Best alternatives to raw dog food in the UK
Explore fresh cooked, shelf-stable, freeze-dried, air-dried, dehydrated, wet, dry and cold-pressed alternatives. Compare recipe-level nutrition on a dry matter basis where the published data support it, identify single-protein options and estimate costs for foods with verified price data.
Not all alternatives to raw are nutritionally or practically the same
Processing, moisture, storage and feeding instructions vary substantially. These categories describe how a food is made and used. They are context, not a best-to-worst hierarchy.
Frozen / Chilled Fresh Cooked
Fresh ingredients are cooked and then supplied chilled or frozen. These foods retain substantial moisture and require cold-chain storage.
Shelf-Stable Cooked
Cooked meals sealed or processed so unopened packs can be stored at room temperature. Shelf stability alone is not a nutritional quality score.
Cook-at-home / Flexible Fresh
Fresh foods intended to be cooked by the owner, or ranges that allow more than one serving method. Follow the manufacturer's preparation instructions.
Freeze-Dried
Food is frozen and water is removed under vacuum. The result is highly concentrated, lightweight and shelf stable, so portion sizes can be much smaller than fresh food.
Air-Dried / Dehydrated
Moisture is reduced using controlled drying. Methods and final moisture differ between brands, so compare the actual recipe rather than the category name alone.
Wet
High-moisture complete foods sold in tins, trays or pouches. Dry matter basis is particularly useful when comparing these foods with dry or dried diets.
Dry / Extruded
Low-moisture dry foods, generally kibble. Recipes vary widely in animal ingredients, fat, carbohydrate and processing, so the individual formulation matters.
Cold-Pressed
Dry ingredients are pressed into pellets using a different manufacturing process from conventional extrusion. Cold-pressed does not automatically mean lower carbohydrate or higher meat.
Bespoke Cooked Services
Individually formulated diets for a particular dog. Because formulation and cost vary by patient, TBC does not assign one generic nutrition chart to the service.
Find an alternative to raw feeding
Filter by food type or single-protein availability. Recipe profiles show verified DMB where possible. If a manufacturer does not publish enough data, TBC shows the gap rather than filling it with an assumption.
Price comparison: standard one-time prices are used where a fixed pack price is verified. Sales, subscriptions and TBC partner discounts are shown separately and do not affect price ranking. Single-protein status is recipe-specific and does not guarantee freedom from manufacturing cross-contact or make a food suitable for a veterinary elimination diet.
Affiliate disclosure: where a TBC partner link is shown, The Balanced Canine may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Commercial relationships do not alter inclusion, recommendation order, DMB calculations or standard-price comparisons.
70:30 Wet
80:20
GranCarno Superfoods
Cooked Range
Organic Cooked
Taste of the Ocean
Fresh Cooked
Fresh Cooked
Wet Food
Wet Dog Food
Freeze-Dried Raw Adult
Cold Pressed
Complete Wet
Fresh Cooked
80:20
Wet Food
Wet Dog Food
80:20
Air-Dried
Fresh Menus in Glass
Superfood Adult
Wet Food
Bespoke Meals
Cold Pressed
Freeze-Dried Raw
Pantry Fresh
Air Dried
Raw Preserve Freeze-Dried
80:20
Wet Food
Fresh Cooked
Canis Plus Wet Food
Freeze-Dried Complete
Purely
Country Hunter
Country Hunter Single Protein
Wet Dog Food
Freeze Dried Food
Fresh Medallions
Gently Steamed
70:30 Wet Tins
Fresh Cooked Canine Meals
Air-Dried Complete
Hand Cooked Meals
Fresh Cooked
Mighty Mince
Mono Protein Wet Food
Air-Dried Complete
Air-Dried
Wet Dog Food 395g
Bio-Organic Wet
Fresh Pressed
95%
95% Single Protein
80/20 Cold-Pressed
Digest 80/20
Fresh
80:20
Wet Dog Food
A fairer way to compare foods with very different moisture levels
Dry matter basis removes water from the calculation. This makes it easier to compare wet, fresh, dried and dry foods despite very different moisture levels. Estimated carbohydrate is calculated by difference only when protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture are all available. Where the published figures are incomplete or mathematically inconsistent, TBC does not invent a value and the chart is withheld.
What might it cost to feed your dog?
Choose an audited recipe. Where a verified percentage-of-bodyweight guide is available, we calculate a range. For personalised plans and other feeding systems, enter the amount your dog actually eats.
This is a budgeting estimate, not an individual feeding prescription. Requirements vary with age, body condition, activity, health, metabolism and the energy density of the food. Always use the manufacturer's current guidance and adjust for the individual dog.