What's the difference between fresh and homemade dog food?
When comparing fresh dog food vs homemade dog food, they might look similar in the bowl, but how they’re made, how well they’re balanced and the quality of the ingredients used can shape your dog’s digestion, energy and overall health.
Nutritional balance
Fresh meals are complete and balanced, while homemade diets can miss essential nutrients like calcium
Cooking method
Fresh dog food is gently cooked to retain nutrients, while homemade food can lose nutrients through overcooking
Time & convenience
Ready to serve, fresh food saves time, while homemade dog food take time to shop for, cook and portion
Ingredient quality
Homemade diets give you control over ingredients, while fresh recipes use a set formula for consistent nutrition
Gerard Lippert's study shows dogs can live up to 3 years longer
The 5-year study concluded your dog, just like you, thrives when eating a wholefood, highly nutritious, minimally processed diet.
Our Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist followed the principles of the study to create the best ever rated fresh wholefood meals and then went further!
Fresh wholefood meals
60% prime meat, seeds, fruits and vibrant veg.
Breed Health+ supplement
Breed specific formula with high scoring ORAC antioxidants
Probiotics & prebiotics
Healthy live bacteria - up to 400 million CFU per serving
Tailored to your dog
To their breed, life stage, activity levels and more.
What Years Cupboard Fresh Dog Food brings to your dog's bowl
Enjoy the benefits of fresh, homemade feeding without the any of the effort! Years personalised subscription delivers complete and balanced meals tailored to your dog’s exact needs.
Nutritious wholefood recipes cooked by chefs
Fresh wholefood recipes made with clearly named, high quality ingredients and full transparency, because your dog deserves better than mystery mush...
That means no gaps or guesswork, just balanced nutrition, without missing essentials like calcium, fats or key vitamins that can be easy to overlook with homemade dog food.
Just real, human quality ingredients for healthy dog food that helps your pup live their best life with...
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Clearly named proteins - Real cuts of meat (from chicken thigh to steak) to support strength, energy and meals that get devoured in seconds.
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Natural fibre from veg - Carrots, sweet potato and more, supporting digestion, keeping things moving nicely and tummies feeling good.
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Omega rich ingredients - Healthy fats to support a glossy coat, healthy skin and fur so soft you will not leave them alone.
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Complete & balanced dog nutrition - Everything carefully balanced to support energy, vitality and dogs that are always ready for anything, yes, even another walk...
Breed Health+ supplement blends with every meal
Specifically designed by our Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, these exclusive blends can be added to your dog’s meals to supercharge their nutrition.
Targeted ingredients tailored to your dog’s needs, because no two dogs are the same and their food shouldn’t be either...
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Ailment-specific – From sensitive digestion to joint support, we tailor ingredients to help manage your dog’s unique health needs.
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Psyllium husk – to support healthy digestion and to help your dog transition to a new wholefood diet
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High-scoring ORAC Antioxidants – From blueberry powder to spirulina powder to help support your dog's immune system.
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Joint & mobility support – Every formula includes ingredients such as rosehip powder, green-lipped mussel, and marine collagen.
Prebiotics & Probiotics for better gut health
Personalised digestive support in every meal to help maintain your dog’s gut health, supports their digestion and calms even the most sensitive tummies.
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Probiotic E.faecium good bacteria - to help top up your dog's natural population of healthy bacteria (up to 400 million CFU).
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Beta-glucan prebiotics – to further aid and encourage healthy gut function by feeding the good bacteria in your dog's gut.
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Supporting digestion – by decreasing the pH in your dog's gut and helping the good bacteria thrive
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Reducing flatulence - and bloating by helping to restore the natural balance of good and bad bacteria in your dog's gut
Everything personalised to your dog's breed, age & more
Different dogs have different needs. Their size, activity level, snacks, personality, neutered status and age all influence what they require from a healthy, balanced dog food.
That’s why, with Years, a laid back 1 year old pug gets a different plan, ingredients and portions than a high energy 2 year old spaniel, delivering tailored, balanced nutrition without the hassle of homemade diets.
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Dog specific nutrition - Your dog’s health and longevity depend on the best nutrition for them, so we tailor their meals accordingly!
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Age specific support - Puppies, adults and senior dogs all have different nutritional needs. Each plan is built to match.
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Activity levels - From couch potato to non stop energy, every dog gets the right balance of calories and nutrients.
More than "just" dog food...
Years Cupboard Fresh Dog Food is a complete nutrition system specifically developed to help your dog feel their best, every single day. There's never been anything like this for dogs:
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Overall health & longevity
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Joint care and mobility
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Digestive health
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Healthy skin & shiny coat
Fresh vs home cooked dog food? It's all about balance...
The challenge with home cooked dog food is that dogs need precise, consistent nutrition, and that’s not always easy to achieve.
These small imbalances of key nutrients can build up over time, showing up in your dog's skin, coat, energy levels and overall condition.
Years fresh dog food keeps that balance simple, with specific, personalised recipes, packed with nutritious wholefoods, so your dog gets exactly what they need, without the prep, cost, or guesswork of home cooked meals.
Plus, with our gentle cooking process, all Years meals stay cupboard fresh for up to 3 months, so you’ve always got a convenient option close to hand!
Getting started with a personalised plan is simple
Tell us about your dog
We formulate their recipe
Calculate your price
Chef cooked
Home delivered
Total confidence
you're feeding your dog right
Rated the best fresh dog food of all time on allaboutdogfood.co.uk
Fresh recipes so good, they taste just like homemade
Omega 3 powder
Chicken Thigh Vegetable Casserole
So fresh and tasty you'll want to eat it! Delicious chicken thigh marinated with super foods, seeds, fruits, and cruciferous vegetables.
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
25.3%
Super seeds
8.0%
Fruits plus
6.7%
Steak & Kidney Mushroom Hotpot
Hands off - it is for your dog!Delicious matured steak marinated with super foods, seeds, fruits, and vegetables for the ultimate healthy meal.
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
25.4%
Super seeds
7.3%
Fruits plus
7.3%
Turkey Thigh Cranberry Fricassee
Fresh prime meats you can see - not brown mush. Delicious turkey thigh marinated with super foods, seeds, fruits, and vegetables for the ultimate healthy meal.
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
24.4%
Super seeds
7.6%
Fruits plus
8.0%
Pork Shoulder Sage & Apple Stew
Juicy pork shoulder and apple with a sprinkle of sage, super seeds and vegetables for the ultimate healthy meal.
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
25.0%
Super seeds
7.75%
Fruits plus
7.25%
Salmon & Pollock Cauliflower Bake
Succulent Salmon and Pollock fillet with a pinch of dill, super seeds and vegetables for the ultimate healthy meal
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
24.5%
Super seeds
7.9%
Fruits plus
7.6%
Steak, Salmon & Prawn Surf 'N' Turf
Premium steak, salmon and prawns with superfoods, seeds, fruits, and vegetables for the ultimate healthy meal.
Whole foods
100%
Prime meats
60.0%
Vibrant veg
24.9%
Super seeds
7.3%
Fruits plus
7.8%
Puppy Food In UK
Rated the UK’s Best Fresh Dog Food
All About Dog Food is trusted by over 2 million people, independently ranking more than 2,500 dog foods in the UK. Years cooked meals come out on top, rated the best fresh food in the UK with a score of 95%!
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AADF Nutrition Rating Overall nutritional rating on consumer review website Visit AllAboutDogFood.co.uk |
95% | 88% | 43% | 38% |
Declare % of every ingredient Is every ingredient % declared, so you know exactly what you’re feeding? |
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Detail every cut of meat Is every cut of meat detailed, so you know exactly what you’re feeding? |
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Zero legumes. |
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100% grain free |
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Gentle cooking method Classification is based on an average declared cooking temperature threshold of 90°C or below. |
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Store at room temperature |
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Health supplement |
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Breed specific ingredients Years' algorithm analyses your dog's breed, their potential health needs, and selects a formulation to suit - refined further with personalised dosage instructions. |
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Probiotic digestive support |
Years nutrition system includes fresh meals which provide 100% complete nutrition. At Years, we go even further, by including for free, with every meal a Breed Health+ supplement. Different formulas for different breeds, all with added probiotics for digestive support. Comparison table data was obtained, through a review of each brand's official website, conducted on 26 April 2026.
99.8% of dogs surveyed (well... their parents) wolfed down their Years meals
Over 80% noticed an improvement in digestion within 24 hours
Shinier coats, easier movement & happier joints - changes you’ll see daily
11 Feb •
It's a thumbs up here ……. She's licking her lips also delivery came within days ❤️ She is a fussy eater …but she's definitely is taking a liking to the chicken so yes winning 🥰
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I was searching for a dog food that I deemed suitable for my new puppy. It needed to be delicious, nutritious and made with high quality ingredients - mirroring homemade meals without the effort and years has ticked all of those boxes for me. Natalia
Honestly it’s life changing
My dog has struggled with allergies for a few years now and I have tried every thing, including homemade diet, to help. Nothing was working consistently, and homemade was tricky and time consuming.We have been using Years for just over two months now and my dog’s allergies have cleared up almost entirely! He absolutely loves the food, every delivery is packed with care and a little personal touch. The food is excellent quality and I feel confident my dog is consuming ethically sourced, human grade meals. Sheldon
Wonderful
I had read very good things about ‘Years’ dog food and decided to give it a try for my 7 year-old Border Terrier.I was sent a sample pack ,to begin with.My dog loves it .It does look and smell homemade and full of veg and protein. Famie
Years lives up to its reviews
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We've always wanted to give Archie the best possible nutrition. We weren't 100% sure we were providing a balanced diet for him. We discovered Years dog food, and it is a game-changer for us.
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What a gem! Fresh and tasty ingredients, no nasties and home-made recipe makes it a healthy meal for my little pooch. He loved the smell of it so did I! Can’t comment on the taste, but looking at what it’s made off- i would not hesitate to try myself :) Will definitely buy again! Olcik6
Like a homemade meal
It looks and smells great, you can see the individual ingredients and the fact that it is human grade food makes me feel much more confident in feeding it to my dogs. They are all happy and healthy with this food and every interaction I have had with years has been great. I have nothing but positive things to say and would 200% recommend years. Bridget Ford
Brilliant, healthy dog food at last!
Lovely homemade dog food with a lot of different ingredients geared towards my dogs health. I was also impressed with the packaging, making it easy to dish up set portions each time. Of course my dog loved it. Frances
Lovely homemade dog food
3 Nov •
I have a really fussy dog and she has very bad allergies to food so i spend a lot of time trying to find food that she likes but also won't make her allergies worse, even on 16mg of Apoquel everyday she still has issues but I've noticed these issues have disappeared since being on Years and we've only just started! she absolutely loves the food and always has a clean bowl in minutes! I wasn't sure what to expect with this company as never heard of it until i was doing some research (i always have to be one step ahead with my dog as she can go off food at a snap of the fingers but I can't say anything bad about this company, smells delightful and the packaging is really cool and easy to store. I also love the supplement that comes with it. Thank you Years
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Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering if Years is for you?
Talk with us.
Our team is here to help with ANY query even if it's not related to our food. Our goal is to help dogs live longer, whether they’re eating Years or not.
Both fresh and homemade dog food can support your dog’s health when they’re done properly. The key difference is consistency.
Fresh dog food is designed to be complete and balanced in every meal, while homemade diets rely on getting ingredients, portions, and nutrients right each time. That’s where Years fresh food can be easier to manage long term, especially if you want consistent nutrition without the guesswork.
When homemade diets aren’t properly balanced, certain nutrients are more commonly missed. These often include calcium, essential fatty acids, and specific vitamins and trace minerals. These nutrients play an important role in your dog’s bones, skin, coat, energy levels, and overall condition, which is why even small gaps can make a difference over time.
With Years fresh food, you can guarantee the right balance of these essential nutrients with every meal.
Years fresh dog food is much easier to manage. Cooking for your dog at home takes time to plan, prepare, portion, and balance properly. Fresh dog food removes that effort by providing ready-made meals that are already complete and balanced, so you don’t have to think through every detail.
Definitely. Years dog food is designed to support dogs at every age. While calorie needs change as dogs grow and age, our complete recipe delivers balanced nutrition to help every dog thrive, supporting healthy growth, steady energy, good digestion, mobility, a shiny coat and overall wellbeing.
Some health conditions may need a clinically controlled diet so pleaseget in touchif you are still unsure if Years is suitable for your dog.
Switching to fresh dog food is best done gradually. Start by mixing a small amount of fresh food with your dog’s current meals, then slowly increase the proportion over several days. This helps your dog adjust comfortably while giving you a chance to monitor how they respond.
You can also check out our handy feeding guide for further details.
Our plans start from just £1.05 per day, with pricing customised to your dog's specific needs, including their calorie requirements and your preferred delivery frequency.
We are so confident your dog will love Years that we have put together a7-day trial packwhich lets you and your dog experience the truly life changing benefits of Years. The price range varies between £7 and £12 for a 7-day trial period.
Enjoy the convenience of having your dog’s nutrition taken care of and delivered right to your doorstep, so you never have to worry about running out.
To calculate the price for your dog,fill out our survey. Within minutes, you'll receive a personalised meal plan and price tailored specifically to your dog.
At Years, we use only prime cuts of meat, such as steak, chicken, and turkey thigh. These premium cuts far surpass the quality of what’s typically labelled as “human grade” in the dog food industry.
The term "human grade" can be misleading, as it simply indicates that the meat could be consumed by humans. However, it often includes lower-quality, mechanically separated meat. We know which we would prefer to eat and we’re confident your pet will agree too!
For more details onchoosing quality meats for your dog, check out our popular blog.
We pride ourselves on ethically sourcing all our meat from family farms with high welfare standards and locally sourcing our wholefood and superfood ingredients, ensuring your dog gets the best in both nutrition and flavour.
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