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October 22nd
Pet Plate didn’t let a pass on Shark Tank stop them from making nutritional, human-grade dog food. See if Pet Plate gets the Uptown Badge of Approval.
Renaldo Webb—a pet food industry consultant—founded Pet Plate to address what he viewed as low-quality ingredients and inferior processes used in the mass production of your typical dry kibble and canned food.
Pet Plate’s founder may not have received the funding he was after for Pet Plate Shark Tank, but that sure didn’t stop him on his mission to supply awesome, human-grade food to dogs across the nation.
Pet Plate feeds thousands of happy pups every day. But with several home delivery dog food options out there, how does Pet Plate stack up? Do they get the Uptown Badge of Approval? And most importantly, should YOUR dog be eating Pet Plate for his next meal?
Let’s find out.
If you want to skip right to the details, this list is for you. Some of our favorite things about Pet Plate are:
As for cons…with Pet Plate, there really aren’t that many cons. However, if price is one of your main concerns, know that Pet Plate is relatively costly compared to their competitors.
Some of the things that sold us on Pet Plate are:
As we mentioned, Pet Plate is on the pricier end of the spectrum when it comes to home delivery dog meals. With that being said, we don’t think that price is undeserved—Pet Plate offers some quality meals.
Pet Plate currently offers two meal plans:
Note: Pet Plate price will vary based on your own unique pup. These prices listed above are based on a hypothetical dog:
Pet Plate offers customers 25% off on your first box of pet food, but we’re able to offer our readers a BIG 55% off your first box! Click here to check price now.
We love researching these reviews in the dog days of summer, because they provide a worst-case scenario for fresh food delivery—sweltering heat, and packages sitting on your doorstep.
They were more than up to the task for our PetPlate review, with our dogs’ food still frozen solid after a stint on the porch.
For our Pet Plate trial, we kept it simple with the beef and chicken recipes. Each of our dogs’ meals are packaged in their own container, making feeding time a cinch. If you’re part of Team Two-Meals-Per-Day, you can easily feed your dog half of a container in the morning, pop it into the refrigerator, and give them the rest for dinner.
Oh, and an added plus is that you can feed your pooch right out of the container if you want.
And before we forget, don’t make the mistake of refrigerating your entire shipment of Pet Plate once it arrives. Remember, Pet Plate’s meals are fresh—if you refrigerate them all at once, odds are pretty good that some of the containers will spoil by the time you end up serving them.
We recommend storing everything except the current day’s food in the freezer, and moving a package from your freezer to the fridge every time your dog finishes the current day’s food. Your mileage may vary depending on how cold your freezer is.
One of the big advantages of Pet Plate is that you’re going to know every single ingredient your pet is eating. No more mystery labels on grocery store pet food, no more worrying about portions—you’ll know exactly what Fido is eating, and how much.
So where does Pet Plate source their food? Glad you asked—everything is American-made, human-grade, and packaged at a USDA-inspected facility in New York.
Pet Plate guarantees that their meals contain zero byproducts, and each of their recipes is designed by a team of nutritionists and vets. What’s more, their food is cooked in small batches by professional pet chefs!
At the time of writing, Pet Plate offers up 4 mouthwatering recipes. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at each one.
Barkin’ Beef
Barkin’ Beef is the highest in fat among Pet Plate’s recipes. As you might know, foods high in fat can help improve the quality of your dog’s skin and the health of their coats.
The ingredients are beef, sweet potato, potato, beef liver, carrot, apple, green peas, pumpkin, dicalcium phosphate, safflower oil, salmon oil, calcium carbonate, salt, and a proprietary supplement blend (vitamin E, ferrous fumarate, zinc oxide, manganese gluconate, thiamine mononitrate, magnesium oxide, potassium iodide, sodium selenite, vitamin D3).
The recipe’s macronutrient breakdown looks like this:
Chompin’ Chicken
Pet Plate’s chicken meal seems to be their most popular, and boasts a rock-solid nutrient profile.
Chompin’ Chicken’s ingredients are chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli, chicken liver, apples, butternut squash, dicalcium phosphate, salmon oil, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, parsley, proprietary supplement blend (vitamin E, zinc oxide, ferrous fumarate, copper gluconate, manganese gluconate, potassium iodide, vitamin D3).
It’s nutrient profile looks a little like this:
Lip Lickin’ Lamb
If you’re looking for a lower protein option, Lip Lickin’ Lamb has you covered (although it still has plenty of it).
This recipe includes lamb, sweet potatoes, quinoa, lamb liver, apples, broccoli, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, salmon oil, calcium carbonate, parsley, proprietary supplement blend (vitamin E, choline bitartrate, zinc oxide, ferrous fumarate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide, vitamin D3).
The recipe’s nutrient breakdown looks like this:
Tail Waggin’ Turkey
Look at all that protein! This one is for all the four-legged bodybuilders out there.
Tail Waggin’ Turkey is made with Turkey, sweet potatoes, potatoes, turkey liver, apples, carrots, green peas, pumpkin, salmon oil, dicalcium phosphate, salt, proprietary supplement blend (vitamin E, zinc oxide, ferrous fumarate, copper gluconate, manganese gluconate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide, vitamin D3).
Its macronutrients break down like so:
Like many dog owners, you may be dabbling with the idea of switching your dog from 100% dry kibble to something a little tastier and healthier. Working up to a 50/50 mix of kibble and fresh food is a good goal to work toward, and Pet Plate is a great option for anyone searching for quality pet food.
Pet Plate’s recipes are mouthwatering (even for a human) and include natural ingredients like real meat, fresh carrots, potatoes, peas and pumpkin, etc. Pet Plate cooks their food fresh, freezes it, then ships it straight to your door.
Speaking from experience with a couple of very picky eaters, the dogs we switched over to Pet Plate scarfed up their first meal faster than we could blink. Just a couple seconds, and the mixed bowl of Pet Plate and dry kibble we had so lovingly created was gone.
For those concerned with the high price of feeding your dog 100% gourmet meals, we believe the 50/50 option (or other ratios that you and your vet discuss) are a great middle ground between affordability and wellness for your canine companion.
One thing that hard, dry food (like kibble) has going for it is that it can help keep your dog’s teeth a bit cleaner due to abrasion. Mixing food seems to offer the best of both worlds—but if you and your dog already have an impeccable dental regimen, you’re probably fine with 100% soft food.
Other Pet Plate reviews from owners of older dogs seem to believe that Pet Plate’s food is easier on the stomachs of senior pooches, which might be a big plus for any owners concerned about gas!
A quick note about switching up your dog’s diet: dogs need time to transition from one type of food to another. Switching too fast can cause stomach issues—luckily, Pet Plate provides good instructions on how often and how much you should be feeding your pooch as they switch over to a more awesome food source.
If you’re looking for the cheapest option for home delivery of custom pet meals, Pet Plate probably won’t tick all of your boxes. But if you’re looking for one of the BEST options, we whole-heartedly recommend Pet Plate.
Ordering from Pet Plate is a snap. Their customer service is top-tier. When you want to give your dog the healthiest, most fulfilling lifestyle possible, we believe you can’t go wrong with Pet Plate.
Luckily, every one of our readers who clicks this link can get more than HALF off their first box of Pet Plate. Click here to check Pet Plate’s price right now.
It’s the perfect way to sample what we believe to be one of the top doggy food delivery services in the country.
Finding the best human grade dry food or fresh food is tough work! Here are some tips to make your search for the ultimate chow just a little bit easier.
Consider your dog’s size.
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and their size can influence the type of food that’s best suited to them.
For example, bigger breeds may want to eat food higher in glucosamine (for healthy joints), while toy or small breeds will have an easier time with soft food or bite-sized kibble.
One of the reasons that made PetPlate Shark Tank famous is because it accounts for size already.
How active is your dog?
A working dog is going to burn a lot more calories than a dog who only goes on light walks. While some pooches may benefit from nutrient-dense recipes to keep up their energy levels, others may turn to lighter fare to maintain their ideal weight.
What about unique nutritional needs?
Dogs with sensitive skin, easily upset stomach or allergies may need to eat food to help manage those conditions. Remember, this is where a good vet pays dividends—consult with your dog’s veterinarian for help developing the perfect dietary plan.
Understand the food’s nutrition standard statement.
Remember, ingredients listed in a dog food recipe are ordered by weight. That means when the first few ingredients contain natural, healthy sounding stuff like chicken, lamb, potatoes, carrots and the like, you’re in pretty good shape. What you DON’T want to see is stuff like corn, rice or mystery meat in the top few slots.
Understand what a “byproduct” really means.
The term by-product sounds nasty, but in truth, dogs and other animals adore these so-called “leftovers” that humans refuse to eat—things like heart, kidney, and other organ meats are downright healthy and delicious.
Of course, there’s a huge difference between organ meat and other byproducts like hair or hooves—unfortunately, both bad and good byproducts can be labeled as simply “byproduct.”
Ask your vet.
Always, always consult with a vet before modifying your pup’s dietary plan. Dogs can be pretty sensitive to food changes, and you’ll often want to transition slowly from your dog’s old food to his or her new meals.
Typically, you’ll do so by gradually replacing a portion of your dog’s old food with new food, while working up to a combination that suits your pooch and your budget. Whether that’s 25/75 old/new or 100% fresh food, that’s up to you, your dog, and your vet.
Dig a little deeper.
Does the dog food company source and package their own products? Where do those ingredients come from? How is their reputation?
There are tons of little details that can really impact your choice of dog food supplier. These details might seem tedious, but they can make a huge difference for the health and wellbeing of your pet.
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