh dog food a try, The Farmer’s Dog passed my Klee Kai’s taste test and is friendlier on the bank balance than some other brands.

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