Over the past few decades, the dog food industry has exploded. The pet food industry was officially born in the mid-1800s when the first food made specifically to feed dogs was released in the form of Spratt’s Patent Meal Fibrine Dog Cakes, which were made up of meat, vegetables, and wheat meals.
The first dog food in the United States was released in the form of canned horse meat following World War I. By the 1930s, canned cat food became available and dry meat-meal dog foods grew in popularity.
To see what it might look like to feed your dog human-grade dog foods, below are our recommendations for the best human grade dog food brands in the market today.
According to the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), there is no strict definition for the term “human grade” as provided by animal feed regulations. This isn’t surprising, however, because human-grade products are generally not intended for use in feeding animals.
The main distinction you have to keep in mind is whether the product is considered “edible” for humans – this is a standard set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In fact, there are two ways to categorize food products, according to the USDA:
Human Grade – This term is used to describe finished products that are legally suitable and approved for human consumption (i.e., deemed “edible” by the USDA).
Feed Grade – This term applies to products that are not considered suitable for human consumption and can legally only be used to feed animals. If any of the ingredients or the processes used in manufacturing the product do not meet human grade standards, the product is deemed feed-grade.
In addition to there being a clear distinction between human grade and feed-grade products, there is also a difference between products that are deemed human grade and those that are made with human-grade ingredients.
A product can only carry the official “human grade” label if it is made from human-grade ingredients AND processed in a human food facility.
If the product contains human grade ingredients but is manufactured in a pet food facility, it loses the human grade distinction but can still carry the “made with human grade” ingredients claim on the package.
Just remember that a product being made with human grade ingredients isn’t necessary a guarantee of quality, you still need to evaluate the quality of the product for yourself.
Best Human Grade Dog Food
If you’re considering making the switch to a human grade diet for your canine companion, you should be prepared to increase your pet food budget.
This type of pet food is made with human-grade ingredients in a human food facility, so the manufacturer’s cost to produce the food will be much higher and some of those costs are passed on to the customer.
You can be rest assured, however, that you will be feeding your dog one of the highest quality pet food products out there.
Ollie is a company that specializes in providing customized, healthy food based on a pup’s profile (age, breed, weight, activity level and allergies).
Made with human-grade ingredients and slow-cooked at low temperatures in small batches, this meal is designed to preserve maximum flavor and nutrients.
Crafted in US kitchens with no preservatives or harmful fillers, every bite is packed with high-quality beef, nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, peas and other wholesome ingredients to support your dog’s overall health.
Vet-formulated for all life stages, this protein-packed, balanced meal is perfect for dogs of all ages, providing the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they need to thrive.
With Ollie, you’re not just feeding your dog—you’re nourishing them with real, fresh food made with love and care.
What we like about it:
Customized to your pup’s requirements
Food is cooked in small batches and delivered fresh
This a fresh, gently cooked meal crafted to give your pup the best in real, balanced nutrition. This science-guided, love-driven service delivers freshly made pet food straight to your door, ensuring less processing, higher safety standards, and maximum nutrition in every bite.
Made with whole, gently cooked turkey meat, along with chickpeas, carrots, broccoli and parsnips, this wholesome recipe provides a nutrient-dense, flavorful meal your dog will love.
Each batch is made fresh and quickly frozen to lock in all the essential vitamins and minerals—no preservatives, no long shelf life, just real food. With easy serving—just open and pour—feeding your pup healthy, human-grade meals has never been simpler.
The brand pre-portions the calories and servings based on your dog’s profile that you will create. Everything is customized to your pet’s exact needs, so you don’t have to worry that it’s not enough.
What we like about it:
Crafted specifically for your dog’s age, breed, and size
Food made fresh in USDA kitchens
Food is delivered within days of cooking and never deep frozen
Give your dog a wholesome, nutrient-packed meal with this fresh food. Made with high-quality, human-grade ingredients and cooked in small batches in a USDA kitchen, this recipe delivers optimal nutrition in every bite.
Lamb provides a rich source of protein and essential amino acids to support strong muscles, while lamb livers are packed with iron and B vitamins for energy and overall health.
Sweet potatoes offer a natural source of fiber and complex carbohydrates, promoting healthy digestion and sustained energy levels.
Kale is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins A, C and K, helping to support immune function and heart health, while carrots provide beta-carotene for eye health and a natural crunch dogs love.
Their food contains nothing artificial — no fillers, no additives, and no preservatives — so it arrives frozen. Store the food pouches in your freezer until you're ready to use them. Take a pouch out the night before and place it in the fridge, or thaw a pouch in warm water or in the microwave.
What we like about it:
Personalized food according to your pup’s needs
Uses only twelve simple ingredients
Cooked in small batches each week
4. Pet Plate Fresh Pet Food
First 5 ingredients:
Ground Beef, Sweet Potatoes, White Potatoes, Beef Liver, Peas
Barkin' Beef Entrée is a delicious, protein-packed meal designed to keep your pup happy, healthy, and satisfied.
Made with human-grade ingredients, this fresh, vet-designed recipe features high-quality beef as the main protein source, helping to support strong muscles and overall energy.
Packed with nutrient-rich carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and a variety of colorful vegetables, it delivers a balanced mix of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants for better digestion, immune support, and overall wellness.
Perfect for dogs with food sensitivities, this meal contains no artificial additives or fillers, just wholesome, real food. Plus, it comes in mess-free, easy-to-serve, resealable containers, making mealtime simple and convenient.
Give your pup the fresh, high-quality nutrition they deserve with this beef meal—because every dog deserves a meal made with love!
What we like about it:
Personalized meals delivered fresh
Each meal is hot-filled and flash-frozen to ensure safety and freshness
Though The Honest Kitchen may seem like a strange name for a pet food company, it is an accurate reflection of this brand’s commitment to honesty and clarity when it comes to their products.
This product delivers wholesome, homemade-style nutrition with real, recognizable ingredients you can trust. Crafted with cage-free chicken, organic oats, carrots and bananas, this recipe is packed with essential nutrients, fiber and natural flavors to keep your pup healthy and satisfied.
Using gentle dehydration, this meal locks in nutrients and taste while maintaining uncompromising quality control standards. Preparing a fresh, nutritious meal has never been easier—just add warm water, wait three minutes and serve!
With no artificial preservatives or fillers, this human-grade recipe provides a balanced, delicious meal your dog will love. Give your pup the goodness of whole food ingredients with this one.
What we like about it:
Rehydrates to 4x its weight (a 10 pound box is equal to 40lbs of fresh food)
Convenient to bring anywhere, just add warm water to serve
Many options to choose from (grain-free, grain-inclusive, and limited ingredient diets)
6. Maev Raw Foods
First 5 ingredients:
USDA Chicken, Potatoes, Green Beans, Zucchini, USDA Chicken Gizzard
Give your dog the ultimate combination of fresh nutrition and joint support with this hip & joint supplemented formula.
This human-grade raw dog food is made with real, recognizable ingredients like chicken, liver, gizzard, blanched potatoes, green beans, zucchini, blueberries, kale and even peanut butter for a boost of flavor and essential nutrients.
Specially supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin, this formula supports hip and joint health, helping to keep your pup active and mobile.
Developed by PhD veterinary nutritionists, Maev ensures your dog gets a balanced, science-backed diet for optimal well-being.
Unlike conventional dog foods, Maev is flash-frozen at approximately -14°F, creating smaller ice crystals that prevent moisture loss and protect the cell membranes of the whole ingredients.
This innovative freezing process not only preserves the nutrients but also helps support oral health by gently removing plaque buildup, promoting fresher breath and healthier teeth.
Best of all, it comes ready to eat—no mess, no prep and no thawing necessary. Just scoop and serve for a fresh, nutrient-packed meal your dog will love!
What we like about it:
Recognizable ingredients
Supplmented to support bones and muscles
Made by PhD veterinary nutritionists
Easy, no mess preparation
Control your delivery time
Flexible subscription terms
7. Caru Pet Food
First 5 ingredients:
Turkey, Turkey Bone Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Apples
This turkey stew offers your dog a homemade-style meal with real, wholesome ingredients that you can feel good about.
Made in the USA, this meat-first recipe features turkey as the primary ingredient, ensuring a high-quality source of protein to support strong muscles and overall health.
With a limited ingredient formula, this recipe is free of GMOs, gluten, corn, wheat and soy, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs or food sensitivities.
The rich, savory aroma and taste will have your pup eagerly digging into every bite, and you’ll love knowing that the packaging is BPA-free, keeping your pet's meals safe and fresh.
It smells and tastes just like a homemade meal, providing your dog with the fresh, natural nutrition they deserve.
What we like about it:
Extensive lineup of human-grade recipes to choose from
Here we have a premium, nutrient-rich meal designed to support your dog's health at every life stage.
With real meat as the very first ingredient, this multi-protein recipe delivers high-quality protein for strong muscles and sustained energy.
Carefully crafted with zero by-products, artificial colors or flavors, it’s made using only wholesome, recognizable ingredients like apples, eggs, fresh carrots, ground flaxseeds and more to provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The gently dehydrated formula helps preserve nutrients and natural flavors, giving your pup a delicious, balanced meal that’s easy to digest and packed with goodness.
Give your dog the clean, high-quality nutrition they deserve with this one.
What we like about it:
Many recipes to choose from
Recipes are Clean Label Project certified
Easy to serve. Just rehydrate with warm or lukewarm water
This is a wholesome, home-cooked meal made with real, human-grade ingredients to keep your pup healthy and happy.
This fresh and balanced recipe, crafted in the USA with guidance from veterinary nutritionists, features high-quality turkey that is gently baked alongside broccoli, carrots, chickpeas and other nutrient-rich superfoods—creating a delicious and wholesome meal your dog will love.
Packed with nutrient-rich vegetables, this balanced casserole-style meal delivers the perfect mix of protein, fiber and vitamins to support digestion, energy and immune health.
With zero artificial preservatives or fillers, this meal is freshly prepared, then frozen to lock in all the goodness—just thaw, serve, and watch your pup enjoy every bite. Give your dog the taste of real, homemade food minus the fuss with this one.
Lastly, please be aware that this product is made in a facility that also processes eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat.
What we like about it:
Zero grains
AAFCO-Compliant
Boosts immunity
Promotes shiny skin and coat
Developed with Board Certified Vet Nutritionists
Special Mention
While Under The Weather's dog food diets may not be categorized as human-grade dog food, Under The Weather uses only human-grade meats that are farmed responsibly and raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics.
We thought to add the dog food brand here because it's not that easy to find a bland dog food diet for sick and recovering pets that use human-grade meats.
Under The Weather is a small pet food company that started out by creating bland diet products for pets who are ill and recovering.
This quick and convenient bland diet solution is designed to support your dog’s digestive health when a gentle, easily digestible meal is needed.
Made with 100% cage-free turkey breast, white rice, sweet potato and added electrolytes, this nutrient-rich formula helps maintain healthy hydration levels while providing soothing nourishment for sensitive stomachs.
Ideal for use when your veterinarian recommends a bland diet, it can help ease digestive upset and restore balance. This diet should only be fed until your dog's digestion returns to normal, or for as long as your veterinarian advises.
Crafted with high-quality ingredients that are raised or grown in the USA, this meal contains no meat by-products, gluten, artificial flavors, dyes or chemicals.
The premium, white meat turkey is raised without antibiotics or hormones and processed in a human-grade facility, ensuring the highest quality and safety standards.
What we like about it:
Many bland diet recipes to choose from
Formulations only contain 5-6 ingredients
Sourced and manufactured in the US with a 3-year shelf life
A Closer Look
We know that there are several other brands (and other dog food options) that didn't make it to our top list above but still they deserve the recognition for providing quality human grade foods for our beloved pets. You just have to make a thorough research before you decide which one to buy though.
Now, below is a video of some of the aforementioned human grade food products so that you can see for yourself if you want them for your beloved companion.
Should You Feed Your Dog Human Grade Food?
So, in a nutshell:
Pros of Human-Grade Dog Food:
You are feeding your pet whole foods.
There are no artificial preservatives or chemicals added.
The formulation is quite simple and there are no fillers included.
The bioavailability level of human-grade dog food is high.
The moisture level of human-grade food is at optimum levels.
Cons of Human-Grade Dog Food:
Human-grade dog food will be more expensive than kibble.
For some dogs, it can be hard to shift from artificially-flavored food to something that is wholly natural.
There is no one-size-fits-all dog food. The type of dog food that is right for one dog may not be the ideal choice for another. And there isn’t always an obvious right or wrong choice.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to shell out for a human grade/fresh dog food, but that is certainly one of the options. If you absolutely want to give your dog the highest quality dog food and money is not a problem, go with a human grade dog food, by all means.
But one thing is for sure, with human grade dog foods, your dog's bowl will surely be spotless not to mention all the nutritional value it brings to the table providing longevity and overall wellness.
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Noreen possesses a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree from Informatics International College. While this credential might not elucidate her passion for pets, it does demonstrate her technical expertise and diverse character.
