When It Comes to “Fresh” Dog Food, There’s Only One Brand Our Pup Loved
Theo has never been a “meh” eater… until he was. He started leaving kibble behind, and I could literally see the enthusiasm drain out of him at mealtime.
Our vet nudged me toward fresh food, so I tried to find something that felt like real meals (not ultra-processed pellets) and didn’t require me to become a mad scientist in my kitchen with bougie homemade meals I didn’t have time for.
Two brands with “human-grade ingredients” kept coming up: Ollie and Sundays for Dogs.
Here’s what happened when I compared them… and why we decided to stay with Ollie.
TL;DR: Why I Chose Ollie
If you only read one section, make it this one:
- Ollie looks and eats like actual food. It’s freshly cooked and delivered frozen, not dried into “treat-like” chunks.
- More variety + fewer “food boredom” worries. Ollie offers five fresh recipes (Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Pork).
- Personalized portions. You tell them about your dog, and they calculate a plan/portion for you.
- Support actually exists (beyond a printed sheet). Ollie includes vet support + in-app health tracking/screenings, which was reassuring during the switch.
What “Fresh” Really Means (In Practice)
Both brands position themselves as higher-quality options than traditional kibble. They both use human-grade ingredients, avoid fillers or artificial flavors, and are slow-cooked to preserve nutrition. The catch is: they deliver “fresh” in totally different formats. (And this makes all the difference.)
Ollie
- Freshly cooked meals, delivered frozen and portioned for your dog
- Formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines for all life stages
- Brand leans heavily into “real food + real support” (vet access, tracking tools)
Sundays for Dogs
- Air-dried, shelf-stable food (think: dense, chewy pieces)
- Lists Moisture (max) 15% on its nutrition/guaranteed analysis
- Three recipes (Chicken, Beef, Turkey)
My honest takeaway is that Sundays felt like “premium dry food.” Ollie felt like legitimate, real, nutritious meals. Theo liked the Sundays bowls over his old food, no doubt, but he was downright obsessed with Ollie’s fresh meals. That difference matters.
The Deciding Factors (What Actually Changed for Us)
1) Format: Real Meals (Ollie) vs. Air-Dried (Sundays for Dogs)
I wanted food that looked like food in Theo’s bowl.
- Ollie: fresh-cooked and visibly “meal-like”
- Sundays: air-dried + low moisture by design
2) Variety: More Rotation = Less Picky Eating Drama
Food boredom is real—especially when you’re trying to improve eating consistency. It’s a small bonus in favor of Ollie, but we noticed Theo was way more excited for the fresh food anyway. There wasn’t a single time he turned his nose up at the Ollie bowls.
- Ollie Fresh recipes: Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Pork
- Sundays recipes: Chicken, Beef, Turkey
3) Confidence During the Switch (to Ollie, that is…)
The transition is when I’m most likely to spiral: “Is this normal? Is his stomach okay? Am I feeding enough?” Ollie made that part feel less guessy with:
- Portions calculated for Theo based on age, weight, breed, and activity
- Free vet advice + health tracking/screenings in the app
The Only Downsides to Ollie (Our Clear Top Choice)
With Ollie, you DO need freezer/fridge space. This is legit fresh food, not a pantry pouch. Plus, you have to stay a little ahead of thawing/serving… so if you’re not great at planning meals, you might wanna consider that.
For us, it’s not a problem, and it’s 100% worth it. Because here’s the thing…
Did Ollie or Sundays for Dogs Work?
Sundays for Dogs was an improvement from Theo’s old kibble. But he started to get bored with it pretty quickly and soon reverted back to the same looks he used to give us with his old food.
But Ollie completely changed everything about Theo’s mealtime. He went from “eh” to demolishing his bowl every time. And with human-grade ingredients, vet nutritionist involvement, AAFCO-formulated recipes, and safety/quality controls, Ollie is all about the bigger picture, not just pretty branding.
If You Want to Try Ollie, You’re in Luck…
Because, at the time of this writing, Ollie is promoting 70% off your first box plus extras like a free welcome kit, free shipping, and a money-back guarantee.
Since we switched Theo’s meals to Ollie, mealtime stopped feeling like a standoff. He is completely obsessed with his new food, and the difference isn’t just in his attitude. His fur is shinier, his energy is through the roof, and his BREATH finally smells tolerable. It’s a win, win, win.
