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Every year I take my 12-year-old dog, Murphy to his annual checkup. And, like clockwork, every year the vet routinely asks what type of food I feed him. I always say something along the lines of: you know, that store-bought kibble with salmon on the bag. Nature something? My vet and I know each other well enough by now where she chortles at my predictable inability to remember the brand and moves on to asking about his energy (slowing down) and separation anxiety (still thriving).
With two kids I’m the first to admit that my brain is overloaded. But, if I’m being honest, Murphy’s dog food is actually that forgettable. I grab it while running errands, wedged between applesauce pouches and whatever last-minute dinner I’m pulling together that night.
But, as Murphy enters his golden years, I’ve started to reconsider what I’m scooping into his bowl (I’m certainly not naive enough to believe his kibble is full of real salmon). So I started exploring kibble alternatives and landed on two popular brands: Tally’s Ranch and JustFoodforDogs.
Tally’s Ranch is freeze-dried food, while JustFoodforDogs offers fresh meals (both frozen and shelf stable options). They both promise enhanced nutrition with a taste your dog will adore. I was curious to see how they compare. Here’s what I found…
Ingredients and Nutrition
It’s safe to say almost anything will be an upgrade from Murphy’s current kibble, so let’s take a closer look at what Tally’s Ranch and JustFoodforDogs each offer.
Tally’s Ranch: They use an innovative freeze-drying method (just like astronaut food) that preserves more nutrients and flavor than kibble. According to a study in Translational Animal Science, freeze-dried food is more digestible than both fresh food and kibble.
Here’s how it works: Small batches of frozen nuggets are placed in a vacuum, and over the course of 24 hours, over 97% of the water content is removed in a process called sublimation. The result is freeze-dried, shelf-stable nuggets of food just a tad larger than regular dog kibble. Tally’s Ranch never includes fillers, GMOs or artificial preservatives—just raw ingredients like beef, sweet potatoes, carrots, kale and other foods you can actually pronounce and see in each bite. Choose from two flavors: chicken and beef. Both are made up of high-quality ingredients (think: USDA meats and human-grade veggies) sourced from farms and ranches across the country.
JustFoodforDogs:JustFoodforDogs offers shelf-stable fresh dog food and a frozen option, but for the purpose of this comparison, I opted for the frozen food. JustFoodforDogs comes in a variety of flavors like chicken, beef, pork and turkey. Their food is made with human-grade ingredients like chicken thighs, oats, carrots and kale (to name a few). While there are never any preservatives, this means that each frozen food pouch must be moved from the freezer to the fridge to thaw, opened, weighed, and portioned into feeding bowls to use over the next few days.
Winner: Tally’s Ranch
I’m not a veterinarian or nutritionist so admittedly, not always the most savvy when it comes to comprehending nutrition labels. So when I looked closer at the ingredient label of JustFoodforDogs, I saw 5+ ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce. Alternatively, Tally’s Ranch’s ingredient list is made up of whole foods and straight-forward enough that even my 7-year-old could read and understand it in its entirety. Bonus: Tally’s Ranch is the first and only pet food company in the U.S. to publish the percentage of meat on their ingredient list.
Ordering Convenience
Part of why I keep going back to Murphy’s very forgettable kibble is convenience. Between school runs, carpools and after-school activities, I’m looking for products that streamline my decision making, not add complexity to it. Here’s how each brand stacks up when it comes to ordering convenience.
Tally’s Ranch: Before placing your first order, Tally’s Ranch prompts you to answer a few simple questions about your dog like their body type and weight. Tally’s Ranch then suggests the type of dog food based on your answers. They suggest new customers first sign up for a trial with smaller portion sizes, which allows you to test out their product before committing. Just like most subscriptions, you can pause or cancel it at any time.
JustFoodforDogs: Just like Tally’s Ranch, JustFoodforDogs also features a questionnaire to help them better understand your dog’s nutritional needs. Theirs is a few questions longer than Tally’s Ranch’s, but covers the same territory. For new customers, you can either select a one-time purchase or an ongoing auto-ship delivery, with the latter offering up 50% off your first order.
Winner: It’s a Tie
Both brands offer a streamlined sign-up process where they serve up the best choices based on your dog’s body type, weight and breed. They also each have auto-ship and subscription options so you can set it and forget it. My only suggestion for both brands is to offer up specific types of food for dogs based on their age like puppy or senior chow.
Portion and Taste
Sometimes I wonder how dogs can be happy eating the same exact meal every day for years. But, now that we’ve switched up his normal routine, it’s clear that Murphy’s been politely tolerating his kibble option all this time. When it comes to portion and taste, Tally’s Ranch and JustFoodforDogs are quite different—here’s how they stack up.
Tally’s Ranch: Serving size depends on your dog’s weight and activity level. At 65 pounds with a normal weight/activity level, he lands in the 3.5-4 cups per day range. For new customers, Tally’s Ranch provides a helpful transition card in each order that walks you through how to phase in their food, which I really appreciated. Murphy has a notoriously sensitive stomach, so a slow and steady switch was absolutely necessary.
Following the card’s advice, I started with 25% Tally’s Ranch and 75% of his usual kibble on Day 1, increasing the Tally’s portion each day until we hit a full bowl by Day 7. Even with just a light sprinkle of the new stuff, Murphy’s interest noticeably piqued. He sometimes will wait to eat his breakfast until mid-morning, but with Tally’s Ranch in the mix, breakfast was gobbled up with the bowl clean before I’d even poured my second cup of coffee.
JustFoodforDogs: Each resealable pouch has a handy feeding guide that shows how much food your dog should have based on their size and weight, and whether you’d like to feed them a full meal, 50/50 with kibble or provide JustFoodforDogs as a nutrient boost. I decided to start with a 50/50 split, which means Murphy required ½-1 pack per day.
While Murphy did quickly eat the fresh food, he also just as quickly got a stomach ache. I should have phased in this new wet food much more slowly since the consistency (gravy-like mush) is so different from his kibble. Lesson learned!
Lastly, I had to store the rest of the unused food in the fridge, which I wasn’t used to. Not only did it take up a lot of space, but I also found it pretty messy (my dog’s food next to my own?). Not a huge fan of that part.
Winner: Tally’s Ranch
While Murphy happily ate both options, Tally’s Ranch is the winner for me. The brand makes feeding feel effortless—from the pre-measured scooper (no messy pouches to wrestle with) to the thoughtful transition guide that made it easy to phase in the new food without upsetting Murphy’s sensitive stomach.
Cost and Value
It's worth noting that portion sizes vary based on your dog’s weight, age, and activity level. So, the overall cost will differ from pup to pup.
Tally’s Ranch: Tally’s Ranch sent me two smaller, two-pound bags to test out the food before committing. These trial portions came out to $4.62 per day. The trial portions are offered at a 50% discount, so Murphy’s ongoing plan would land at $8.69/day.
JustFoodForDogs: If I were to feed Murphy a full meal of JustFoodforDogs then he would require about 2 packs per day. Without autoship, this would come out to $7 per pack or $14 per day.
Winner: Tally’s Ranch
When it comes to cost, Tally’s Ranch is the clear winner. Murphy’s meals shouldn’t outprice mine (or my kids), and at $8.69 a day versus $14, we can all eat well without breaking the bank.
And, the Winner Is…Two Paws Up for Tally’s Ranch!
Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks. Because Tally’s Ranch made it totally effortless for me to finally pivot from grocery store kibble to a more mindful and nutritious choice for Murphy. From the straightforward ingredients and smart packaging to the affordable pricing and thoughtful onboarding, Tally’s Ranch delivered across the board. While JustFoodForDogs offers a solid alternative to traditional kibble, the fresh food consistency and unreliable packaging just didn’t work for our routine (trying to wrestle open a sloppy fresh food pouch at 7 am while trying to serve my kids breakfast was not ideal).
With extra bonuses like a handy scooper to make portions easy and add-ons like jerky sticks, Tally’s Ranch has earned its permanent place in our pantry—and in Murphy’s bowl.
