[Kevin Rogers]

I’ve been using a subscription meal service for my dog for about six months now and it’s been pretty convenient with my schedule. Lately I’ve been wondering if I should try cooking at home instead, mostly because I like the idea of knowing exactly what goes into his bowl. For those of you who’ve tried both, what made you stick with one over the other? I’m not unhappy with the subscription, just curious if DIY is worth the extra time.

[Alex Fisher]

Cooking at home sounds nice until you’re batch prepping at 11pm on a Sunday.

[Pete Tilbrook]

Home cooking is only worth it if you actually enjoy the kitchen time.

[Paul Graves]

The knowing exactly what goes in the bowl part is what pushed me toward home cooking, but it does eat up time. I still keep some subscription food around for busy weeks since it takes the pressure off. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

[Old Dave]

I’ve tried both and went back to the subscription. Home cooking turned into a whole production and my dog’s stomach didn’t magically improve like I expected. Knowing what’s in the bowl is nice until you’re scrubbing a pot of chicken and rice at 10pm.

[Hannah B.]

Honestly the subscription seems easier, and my dog didn’t care either way.

[Rina Solis]

I’d keep the subscription and not feel bad about it. I tried the home cooking thing for a couple months with my cat and it was fine, but I ended up spending way more at the grocery store than I expected because you can’t really buy tiny amounts of everything you need. The subscription just shows up and I don’t think about it. The one thing I’ll say is I do occasionally add a little plain chicken or fish on top as a treat, so I get that feeling of knowing what’s in at least part of the bowl without turning it into a whole meal plan. For me that’s a decent middle ground. Cooking full meals just wasn’t the relaxing thing I thought it would be, it felt like one more chore on the list.

[Maya Lindqvist]

I went the other way and ditched the subscription after about eight months, mostly because my guy got picky and I was tossing half of it anyway. Now I do a big cook once a week and freeze portions in old yogurt tubs, takes maybe two hours but it’s honestly less fuss than I expected. The vet checks the recipe twice a year so I don’t mess up the balance. What’s your dog like with food, pretty easygoing or does he turn his nose up at stuff?

[Kevin Rogers]

He’s pretty easygoing, which is probably why the subscription has lasted this long. The picky ones are a whole different story, and two hours once a week honestly doesn’t sound bad if it cuts out the half-eaten bowls. Good call getting the vet to check the recipe.

[Emma Mirren]

I’d rather spend the time with my dog than in the kitchen.

[Author]

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