Hi friends! It’s Abigail here — and if you’re like me, you want nothing but the best for your furry best friend.
My dog Palpi (yes, he’s a mischievous little Corgi 💛) means the world to me. When I started thinking more seriously about what I was feeding him, I realized his old kibble probably wasn’t cutting it anymore.
I kept hearing about “fresh dog food” — food made with real ingredients, not byproducts or fillers — and knew it was time to upgrade.
I decided to test two of the biggest names I saw everywhere: JustFoodForDogs and Sundays for Dogs. Here’s what happened — and why I’m so glad I trusted my gut (and Palpi’s nose).
First Impressions: Real Food vs… Burnt Crackers?
The boxes arrived, and right away I could tell there was a difference.
When I opened JustFoodForDogs, it honestly looked like a home-cooked meal. You could see chunks of chicken, kale, carrots, apples — it smelled fresh too. Like something I’d actually make for dinner.
Then I opened the Sundays box.
Honestly? It looked like someone crumbled up a burnt granola bar into tiny pieces. The pieces were dark brown, dry, and kind of brittle — and honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought it was a snack for camping, not a “fresh dog food.” Nothing about it screamed fresh — it screamed ultra-processed.
Palpi sniffed it… and gave me the “you sure about this?” look.
Ingredient Transparency: Freshness You Can See
I dug into the ingredients because I wanted to make sure I understood what Palpi would be eating.
JustFoodForDogs uses real, whole ingredients I recognized immediately: chicken, kale, rice, apples. 100% Human-grade. Real cuts of meat. Real veggies. No mystery stuff.
One thing that gave me pause with Sundays was when I checked the ingredients more closely. Right there on the label: Ground Bone…
At first I thought, “Ok, bones are natural…” But the more I thought about it, the more it felt off. When you cook a meal for someone you love, you pick whole cuts of meat and fresh veggies — you don’t grind up bones into a powder and hide them inside.
Even though ground bone technically adds calcium, it just didn’t feel fresh or premium to me. It felt more like a shortcut — a way to hit nutrition numbers without using whole, clean, visible ingredients.
With JustFoodForDogs, what you see is what you get: real chicken, real rice, real kale — not hidden fillers.
For Palpi, and for me, that made a big difference.
Scientific Proof: Not Just Claims, But Clinical Research
Another thing I learned while comparing the two brands? JustFoodForDogs has actually published clinical feeding trials — real studies, with real veterinary oversight, proving their recipes support health benefits over time. They also have board-certified veterinary nutritionists designing their meals.
When I looked into Sundays, they talk about using good ingredients and air-drying their food, but I couldn’t find any published clinical studies or independent research evaluating the health outcomes of their recipes. They mention working on flavor and digestibility, but that’s not the same as studying the science behind long-term health benefits.
And honestly, for me and Palpi, that matters. I’m not just buying a label that sounds good — I want to know the food I’m giving him is backed by more than marketing.
With JustFoodForDogs, it’s not just promises. It’s proven.
Freshness: Fridge vs. Pantry
Here’s another big difference:
JustFoodForDogs ships frozen meals that are lightly cooked, fresh, and need to stay refrigerated once thawed. They also have an awesome shelf-stable line, JustFresh, which only needs refrigeration after opening — super handy for trips.
Sundays comes as a dry, shelf-stable food that sits in your pantry for up to a year. Even though Sundays uses good ingredients at the start, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something real gets lost when you air-dry food into hard little squares. Fresh meals should live in the fridge, not on a shelf next to crackers and chips.
How Palpi Reacted (The Real Test!)
Here’s where it really got interesting...
I set out both bowls — one with JustFoodForDogs Chicken & White Rice, one with Sundays. Without hesitation, Palpi went for the JustFoodForDogs. He literally licked the bowl clean. The Sundays food? He sniffed it, took a nibble… and left the rest.
Even a picky little Corgi knows what real food smells (and tastes) like.
Convenience: No Stress, No Running Out
One thing I didn’t think about at first was what would happen if I ran low on food. With Sundays, you have to order online — and if you forget to reorder in time, you’re stuck waiting for another box to arrive. (Which honestly stressed me out — Palpi is not a fan of skipped meals. 😅)
With JustFoodForDogs, it’s totally different. I can grab their meals on their website, sure — but I can also order through Amazon or Chewy for super fast shipping. And the best part? If I’m ever in a pinch, I can literally run down the street to my local JustFoodforDogs Kitchen or pop into Petco and grab fresh meals off the shelf. No waiting, no worrying, no panic.
It just feels so much easier — and way less stressful knowing I can always get Palpi the fresh food he loves without having to plan weeks ahead.
Final Thoughts: Why We’re Sticking with JustFoodForDogs
At the end of the day, I was looking for real, fresh food I could trust...
- Not something ultra-processed into a snack.
- Not something with ground bone hiding in the label.
- Not something that looked like a cracker.
Just real meals, made with real ingredients, for my very real best friend.
That’s why Palpi and I are officially part of the JustFoodForDogs family now. 💛🐾
If you’re thinking about upgrading your dog’s food, I highly recommend you check them out. They have fresh options, shelf-stable options, flexible delivery, and most importantly — they truly care about what goes into your dog’s bowl.
And best of all, they’re offering new customers 50% off their first subscription box!