Tom & Sawyer Pet Food Review
Tom & Sawyer is a Toronto based meal prep company catering to dogs & cats. They go above and beyond the standard nutritional requirements and provide meals that are not only nutritionally packed but also human grade. Yes, that's right, REAL food for your pets that you yourself can consume. I can vouch for the Banana Barley Biscuits, A+ on that recipe.
Most of us put effort and thought into what foods we put into our bodies, so why not do the same for our pets? When did it become acceptable to serve pets chemically processed, artificial, nutrient-deficient foods? Food regulations for the pet industry are too loose, and the quality is too poor. Dogs are not meant to eat processed food, and kibble is just that. Would you rather spend a little extra money on quality food for your pet, or pay that difference in vet bills? Because ultimately, if we don't nourish our bodies with healthy choices, we suffer from various ailments, pain, chronic issues, cancers, etc... The same goes for our pets. We need to make healthy choices for them because they can't do it themselves.
Read on to discover why I believe Tom & Sawyer and any company with the same guidelines and principals is essential and why we need more options like this globally for our pets.
Product Description
Lightly cooked pet meals that are nutritionally packed, vet-approved, and meet the human food provider regulations. All meals contain fresh ingredients and in most cases, organic.
Products Available
Bone Broth
Available bone broths are Chicken and Beef. Both are made from high-quality bones and vegetables, simmered over a 24 hour period for optimal nutritional benefits. Read more about the bone broth benefits here.
Treats
There are many healthy treat options available at Tom & Sawyer; from dog chews to barley biscuits. If you're not sure which treats to sample, you have the option of ordering a treat box. You can choose from an assortment treat box or single-ingredient treats. All treats are preservative-free. Click here to check out their treat page for more details.
Meals
Why I love T&S. Not only have they made healthy, nutritional meals for our pets, but they haven't forgotten about our dogs and cats who have G.I. issues. The low-fat specialized diets have been an absolute game-changer for Rocky, as he suffers from Pancreatitis. By clicking the links below you will be directed to their meal pages for a full list of recipes, ingredients, and nutritional information.
And if these recipes don't work for your furry friend, T&S will work with you and your vet to provide meals that do. Click here for more information on customized diets.
How Are They Packaged And How Long Do They Last?
The meals come individually frozen in vacuum-sealed packages. Each package contains 454g.
When frozen and never having been unthawed, they last up to 18 months in the freezer.
Once unthawed they last 4-5 days in the fridge, fish meals last 3 days.
For the bone broth, once unthawed, it lasts up to 7 days, and that includes refreezing them into ice cubes for a little treat.
If the packages are unopened in the fridge, they last up to 9 days from the date printed on the back of the package, or from the date it was unthawed.
I personally unthaw two packages at a time. Using a scale, I weigh out the meals according to how many grams Rocky should eat in a day. I store the meals in airtight containers, so they stay as fresh as possible.
Getting Your Meals
When placing an order, if you are local to Ontario, you have three options:
- Free in-store pickup - which is always a great option if the location is accessible to you. It's a fun and friendly atmosphere that is incredibly welcoming by the staff and the furry visitors you may encounter.
- Penguin Pickup - Throughout Ontario, there are 20+ penguin pickup locations. With a minimum order of $20 before tax, you can have your package shipped there.
- Free shipping in Ontario - This applies a min 12 package order of dog meals and 18 for cat meals or a combo that is over 12lbs. T&S ships their meals in a thermal box. Their product "remains frozen/cold primarily due to the thermal density of the pet meals in the box." Other restrictions may apply, click here to read more on delivery.
More and more pet boutiques across Canada are starting to stock Tom & Sawyer meals. For a full list of retail partners click here.
Product Quality
The quality of these pet meals aren't comparable to other pet food products on the market. They set the bar as high as it will go, and I haven't personally found another company that compares. They use organic ingredients wherever possible while trying to maintain a low cost for consumers. The food is LIGHTLY cooked, not raw. By lightly cooking their meals, they don't lose nutritional value.
They have a full disclosure policy and don't hide anything from their consumers. By visiting their website and clicking on any of their pet meals, you will notice a guaranteed analysis. The guaranteed analysis displays the nutritional information for that particular meal, followed by an ingredient list. If you scroll past the analysis, you'll see 'what's inside.' Each ingredient is physically displayed, and when you hover over each one, a list of health benefits appears. I love this. See pictures below:
Something else to note is that T&S makes small-batch meals. They never have inventory that is older than two months. Whenever you order, the food will always be fresh.
Return Policy
There isn't one, and I'm happy about that. They are unable to determine if any returned meals have at any point been unthawed so for health purposes, they can't resell them.
That being said, before putting in a large order, maybe stop by the shop and pick up some sample packages to determine what meal your dog/cat enjoys best.
Cost
Tom & Sawyer meals are indeed more expensive than a bag of kibble; for me, it has been a substantial increase. I spend roughly $230 for just over a month's worth of food (24 packages), whereas I paid $60 for a large bag of kibble that lasted around two months. But when you factor in Tom & Sawyer's quality and fresh ingredients, then compare it to the processed, artificial, and questionable ingredients found in kibble, it's a no brainer.
On their site, they compare the cost difference to a fast-food diet vs. healthy cooked meal. Sure you can go to McDonald's and spend $10 on dinner, but how will your arteries feel after that and how will they compare over time? A healthy, cooked meal will always be more expensive than a processed one. So by spending a little more on a healthy diet for your pet, you may be saving yourself some vet bills in the long run.
The Facility/Shop
Heaven on earth. I can't say enough about the shop. It's vibrant, spacious, open-concept, and pet-friendly. They house an open-concept kitchen which allows you to see exactly how they prepare their meals. This company offers full transparency into their entire business, and that's what makes them so trustworthy.
My first experience going into the store was a day after I discovered their brand. I ordered a few meals to try and was excited to go in and see what they were all about. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, AND I was able to order a latte - double win.
Customer Service
Before placing my first order, I emailed customer service to inquire about their complementary pet meal plan. Within minutes I received a very detailed reply. I was emailed a breakdown on how to transition Rocky to their food, how much he should eat each day (in grams), what type of food works best for his health conditions, and a welcome code to save 20%. I was blown away by how quickly they replied and how detailed they were.
After trying the food for a few days, they even reached out to see how Rocky liked it — top-notch customer service team.
** DISCOUNTS **
If you are a new customer residing locally to T&S, who has not yet made a purchase, feel free to use this promo code to save 20% on your first order: PAN38140
*Note that it can only be used one time, only on your first purchase.
If you are a returning customer, see the below table (taken from their website) for volume discounts:
FAQ
Any questions you may have could likely be found on their website in the FAQ section. If you have a question that isn't provided, email their support team, they are always happy to help.
Overall Opinion
Highly Recommended and Rocky Approved!
I love, love, love Tom & Sawyer. If you've read through this site, you'd have already discovered that Rocky has had many health concerns throughout his life. Recently, his diagnosis of Addison's Disease, pancreatitis, and colitis (all within a year of one another) has required a complete diet change, and it was by fluke that I found Tom & Sawyer.
Seeing a Facebook Ad randomly pop-up online, I clicked the link and did some research on the company. After giving their low-fat meals a try, Rocky has made a world of progress. Since he started taking Prednisone for his Addison's, Rocky gained weight that was incredibly hard to lose. All the walks in the world weren't reducing the swelling around his abdomen. Within a week of trying T&S, the weight was starting to shed. In just under one month Rocky went from 14.6lbs to 12.4lbs. His coat is so soft, and his flaky skin (a side effect of the medication) is gone. He has more energy and hasn't had a pancreatic attack since. Not only has the food done wonders for his health, but I've never seen him enjoy food this much. He literally waits by his bowl, knowing that it's almost time to eat.
Every six months, Rocky goes to the animal hospital for his electrolyte checkup (to make sure his Addison's is maintained). During our visit last week, his internal medicine doctor couldn't believe how healthy and alert he was. He's been seeing Rocky for almost eight years now, and this is the best he's been. Don't believe me? Check out Rocky's progress pictures below. As a bonus, I've added in a video so you can see just how much he loves his food.
Meal time is Rocky's favourite time:
