As more and more research comes out about the dangers of commercially sold dog food, an increasing number of dog owners are looking for better alternatives. Even seemingly healthy “grain-free” dry dog food being sold has been linked to Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy [1]. Because of this, studies are coming out about pet food companies developing much more natural and human-like diets that incorporate whole foods. One study from the University of Illinois shows that these diets are not only much more ‘liked’ by canines, but they are highly digestible [2].
There are plenty of advantages of serving your dog human-grade fresh dog food. Due to the bio-availability of the nutrients and the balanced nutrients they offer, your dog can be much healthier when eating this type of food. Because of the increasing demand, there are now more companies than ever before offering fresh pet food delivery services which can make it a difficult choice. Two of the most popular are Nom Nom Now and Ollie. If you aren’t entirely familiar with either service, you might not know how to select from the two. Because of this, we will be going a comprehensive overview of each to help you figure out which service you should choose for your dog.
Nom Nom vs Ollie Features and Menu Comparison: How Each Delivery Service Works
Nom Nom Now
Nom Nom Now’s delivery service has a menu full of items that are sourced, cooked, mixed, and packed with care. All of the ingredients that are used are USDA Grade A that are approved for human consumption. All meals meet or exceed standards set by the AAFCO’s Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages [3]. Nom Nom Now gives you the ability to choose from a couple of different options. It takes you through an analysis of your dog by entering the breed, the current weight, the age, body type, and whether or not the dog is a picky eater, allergic to anything, and several other customization options. It then curates a list of potential meals that they have identified through their analysis of what might be the best options. You can choose from the different meals they have curated or pick your own. You will also be able to choose whether you want full portions of half portions.
- Menu:
Nom Nom Now offers you the ability to indicate whether or not your dog is a picky eater, whether or not he/she has food allergies if they have a dull or flaky coat, and if they suffer from arthritis pain. As for the meals, you can choose from Beef Mash, Turkey Fare, Chicken Chow, or Pork Potluck. Each of these meals has a nutritious balance of protein, vegetables, leafy greens, and fish oil. With Nom Nom Now, they do offer the ability to see the primary ingredients within each meal, but they don’t make it easy to see everything that is going into it. This lacks the transparency that you ultimately get with Ollie.
Ollie
Ollie implements a very similar approach. You fill out a questionnaire that asks you your dog’s breed, current weight, ideal weight, current body type, and whether or not he or she has allergies. From there Ollie’s analysis will go to work and it will pump out an optimized meal plan that you should follow. You can choose to feed your dog 100% portions from Ollie’s meal service or you can choose to go with some (25%) or mostly (50%). They showcase the real ingredients in each meal so you know exactly what you are giving your dog. All of the meals meet AAFCO standards and they are formulated by a veterinary nutritionist to ensure they are nutritionally balanced and complete.
- Menu
Ollie only allows you to indicate whether your dog has allergies or not. You aren’t given any further health criteria for the analysis. For meals, you can choose from Beef, Turkey, Chicken, and Lamb. The addition of being able to choose lamb is a good one considering how healthy of a protein source it can be for both humans and dogs. It’s nice to see that Ollie’s Turkey recipe contains leafy greens in kale and blueberries for antioxidants. Best of all, you can see exactly what is in the meals that you are ordering for your dog. Ollie hides absolutely nothing with an easy to see the ingredient list for each meal.
Winner: Tie
Does Nom Nom or Ollie Have Options for Both Dogs and Cats?
- Nom Nom Now
Nom Nom Now is a service that formulates and delivers real good food for not only dogs but cats, as well. Therefore, it is a food delivery service that you can use if you have dogs, cats, or both.
- Ollie
Ollie is a service that is tailored to and only catered to dogs. Therefore, you will not be able to use this food delivery service if you have a cat.
Winner: Nom Nom Now (if you have cats)
Price Comparison: Is Ollie or Nom Nom Now Cheaper?
To be able to tell how much you can expect to pay for each service, you will need to fill out the questionnaire analysis in order to calculate the portions of the meals he/she requires. This is going to be dictated by the breed of your dog, his/her current and goal weight, and whether or not he/she is active or inactive. Likewise, it even matters if your dog is neutered as it can directly impact their required caloric intake.
- Nom Nom Now Pricing
As mentioned, it is generally going to be dictated by the variety of factors impacting your dog’s ideal diet plan. However, we played around with the calculations and we generally found Nom Nom Now to be slightly more expensive. However, the price difference might be worth paying extra due to the convenience of the packaging that Nom Nom Now offers. With Nom Nom Now, you get single bags that contain one portion which means you don’t have to measure and you don’t have to worry about resealing the food.
- Ollie Pricing
Ollie was typically slightly cheaper for various meal plans. However, it does have a distinct disadvantage in being much more difficult to serve. Because Ollie’s trays are not resealable, it’s a shame they are portioned out ahead of time.
Winner: Nom Nom Now (slightly)
Summary: Which Pet Food Delivery Service is Best for You?
When comparing Nom Nom to Ollie, there are advantages that each offers. However, neither service dramatically sets itself apart. Because Ollie is generally slightly cheaper for dog meal plans, it might be better off to go with Ollie if you have only dogs. However, if you have dogs and cats, there is no question Nom Nom Now should be your choice. The convenience of being able to utilize a single meal delivery service for both dogs and cats is worth it alone. Also, Nom Nom Now holds a distinct advantage in the ease of packaging. Ultimately, you should choose whichever one meets the needs of your pet(s) the most. You can’t go wrong with either one as they both offer exceptional quality and value for the money and they can help improve your dog’s health over the long run.
- Nom Nom Now is for anyone who has a cat, dog, or both. They offer much more convenience with the packaging and the same high quality and nutritionally balanced profile you get from Ollie at a slightly higher price per meal.
- Ollie is typically your best bet if you only have dogs and you want to save some on each meal despite having to deal with less convenient packaging.
References:
[2] https://phys.org/news/2019-12-human-grade-dog-food-fresh-highly.html