Learning how to keep raw dog food affordable was essential to me!
I really wanted to completely replace kibble with it, but couldn’t afford 100% commercial raw dog food.
Well, I found ways to do it because the benefits of a fresh food diet are SO worth it!
So since I switched to raw in 2015, I’ve learned that feeding raw dog food on a budget is possible.
That said, here are my top 12 tips to keep raw feeding affordable!
Tip 1: Make Your Own Raw Dog Food to Make Raw Feeding Cheaper
This is without doubt my number 1 tip for keeping raw dog food affordable.
There’s a bit of a learning curve involved with this, but it’s totally worth it.
Meal prep
Once you get the hang of things, you only need to set aside a few hours for meal prep per month.
You can also meal prep on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, that’s totally up to you AND the amount of freezer space you have for the meals you prepare.
That’s it, BAM, you’ll have the freshest AND cheapest meals available for your pup(s)!
Bonus: Besides saving money, you’ll also know exactly what made it into your raw dog food ingredient-wise.
Where to get cheap scraps that make great raw dog food ingredients
Obviously, you’ll need individual ingredients for your meal prep, and here are my best tips for how to get them as cheaply as possible.
Make friends with hunters and wildlife processors
If you don’t know any hunters, search for Facebook hunting groups in your area and ask around in there.
Or search online for wildlife processors in your area.
That’s how I got lots of FREE venison meat when I lived close-ish to a wildlife processor in NC.
I’m also lucky enough that my boyfriend hunts deer.
And one of his hunting buddies hunts and raises ducks as well as rabbits for meat.
Did you know that duck hunters and meat raisers only use the breast meat and that they throw out everything else?
Including the duck heads, necks, the frame, the feet and even the organs (heart, kidney, gizzards, liver).
And it’s similar with the rabbits.
Crazy, right?
Now, all of these make GREAT raw dog food ingredients, and you’re even doing the hunters a favor since they don’t have to throw away the “waste”.
Having said that, most will give you the scraps for free or for close to free.
Feeding Tip
If you’re getting wild duck or other wild birds from hunters, it’s smart to take a few simple precautions to make sure the meat is safe.
Always source from healthy local wildlife — hunters should avoid birds that look sick or act strange.
To play it safe, freeze hunted meat for at least three weeks before feeding to ensure that there’s no parasites in the hunted meat.
During times when bird flu is spreading (usually migration season), it’s best to skip feeding wild waterfowl altogether and stick with other proteins like rabbit or venison instead.
Check For Expiring Meats At Grocery Stores
This tip is fairly self-explanatory and makes sense if you’re looking to make your own homemade raw dog food.
It pays off to purchase discounted raw meats that will expire soon.
Whenever I notice a yellow sticker on meat at the grocery store, I buy it and either use it right away or freeze it until I need it.
Bonus tip: Ask your grocery store for the day of the week when they’ll be discounting meats. There’s usually a specific day or at least a time frame when they do!
This is a great, inexpensive way of getting raw meaty bones like chicken wings, drumsticks and leg quarters, as well as turkey necks and drumsticks.
They make up 10% of raw dog food for adult dogs and are wonderful natural toothbrushes.
Tip: If your pup’s teeth are in poor condition to the point where they can’t properly chew raw meaty bones, you can grind them with a meat grinder.
I also buy duck necks from Raw Paws Pet Food and Raw Feeding Miami for the sake of rotating meaty bone proteins.
Use K9Savings at checkout to save 15% at Raw Paws Pet Food, and this RFM referral link for 10% off at Raw Feeding Miami.
Don’t forget to check Walmart, Costco & BJs
You can also find inexpensive cuts of raw meat at Walmart. And if you or a family member can shop wholesale at Costco or if you have a BJs Wholesale Club membership, take advantage of their cheaper meats.
For example, ox tails, chicken feet and turkey necks.
Tip: Give the chicken feet a good rinse in water as they tend to have added sodium on them.
Tip 2: Order/Buy Commercial Raw Dog Food In Bulk
Here’s my tip #2: Order in bulk whenever you can and you’ll save hundreds of dollars on raw dog food.
You’ll get the best bang for your buck by ordering through raw dog food co-ops. They’re membership communities that place bulk raw meat orders at wholesale prices.
I’ve shared a list of Raw Dog Food Co-Ops in the US on the blog ThatMutt.com – feel free to check it out to see if you can find a co-op near you.
However, be aware that you will need freezer space for this!
Tip 3: Invest in Freezer Space
I was the proud owner of a 5.1 cubic feet chest freezer I bought on Amazon for $205.
Since then, I upgraded to a 7 cubic feet chest freezer I found on Ebay for $340, followed by an 8 cubic feet upright freezer in 2021 (after my move to Germany and living in a smaller home).
These chest freezers only hold Wally’s raw dog food!
Granted, freezer space is an upfront investment but one that WILL pay off in the long run. Try to time it right and shop for freezers when they’re bound to be on sale.
Look for marked down freezers between September and December
That’s when appliance makers are releasing new models and discounting previous ones.
You’re also likely to find a good deal on freezers when Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals pop up around Thanksgiving!
In the middle picture above, it holds the vast majority of a 55 lb raw dog food order I had placed with Raw Feeding Miami.
They’re one of my favorite online retailers for individual cuts of raw meat for doggie meal prep.
One time, I was browsing Raw Paws Pet Food’s website and came across a bulk offer for their pre-made Signature Blend Raw Lamb Recipe that can be fed as is.
That’s a fairly expensive protein, and I got 64 lb of it for $350, which translates into $5.40 per lb.
The lowest price I can find on raw lamb at my local grocery store is between $2.99-$4.99 when it’s on sale.
The regular price for 1 lb of ground lamb at said grocery store is $6.99.
You better believe that I stock up on it whenever it IS on sale!!
Tip 4: Sign Up For Newsletters To Learn About Raw Dog Food Deals
Tip number 3 consists of signing up for newsletters from different raw dog food brands to get notified of any promotional raw dog food deals.
Brands whose newsletters I follow are Raw Paws Pet Food, Raw Feeding Miami and The Honest Kitchen.
I also used to subscribe to two local pet food retailers in NC when I lived there, Naturally Unleashed and Moore Equine Feed & Pet Supply.
They sell raw dog food and have discounted meat sales on a regular basis.
Tip 5: Save Money At Raw Paws Pet Food (US Retailer)
You can get 15% off at Raw Paws Pet Food with my affiliate code K9Savings.
Just type it in at checkout, and that’s it! Also works on items that are already on sale.
Bonus tip: You can score extra discounts if you select auto ship on meat shipments you know you’ll want to get delivered on a regular basis.
The great news is that Raw Paws Pet Food is located in Indiana, so pretty centrally as far as shipping is concerned.
Tip 6: Check For Raw Dog Food Discount Programs
Tip number 6 can save you $$$ by applying for specific discount programs with raw dog food providers. For example, affiliate, referral or rewards points programs.
Darwin’s Pet has an affiliate program for anyone who wants to join!
So does Raw Paws Pet Food. They also have a Refer a Friend Rewards Program where both you and your friend get $30.
And even if you don’t have a blog, you can share your raw dog food videos along with a link to the brand on your YouTube channel, or a different social media platform.
Raw Feeding Miami offers a rewards points program where you collect points for your orders. Once you have enough points, you can put them towards future orders that will be cheaper.
Tip 7: Mix Raw And Dry Dog Food to Save on Raw Feeding Costs
If you can only afford raw dog food if it means you’ll have to supplement with kibble, by all means – go ahead and do it!
A little fresh, raw dog food is better than none.
So when life throws us a curveball that causes financial restrictions, let’s all agree to think outside of the box.
However, some dogs need a specific approach to make it work without upsetting their stomachs. Learn how to combine raw feeding with kibble safely here.
And speaking of financial restrictions:
If you’re currently in between jobs and are struggling to pay for your pup’s raw dog food, check out Jooble for remote employment opportunities to quickly get back on your financial feet!
Tip 8: Fast Your Dog One Day A Week
Seriously? Yep, (intermittent) fasting is healthy and a great way to detox your pup.
Read all about Fasting Dogs: Benefits, How Often & When Not to here.
The obvious benefit for your wallet is that you’re saving a day’s worth of raw dog food.
Tip 9: Afford Raw Dog Food using Kickstarter
It can pay off to look for (raw) pet food campaigns on platforms such as Kickstarter.
See what the reward is for pledging a certain dollar amount in support of their campaign and jump on the discount wagon!
Might as well profit a little from a campaign launch, right?!
I did that when I supported Balanced Blends, a raw dog food company who launched their food in 2016, on Kickstarter.
I pledged $50 towards their campaign and received 20 lb of their raw beef formula at a fraction of the full price in return. Essentially 20 lb for the $50 I pledged instead of the retail price of $140.
Tip 10: Stay Within Your Raw Dog Food Budget Using Instagram
Another good source for coupon codes and raw dog food deals is Instagram.
When I browse the hashtag #rawfeeding, I regularly see discount codes for different raw dog food brands.
Sometimes it’s from the brand itself, other times it’s from raw feeders who are affiliated with the brand.
Tip 11: Place Orders with Other Raw Feeders & Sign Up for Loyalty Rewards
Also see about ordering raw dog food together with a fellow raw feeder.
You’ll be able to share shipping costs if you order from an online raw dog food retailer like Raw Feeding Miami.
They also offer FREE shipping on orders $150+ with code SHIP150.
That’s a great opportunity to stock up on cuts of meat that are on sale and not pay for any shipping!
As I mentioned before, this particular brand also has a loyalty rewards program for their customers.
You earn points for every order you place, which can be put towards any future raw dog food orders.
Tip(s) 12: Raw Feeder Karen Shares Cheapest Ways to Feed a Raw Diet
Karen is a member of the K9sOverCoffee raw feeding Facebook group.
When I saw her comment in reply to another member who’s new to raw feeding, I loved it so much that I knew I’d be sharing it here on the blog.
Her GREAT tips have helped herself save tons of money on raw dog food, which proves that thinking outside the box can really pay off.
Now, here’s Karen’s advice:
“My rule of thumb is to purchase muscle meat at $2.50 or less per lb (it used to be $2-but inflation).
Figure out when your local grocery stores mark down meat
Some do it on Tues/Wed after the weekend rush is over.
Try to go at least weekly and quickly peruse the meat aisles.
When you do find a bargain, be prepared to buy it all
In my experience, it will never be there when you go back, even if a few hours later.
For example, a few weeks ago at our local Krogers, I found 5# tubes of ground beef marked down to $11.30.
Another time, they had boneless pork loin buy one get one free, and it was also marked down, so I was able to get 8 lbs for a total of $4.97.
I do find that boneless pork loin, even if not on sale, is always around $2/lb. I don’t feed cut bones from grocery store, so boneless is usually a better buy.
Make friends with farmer vendors at Farmers Markets and ask them for waste
For example-rabbit heads and feet, duck feet, turkey feet.
Sour raw milk, etc.
After the holidays many stores have turkey parts available that did not sell
Anymore they are pricey but a nice convenience for raw meaty bones.
We also take deer (venison) carcasses during hunting season from hunters
Ask them to put the innards (organs) in a bucket for you when they field dress.
It helps them out because they don’t have to dispose of the carcass. And even if they have taken a good share of the meat (most waste a lot), I still get a ton of meals from what appears to be a cleaned carcass.
I keep all the meaty ribs (in 1-2 rib groups) for the raw meaty bone portions.
The last carcass I took last fall provided 60 pre-packaged vacuum sealed future meats in addition to all the ribs and shoulders.
Please note – this work is not for the faint of heart. You need a good space to work and some time to do it – but it’s FREE.
I realize you might not be in an area where deer are hunted, but every area has something.
Oh and a little tip-if you do go this route, be sure to praise the hunter for his big kill.
They like to hear the praise and most like to know the rest of the meat is not going to waste.
It’s rather shocking that some hunters ONLY take the loin from the deer and discard the rest.
Splurge on organs that are hard to find
Sometimes organs are hard to source. If you get good buys on muscle meat-you may be able to “splurge” a bit and buy organ mixes from places like Raw Feeding Miami.
You have your dog’s best interests at heart and at first going raw seems overwhelming, but once you get in a routine, it’s not bad at all.”
How to Feed Dogs a Raw Diet on a Budget: Bottom Line
Now you know how to keep raw dog food affordable!
Feeding my dogs a healthy, raw diet stayed and continues to stay affordable because I:
- Began making my own raw dog food
- Compared raw dog food prices
- Stayed on top of special raw dog food deals, offers and discounts, including at the grocery store
- Invested in freezers to store bulk raw dog food orders
I continue using all of these tips to save on raw dog food for my current pups Wally, my 38 lb Feist mix, and Pepper, my growing Labrador puppy.
When you do the math, raw feeding is really not any more expensive than purchasing high quality, grain-free kibble brands.
For example, Orijen ($119.99 for a 28.6 lb bag), Solid Gold Barking At The Moon ($94.99 for a 24 lb bag), or Annamaet ($106.19 for a 30 lb bag).
…I’m not gonna lie, it’s also exciting and rewarding whenever I find a new deal or make a repeat purchase at a discount!
Content Related to Raw Dog Food on a Budget
- Keeping raw dog food affordable with turkey deals after the holidays
- Rabbit for raw dog food – where to buy it, deals and more
- Most practical cutting boards for raw dog food
- K9sOverCoffee raw feeding Facebook group
- Freezer space makes raw feeding affordable
- Free printable raw dog food inventory sheets
- How to prepare low cost raw dog food
- What size freezer for raw dog food?
- How to feed wild, raw venison
Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.
She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.
As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.
Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.
In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.
Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.
I second the buying in bulk. So much better! I’ve had great luck with local meat markets, too. Looks like you’ve scored some great meals!
Yes ma’am! And every time I score big, I’m excited like a little kid in the candy store :-))
thanks for sharing! great post. We switched to homemade diet. But, it is quite challenging. I am thinking of substituting with some pre-made food. Also, Rocky (who looks very similar to Missy) is allergic to ton of foods.
Anna.
SOFLY.CO
Welcome back, Anna, and thanks so much for the kind words. I’m excited for you and Rocky that you ditched kibble and are feeding a homemade diet. That’s exactly how I started our journey to a healthier nutrition. It gets easier the longer you feed it and the more you read about it.
Back during our kibble feeding days, Buzz didn’t do well on formulas that included chicken. Interestingly enough, he doesn’t have any trouble with it when eating it raw. One of many mind-boggling finds!
P.S. Would love to see a picture of your pup Rocky! Feel free to share one on here if you’d like :-)
Do you feed dairy to your pups?
Not on a regular basis because they don’t digest it well. Every now & then I will add a little greek yogurt when I whip up a filling for their KONGs, and they do fine with that:
https://www.k9sovercoffee.com/nutrition/how-to-keep-your-pup-healthy-and-entertained-with-vital-essentials-freeze-dried-mini-nibs-and-a-kong-food-puzzle/
I’ve tried adding more yogurt to their raw meals on several consecutive days and it resulted in loose stool for both of them. I have yet to try raw goat milk – I hear that it’s easily digestible & chock-full of probiotics.
thanks for reply! I am basing our diet on volhard formula. And they have some grains and dairy. But Rocky didn’t do well with yogurt either. So I used cottage cheese and eggs. Do you feed eggs? I also add quinoa since it is doesn’t have wheat or gluten. I can’t wait for the allergy test so I can start buying more pre-made foods! Thanks to your blog, I also realized that I don’t add any organs and not feeding enough protein.
I found that it’s all a matter of trial & error – your pup will “tell” you what works for him and what doesn’t. I do feed eggs about 2-4 times per week. When they’re organic, I add the shell which is great for added calcium & the inner lining of it contains glucosamine & chondroitin, both of which help with joint mobility. When they aren’t organic, I toss the shell and only add the yolk.
I am not familiar with the Volhard Formula..but to feed a balanced raw diet it needs to consist of 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other organ. I also add some pureed veggies, but no more than 5% overall. That’s just a personal preference though – I’m somewhere in between B.A.R.F. feeders and Prey Model feeders.
Thanks you, Barbara! I am so glad I found your blog. It is so confusing when you first switch. I intuitively feel like I am not feeding the best possible diet. My dog is not getting bone or live or organs.
I like the formula – it makes sense! We are going to do allergy test and I will try Darwin’s pre-made raw meals.
I’m happy that you like the content I provide, Anna! Switching diets is confusing at first, but it gets easier the longer you do it. I fed pre-made raw meals for the first 6 months or so before I became comfortable putting my own meals together. I just didn’t trust myself to feed a balanced diet on my own at first.
thank you!
Hi Barbara,
We also moved from the US to Hamburg, Germany in 2019 but only started feeding our Golden Retriever raw this year. I started buying pre-made from Futterhaus but am in the process of switching to homemade. Can you recommend any online or brick-and-morter sources of inexpensive raw here? I have been buying some really inexpensive cuts of meat and organs at the Turkish markets but that has been limited to lamb hearts/stomach, chicken heart/gizzards and liver. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Sheri
Hi Sheri, so good to hear from someone else who moved from the US to Germany! I’ve been ordering individual cuts of meat from 3 different online places:
1) Haustierkost: https://www.haustierkost.de
2) Barfer’s: https://www.barfers-wellfood.de (I get herring from them)
3) Barfexpress by Bellami: https://www.barfexpress.de (I get beef testicles from them, but looks like they’re currently out)
I try to buy as many cuts on sale as possible, and recommend comparing prices between the different retailers.
I’ve also been able to find beef green tripe and premade duck at select brick and mortar pet retailers called “Fressnapf”. They’re a franchise, so every store has slightly different products. I find that the ones in Bavaria have a better raw dog food selection than the ones in Baden-Württemberg, where we are. Not sure about the ones in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, but it’s worth checking them out!
Also, check in with local butchers – we’re lucky to have one in our village that sells fresh pork kidneys.
Hope that helps a little!
– Barbara
Hi, I just joined and I am still a bit confused about percentages. My friend in the states is feeding her dogs FreshPet Food from the refrigerator section of her grocery store. When I went online to see the percentage of meat(chicken) it says 17%crude protein and then there is crude fate and fiber and a lot of moisture. How does this compare to the 70-10-10-5 plan or 80-10-10 plan? Sorry, it is very confusing for me. Thanks
Hi Ruby and welcome! So Fresh Pet Food is not raw dog food (they try to market it as such though) – I know it can be confusing, been there and wrote a blog post about it:
https://www.k9sovercoffee.com/why-i-dont-think-freshpet-select-is-a-good-nutritional-choice-for-my-dogs/