Butternut Box Review: Fresh, Fuss-Free Dog Food Delivered

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Fresh dog food has become a go-to for dogs with sensitive stomachs and allergies, but it also caters perfectly to busy dog lovers who prioritise high-quality nutrition and stress-free home delivery.

Butternut Box burst onto the dog food scene in 2016, shaking up mealtimes with their fresh, tailored subscription packs delivered straight to the front door (what dog doesn’t love getting mail?).

Spotting that dogs (and their humans) wanted more than boring old kibble, they created personalised meal plans using top-quality, human-grade ingredients—no mystery meats or odd-looking pellets in sight.

Let’s be honest though, fresh food comes at a price, and Butternut Box is no exception—it’s no bargain-bin kibble, and the premium is real. But the bowls licked clean and the shiny, happy dogs suggest it’s worth it, especially for those fussy food critics with four paws.

So let's delve into the potential benefits of Butternut Box for your dog.

⏰ If you're in a rush....

We think Butternut Box offers super easy access to fresh, UK-made, portioned dog food delivered to your door. A premium service of course, but the introductory discount makes trying out their nutritious and personalised meals a smart move. Plus if cost is a deciding factor, you could opt to use Butternut Box as a tasty topper.

Butternut Box are offering Smart Bark readers

50% OFF your first box + 50% OFF your second box

with Discount Code SMARTBARK 50

View Butternut Box

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Butternut Box Dog Food Review

  1. The Food

  2. Ordering & Delivery

Our Verdict

The Alternatives

BUTTERNUT BOX DOG FOOD REVIEW

1. The Food

Having delivered over eight million meals since launch, they've clearly made a significant impact on canine diets in the UK.

We all know how dog lovers can become quite passionate and loyal when it comes to their preferred dog food. This is a brand which enjoys exceptional customer retention and consistently receives enthusiastic reviews from dog lovers across the country.

Now, their fresh food gets a really high nutritional rating (87%) on the 'All About Dog Food' rating website, so it's a top-notch, healthy choice.

Each meal has been carefully balanced using human quality meat as well as vegetables and lentils then gently cooked before being packed and delivered to you frozen.

Plus, you can trust the meals are good for your pup – they're made by experts and don't contain any of that unnecessary grain, soya, sugar, or salt you see on some dry dog food packaging. If your dog suffers with itchy skin, this could really help.

The Butternut Box menu includes an extensive collection of 11 recipes and proteins including beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, plant based, salmon & duck.

Research has shown that a varied diet can encourage a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome in dogs. Plus, we think that this variety of recipes will make mealtime more enjoyable.

It certainly helps dog lovers with picky eaters rotate recipes every week, making it much easier to entice those fussy dog with new smells and flavours.

2. Ordering & Delivery

Getting started with Butternut Box is super easy – they have an online quiz that asks all about your dog, like their age, breed, any allergies, and if they have any health issues. This helps them figure out the best recipes to offer your pup.

When we tested their ordering system, they gave us loads of personalised options and suggested picking a few different recipes to maximise variety.

To ensure a gentle transition for your dog, Butternut Box provides a 2-week introductory plan. This helps prevent digestive issues and helpfully lets you check your dog enjoys the food before making a larger financial commitment.

The menu is personalised for each dog but from our test calculations, generally daily prices are -

🐾 Small dog plans start from around £1.31

🐾 Medium from £2.66 

🐾 Large from £3.92 

If this sounds too steep for you, a great tip is to use Butternut Box as a topper. This will have the benefit of boosting the nutritional value of your dog's existing kibble, make it more appealing whilst ultimately keeping the cost down.

Importantly, whichever option you choose, full or 50:50, we think that their pricing is clear and it's easy to understand exactly what your costs will be going forwards.

Bear in mind that Butternut Box meals need freezer storage and fridge thawing, so factor your available storage space into your delivery schedule.

However as you can see, we have a particularly small freezer and found that the minimal packaging meant we could fit a sizeable delivery into one freezer drawer.

Want to add a couple of extras to your order?

Seriously, Butternut Box's treats smell incredible – their lamb ones are like a Sunday Roast in a bag and their Peanut Butter Bites smell good enough to eat as a snack! Plus, they've got their own dental sticks to keep your dog's breath nice and fresh.

OUR VERDICT

So, the bottom line is, if you're after an incredibly easy way to feed your dog top-notch grub, Butternut Box are a cracking option.

Fresh, pre-cooked meals made right here in the UK, portioned, and delivered straight to your door – couldn't be simpler!

Clearly, it's not the cheapest dog food on the market, but then fresh food will always be a more expensive option than kibble and nutritionslly it's right at the top end of UK dog food.

In short, Butternut Box offers a subscription service that ticks all the boxes for fresh, nutritious, delivered, and personalised dog food. Plus, with that discount on your first couple of boxes, it's a brilliant chance to see if your dog gives it a big paws up!

Butternut Box are offering Smart Bark readers

50% OFF your first box + 50% OFF your second box

View Butternut Box

THE ALTERNATIVES

While Butternut Box is a strong contender, the UK boasts several other excellent fresh dog food options.

Our popular Best Fresh Dog Food article explores five of the top choices, including Different Dog, Years, Tuggs, Pets Love Fresh and of course Butternut Box. We break down their pros and cons, from storage and price to recipe variety and nutritional value.

If you're keen to explore further, our Best Dog Foods article provides a comprehensive overview of the top picks in every dog food category available in the UK, including dry, cold-pressed, fresh, air-dried, raw, and insect-based varieties.

We hope that our in-depth review of Butternut Box has provided you with lots of helpful information to make your dog food decision.