Homemade Dog Food Cost vs The Farmer's Dog, Ollie & a Vet Nutritionist
"Fresh food for my dog" can mean three very different price tags: cooking it yourself, subscribing to a delivery service, or paying a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to build a custom plan. This is a straight cost comparison for 2026 — convenience and quality aside, here is what each one actually costs.
1. Homemade (you cook it)
Cooking at home is usually the lowest ongoing cost per meal, because you buy ingredients at grocery prices and skip the service markup. The real costs are your time and getting the nutrition right — a plain meat-and-veg bowl needs added supplements to be complete (see our detailed homemade cost breakdown). A free tool like PawChef's recipe calculator or BalanceIT handles the formulation so you are not guessing.
2. Fresh delivery (The Farmer's Dog, Ollie)
Fresh subscription services deliver pre-portioned, complete-and-balanced cooked food to your door. You pay for convenience and for food that is formulated and tested for you — a genuine advantage if you do not want to cook or measure anything. As advertised for 2026:
- The Farmer's Dog: roughly $8/day (~$250/month) on average, ranging from about $2.30 to $27 per day depending on your dog's size, age, and activity.
- Ollie: roughly $10/day (~$310/month) for a full fresh plan; mixed or half-fresh plans bring it down to roughly $180–260/month.
Dog size is the biggest variable — a small dog may eat a few hundred calories a day, while a large breed can need over 1,000, which is why per-day costs swing so widely.
3. A board-certified veterinary nutritionist
For a pet with a health condition, or if you want the most rigorous custom plan, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (formerly DACVN, now DACVIM-Nutrition) will formulate a diet for your specific dog. This is a one-time consultation cost, after which you cook the recipe yourself. As advertised, initial consults run roughly $370–$575 (for example, university nutrition services from about $370; PetDiets' initial consult $575), with follow-ups around $275.
Cost at a glance
| Option | Typical cost | What you trade |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade (DIY) | Lowest ongoing (grocery ingredients + supplements) | Your time + getting the formulation right |
| The Farmer's Dog | ~$8/day (~$250/mo), varies by size | Highest ongoing cost; least effort |
| Ollie | ~$10/day (~$310/mo) full fresh | Highest ongoing cost; least effort |
| Vet nutritionist consult | ~$370–$575 one-time + follow-ups | Upfront fee; most rigorous; you still cook |
Which is right for you?
- Fresh delivery if you value convenience and a complete, ready-to-serve meal with zero measuring — and the monthly cost fits your budget.
- Homemade if you want the lowest ongoing cost and full control over ingredients, and you are willing to cook and supplement correctly.
- Vet nutritionist if your pet has a diagnosed condition or you want a medically formulated custom plan, and you can absorb the upfront consult fee.
Pricing last reviewed: June 2026. Prices are summarized from publicly available 2026 figures and the providers' own sites; actual cost depends on your dog and may change — check each provider for current pricing. This comparison is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Farmer's Dog, Ollie, or any nutrition service.