7 Alternatives to Orijen Dog Food

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Love Orijen dog food, but hate the price tag? What if I told you that there are inexpensive alternatives out there that are just as nutritious for your pup? 

If you’re looking for an affordable dog food comparabe to Orijen — that’s high protein, made with fresh or raw meat, and with a simple ingredient list — you’ve come to the right place. 

My favorite is Sojos Complete Beef Recipe Adult Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food.

This dog food brand offers comparable amounts of protein and fat and doesn’t include common allergens like wheat, soy, or corn. 

I’ve also reviewed several other dog food options below with similar ingredients and nutrients to Orijen, but without the price tag. 

7 Best Orijen Dog Food Alternatives

  1. Sojos Complete Beef Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dehydrated Dog Food (ORIJEN Regional Red Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Formula Alternative)
  2. Castor & Pollux Pristine Wild Caught Salmon Puppy Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Recipe Alternative)
  3. Purina Beyond Simply Farm Raised Beef & Egg Recipe Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Original Grain-Free Alternative)
  4. Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous Low Fat/Low Calorie Adult Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Fit & Trim Grain-Free Recipe Alternative)
  5. American Journey Active Life Senior Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Senior Grain-Free Formula Alternative)
  6. Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Real Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Small Breed Grain-Free Formula Alternative)
  7. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Adult Dry Dog Food (ORIJEN Amazing Grains Original Recipe Alternative)

Dog Food Similar to Orijen Reviewed

Orijen focuses on whole health and holistic dog food — providing sustainable energy and high protein animal sources for your canine. 

Their products are formulated with real meat as the first ingredient, usually raw and frozen at peak freshness. It’s also grain-free and GMO free. 

Here are my favorite picks for affordable alternatives to Orijen, without losing any of that amazing quality. 

All of the following foods meet the AAFCO nutrient profiles for dogs. And remember, always consult with your dog’s vet before switching their dog food. 


Sojos Complete Beef Recipe Adult Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dehydrated Dog Food

Sojos Complete Beef Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dehydrated

Sojos Complete is a freeze-dried and shelf-stable food that doesn’t contain soy, GMOs, fillers, or preservatives. It’s also a compact option — packing 5 pounds of food into a 1 pound bag. 

Their beef formula is jam-packed with protein from real beef and fat from beef liver, and is most comparable to the ORIJEN Regional Red Grain-Free Dog Food. They’re also a great affordable option that still offers the same amount of food. 

Both formulas include real beef and beef liver for omega fatty acids to aid in joint and heart health, pumpkin and kelp for vitamin C to boost your dog’s immune system, and calcium for strong bones. 

Sojos Complete is full of fiber, with carrots and sweet potatoes instead of grains to offer more energy. 

When you’re ready to feed your dog, all you need to do is mix Sojos Complete with water to create a wet food like mixture. 


Castor & Pollux Pristine Wild Caught Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Puppy Dry Dog Food

Castor & Pollux Pristine Salmon Puppy

Looking for an Orijen alternative for your puppy? Castor & Pollux offers a great substitute to Orijen Grain-Free Puppy Dog Food

The biggest difference is that Orijen includes poultry and fish with their recipe, while Castor & Pollux includes lamb and fish. However, both are high in protein and approved for puppies under 12 months old. 

Castor & Pollux is made with organic ingredients, offering a more affordable solution to Orijen’s puppy food without sacrificing ingredient quality. 

In fact, Orijen’s puppy recipe isn’t made with organic ingredients. If feeding organic food to your pup is important to you, Castor & Pollux is the better option. 

This formula also includes flaxseed to soothe tummies, and apples and blueberries to protect against future heart disease. 

Plus, it has 28% Crude Protein, meeting the recommendations for puppies from the Association of American Feed Control. 


Purina Beyond Simply Farm Raised Beef & Egg Recipe Dry Dog Food

Purina Beyond Simply Farm Raised Beef & Egg

If you want dog food with simple ingredients like Orijen’s Original Recipe, Purina Beyond Simply Farm Dry dog food fits the bill. 

This formula is a great value for the money — offering a food with just 10 simple ingredients, plus added vitamins and minerals. It’s also gluten-free and has easily digestible ingredients for dogs with sensitive stomachs. 

Purina Beyond has a high amount of protein due to the first two ingredients being beef and chicken. And whole barley and dried beet pulp offer fiber to improve digestion, as well as beta-glucans to lower cholesterol

If your dog suffers from food allergies, or can’t eat certain ingredients, this dog food is a great option. 


Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous Low Fat/Low Calorie Adult Recipe

Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous Weight Control Pollock

For dogs that need to lose weight, Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous Alaskan Pollock Recipe is an economical alternative to the Orijen Fit & Trim Formula. Both options are grain-free and include fish as the main ingredient for a low calorie protein. 

Solid Gold’s formula also includes salmon oil for brain health and healthy skin. And it’s packed with probiotics from cranberries and blueberries for immune support. 

To keep muscle tone during weight loss, pea protein and eggs are added to increase the protein content without adding too many calories. 

Taurine is also added to support a healthy heart and aid in joint health. Orijen, on the other hand, doesn’t include taurine but supports heart health with omega fatty acids. 

However, taurine has been studied and considered a highly beneficial acid

Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous dog food is free of gluten, grains, soy, and corn — so you won’t have to worry about common allergens with this option. 


American Journey Active Life Senior Formula Dog Food

American Journey Active Life Formula Chicken

In order to promote healthy aging for your dog, American Journey Active Life Senior Formula is a more affordable option next to Orijen Grain-Free Senior dog food

Both recipes were created with the aging dog in mind — offering essential vitamins for their older bodies, and glucosamine to support their overall mobility. 

With real chicken as the first ingredient, American Journey provides a high protein dog food for senior dogs. Carrots, kelp, and blueberries also offer antioxidants to support brain health and encourage cognitive wellness in senior dogs.

Plus, oatmeal provides both fiber and manganese for healthy digestion and joint support

While this formula isn’t completely grain-free, it doesn’t include wheat, corn, or soy, which can cause inflammation. 

It’s also free of poultry by-product meals, artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors, so you can feel good about offering nutritious food without fillers. 


Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Real Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food

Merrick Lil' Plates Grain-Free Chicken

Got a tiny dog on your hands? No worries. If you’re looking for an alternative to Orijen’s Small Breed formula, give Merrick Lil’ Plates dry dog food a try. 

Both recipes are made with a smaller kibble size for small breeds. And, they include high-quality ingredients like deboned chicken and turkey

A perk to Merrick’s formula is that it includes probiotics and supplemented inulin (a prebiotic). These aid in gut health by introducing good bacteria into the digestive tract. And, they help protect your dog from harmful bacteria and inflammation.  

This recipe also includes sustainable salmon oil. This provides omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a shiny coa, as well as DHA for cognitive function. 

Merrick Lil’ Plates is free of grains and gluten, artificial flavors, and artificial preservatives. 


Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Adult Dry Dog Food 

Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken Senior

Not all dogs need a grain-free diet. In fact, many can thrive on food filled with healthy grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, and oats.

If you’re a dog parent looking for a grain-inclusive food, Farmina Ancestral Grains is a great alternative to Orijen’s Amazing Grains formula

Each of these recipes include whole oats for prebiotic fiber and essential nutrients like phosphorus for strong bones. They also have turmeric to reduce inflammation and aid in heart health. 

Farmina starts with real chicken — a high and lean animal protein that aids in muscle maintenance and cartilage health.

While Farmina doesn’t have as much meat content as Orijen, it’s still considered a high-protein formula with 30% of Crude Protein.


How to Transition to New Dog Foods 

Once you choose an alternative to Orijen, you may want to switch your dog right away. But, unlike humans, dogs need consistency in their food. 

If you switch their food too quickly, you may cause irregular digestion. Or, your dog may have an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the food. This is why it’s best to test the new food and gradually switch them over. 

However, it’s still easy to transition your dog to their new food. In order to do this, you’ll need to mix 25% of the new recipe in with their food during the first meal. Each day, you can continue to increase their new food by 25% to gradually replace the old. 

After a few days, you should be able to successfully transition your dog to their new food. Of course, always consult with your veterinarian before making any major changes to your dog’s diet. 

Our Verdict

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, I highly suggest the Sojos Complete Grain-Free Beef recipe.

Not only does it offer raw meat and healthy fats just like Orijen, but it’s also shelf-stable and filled with delicious ingredients to entice even the pickiest dogs. 

While it can seem overwhelming to choose an affordable dog food that provides the same nutrients as Orijen, there are many alternatives that your dog can benefit from. 

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AUTHOR
Kim Studdard is a freelance writer for many websites in the pet universe. When she isn't spending time with her family and pets, or saying "Look a dog" everytime she sees one, you'll find her reading a book or traveling the U.S.

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