Is It Cheaper to Make Dog Food? | Real Cost vs. Commercial

Dog owners typing “is it cheaper to make dog food” usually want a straight yes or no before they shop, prep, or worry. The honest answer lands in the middle: homemade feeding lands between the low cost of dry commercial diets and the higher cost of canned food. A 2023 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association tracked median daily costs for dogs with chronic digestive conditions and found home-cooked diets at $0.55 per day, compared to $0.29 for dry prescribed diets and $1.01 for canned prescribed diets. That gap matters for any budget, especially when a larger dog or a beef-based recipe pushes the home-cooked number higher.

How The Daily Costs Compare

The strongest evidence comes from two peer-reviewed sources that ran side-by-side cost comparisons. The AVMA-affiliated study covered dogs on prescribed veterinary diets, which are controlled recipes—not store-brand kibble—making the comparison fair and specific. A PLOS ONE cost analysis reached the same conclusion: homemade diets cost more than dry kibble in every scenario, while canned commercial food topped them all. For owners who stick with dry food and wonder if cooking at home saves money, the research says it does not.

A second diet category in the same JAVMA dataset showed similar spread: highly digestible dry prescribed diets around $0.24 per day, home-cooked at $0.56, and canned at $0.89. In every comparison, dry feeding is the cheapest option; home cooking costs roughly double; canned food costs roughly double again.

What Makes Home-Cooked Dog Food Cost More

Several factors push the home-prepared cost above dry kibble. Protein source is the biggest lever—chicken-based recipes cost significantly less than beef-based ones. Dog size matters enormously: a 10-pound dog costs far less to feed than an 80-pound dog eating the same recipe scaled up. Supplements add a regular line item that commercial dry food includes in its base price. And prep time, while not a dollar figure on a receipt, is a real cost most owners factor in when they compare the bag that pours instantly to the stove that takes an hour.

Nutritional imbalance is the risk that makes cost comparisons feel incomplete. Veterinarian oversight and a board-certified nutritionist’s recipe add their own cost, but skipping them risks deficiencies that lead to expensive health problems down the road. If you are budget-conscious and want a reliable, complete diet, the cheapest path is a

When Homemade Beats Canned Food On Cost

The one scenario where home cooking saves money is for owners currently feeding premium canned or prescription canned food. At a median $1.01 per day for canned prescribed diets versus $0.55 for home-cooked, the monthly difference reaches roughly $14 per dog. Over a year, that is around $168 in savings, though the gap narrows for large dogs eating high-calorie recipes. If your dog already eats commercial dry food and you are considering a switch for health reasons, the research suggests a lower-cost option does not exist—homemade will increase your daily food expense while offering ingredient control and fewer additives.

For owners who have decided to cook at home despite the higher cost, comparing recipes and protein prices matters. Our roundup of budget-friendly dog food options covers both dry and canned choices that may fit your dog’s needs without the prep time or supplement bill. If cost is your primary concern, the data consistently points to dry commercial diets as the most affordable route.

FAQs

Is homemade dog food cheaper than grocery-store kibble?

No. Generic dry kibble from grocery stores costs less than the ingredients and supplements needed for a balanced homemade diet. The PLOS ONE study found dry commercial diets were cheaper in every scenario they tested, making them the lowest-cost option for most households.

Does a bigger dog make homemade feeding more affordable?

No—the cost gap actually widens for larger dogs because recipe ingredients scale linearly while kibble prices per pound drop at bulk sizes. A 70-pound dog eating a home-cooked chicken recipe can cost over $1.00 per day, while a comparable dry diet often stays under $0.50.

Can I save money by cutting supplements from a homemade recipe?

Only at the cost of your dog’s health. Supplements balance the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and provide micronutrients missing from meat and rice alone. Skipping them risks bone problems and deficiency disorders, which are far more expensive to treat than the supplements themselves.