What's the difference between fresh dog food and raw dog food?
Fresh dog food and raw dog food can both deliver real ingredients and complete nutrition, but the way they support your dog can be very different. From digestion and stool quality to energy, taste, sensitive stomachs and long term health, the right choice comes down to what works best for your dog from bowl to belly.
Digestive health
Fresh dog food can support healthy digestion and stool quality, making it a gentler choice for many dogs.
Food safety
Unlike raw dog food, fresh cooked dog food is heated to help reduce harmful bacteria before serving.
Convenience
Years fresh dog food is easier to store and serve, with less mess, less prep and no raw meat handling.
Complete & balanced
Personalised fresh dog food gives your dog complete, balanced meals tailored to their individual needs.
What Years fresh recipes bring to your dog's bowl
With Years, fresh dog food doesn’t mean freezer faff, raw meat prep or guessing what your dog needs. Instead, our Cupboard Fresh meals are complete, balanced and personalised for your dog, so they get the best from every bowl.
Wholefood recipes steam cooked by chefs
Years brings you the real food benefits many owners want from raw dog food, without the raw meat handling, freezer faff or nutritional guesswork.
Our wholefood recipes are made with clearly named, high quality ingredients and gently steam cooked to reduce harmful bacteria, support digestibility and deliver complete nutrition.
No low quality meat meals. No vague derivatives. No unnecessary fillers. Just real, human quality ingredients, properly balanced to help your dog thrive.
Healthy dog food developed to help your dog 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
Raw feeding can make balanced nutrition feel like a bit of a science project. With Years, there’s no guesswork.
Our exclusive Breed Health+ supplement blends are designed by our Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist and added to your dog’s meals to help tailor their nutrition to their breed, size, age and life stage.
No spreadsheets. No “is this enough?” panic. Just clever, complete nutrition developed specifically for your dog.
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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.
Built in Prebiotics & Probiotics for better gut health
Raw can work for some dogs, but sensitive tummies do not always appreciate the gamble.
Years meals include built in prebiotics and probiotics to help support healthy gut bacteria, smoother digestion and better stool quality.
It’s personalised digestive support in every bowl, designed to help your dog feel good from the inside out.
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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
Raw feeding can come with a lot of “am I doing this right?” thoughts. With Years, the clever bit is already built in.
Every plan is personalised around your dog’s breed, age, weight, activity level, body condition, neutered status, snacks and lifestyle, so their meals actually match what they need day to day.
After all, a 1 year old neutered pug with a sofa first attitude will need something different from a high energy 2 year old mixed breed managing their weight. Same fresh wholefood goodness, completely different bowl!
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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 developed to help your dog feel their best every single day.
It gives you the real food goodness many owners want from raw, with the safety, balance and convenience of fresh meals designed by experts. That's great for:
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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
But what about raw dog food?
Raw dog food is popular with owners who want real ingredients, high meat content and a more natural approach to feeding. But for many households, raw can also come with a few extra hurdles, from freezer space and defrosting to raw meat handling and the pressure of getting every nutrient properly balanced.
With Years, you get the real food goodness many owners look for in raw, but in a fresh, gently steam cooked format that’s complete, balanced and super simple to serve.
Plus, every Years meal is made with clearly named, human quality ingredients and gently steam cooked to help reduce potentially harmful raw meat bacteria while supporting digestibility.
Then it stays Cupboard Fresh for up to 3 months, so you get fresh, bowl clearing meals, with less mess, less prep and no “forgot to defrost” chaos!
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 your dog will love
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, ratedthe 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.
300,000 happy dogs and counting
Here's what some of our customers say
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
14 Apr •
Hi, this is Charlie. He's recently transitioned to Years and loves it. We have empty bowls every meal now whereas before he could be a tad picky. I've noticed a change in his coat and his energy levels as well. Glad I made the change
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The most amazing looking dog food , my German shepherd was interested in this as soon as I opened the pack. Normally feed a varied raw diet but this was a brilliant alternative and packed full of the same goodness Shelley
The most amazing looking dog food
My dog was on raw food his entire life and somehow, after 8 years he started to feel sick to his stomach and 2 or 3 times in a week he used to vomit. A friend recommended us Years and since then we are happy, his stomach is pretty good, no more, pain or vomit anymore. We recommend Years for sure. Thank you so much! Ana
A friend recommended us Years and since then we are happy
18 May •
This is Jakey, our beloved, loyal, gorgeous boy who has made us so sad and extremely worried over the last year 😢 Jakey would turn his nose up to all dogs foods and would only eat ham, chicken, cheese or pasta! This was making him poorly, especially as he already suffers with a sensitive stomach! Lots of vet’s visits, which he hates! But WOW, WOW, WOW, what a transformation 😁 In one week of trying Years food, he is eating the lot and even licking the plate clean! We are so happy and Jakey is so happy too! Thank you Years' Very Important Dogs (V.I.Ds) Years 😁 I really cannot believe the transformation 🐾🐾🐾🐾
You & other
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I made a spreadsheet comparing different dog food delivery services including quality and benefits against cost and Years was by far the one with best quality for best price. My dog doesn’t stay on the ground while I put his food in the bowl bc he’s just too excited for it 💁🏽♀️ Niamh Gomes
I made a spreadsheet comparing…
My dog is a very fussy boy and we’ve tried numerous variations of wet food from raw to cooked. Years is the only food he has reliably eaten for the last few years. The customer service is excellent and they always respond quickly. Tilly
Best food for a fussy eater!
I have fed my dogs Years for 3 years, they have tried every single type of food including raw, home cooked etc. They love years food and so do I as it’s so easy to feed, customer service is amazing and I love the company ethos, you can tell they love dogs. I have recommended Years to my mum for her dog and anyone who asks I would 100% recommend. Karen
100% recommend!
13 Dec •
Hi all! I just wanted to introduce myself and share a photo that I took of my amazing poodle Dexter. He has started years and the transformation is amazing. He loves it and am enjoying him not having an upset stomach x
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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.
Fresh dog food can be a better choice for many dogs because it gives them real, wholefood ingredients in a format that is complete, balanced and easier to serve safely.
Unlike raw dog food, Years fresh meals are gently steam cooked to help support digestibility and reduce harmful bacteria often associated with raw meat. That means your dog gets the goodness of fresh ingredients without the freezer faff, raw meat handling or nutritional guesswork.
The main difference between fresh dog food and raw dog food is how the food is prepared and how that affects everyday feeding.
Raw dog food is served uncooked, while Years Cupboard Fresh dog food is gently steam cooked, complete and personalised to your dog’s breed, age, weight and lifestyle.
Fresh cooked dog food offers real ingredients, digestive support and mealtime excitement, with less mess, less prep and no defrost drama.
Yes, you can mix Years fresh dog food with raw dog food, but it’s best to do it carefully and gradually. Because raw food can carry a higher bacteria risk, always handle and store it safely, wash bowls and utensils thoroughly and avoid leaving raw food sitting out.
If you’re using Years as a fresh alternative to raw, we recommend transitioning slowly over several days by replacing a small amount of raw with Years, then gradually increasing the portion. This helps your dog’s digestion adjust while giving them complete, balanced, gently steam cooked nutrition without the raw meat faff.
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.
You will usually notice improvements in energy, digestion, coat condition, and overall behaviour. A personalised approach makes it easier to ensure your dog is getting the right nutrition.
Fresh cooked dog food may offer a safer feeding option than raw dog food because gentle cooking helps reduce harmful bacteria that can be found in raw meat.
Years meals are steam cooked in sealed trays, helping lock in moisture, aroma and natural meat juices while supporting food safety and digestibility. It is fresh food goodness, without the raw meat risk sitting in your fridge.
Yes, many dogs can switch from raw dog food to fresh cooked dog food, but it is best to transition gradually to help avoid digestive upset.
Start by mixing a small amount of Years into your dog’s current food, then slowly increase the amount over several days. Because Years meals include built-in prebiotics and probiotics, they are designed to support gut health and help make mealtimes gentler on sensitive tummies.
For further information on how to transition to Years, please read our feeding guide.
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