Nom Nom is a relatively new pet food company founded in 2015, and since then they have carved out a space as one of the most popular fresh food options. Nom Nom has a passion for seeking to provide the best nutrition for dogs by combining restaurant grade ingredients and partnering with board certified veterinary nutritionist. Each recipes comes pre-portioned for accuracy and convenience for dog parents – taking the hassle out of measuring or knowing exactly how much to feed your dog.
Overall Nom Nom offers four different recipes that are complete and balanced for both puppies and adult dogs. Each recipe is a single protein (beef, chicken, pork, and turkey) with a combination of carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Three of the recipes are grain-free, and one is grain-inclusive (turkey). All recipes are moderate to high protein, moderate to high fat, and moderate to low in carbohydrates (27-31% protein, 35-49% fat, and 22-34% carbohydrates on a caloric basis).
For generally healthy active dogs the chicken, beef or the pork recipes may be a great option since they are a bit higher in fat, and moderate in protein. Whereas for obese prone dogs or those that struggle with weight maintenance the turkey recipe may be a better choice since it is lower in fat, but still high in lean protein. As all of these recipes are single protein options – they also may be ideal for dogs with food allergies or intolerances since you can easily avoid certain proteins if needed.
OVERVIEW:
Company Responded to Questions Asked via Email: Yes. The information gathered below was from their website, and previous conversation on May 2021.
Who formulated Nom Nom Dog Food? Nom Nom was formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionist and Chief Nutrition Officer, Dr. Justin Shmalberg, formulates all of our recipes.
Where does Nom Nom source their Ingredients from? Nom Nom sources only restaurant-quality ingredients which meet their quality and nutrient standards.
Where are Nom Nom’s Human Grade Dog Food Recipes Manufactured? Nom Nom’s fresh, human-grade recipes are made in their own state-of-the-art kitchens (located in San Francisco Bay Area and Nashville, Tennessee), which are 100% owned and controlled by Nom Nom. The kitchens are inspected and approved for the preparation of food for human consumption.
What Quality Control Procedures does Nom Nom Lightly Cooked Dog Food perform on their foods? The Nom Nom dog food recipes are made by the Nom Nom kitchen team members in their own facility. Every one of our kitchen team members has a State of California issued Food Safety Certificate and is educated in food safety and quality control. From receipt of ingredients through cooking through packing through handoff to our delivery partner, the Nom Nom kitchen team adheres to strict quality control procedures.
Has Nom Nom Invested in Digestibility or AAFCO Feeding Trials? Nom Nom has recently released a published research study showing that all of their diets are highly digestible – with a dry matter digestibility of over 90%. At this time no AAFCO Feeding Trials have been performed.
Are Full Nutritional Profiles Found Online for the Nom Nom Recipes? Only guaranteed analysis is available for these products, it is unknown if full nutritional profiles were tested.
Has Nom Nom Dog Food ever been Recalled? No – the Nom Nom Dog Food Recipes have not been recalled. However, Nom Nom did issue a voluntary recall in July 2021 for their Feline diet due to possible contamination of Listeria reported by their supplier Tyson.
RECIPES:
Nom Nom Beef Mash Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients: Ground beef, russet potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, fish oil, natural flavor, sunflower oil, vinegar, citric acid, taurine, choline bitartrate, zinc gluconate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, copper gluconate, niacin (vitamin B3), manganese gluconate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), selenium yeast, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), potassium iodide.
Balanced for adult and puppies.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Protein: 10%
- Fat: 5%
- Fiber: 1%
- Moisture: 73%
Dry Matter:
- Protein: 37%
- Fat: 19%
- Carbs: 41%
Percent Calorie:
- Protein: 31%
- Fat: 38%
- Carbs: 31%
Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients: Diced chicken, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, sunflower oil, canola oil, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, fish oil, natural flavor, vinegar, citric acid, taurine, choline bitartrate, zinc gluconate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, copper gluconate, niacin (vitamin B3), manganese gluconate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), selenium yeast, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), potassium iodide.
Balanced for adult and puppies.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Protein: 8.5%
- Fat: 6%
- Fiber: 1%
- Moisture: 77%
Dry Matter:
- Protein: 37%
- Fat: 26%
- Carbs: 33%
Percent Calorie:
- Protein: 29%
- Fat: 49%
- Carbs: 22%
Nom Nom Pork Potluck Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients: Ground pork, russet potatoes, green beans, squash, kale, brown mushrooms, dicalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, fish oil, natural flavor, vinegar, citric acid, taurine, choline bitartrate, zinc gluconate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, copper gluconate, niacin (vitamin B3), manganese gluconate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), selenium yeast, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), potassium iodide.
Balanced for adult and puppies.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Protein: 8%
- Fat: 5%
- Fiber: 2%
- Moisture: 75%
Dry Matter:
- Protein: 32%
- Fat: 20%
- Carbs: 40%
Percent Calorie:
- Protein: 27%
- Fat: 42%
- Carbs: 31%
Nom Nom Turkey Flare Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients: Ground turkey, brown rice, eggs, carrots, spinach, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, fish oil, natural flavor, vinegar, citric acid, taurine, choline bitartrate, zinc gluconate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, copper gluconate, niacin (vitamin B3), manganese gluconate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), selenium yeast, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), potassium iodide. vitamin D3), potassium iodide.
Balanced for adult and puppies.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Protein: 11%
- Fat: 5%
- Fiber: 1%
- Moisture: 70%
Dry Matter:
- Protein: 37%
- Fat: 17%
- Carbs: 43%
Percent Calorie:
- Protein: 31%
- Fat: 35%
- Carbs: 34%
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ( FAQ )
Where to buy Nom Nom fresh Dog Food?
Nom Nom is a direct-to-consumer brand which means that you purchase their product from their website and it is shipped on dry ice to your door. Nom Nom delivers within the USA, and offers a full menu of chicken, pork, turkey and beef recipes that are balanced for all life stages and healthy for both adult dogs and puppies.
How do you store and feed Nom Nom?
Nom Nom is delivered directly to your door using recyclable packaging in pre-portioned containers for easy defrosting and serving. Once you receive your package place 2-3 days of food into your fridge to defrost, then store the remaining food in your freezer. Typically packages will take 12-24 hours to defrost in the fridge and will stay fresh for about 2-3 days. It’s a good idea to each time you feed a package to place a new package to defrost in the fridge. Rotate food from oldest to newest in your fridge to feed. This way you always have food defrosted and ready to feed, and no food ends up going bad.
If for whatever reason you forget to thaw your dog’s food and you need to quickly defrost a meal – you can do so one of two ways. First is by taking the food in the pastic package and placing it in a cool water bath for about 15-30 minutes. Once defrosted simply remove from the water, cut open the package and serve. Another way is to open the plastic package and place the food in a microwave-safe container and use the defrost setting on your microwave.
It is important to note that you should never heat up Nom Nom recipes in the microwave or stovetop – this may degrade heat-sensitive vitamins which may cause nutritional deficiency over time. You should also never leave food out on your counter to defrost – this is not considered food-safe and may cause illness. When feeding your pup, if they do not finish their entire meal simply remove the food and either place it in the fridge for later in a food-safe, air-tight container or discard. Do not leave food out for more than 30 minutes for your dog to eat.
Is Nom Nom cooked Food Balanced for Puppies?
Yes, all of the Nom Nom dog food recipes are balanced for puppies and adult dogs.
Nom Nom vs. Kibble – how does it compare?
The two main differences between a lightly cooked fresh food diet like Nom Nom and a kibbled diet come down to preservation and processing. Fresh food diets like Nom Nom lightly cook foods enough to remove pathogens but not enough to dehydrate completely, this usually means a shorter cooking time at lower temperatures. In comparison to a kibbled diet which uses either high heat for a short period of time or low heat for an extended period of time to both cook (to remove pathogens) and to dehydrate so that food can be more easily kept shelf-stable.
The second difference comes down to preservation – Nom Nom dog food meals use no preservatives, and instead rely on the freezer to keep food fresh, whereas more kibbled dog foods either use natural or synthetic preservatives like mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), rosemary extract, BHA or BHT.
According to research by Nom Nom their whole food diets are also highly digestible – which means that they are highly nutritious for dogs. In comparison to the average over-the-counter kibbled product Nom Nom diets are 5-10% more digestible. We also have anecdotal reports of benefits from owners of increased energy, firmer stools, and better skin/coat on these recipes.
Is Nom Nom a Raw Dog Food?
No, Nom Nom is a gently cooked dog food, not a raw dog food. By lightly cooking meat it limits the chance of harmful pathogens to be present in the products, thus reducing the spread of harmful pathogens to both pets and humans. This is important because we know that a large majority of human-grade meats found in our local grocers are contaminated with pathogens like salmonella, listeria and e.coli.
Can Nom Nom be Used as a Topper?
Yes, Nom Nom can be used as a topper, they actually offer a topper meal plan where you can setup delivery of 50% of your pet’s daily calories as fresh food. However if you’d like to supplement with just 25% of the diet as Nom Nom fresh food you can adjust your order to smaller quantities by contacting their customer service. Using Nom Nom as a meal topper can be beneficial for picky dogs, or for dogs who need to gain weight. Many pet parents also use Nom Nom as a meal topper in order to gain some of the digestibility and microbiome benefits of fresh dog food while still staying within your budget.
How much does Nom Nom Cost?
The cost of feeding Nom Nom is highly dependent on the size, activity level and metabolism of your dog. Some dogs with higher/lower metabolic needs may need more or less than the suggested amount by Nom Nom now’s food calculator – so always monitor your pet’s weight during the transition period.
But for a moderately active 50 lb dog who eats approximately 1000 calories per day, it would cost about $15 per day, or about $450 dollars USD per month. Depending on what you are currently feeding this may be more or less expensive, however in comparison to other foods within the lightly cooked the price of Nom Nom is a bit more expensive.
Are Nom Nom Recipes Good for Dogs with Allergies?
Depending on the type of allergies your dog has will depend on which of the Nom Nom dog food recipes may be the best choice. There are two main types of allergies in dogs – food allergies and environmental allergies. Though the clinical signs of these conditions are similar, aka – itchy paws, scratching of ears, bacterial infections, yeast infections, and generalized skin inflammation – the nutritional management of these two conditions is much different.
If you have an itchy dog the first thing you should do is work with your veterinary team and do a food elimination trial – this can help you know if your dog has food or environmental allergies. Once you know if your dog has one or both, and what foods they are allergic to you can choose the best diet for them.
According to research the most common dog food allergens are beef, chicken, eggs, dairy, wheat and soy. Based on these common allergens the best choice for most dogs with food allergies may be the Nom Nom Pork Potluck Dog Food Recipe as it avoids the most common allergens. However it is important to note that dogs can be allergic to ANY protein (from both animal and plant sources), so some dogs may actually have pork allergies as well, which is why a food trial is so important.
For dogs with environmental allergies we tend to look for foods that support the skin barrier, and help with inflammation. Typically these are highly digestible, high protein recipes to help build the skin barrier and that contain omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants to help with inflammation. As all of the Nom Nom recipes contain fish oil, are high protein and highly digestible they may all be a good choice for dogs with environmental allergies. However, some dogs will need additional omega 3 fish oil supplementation to help with inflammation – for those dogs it may be a good idea to choose a more moderate fat, lean recipe so that the additional fish oil doesn’t cause loose stools. Thus for dog with environmental allergies going with either the Nom Nom Beef Recipe or Nom Nom Turkey Recipe may be the best choice.
Are Nom Nom Meals Good for Dogs with Loose Stools or Diarrhea?
Typically when we look for recipes for dogs with a more sensitive stomach we want to look for foods that are both low in fat and highly digestible. Though all of the Nom Nom recipes are highly digestible, they are not considered a low fat diet. Low-fat diets are typically in the low to mid twenties on a percent calorie basis for fat content, and the lowest fat of the Nom Nom recipes is 35% fat. But if your dog merely needs a highly digestible diet for their gastrointestinal issues, then the Nom Nom Turkey recipe may be a great choice as it is highly digestible and is the lowest fat recipe.
It is important to note that there are many different causes of loose stools in dogs – including conditions like Colitis, IBD, Food allergies, and more. It is always a good idea to speak with your veterinarian prior to transitioning to a new diet if your dog seems to have issues with transitioning to new foods or is struggling with loose stools. For these other gastrointestinal conditions high fiber, novel protein, or even a combination may be advised.
About the Author: Nikki is a Registered Veterinary Technician (Veterinary Nurse) and Dog Mom with over a decade of experience with dogs and cats. Since graduation from college (BS Biology, Dip. Animal Nutrition, AS Animal Science) she has adopted two mixed breed dogs – Ranger and Ash, and has focused her time learning about pet food and nutrition.
Nikki shares information on a range of pet nutrition topics: from how to create a homemade complete and balanced dog and cat food recipes, to how to choose a pet food. Nikki strives to give dog and cat parents the information they need in order to make the best nutrition decisions for their pet!
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