Butternut BoxButternut Box Pork of the Town
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Rated & compared
Fresh dog food for puppy food
Fresh food is gently cooked and chilled or frozen rather than dried, and it is the fastest-growing corner of the UK market. Recipes are usually short, readable and human-grade in appearance. For puppies, the question is whether the recipe is built for the job.
Fresh dog food for puppy food
87.8/100
average ODF Score
- Foods on this list43
- Price per day£2.34 - £7.70
Top score 94/100 - Different Dog Health+ Keep Me Trim Turkey
43 foods
MarleybonesMarleybones Boss Beef
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
OuzilOuzil Steak
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon100% meat
- High meat100% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Butternut BoxButternut Box Salmon to Love
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
Different DogDifferent Dog
Fresh-cooked
£3.66 / day approx.60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
TuggsTuggs Turkey Triumph
Fresh-cooked
£3.77 / day approx.50% meat
- High meat50% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Insect proteinUses insect protein - a novel, sustainable source.
Butternut BoxButternut Box You've Got Game
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
Different DogDifferent Dog Health+ Hearty Beef & Berries
Fresh-cooked
£4.49 / day approx.60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
MarleybonesMarleybones Chic Chicken
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
TuggsTuggs Chicken Coup
Fresh-cooked
£2.34 / day approx.45% meat
- High meat45% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Insect proteinUses insect protein - a novel, sustainable source.
TuggsTuggs Pork Power
Fresh-cooked
£3.53 / day approx.42.5% meat
- High meat42.5% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Insect proteinUses insect protein - a novel, sustainable source.
Fresh-cooked
£5.03 / day approx.60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
Monty's LarderMonty's Larder
Fresh-cooked
£3.20 / day approx.60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
NutrimentNutriment Puppy Gently Steamed
Fresh-cookedPuppy
£4.65 / day approx.26% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Butternut BoxButternut Box Duo of Duck & Chicken
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon60% meat
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
WilsonsWilsons Fresh Food
Fresh-cooked
£2.80 / day approx.39% meat
- High meat39% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Fresh-cooked
£4.83 / day approx.45% meat
- High meat45% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Jessicas K9 KitchenJessica's K9 Kitchen Jessica's Stew - Allergen Friendly
Fresh-cooked
Price coming soon48% meat
- High meat48% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Butternut BoxButternut Box Ready Steady Veggie
Fresh-cooked
£4.57 / day approx.
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Puppies are building a body, so they need more energy, more protein and a controlled calcium-to-phosphorus balance than an adult dog does. Large-breed puppies in particular should not grow too fast, which is why growth-specific recipes exist. Check whether the food is complete rather than a topper, and look at the storage and shelf life you are signing up for. The ingredient lists are usually the easiest in the whole category to read, which is a genuine advantage.
Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe. Every food below is filtered to fresh dog food suitable for puppies, and scored out of 100 on its label alone, with the full breakdown on each food page so you can see exactly where its points went.
Fresh dog food for puppy food FAQs
What is the best fresh dog food for puppies?
The one whose label holds up. Our list ranks every fresh dog food suitable for puppies by the ODF Score, which reads the ingredients rather than the marketing. Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe.
Is fresh food better for puppy dogs?
Fresh food often scores well because the recipes are short and clearly named, but it is not automatically better than a well-made dry or wet food. Freezer space and cost per day are the practical questions. Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe.
How long should a dog stay on puppy food?
Most dogs move to adult food somewhere between nine and eighteen months, later for large and giant breeds because they keep growing for longer. Your vet or the feeding guide on the pack is the better guide than a fixed number.
Related guides
Go deeper on the topics behind this page.
How to switch your dog’s food without upsetting their stomachThe 7-day transition, what normal looks like on day three, and when to stop. Most "this food upset my dog" is actually a rushed changeover.Read the guide
Puppy feeding guide: how much, how often, and when to switchHow much to feed a puppy, how often, when to move to adult food - and the one mistake that can permanently damage a large-breed dog.Read the guide
How much does it really cost to feed a dog?The gap between the cheapest and priciest way to feed the same dog is 72x - and 62 foods score 80+ for under a pound a day. The real numbers.Read the guide
Is grain-free dog food bad for dogs?Grain-free scores better in our data - but not for the reason the packaging implies. The DCM question, the price confound, and who it is actually for.Read the guide