Ollie vs. Nom Nom 2024: Which Dog Food Is Best?

Both Ollie and Nom Nom are leaders in providing top-quality dog food that you can’t find in a supermarket. Both focus on making dog food with the same care human food is made, including using top-quality, wholesome ingredients and offering macronutrient-balanced recipes.

I thoroughly researched both brands and concluded that Ollie’s dog food is a notch better. It offers both fresh and baked healthy dog meals, and its ingredient lists tend to be shorter. Plus, Ollie offers treats with clean recipes, making it easier to pamper your dog without worrying about what’s inside the treats.

That being said, Nom Nom has advantages of its own, including a multi-pet discount. You can see exactly what the deal is with both brands in my analysis below.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Both Ollie and Nom Nom offer wet food that’s been gently cooked at low temperatures to keep it as nutritious as possible.

Ollie tests each of the batches – all of which are hand-packed in USDA Process Verified kitchens – to ensure they’re safe for your pooch. Then it's vacuum-sealed to preserve the goodness.

Nom Nom cooks each ingredient separately and combines them at the end using a custom-made machine for exact calorie measurement.

Ollie sources its meat from trusted suppliers in the US, New Zealand, and Australia. Nom Nom sources all of its ingredients in the US from reputable suppliers and local farms.

All ingredients used by both companies are safe. Ollie’s ingredients are USDA Process Verified as well.

The recipes both companies offer meet (and exceed) AAFCO standards and are formulated with the help of board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Nom Nom has 2 on its team, while Ollie has 1. Ollie’s vet-formulated recipes also curate the algorithm that customizes your dog’s meals.

In any case, neither company uses fillers, artificial preservatives, or by-products, so the ingredient lists are actually readable and you can easily understand what’s in each meal.

Ollie has shorter ingredient lists. When I read through the ingredients, I found that your pet gets the vitamins and minerals it needs in the form of meat organs or whole veggies, rather than adding them to the mix as supplements.

Both companies pack their meals with superfoods to maximize the nutritional value of each dish. Some examples are dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale and berries such as blueberries and cranberries. These foods are high in antioxidants, which not only help with aging but reduce the risk of heart disease and other conditions in dogs.

Ollie features more of these so-called “superfoods” overall and lists specific ingredients like salmon oil as opposed to generic “fish oil” or “natural flavors”. Ollie’s many whole ingredients include sweet potatoes, blueberries, cranberries, pumpkin, and kale, while Nom Nom uses kale, spinach, and squash.

Ollie’s recipes contain a minimum of 8-11% crude protein, while Nom Nom’s are 7-10%. So, when it comes to the protein content, both Ollie and Nom Nom do a great job, but Ollie wins here, too, by a small margin.

Meals and Customization: Ollie Has Dry Meal Options & Treats

Ollie wins here because it offers both fresh and dry (baked) meals plus treats, while Nom Nom only features gently cooked food. This means you can get your dog’s full diet covered by Ollie, while Nom Nom can only help you with the wet food part.

Ollie has 5 fresh recipes: beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork. You can choose 4 fresh recipes out of the 5 when you sign up. Nom Nom offers 4 gently cooked recipes that feature the same proteins, excluding a lamb option.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom’s plans are customized to fit your dog’s specific dietary needs, so – from the number of calories to specific ingredients – there's no guesswork involved.

To see which recipe is suited for your dog, you’ll just need to answer a short quiz. At the end, you’ll be given a shortlist where you can choose your preferred recipes, plus the quantity and the price.

Ollie customizes its results based on your dog’s sex, age, breed, weight (and target weight, though this is optional), spay status, activity level, and food allergies. If your dog has any sensitivities or allergies, you can exclude those ingredients.

Nom Nom asks about any specific health problems your pup may have, including food allergies, but it doesn’t provide a list to exclude them yourself. You should read the ingredients carefully if you have any doubts.

In any case, the recipes from both Ollie and Nom Nom are well-thought-out in order to be suitable for most dogs. There's a good chance that all the recipes will be suitable for your dog, even if it has health problems.

When it comes to treats, Ollie offers 3 types of treats for your pooch, containing only 1 or 2 ingredients each. That’s how you know they’re the real deal. Ollie also offers chewable supplements with probiotics for different health issues.

Nom Nom offers probiotic supplements too. You can also ask for a consultation with a specialist if you want a more personalized approach.

Ordering and Delivery: Ollie Has a Handy Mobile App

Both Ollie and Nom Nom make it super easy to order via their websites. You can make changes to your order directly from your account – nothing complicated here either.

For your first order, after you go through the quiz above, you’ll get a customized 2-week starter box from Ollie, which contains enough food to feed your pup for 2 weeks and all the tools you’ll need.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom give you the option to order half portions, which is ideal if you want to mix it with your dog’s current food. With Ollie, you can order a Full Fresh plan, a Half Fresh plan, and a Mixed Bowl Plan with fresh and baked recipes.

Similarly, you can sign up for a trial with Nom Nom. After this initial box, you can either cancel your subscription or adjust the date for your next order. If you just want to try the food, you can order a Sampler Pack, which includes a small sample of each meal so you can see which one your pup likes best before subscribing.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom deliver to all 48 contiguous US states. With Ollie, you can choose to receive your boxes any day of the week that suits you, depending on the carrier. With Nom Nom, your delivery date will vary depending on your location, but you’ll never get a delivery on Mondays.

Both companies allow you to choose the frequency of your deliveries. Ollie lets you get deliveries every 2 or 4 weeks, while Nom Nom also has a weekly option. You can easily reschedule an order at Ollie and Nom Nom. Simply make sure to do this before your cut-off date – roughly 3 days before your next delivery is scheduled to be shipped.

Ollie offers a mobile app to make things smoother when you’re subscribed. Nom Nom doesn’t have an app, but the website is easy enough to navigate when it comes to ordering or editing an upcoming delivery.

Unboxing: Nom Nom Has Fully Recyclable Packaging

Both companies deliver your dog’s meals in an insulated box with dry ice. This means the food will always arrive at a safe temperature (even if your box is left out for a while) and you can put it straight in the freezer upon unboxing. 

When it comes to the packaging itself, Nom Nom shows a greater commitment to sustainability, since every material it uses is either recyclable or recycled.

With Ollie, even though the liner is made out of recycled cotton and you can easily recycle the cardboard box, the seal from the food packages needs to go in the trash. So there’s room for improvement here.

The bags for Ollie’s Gently Baked Bites are recyclable through a store drop-off program. You just need to follow the QR code or website on the back of the packaging to find your closest location. This is a bit of an extra hassle, but I appreciate that Ollie tries to make it easier.

Lastly, Ollie has reduced the number of shipments it sends out. This means you’ll get more food less frequently. The company says this is to “minimize our paw-print on the planet”, which is great news. The only downside is you’ll need to make sure you have enough storage space in your freezer for the food. 

Meal Prep: Ollie Gives You a Useful Feeding Guide & a Scoop

For both services, you should put the meals in the freezer, where you can store them safely for up to 6 months. Be sure to place each meal in the refrigerator to thaw for 24-48 hours before you serve it to your dog, though. In the fridge, Ollie’s food will be good for up to 4 days and Nom Nom’s for 5 days. Some owners also defrost the meals by putting them in warm water. 

You don’t have to prepare anything else – just thaw and serve. Ollie includes a handy scoop in your first box, as well as a pup-tainer (container) to store any leftover food for later, odor-free.

Both companies ensure the meals are perfectly portioned for your dog, so 1 package of food is enough for a single day. You can choose to divide it into breakfast and dinner, but that’s up to you.

You’ll find everything you need to know on the packaging itself. Ollie also offers a feeding guide with your first order.

Pricing: Both Have Budget-Friendly Options

Both services have plans starting at less than $2 per day – but let’s see how much you’d pay in a week for dogs of different breeds and sizes.

For a 6 lb Yorkshire Terrier, you’ll pay $21.70 per week with Nom Nom, and $22 with Ollie. Not a big difference, but Nom Nom is marginally cheaper. For a 30 lb English Cocker Spaniel, you’ll pay around $41 per week with Nom Nom and around $42 with Ollie. Again, only a small margin, but it can add up over time.

With Ollie’s mixed plans, you can bring down the costs by ordering both fresh and baked food. This can make Ollie cheaper than Nom Nom on most plans, so if you don’t mind feeding your pup both wet and dry meals, it can be much more affordable overall. For example, a mixed plan from Ollie is $19 for a 6 lb Yorkshire Terrier, $34 for a 30 lb English Cocker Spaniel, and $115 for a 170 lb English Mastiff. The larger the dog, the bigger the savings when compared to Nom Nom’s plans.

For both companies, shipping is free on every plan, including your starter box. When it comes to extras, Nom Nom’s variety packs cost $15 each. The 2 different kinds of probiotics – Full Spectrum and GI Targeted – cost $40 for a 30-day supply.

Ollie’s treats cost $9 or $10 depending on the type, while the supplements cost $22 per jar that lasts 60 days. That makes them much more affordable than Nom Nom’s supplements in the long run.

Both Ollie and Nom Nom have a 30-day money-back guarantee for your starter box if your dog isn’t happy with the food. You’ll get a full refund on your order, and you can try a different meal plan.

What you can also take into consideration is that Nom Nom offers a multi-pet discount, so if you have more than 1 pup, you could save more in the long run. As you add more than 1 dog to your order, you’ll see the discount applied automatically to your order. That’s nice!

Ollie vs. Nom Nom – Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: Ollie

Ollie wins for me because of the cleaner recipes and its greater effort to include more whole foods. It also offers both wet and dry food, which is a great plus if your dog’s diet includes dry food as well or if you want to mix and match.

Nom Nom may be better if you have multiple dogs, as it offers a multi-pet discount. It also excels in environmental sustainability and recycling.

Both companies are excellent choices, but I hope my comparison has helped you decide which is most suitable for your needs. As both offer sample boxes and trials, you could always try your pup with both and see which meals they prefer the taste of.

FAQ

Are Ollie and Nom Nom good for dogs?

The recipes are customized, perfectly portioned, and contain healthy, responsibly sourced, wholesome ingredients. The health benefits of Ollie and Nom Nom’s diets should be noticeable shortly after you make the switch from supermarket brands.

Is Ollie or Nom Nom healthier for dogs?

Nom Nom uses kale and spinach to up the nutrient content of its meals, but I feel like Ollie does a better job overall.

Is Ollie or Nom Nom cheaper?

But for a single dog, check out my price analysis of both services to see what you can expect to pay. For larger dogs, Ollie offers better deals on its plans.