Like all pet owners, I think that my dog Benjy is the cutest, most special pet in the world (and we’re all correct!). As the holiday season rolls around once again, I felt Benjy deserved his very own holiday dinner that was just as tasty as my own loaded plate on Thanksgiving and the holidays.

But which fresh dog food brand’s holiday offering is the most delicious? Ahead of the season, Benjy and I set about trying them all to compare. 

I lined up four to try: Ollie’s Holiday Feast, Open Farm’s Naughty or Nice chicken and brown rice, Tom&Sawyer’s Turkey Gobbler Feast, and JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni.

Over the course of a week, Benjy tried every option. He judged on taste (and took this role extremely seriously - he’s a food critic at heart) and I paid attention to what distinguished each brand and food, from the ingredients and sourcing to the way it’s sold and delivered.

The fresh dog food holiday edition winner? Spoiler alert: it’s Ollie. Let’s find out why. 

Ollie’s Holiday Feast

Ollie’s Holiday Feast fresh dog food is a seasonal recipe made with turkey and turkey liver, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberries, butternut squash and spinach. It’s designed for supplemental feeding and to be used as an occasional meal, topper, or mixer, rather than as a full meal, due to its nutrient levels. That was no problem for Benjy. As soon as I unwrapped Ollie’s special holiday edition, I knew that Benjy thought it was delicious - he tried to steal the wrapper from the trash to lick. I added it to Ollie’s fresh chicken with carrots recipe as a topper, as I thought the flavors would go well together.

Ollie says its recipes are developed with veterinary nutritionists, formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles and prepared with human-grade ingredients in U.S. kitchens. They offer personalized feeding plans based on a dog's individual profile.

Ollie is the option I would choose for someone who wants fresh food for their dog to feel like a complete feeding program, rather than just an occasional dinner upgrade. Ollie isn't leaving you to work out how much your dog should eat; instead they create a full meal plan and deliver pre-portioned food.

Benjy LOVED Ollie’s Holiday Feast, wolfing it down immediately, licking the bowl, and then begging for more. It was a total hit. 

Open Farm’s Naughty or Nice

Open Farm appeals to a different kind of dog owner. If you spend as much time reading the whole list of ingredients on the back of your dog food, this is probably the brand that will interest you.

Open Farm’s Naughty or Nice recipe is a limited-edition winter fresh meal made with chicken, brown rice, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and carrots. They provide detailed information about where their ingredients come from, saying that the chicken used in this recipe comes from Pennsylvania family farms, is animal-welfare certified and is raised without antibiotics or growth promoters. The company also publishes a carbon-footprint estimate for the recipe.

That level of sourcing information is a genuine differentiator for me, as I care where the food Benjy and I eat comes from. The problem? I really don’t think that Benjy’s a fan of brown rice. He took a few small bites and sniffed at the food, but his enthusiasm levels weren’t nearly as high as they were for Ollie’s fresh food. 

Tom&Sawyer’s Turkey Gobbler Feast

I liked Tom&Sawyer’s culinary approach to fresh dog food. All these dog food brands work with pet nutrition specialists, but Tom&Sawyer also work with culinary experts. Their Turkey Gobbler Feast is made with turkey, potatoes, butternut squash, spinach, cranberries, chicken liver and chicken heart.
Benjy liked the food a lot, but I personally found Tom&Sawyer’s website less friendly to navigate than Ollie’s, and their packaging was harder to maneuver into the bowl. Top marks for cute holiday dog food name, though. 

JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni

JustFoodForDogs is the most practical choice of the four, if accessibility is most important to you. You can buy this fresh dog food at physical retail locations, which makes it simple to try.

JustFoodForDogs’ Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni recipe combines turkey, turkey liver, whole-wheat macaroni, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and cranberries. The company says its meals are prepared in open kitchens and made without preservatives or artificial ingredients.
Benjy liked it, but as with the brown rice, he wasn’t a fan of the whole wheat macaroni. In fact he ate around it, leaving the noodles in his bowl. 

Which Fresh Holiday Dog Food Should You Choose?

After feeding Benjy all four types of fresh dog food, it was clear that for us, the winner was Ollie.

I loved Ollie’s personalization aspect, signing up to get the food was simple, and it’s clearly a well-run operation. I wouldn't say there is one brand that makes sense for every owner, though. Open Farm makes a strong case for someone who cares deeply about ingredient sourcing and traceability. Tom&Sawyer is a good fit for an owner who likes chef-developed recipes. JustFoodForDogs has an obvious advantage for someone who wants fresh food without relying entirely on home delivery.

The real kicker? How much Benjjy loved the taste of Ollie’s Holiday Feast fresh dog food. There’s no arguing with a licked-clean dog bowl.