Chewy Get Real Dog Food Review: Recipes, Ingredients, and Who It Suits
Our Get Real dog food review covers Chewy's three fresh recipes, ingredients, calories per pack, full meal or topper use, shipping and storage, and which dogs it suits best.
A gently cooked fresh meal served from a raised feeder.
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This Get Real dog food review walks through everything Chewy has published about its fresh dog food line: the three recipes, what goes into each one, the calories in every pack size, and how the food ships, thaws, and fits into a feeding routine. This is an expert analysis of Chewy's published product information; no hands-on feeding test was run, and no dogs were fed Get Real for this article. If you are deciding whether Get Real belongs in your dog's bowl, the goal here is to give you the facts in one place.
Get Real launched in September 2025 as a Chewy brand sold only at Chewy. It is gently cooked, frozen, and pre-portioned, and it can be served as a full meal, as a topper, or mixed into kibble. Below, you will find a short verdict first, then the detail behind it, recipe by recipe.
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Get Real dog food review: the short verdict
Here is the short version of this Get Real dog food review. Get Real offers three recipes (Chicken & Brussels Sprouts, Beef & Sweet Potato, and Turkey & Cranberry), each made with 10 ingredients or less plus added vitamins and minerals. The food is made with human-grade ingredients, gently cooked, then frozen in pre-portioned packs, and Chewy says every recipe meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs.
- 1Get Real has three recipes: Chicken & Brussels Sprouts, Beef & Sweet Potato, and Turkey & Cranberry.
- 2Each recipe uses 10 ingredients or less plus vitamins and minerals, gently cooked and frozen in pre-portioned packs.
- 3All three meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs.
- 4You can feed it as a full meal, as a topper, or as a kibble mixer in 5 oz, 12 oz, and 24 oz packs.
- 5It is sold only at Chewy, by subscription you can change, pause, or cancel, in select markets.
Among Chewy dog food brands, Get Real fills a specific gap: it is the store's own fresh, frozen option, sitting alongside the dry and canned foods most shoppers already buy there. If you are searching for the best Chewy dog food for a fresh feeding routine, Get Real is the line built for exactly that job, and the recipes were formulated with certified pet nutritionists.
The Sampler Pack lets you try Get Real before committing to a subscription, so you can see which recipe your dog prefers first.
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- This review is based on published information from Chewy, including its recipe, calorie, and feeding pages. It is not a hands-on test, and no dogs were fed Get Real for this article.
Who does it suit? In short, it suits owners who want a simple fresh food they can order alongside the rest of their Chewy delivery, dogs that do well on a small number of ingredients, and households that want the choice of a full fresh diet or a fresh topper over kibble. The sections below show why, starting with the recipes.
The three Get Real recipes and their ingredients
Each Get Real recipe pairs one animal protein with a short list of vegetables and fruit, and every recipe can be bought as a full meal or as a topper. The protein comes first on the label, and the rest of the list is built from produce you would recognize from your own kitchen.
- Chicken & Brussels Sprouts: chicken leads the list, with sweet potato, carrots, chicken liver, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli among the named ingredients, plus vitamins, oil, and minerals.
- Beef & Sweet Potato: beef, sweet potato, carrots, beef liver, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, and spinach, with canola oil, fish oil, and a vitamin and mineral premix.
- Turkey & Cranberry: turkey is the named protein and cranberry the named fruit, in the same 10-ingredients-or-less format as the other two.
If your dog does best on red meat, the Get Real Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe is the one to read first, because it has the most complete published ingredient panel of the three. After the whole foods, its label adds the nutrients that turn a short ingredient list into a complete and balanced diet.
Beef & Sweet Potato is the red meat recipe in the line, with the fullest published ingredient list for owners who like to read every label.
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What the Beef & Sweet Potato label adds after the whole foods:
- Dicalcium phosphate and calcium carbonate, for calcium and phosphorus balance
- Potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, and magnesium sulfate
- A mineral blend supplying zinc, iron, iodine, selenium, copper, and manganese
- Mixed tocopherols, a natural preservative
- Vitamins E, A, and D3, plus B12 and the other B vitamins
Chewy describes the ingredients as human-grade. That term has a specific meaning in pet food, covering how ingredients are sourced, handled, and processed; our explainer on human-grade dog food covers what the label promise does and does not mean. For Get Real, human-grade sits alongside two other claims Chewy makes on every recipe: gently cooked, then frozen, and formulated with certified pet nutritionists.
The short ingredient lists are useful in a practical way. If you already know your dog does well on beef but less well on poultry, you can pick a recipe with that in mind. Owners who rotate proteins can move between all three without changing the format, the thawing routine, or the pack sizes.
Calories and guaranteed analysis by recipe
Calories per pack matter more with fresh food than with kibble, because you are feeding whole pre-portioned packs rather than scooping by the cup. Chewy lists calories per pack for each recipe on its product pages, and the differences between recipes are big enough to change how many packs a dog needs.
| Recipe | Calories per pack (5 / 12 / 24 oz) | Protein min, as fed | Fat min, as fed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken & Brussels Sprouts | 179 / 428 / 856 kcal | 10% | 8.5% |
| Beef & Sweet Potato | 188 / 451 / 902 kcal | 9% | 7% |
| Turkey & Cranberry | 198 / 474 / 948 kcal | 8% | 10% |
The calories per pack figures are the ones listed on Chewy's product pages. Turkey & Cranberry is the most calorie-dense of the three, at 198 kcal in a 5 oz pack and 948 kcal in a 24 oz pack, while Chicken & Brussels Sprouts is the leanest at 179 and 856. For a dog that gains weight easily, that spread is worth knowing before you pick a recipe.
The guaranteed analysis on the label is reported "as fed," which means it includes water. Every Get Real recipe lists a maximum of 75% moisture, so the protein and fat percentages look low next to dry food. To compare foods with different moisture levels, convert to a dry matter basis: divide a nutrient by the dry share of the food (100% minus the moisture). As an illustration only, Chicken & Brussels Sprouts' 10% protein minimum divided by 25% (100% minus the 75% moisture maximum) gives about 40%. That figure is computed from guaranteed minimums and maximums, not actual nutrient values.
A few points help you read those numbers:
- Protein and fat on the label are minimums, and moisture is a maximum, so they do not tell you the actual nutrient percentages, and they should not be used to rank the recipes.
- Fiber is low across the board, with a maximum of 1% for chicken and turkey and 1.5% for beef.
- For a dog whose weight you are watching, the published calories per pack are the most useful number for portioning.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets the nutrient profiles that a complete and balanced food must meet, and Chewy states all three recipes meet them for all life stages. Converting to a dry matter basis is the standard way the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine suggests comparing foods with different moisture levels.
Full meal, topper, or mixer
Get Real is designed to be flexible in how you use it. Every recipe can be a full meal, a topper over another food, or a mixer stirred into kibble, and the pack sizes line up with those uses. The 5 oz pack is the mixer size; Chewy calls it a mixer pack, and it is not meant to be a full meal. The 12 oz and 24 oz packs cover full meals and larger toppers.
A topper is the gentlest way to start. Adding a small amount of fresh food to your dog's usual bowl adds moisture, aroma, and variety without overhauling the diet. Because each 5 oz pack has a known calorie count, you can trim the kibble by roughly the same number of calories so the total stays steady. The Get Real Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Recipe is a sensible first topper because it carries the fewest calories per pack.
Chicken & Brussels Sprouts lists the fewest calories per pack of the three Get Real recipes, so it is an easy first recipe to try.
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Moving to fresh as the full meal is a bigger change. Chewy's guidance is to mix in a small amount and increase it over 7 to 10 days, or over 10 to 14 days for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Our step-by-step guide to transitioning to fresh dog food lays out a day-by-day schedule that works for any fresh brand.
How the three uses compare:
- Full meal: fresh food is the whole diet, portioned by the online plan to your dog's weight, breed, age, and activity level.
- Topper: a smaller amount on top of the current food, with that food reduced to keep calories level.
- Kibble mixer: a 5 oz pack stirred into dry food for moisture and flavor, with no change to the main diet.
How Get Real ships, thaws, and stores
Get Real is fresh frozen food rather than fresh refrigerated dog food or shelf stable fresh dog food. It is fresh made dog food that is gently cooked, then frozen and shipped frozen, so it keeps until you are ready to thaw it. That difference shapes the whole routine: you need freezer space, a little planning, and a habit of moving packs to the fridge a day ahead.
Chewy ships Get Real in an insulated box packed with dry ice. Shipping is free, delivery takes about one day, and the box stays cold for up to 8 hours after it arrives, depending on the weather. Put the packs in the freezer as soon as they come in. Fresh prepared dog food in a refrigerated store case is kept chilled from the start, while Get Real arrives frozen and is thawed at home in your fridge.
For bigger dogs on full meals, the 24 oz pack cuts down on the number of packs you handle, but it needs the longest thaw. Pulling it from the freezer two days ahead keeps the routine smooth. Smaller dogs and topper users often find the 5 oz and 12 oz sizes easier, since they thaw overnight and are used up well inside the window.
- Thaw in the fridge: 12 to 24 hours for 5 oz and 12 oz packs, 35 to 48 hours for 24 oz packs. The thawed food use window is 3 to 5 days, so keep frozen until needed.
The storage rules from Chewy are simple to follow once you have them in front of you:
- Keep packs frozen until you need them, and move one or two to the fridge a day or two ahead.
- Use thawed food within 3 to 5 days.
- Discard food that smells off or has sat at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Thawed food that has stayed at 40°F or below can go back in the freezer or stay in the fridge.
These steps line up with general pet food handling advice from the FDA: keep perishable food cold, wash bowls and scoops after each meal, and throw out leftovers rather than leaving them in the bowl. With frozen fresh food, the most common mistake is thawing too many packs at once, so the 3-to-5-day window runs out.
Turkey & Cranberry has the most calories per pack of the three recipes, a practical match for large or very active dogs on a full fresh diet.
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How ordering and the Get Real subscription work
Fresh dog food delivery mostly runs on subscriptions, and Get Real follows that model with one difference: it is sold through Chewy rather than through a stand-alone fresh pet food delivery company. You choose recipes and a delivery frequency, and Chewy builds a plan with portions based on your dog's weight, breed, age, and activity level.
The subscription is built to bend around your schedule. What you can do with a Get Real plan:
- Change recipes, for example rotating from chicken to beef or turkey.
- Adjust how often deliveries arrive.
- Skip, pause, or cancel at any time.
- On full-meal plans, receive the second order an extra week later, which gives your dog time to transition.
- Reach Chewy support by phone or chat 24/7 if you need to change an order at short notice.
Most fresh dog food services and fresh dog food companies sell only through their own websites, while other brands sell fresh dog food in stores from refrigerated cases. Get Real sits between those models: you order it online, but through the same Chewy account you may already use for kibble, litter, or medication. Our comparison of dog food subscription services shows how the main delivery models differ.
How much does Get Real dog food cost? Chewy quotes a plan price from your dog's profile, so the answer depends on your own dog and on how you plan to feed Get Real. Enter those details in the plan builder and the current price appears in the Chewy cart before you commit. To read that quote per day, divide the order total by the number of days the order feeds your dog. To read it per pack, divide the order total by the number of packs, then check the calories in each pack size so you know what each pack covers. Do the same for your current food, and you have a like-for-like number instead of comparing box prices that cover different numbers of days.
The Get Real Sampler Pack is the low-commitment way to start: Chewy offers it as a trial before you decide whether to subscribe. Get Real is available in select markets, so check your address when you build the plan.
Which dogs Get Real suits best
Get Real suits a broad range of dogs because all three recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs (those expected to weigh 70 lb or more as adults). Chewy also says the food is suitable for pregnant and nursing dogs. The more useful question is which recipe and which use fits your dog.
Here is a who-it-suits breakdown built from Chewy's published calories and analysis:
- Small dogs on a full fresh diet: the 12 oz pack keeps the number of opened packs low, and Chicken & Brussels Sprouts offers the fewest calories per pack for dogs prone to weight gain.
- Large dogs on a full fresh diet: the 24 oz pack reduces handling, and Turkey & Cranberry's higher calorie density helps active dogs or dogs that struggle to hold weight.
- Large-breed puppies: the all-life-stages statement includes growth of large size dogs, so all three recipes are formulated for that stage.
- Kibble-fed dogs that need more interest at mealtime: a 5 oz mixer pack of any recipe adds moisture and flavor without replacing the diet.
- Dogs that do better on beef than poultry: Beef & Sweet Potato is the red meat option, with the most complete published ingredient list.
For dogs that need extra calories, the Get Real Turkey & Cranberry Recipe packs the most energy into each pack. For dogs on a weight plan, start with chicken and portion by calories.
Get Real is a less natural fit in a few situations. Households with little freezer space may find frozen packs awkward, and owners outside Chewy's delivery markets cannot order it yet. Fat level matters for some dogs, too, and the label minimums do not show a recipe's actual fat content. If your dog has a medical condition, a history of pancreatitis, or is on a prescription diet, talk to your veterinarian about the right choice.
How Get Real compares with other fresh dog food
Fresh dog food reviews tend to judge brands on the same handful of points: ingredient quality, recipe variety, format, ordering flexibility, and how easy the food is to live with. Any fresh pet food review should start with the complete and balanced statement, and Get Real meets AAFCO profiles for all life stages, which puts it on equal footing with the top fresh dog food brands on that basic standard. From there, the differences come down to how a brand fits your dog and your household rather than to a single score. A small dog eating toppers and a giant breed on full meals need very different things from the same brand, so the useful test is how well a food adapts to each.
Where Get Real stands out:
- Short recipes: 10 ingredients or less plus vitamins and minerals, easy to compare against a dog's known tolerances.
- Three uses from one product: full meal, topper, and a dedicated 5 oz mixer pack.
- Three pack sizes: 5 oz, 12 oz, and 24 oz, which suits both small dogs and large dogs.
- One account: ordering through Chewy alongside the rest of your pet supplies.
- Published calories per pack: clear numbers for portioning by calories.
Other fresh brands offer different strengths, such as more recipes or different formats. Some sell only by direct subscription, some stock refrigerated rolls in pet stores, and a few offer shelf-stable options, so the right pick depends on how you like to shop and store food. For a head-to-head look at one of the best-known subscription brands, read Get Real vs The Farmer's Dog. For a wider view of fresh feeding and how the main brands differ, our fresh dog food guide covers the basics.
If you are still choosing between fresh food and canned, the format question matters as much as the brand. Our breakdown of fresh dog food vs wet dog food explains how the two compare on moisture, processing, storage, and use. Get Real's frozen format means more planning than opening a can, but it gives you gently cooked food in exact portions.
The bottom line on this Get Real dog food review: Get Real is a straightforward, well-documented fresh food with three recipes, clear calorie numbers, and a flexible way to use it. It suits owners who already shop at Chewy, want a short ingredient list, and like the option of feeding fresh as a meal or a topper.
Get Real dog food questions
Fresh dog food can be a good choice when it is complete and balanced, meaning it meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for your dog's life stage. Gently cooked fresh food adds moisture and uses recognizable ingredients, but any complete and balanced food, fresh or dry, can support a healthy dog. Choose the format that fits your dog and your routine.
Yes. Chewy states that all three Get Real recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs. That means each recipe is formulated to be fed as the complete diet.
Yes. Because the recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs, they are formulated for puppies as well as adults. Chewy also lists them as suitable for pregnant and nursing dogs. Portion by your puppy's age and expected adult size, and check growth at regular vet visits.
Get Real is sold only at Chewy, online, and ships to select markets. Chewy has not named those markets, so enter your address when you build a plan to confirm delivery to your area.
The thawed food use window is 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Keep frozen until needed, thaw in the fridge rather than on the counter, and discard any food that smells off or has sat out for more than 2 hours.
Yes. Chewy offers a sampler box as a trial, so you can try the recipes first and subscribe later if your dog likes them.
Coreen Saito is a pet writer and longtime shelter volunteer with more than a decade in animal rescue. She covers cat behavior, breed care, and the small, ordinary science of sharing a life with companion animals, with a particular focus on honest takes about the products and decisions that actually matter. At home in Arizona, she's outranked by Mac (a dog with the loudest opinion in the house), Rebel (a cat who governs by quiet authority), and Meri (an orange tabby who runs the late shift and the laundry basket). She writes about all three, plus the rescues that keep coming through her life, at LifeWithMinty.com.
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