10 Best Human-Grade Dog Food Brands – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Human-grade dog food is becoming more and more popular. Once upon a time, it used to be extremely expensive and, therefore, not practical for most dog owners. However, many brands have made human-grade dog food cheaper, opening up these higher-quality foods to a new market. Now, you can find a range of quality human-grade dog foods at many different price points.

These foods are typically characterized by their use of fresh ingredients and gentle cooking methods. However, the term “human-grade” is not regulated by any agency. Therefore, technically any brand can use it. It’s important to check the description and ingredient list to make sure a human-grade dog food is really human-grade.

Below, we’ve reviewed some of our favorite human-grade dog foods.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites of 2024

The 10 Best Human-Grade Dog Food Brands

1. The Farmer’s Dog Human-Grade Dog Food – Best Overall

Our top overall choice for the best human-grade dog food is The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food. Pet meal delivery services are extremely popular, and The Farmer’s Dog is, in our opinion, the overall best human-grade dog food brand out there.

You get four protein options: chicken, beef, turkey, or pork, and you can choose one option or a variety pack. The ingredients of this human-grade food are of the highest quality and were designed by a vet nutritionist.

The food contains no artificial fillers or preservatives, meaning you don’t have to worry about your pet having a reaction or the food negatively affecting their health.

This food is a bit more expensive than most commercial food you’ll find on grocery store shelves but is well worth the price for the quality and will likely save you a lot in healthcare bills later down the track.

All in all, however, this is our pick for the best human-grade dog food available this year.

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2. Nutro Natural Choice Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy

If you’re looking for budget-friendly fresh dog food, we highly recommend Nutro Natural Choice Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food. This food is a traditional kibble, which makes it a bit different from the fresh dog foods on this list. However, that also makes it much more practical for many dog owners, and it helps keep the price down. You don’t have to worry about refrigeration or re-ordering food weekly, for instance.

The main ingredient is whole chicken, which provides lots of protein and amino acids. The recipe is grain-inclusive and utilizes many whole grains (which are typically the best option for dogs). These provide lots of fiber and other nutrients dogs need.

This formula even includes added fatty acids and vitamin E, which support your dog’s overall health. It includes all the vitamins your dog needs and then some. Because it’s cheaper than most, it’s easily the best human-grade dog food for the money.

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3. JustFoodForDogs Healthy Weight Variety Pack

JustFoodForDogs Healthy Weight Variety Pack is a great human-grade dog food for practically any canine out there. It’s designed explicitly to help dogs maintain a healthy weight. However, many dogs struggle with weight gain, making this food suitable for most adult canines out there.

The pack includes several different flavors for variety. It also uses several different fresh, healthy ingredients. The primary meat source depends on the exact flavor. For instance, the fish flavor includes cod as the primary ingredient. Several other veggies are included, such as sweet potatoes and green peas.

Sadly, peas are associated with heart disease in dogs, especially when in a grain-free diet. However, there aren’t many peas in this fresh dog food, and not all the recipes include peas.

All the recipes in this pack are designed to fill your dog up with fewer calories. Therefore, the water content is quite high, which makes your dog think they’re eating a lot, when they are not. All the minerals are chelated, which helps with absorption. Furthermore, antioxidants and all essential vitamins are also included.

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4. The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food is very expensive compared to many other dog foods out there. However, it’s a dry dog food that’s made with 100% human-grade ingredients in a human food facility. Therefore, the ingredients are much higher quality than most, and the cooking process is much safer. In the end, that leaves you with very high-quality dog food—but you are going to pay for it.

This food is nutritionally balanced for all life stages, including puppies and pregnant females. It can also be utilized for large breed puppies, who require extra nutrition to support their growth. The formula is naturally low glycemic with tons of beneficial fats and live probiotics. It’s made with human-grade muscle meat and liver, which is extremely healthy for canines.

With that said, this formula does contain peas. As we’ve stated, these may cause heart problems in some dogs. Therefore, you should speak with your vet before feeding this dog food long-term.

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5. Annamaet Original Puppy Dry Dog Food

Puppies need special nutrition as they are still growing. Annamaet Original Puppy Dry Dog Food provides what your puppy needs to thrive and then some. It’s crafted specifically for puppies and made with recognizable ingredients, like chicken. It’s grain-inclusive and relies on whole grains for extra fiber and carbohydrates.

All the minerals are chelated to make them easier to absorb. Therefore, your puppy will get more out of their food. It also features some added omega fatty acids, which support the brain and coat. Probiotics are also included, which help significantly with gut health.

This formula is one of the few human-grade options that doesn’t contain peas.

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6. Nutro SO SIMPLE Adult Beef & Rice

We’ve already included Nutro on our list above. However, Nutro SO SIMPLE Adult Beef & Rice is a little bit different.

This formula is made with only a handful of ingredients. Therefore, it’s a great option for dogs that are sensitive to certain ingredients or just have a sensitive stomach. For the most part, it only includes beef, whole grains, chicken, and peas. However, peas aren’t necessarily the best option for all dogs, which is why this recipe ended up further down on our list.

Real beef is the primary ingredient. However, this formula does include chicken, as well. It’s made with completely no GMO ingredients and no by-products. Therefore, it is healthier than most formulas out there.

However, this food is very expensive—much more so than other recipes made by this brand.

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7. The Honest Kitchen Gourmet Grains Chicken & Duck Recipe

The Honest Kitchen makes tons of human-grade recipes—and all of them are a bit different. The Honest Kitchen Gourmet Grains Chicken & Duck Recipe is a bit different from the previous dog food line we reviewed by the same company. It includes a range of whole grains that provide extra fiber and nutrition. Plus, it’s also completely pea-free.

It’s dehydrated dog food instead of kibble. Therefore, it is a bit less processed and may work better for picky dogs. At the same time, some picky dogs don’t like dehydrated food; it is very dependent on your canine.

This formula doesn’t include any artificial preservatives, GMO ingredients, or by-products. The primary meat is chicken. While there is duck in this recipe, it’s in a very small amount. This food is also expensive and takes a bit more work to feed to your canine, as you must rehydrate it before giving it to your pooch.

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8. PRIMAL Raw Pronto Pork Recipe Freeze-Dried Food

PRIMAL Raw Pronto Pork Recipe Freeze-Dried Food is a raw diet for canines that have been freeze-dried, making it easier to freeze and keep. It’s made with pork as the primary ingredient and utilizes USDA-certified organic fruits. It doesn’t include any peas, lentils, or legumes, either.

Therefore, it meets just about everyone’s definition of “human-grade” dog food. However, you are going to pay for all of these ingredients. It’s a simple fact that the ingredients they use are more expensive, which drives up the cost of the dog food. In fact, this is one of the most expensive dog foods on this list.

It does include a lot of meat, though. All of this meat makes it very high in protein. While this is great for some dogs, it is unnecessary (and may even lead to health problems) for others. It has twice as much protein as many other dog foods without much calorie difference.

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9. Canisource Grand Cru Surf & Turf Dehydrated Dog Food

Canisource Grand Cru Surf & Turf Dehydrated Dog Food fits the definition of “human-grade,” and it includes a range of high-quality ingredients. It includes pork liver on top of usual whole meats, which makes it a bit more nutritionally dense than other foods. It also includes fish, which adds much-needed omega-fatty acids to the mix.

Sadly, though, this food is very expensive. It’s twice the price of the other expensive dog foods on this list, making it impractical for most dog owners.

Furthermore, it also includes white rice as the fourth ingredient—a strange choice for premium dog food. Whole grains do have added nutrition and fiber, but this isn’t the case for processed grains like white rice.

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10. Caru Daily Dish Turkey with Lamb Stew Wet Dog Food

If you’re looking for human-grade wet food, Caru Daily Dish Turkey with Lamb Stew Wet Dog Food is a good option. It features wholesome ingredients that are slowly cooked at low temperatures, preserving the nutritional integrity of the food. It has a high moisture level, which is great for some canines. It also includes turkey and lamb—two meat ingredients that are often good for dogs with allergies.

This food is grain-free, using chickpeas and other veggies for the carbohydrate content. Peas are included, but they appear rather low on the ingredient list.

This brand creates all its recipes in small batches in the USA. They’re family-owned, as well. These traits make their food more expensive than most. However, if you’re looking for higher quality food, you may consider their price more than worth it.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Human-Grade Dog Food Brand

Choosing the perfect dog food for your canine can seem incredibly difficult. There are many factors involved, and dog food labels can be understandably complicated. Luckily, you can make sense of it all by understanding some basic principles.

In this section, we’ll help you pick the best dog food for your canine.

What is Human-Grade Dog Food?

Human grade isn’t a term that’s regulated by any agency and so any company can use this label. It’s important not to put too much stock in “human-grade” printed on a dog food bag.

Therefore, it’s important to figure out what you mean by human-grade and look for foods that match that description. Most people mean food that meets the same quality standards set for human consumption. This would mean no by-product meals, for instance.

Generally, this is a basic quantifier for quality. High-quality foods will use better ingredients, including ingredients that are okay for humans to eat. Therefore, most human-grade dog foods do use higher-quality ingredients (though this isn’t always the case).

Ingredient Quality

Human-grade can mean high-quality ingredients, but that isn’t always the case. It’s important that you look at the ingredient list and judge the food’s quality for yourself.

Examine the ingredient list and ensure that high-quality, whole-food ingredients are listed. Look for named meats (e.g., chicken, beef, salmon) as the primary protein source, whole grains, and nutrient-rich vegetables.

Many dog owners mistakenly believe that grain-free foods are better. But this isn’t usually the case. Dogs can digest grains just fine, and whole grains actually offer some much-needed nutrients. Dogs are rarely allergic to grains, as well. (Most dog allergies are caused by chicken or beef.)

Grain-free foods don’t often include more meat, either. Instead, they replace the usual grains with lentils, peas, and similar ingredients. These aren’t always as healthy as whole grains (and may be linked with heart problems).

Complete and Balanced

We’ve come across many formulas that were designed to be toppers or supplements—not whole meals. While all food is supposed to be labeled as either a complete meal or a supplement, it can sometimes be easy to miss.

Therefore, you should ensure the food is formulated to meet the regulations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials as a complete diet.

Manufacturing Process

How the food is made can sometimes be hard to determine. After all, the company isn’t required to tell you, and it isn’t always explained on the container. However, some quick research can tell you a lot. The type of food is important. Dehydrated, raw food is often made with minimal processing while still being easy to feed. On the other hand, kibble is often the most processed. Other types of food are usually somewhere in the middle.

However, the amount of processing doesn’t always tell you about the safety of the facility. Foods made in the USA and in FDA-approved facilities are required to follow certain processes. Other foods aren’t.

Special Dietary Needs

You should also pick a food that meets your dog’s specific dietary needs. Not all human-grade foods will work for all dogs. You should purchase food for your dog’s specific life stage, for instance. Puppies must consume puppy food to ensure they grow correctly.

You should also consider your dog’s activity level. If your dog is very active, it may need to eat more protein. Therefore, a high-protein food may make sense in this case. However, high protein can harm dogs in other cases, especially if they don’t need it—more protein isn’t necessarily better.

If your dog has food allergies, you’ll need to find a food that avoids these allergens. Often, these allergies are chicken or beef (as these are the most common proteins in dog foods). “Hypoallergenic” food doesn’t really exist unless it’s a prescription diet. Dogs can be allergic to lamb and fish—it’s just less common.

Conclusion

There are a lot of human-grade dog foods out there and they come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are very expensive and freeze-dried. Others look like your average kibble but are made with higher-quality ingredients. The usage of “human-grade” varies, so it’s important to check the dog food label.

We highly recommend The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food for many dogs, especially if they have trouble with their weight. This formula is fresh and arrives frozen, making it one of the most “human-grade” options on this list.

You may also like Nutro Natural Choice Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food if you’re looking for something a bit more “normal” and cheaper. This formula utilizes quality ingredients while also being much cheaper than most.

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Featured Image Credit: Hepper