Nom Nom is one of the most recognizable fresh dog food subscription brands, known for delivering pre-portioned, human-grade meals straight to your doorstep.

After seeing it in ads, we decided to treat our dog Lou and have him try Nom Nom’s fresh dog food delivery service for 30 days.

We’ve stuck with IAMS kibbles for most of Lou’s life, and we get it delivered through amazon, which has made a simple and affordable daily feeding routine. But fresh dog food is popular now, and we wanted to see if it would make a difference.

Would Lou like switching from kibble? Would he eat fresh food for the first time? And was it worth the price?

Well, Lou tried Nom Nom meals. In fact, we started with the “Sampler Pack” (more on this in a bit). Then we decided to upgrade to the subscription.

This is what we noticed, and why we eventually went back to kibble.

Why We Tried Nom Nom

We took a shot with Nom Nom because we were genuinely curious to see if switching from IAMS kibble to fresh dog food would benefit Lou, or if he’d simply enjoy it more.

Fresh Dog Food Subscriptions We Considered:

After comparing options and realizing how expensive most fresh dog food subscriptions are, we decided to start small. Nom Nom’s $20 Sampler Pack made it easy to try gently cooked, human-grade meals without signing up for a full subscription. It felt like the best way to test if fresh food was a good fit for Lou and for us.

Ordering & First Impressions

We placed our first Nom Nom order sometime in early 2025. Back then, all of Nom Nom’s dog food was only available on their website. Now you can also find Nom Nom on Chewy and PetSmart, which definitely adds convenience.

We started with the $20 Sampler Pack. It came with four single-serve meals:

The recipes were:

• Chicken Cuisine
• Pork Potluck
• Turkey Fare
• Beef Mash

Each meal was pre-portioned, made with real ingredients like ground beef, russet potatoes, and carrots, and gently cooked to meet AAFCO nutritional standards. A single serving contains about 201 calories and is formulated by veterinary nutritionists for complete and balanced nutrition.

Unboxing was simple. There was a basic info card inside with feeding tips and storage instructions. Nothing fancy, just enough to get started.

The meals went straight into the fridge for the week, though they’re meant to stay in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw one overnight. And of course we had to move things around to create more space.

Personal note: If you go beyond the sampler, such as a subscription, you’re going to need a lot of freezer space. A chest freezer would make things much easier.

We planned to give Lou his usual IAMS kibble in the morning and test Nom Nom at dinner. That gave us four days to see how he handled the switch.

Our Experience with Nom Nom

We started with the 4-meal Sampler Pack, then moved into a four-week subscription with two meals per day. Across both stages, we paid attention to how Lou responded, what changed in our daily routine, and whether the switch from kibbles to fresh meals was worth it.

How Lou Reacted to the Meals

Lou looked curious when we opened the pouches. He sniffed them like he knew it was food but didn’t dive in. The Turkey Fare was the one he ignored the most. He only ate about a quarter of it. With the Chicken Cuisine and Pork Potluck, he walked away and came back later. The Beef Mash was his favorite. He ate it right away and licked the bowl clean.

We chose Beef Mash for the subscription since it was the clear winner.

What Changed After Subscribing

For one month, Lou had two Nom Nom meals a day — one in the morning and one at dinner. At first, he finished each serving. But after a few days, his interest faded. He started eating slower, and sometimes didn’t finish. That’s when we started to wonder if the switch was worth it.

Feeding Routine and Effort

Our daily feeding routine changed a lot. Here’s what we had to do during the subscription:

• Store the frozen meals in the freezer
• Thaw two pouches every night in the fridge
• Wash the food bowl after every meal
• Clean up food bits around Lou’s feeding area

With Nom Nom, you’re managing prep, thawing, and full cleanup after each serving.

By comparison, our kibble routine is easy. We store a large bag of IAMS in a sealed container. When it’s time to feed, we scoop and pour. That’s it. No daily prep, no dishes, no mess.

Digestion and Bathroom Changes

His poop looked different. The consistency was thicker and there seemed to be a little more of it. The frequency stayed the same. Lou usually goes right after eating, and that didn’t change.

Food Smell and Texture

The food had a smell that was kind of like cooked human food, but it wasn’t great. It didn’t stink, but it didn’t smell tasty either. The texture was soft and slightly mushy.

How It Compared to IAMS Kibbles

We order IAMS Proactive Health MiniChunks with Real Chicken for $46.97 on Amazon. It has over 31,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating. The 30-pound bag lasts us about two months and ships in a few days with free delivery.

Nom Nom meals cost between $4 and $10 each, depending on the plan. Feeding Lou twice a day added up fast. Between the cost, freezer space, thawing, serving, and cleanup, it just didn’t feel practical long term.

Here’s a side-by-side breakdown of how Nom Nom compared to IAMS for our family:

Would We Recommend It?

If your dog is picky or turns down kibble, Nom Nom could be worth trying. The Sampler Pack is a low-risk way to see if your dog responds well to fresh dog food. According to the AAFCO guidelines, complete and balanced dog food must meet specific nutritional standards. Nom Nom states their recipes are formulated to meet these requirements.

For us, it wasn’t worth the extra steps or the cost. Lou is just as happy with his IAMS kibbles, and we appreciate the simplicity.

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