The Honest Kitchen Wholemade Dog Food Review (2026): Pros, Cons & Is It Worth It?
Key points
- We tested The Honest Kitchen Wholemade with Copper and Skye, including beef and fish recipes.
- Wholemade requires some prep: dog owners need to add warm water to the dehydrated dog food, mix it and leave it for five minutes.
- Both my Alaskan Klee Kai enjoyed it, and Skye consistently finished her bowl.
- Biggest positive: It’s shelf-stable dehydrated food available at a lower cost than fresh or raw dog food.
- Biggest drawback: It requires more preparation and cleanup than regular dry dog food.
- My price: I paid around $118 a month for Copper and Skye’s Wholemade food.
Skye can be extremely picky when it comes to dog food, so I was interested to see whether my Alaskan Klee Kai would eat The Honest Kitchen’s Wholemade dehydrated dog food.
Quick verdict
The Honest Kitchen impressed me. Copper and Skye enjoyed eating Wholemade range, with my picky eater consistently finishing her portion at mealtime during our test. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed preparing their Honest Kitchen meals, despite the extra steps required compared to other dog food formats. Wholemade is significantly less than other brands such as UnKibble and Sundays at a monthly price of $118. I’d order it again.
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The Honest Kitchen sent us its Wholemade dehydrated dog food to test with my Klee Kai. We received their beef recipe and fish and oat recipe.
Although I’ve tested over 30 different dog food brands since returning to the United States in 2023, I’ve only tested a handful of dehydrated dog food companies.
To be clear, this was Copper and Skye’s first time eating The Honest Kitchen, although we did feed a similar brand when we lived in the UK.
I was confident my Klee Kai dogs would potentially enjoy their dehydrated dog food, but I was surprised by just how much Skye loved it over multiple weeks.
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Watch The Honest Kitchen Wholemade Review
The Honest Kitchen Wholemade Pros
Picky-eater approved
I’ll start by sharing my Alaskan Klee Kai’s reaction. It was overwhelmingly positive. We tested the beef and fish and oat recipes, and I anticipated my dogs would like the beef recipe.
Skye and Copper showed immediate interest in The Honest Kitchen, presumably helped by the aroma coming from the warm food in their dog bowl.
My picky eater, Skye, devoured her portion the first time I tested it on her, and her reaction was consistent throughout our testing it for this review.
This did surprise me because Skye is notoriously fussy with dog food, especially dry dog food. But Wholemade was the exception.
Shelf-stable
The Honest Kitchen Wholemade is shelf-stable, which is a big advantage when you consider other pet food formats, such as fresh and raw dog food, that require freezer space.
What I liked about Wholemade is that it meets you in the middle: you get the benefits of fresh dog food and the convenience of dry dog food.
While I’m used to making fridge and freezer space for Copper and Skye’s food, I’m sure some dog owners wouldn’t want the hassle. So The Honest Kitchen is a great alternative.
Softer texture
As I mentioned above, Skye has always been picky, especially when it comes to dry dog food.
When I opened the box and scooped a portion of Wholemade from the box into the bowl, I wasn’t sure how Skye would react.
But once I added the warm water and let it stand for five minutes, I was impressed by the aroma and the texture.
It did really look like fresh dog food, and the soft texture appealed to Copper and Skye, who have dental issues.
Easy to prepare
This is perhaps the most surprising positive as a dog owner during my experience with The Honest Kitchen. I really enjoyed the meal preparation process.
There was something satisfying about adding warm water to the dehydrated food, mixing it together, letting it sit for five minutes and watching the food hydrate.
Yes, it takes more work than kibble. But it’s simple and quick. I appreciated being able to reseal the bag and stick it in the cupboard.
The convenient storage offset any perceived inconvenience of having to prepare their food.
Convenience
To be transparent, we usually feed raw dog food and we’ve previously fed fresh dog food. Neither of these formats is convenient for travel or pet sitters.
You don’t want the added stress of having to bring frozen meal packets on the road with you. That’s a big drawback to fresh and raw food.
Our pet sitter (and my in-laws) prefer not to feed raw when Copper and Skye stay with them. The Honest Kitchen is a great temporary alternative.
Good value
While UnKibble was previously the cheapest dog food subscription I’ve reviewed, that title goes to The Honest Kitchen after testing their Wholemade dehydrated dog food.
My price was $118 per month for my two dogs. That’s significantly cheaper than fresh dog food, such as The Farmer’s Dog ($251/month), and raw dog food, such as We Feed Raw ($280/month).
Even when we consider dry food, The Honest Kitchen came in cheaper. It’s $100 cheaper than Sundays for Dogs ($218 a month) and nearly $50 cheaper than UnKibble.
Overall, when I factor the quality of the food, my Klee Kai’s enjoyment of it, and my good impressions, I believe The Honest Kitchen represents good value.
The Honest Kitchen Cons
Requires preparation
There’s no escaping that The Honest Kitchen will require more work on the part of the dog owner when compared to simple scoop-and-serve dry dog food such as UnKibble.
You do need to make your dog’s food by adding warm water to the dehydrated dog food before mixing it for a minute or so and allowing it to stand.
That didn’t bother me at all. But I can understand why some busy dog owners with big families may not want the added hassle.
Extra cleanup
Usually, cleanup with fresh or raw dog food requires cleaning the bowl and that’s it.
But you do need to clean a few more items when making The Honest Kitchen Wholemade.
For instance, you’ve got the scoop, the measuring cup, the stirring utensil and bowl (if you’re like me, and make it in a bowl before transferring to your dog’s bowl).
he Honest Kitchen Wholemade review: see how this dehydrated dog food performed with my picky dogs, plus prep, price, pros, cons and verdict.
Lacks the visual appeal of fresh dog food
While I was surprised by the aroma and the appearance of Wholemade, it still isn’t fresh dog food. If your dog is a fresh dog food lover, you may want to think twice.
In my case, Copper and Skye were more than happy to eat The Honest Kitchen despite it being rehydrated dog food rather than fresh dog food like The Farmer’s Dog.
But some extremely picky dogs used to fresh dog food might be fussy.
More expensive than regular pet food
The Honest Kitchen does cost more than traditional pet food that you might buy at your local pet store or supermarket.
While it’s the most affordable dog food subscription that I’ve tested in the United States at a monthly cost of $118, some pet owners might still get sticker shock.
Is The Honest Kitchen Wholemade worth it?
I believe The Honest Kitchen Wholemade is worth it, but to the right dog and owner.
If you’re moving away from traditional pet food and you want to try something made from high-quality ingredients that is shelf-stable, I think it’s a worthwhile consideration.
You get the convenience of shelf-stable dog food because you can store it in the cupboard before opening, and put it back there once you’ve resealed the bag after mealtime.
But your dog gets to enjoy a more elevated version of dry dog food with a more appetizing aroma and a softer texture.
Copper and Skye genuinely enjoyed eating Wholemade, and Skye consistently enjoyed eating their food over the few weeks we tested it.
I found it enjoyable to make. It was nice to take a few minutes out of my day to prepare a meal for my Klee Kai.
And you can’t argue with the price when compared to other pet food formats that can easily cost double or triple the cost.
Reasons to try The Honest Kitchen Wholemade
- Your dog is picky like Skye
- Your dog prefers a softer texture over brittle, dry dog food
- You want something more elevated than traditional kibble or wet food
- You don’t have fridge or freezer space to accommodate fresh or raw dog food
- You travel a lot
Reasons to avoid The Honest Kitchen Wholemade
- You want zero-prep dog food
- You don’t have the time to prepare your dog’s food
- Your dog clearly prefers fresh or raw dog food
- You’ve got a tight budget
- You don’t want to be locked into a dog food subscription
The Honest Kitchen FAQ
Is The Honest Kitchen Wholemade good for picky dogs?
Skye loved their Wholemade dehydrated dog food, and she’s got a long history of being picky with dog food, especially dry-food formats.
What consistency is Wholemade?
Once you’ve added warm water to the dehydrated food and it’s sat for five minutes, it looks a lot like oatmeal you’d eat for breakfast.
Does Wholemade need to be refrigerated?
You don’t need to refrigerate Wholemade before or after it’s opened. It’s shelf-stable dog food.
Can you use Wholemade as a topper?
The Honest Kitchen can be used as a main meal, topper and an enrichment treat. It’s an extremely versatile dog food.
Did Wholemade upset Copper and Skye’s stomach?
We didn’t experience any digestive issues with Copper and Skye during our testing of The Honest Kitchen Wholemade.
Would I buy Wholemade again?
Personally, I’d buy it again. I was impressed with the convenience and the price. But most of all, I was delighted to see Copper and Skye devour it.
The Honest Kitchen Wholemade Alternatives
If you’re looking for an alternative to The Honest Kitchen, I’ve got some recommendations.
Fresh dog food
I’d suggest The Farmer’s Dog because my dogs loved it, it had great personalization, and it’s the best-priced fresh dog food subscription that I’ve reviewed.
Raw dog food
This is the dog food we currently give to Copper and Skye: We Feed Raw. It’s responsible for transforming Skye from a picky eater to a food-motivated dog.
Freeze-dried raw dog food
Once again, I’d suggest We Feed Raw. This is what I usually give to my dog sitter because my dogs enjoy it and it’s more convenient than raw dog food.
Air-dried dog food
There are a few good options in this pet food category, but my top pick would be Sundays for Dogs. My Klee Kai ate it consistently for nearly a year before I switched to We Feed Raw.
Conclusion
After testing The Honest Kitchen Wholemade with Skye and Copper, I would recommend it because I was impressed with the food and my Klee Kai’s reaction.
I consider Wholemade to be a great option for dog owners who are moving away from traditional dog food to something more customized and made with human-grade ingredients.
It balances the convenience of shelf-stable dry dog food and the benefits of fresh dog food.
My Alaskan Klee Kai dogs enjoyed it because the soft texture, warm temperature and aroma.
The Honest Kitchen represents good value because I paid $118 a month for their subscription, which is significantly cheaper than other subscriptions.