We Feed Raw vs Sundays: Which Premium Diet Offers the Best Convenience and Nutrition?

The pet food industry is undergoing a massive shift as more owners move away from traditional, highly processed kibble toward diets that offer real, whole-food nutrition. When looking for the best premium options, two names frequently top the list: We Feed Raw and Sundays for Dogs.

Deciding between We Feed Raw vs Sundays often comes down to a choice between the biological benefits of a raw diet and the perceived convenience of a shelf-stable product. 

However, many online comparisons are outdated and overlook that you no longer have to choose between raw nutrition and convenience. To make the best choice for your pup, it is essential to understand the differences in air-dried vs freeze-dried dog food and how those processing methods impact the nutrients your dog actually receives.

This guide will break down the nutritional philosophies, safety protocols, and convenience factors of both brands to help you decide which is truly best for your dog.

The Convenience Myth: You Do Not Have to Choose Between Raw and Shelf-Stable

A common narrative in the We Feed Raw vs Sundays debate is that Sundays wins on convenience because it is shelf-stable and requires no prep, while raw food is supposedly messy and requires freezer space.

While this may be true of our frozen line, it completely ignores our highly convenient freeze-dried recipes.

Sundays: The Air-Dried Model

Sundays is an air-dried food, which means it is shelf-stable and can be stored in your pantry. You simply scoop it into the bowl and serve. There is no thawing, no refrigeration, and no cleanup. This has traditionally been its primary selling point for busy pet parents.

We Feed Raw: Maximum Flexibility

We offer two distinct product lines that provide the best of both worlds.

Our Frozen Raw Meals

These are our core recipes that provide the absolute foundation of raw nutrition. While they do require freezer space and 24 hours of thawing in the refrigerator, they offer the highest level of hydration and the most direct way to provide your dog with moisture-rich, species-appropriate nutrition.

Our frozen raw recipes are nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies.

Our Freeze-Dried Raw Meals

For those who want the shelf-stability of Sundays without sacrificing the benefits of 100% raw nutrition, our freeze-dried line is the perfect solution. It is lightweight, shelf-stable, and requires zero prep. You can scoop and serve it just like air-dried food, but with the nutritional integrity of a raw diet.

By offering a freeze-dried option, we eliminate the convenience gap. You can have a shelf-stable, pantry-ready food that is still 100% raw, making We Feed Raw just as convenient as Sundays for travel, training, or busy mornings.

Please note that our freeze-dried food is formulated for adult dogs only.

Processing Matters: Air-Dried vs Freeze-Dried vs Frozen Raw

To understand why one food might be superior to another, you have to look at how it is made. The way food is processed determines how many natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals survive the journey to your dog’s bowl.

Frozen Raw Food

• •Process: The meat is sourced, balanced, and frozen immediately. There is zero heat involved.

• •Pros: This is the most natural state for canine nutrition. It preserves 100% of natural enzymes, moisture, and fragile fatty acids.

• •Cons: Requires freezer storage and thawing time.

Freeze-Dried Raw Food

• •Process: The food is frozen and then placed in a vacuum chamber where the moisture is removed through sublimation (turning ice directly into vapor). No heat is used.

• •Pros: Like frozen raw, it preserves the nutritional integrity of the meat and all natural enzymes. It is lightweight, shelf-stable, and extremely convenient.

• •Cons: Because it is specifically formulated to meet the maintenance needs of grown pets, it is suitable for adult dogs only and should not be the only food given to puppies.

Air-Dried Food (Sundays)

• •Process: The food is exposed to a continuous stream of low-heat air to dehydrate it. While the heat is much lower than kibble extrusion, it typically ranges between 140 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

• •Pros: Shelf-stable and easy to serve. It feels more like a jerky or a treat, which many dogs find palatable.

• •Cons: Because heat is applied, it is not technically a raw diet. Even low heat can denature some proteins, destroy certain delicate enzymes, and reduce the bioavailability of some vitamins.

When comparing We Feed Raw vs Sundays, the major takeaway is that We Feed Raw (in both frozen and freeze-dried forms) remains 100% raw. Sundays, by virtue of the heat used in air-drying, is a cooked product.

For owners seeking the biological benefits of a raw diet, freeze-drying is the superior shelf-stable method because it preserves the nutrients that heat destroys.

Safety and Pathogen Control: The HPP Difference

Some sources you might find mention bacterial risk as a con for raw feeding. This is a common misconception that fails to account for modern safety technology. When evaluating We Feed Raw vs Sundays, safety is a top priority for both brands, but our methods differ significantly.

Sundays and Low Heat

Sundays relies on the low-heat air-drying process to reduce pathogens. While this is effective, it also changes the nutritional profile of the food.

We Feed Raw and HPP

We do not rely on heat to make our food safe. Instead, every recipe we produce undergoes high-pressure processing (HPP). This is a cold-water pressure method that neutralizes harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria without ever raising the temperature of the meat.

This means we can ensure our food is pathogen-free while keeping it 100% raw. Our safety protocols are scientifically validated and rigorous, providing peace of mind for families who may be concerned about handling raw meat.

When you choose We Feed Raw, you get the safety of a cooked diet with the nutritional power of a raw one.

Nutritional Philosophy and Ingredient Transparency

Another area where We Feed Raw vs Sundays differs is in the actual composition of the recipes. We believe in keeping things simple and biologically appropriate.

We Feed Raw: Simplicity and Animal Protein

Our frozen line follows the Prey Model Raw philosophy, focusing on a simple 80/10/10 ratio: 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone. We add a small amount of essential vitamins and minerals to ensure the food is complete and balanced for all life stages.

Our freeze-dried line is slightly different, containing 85% meat and organs with 15% non-GMO fruits and vegetables for adult dogs. In both cases, the focus is on high-quality animal protein and minimal carbohydrates. We do not use fillers, synthetic flavors, or unnecessary starches.

Sundays: Complex Blends and Plant Matter

Sundays recipes are much more complex. They include a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and seeds, such as quinoa, pumpkin, blueberries, and kale. While these are high-quality ingredients, they increase the carbohydrate count of the food.

Sundays also markets itself as having no synthetic vitamins, which sounds appealing but can make it harder to ensure absolute nutritional precision across every batch, especially since air-drying can degrade some naturally occurring vitamins.

For dogs with sensitive stomachs or specific allergies, our simplicity is often a major advantage. With fewer ingredients, there is a lower chance of a reactive flare-up, and it is much easier to identify exactly what your dog is eating.

Which Should You Choose?

The decision between We Feed Raw vs Sundays ultimately depends on what you value most for your dog’s health and your daily routine.

We Feed Raw

Choose We Feed Raw if you prefer:

• •The maximum nutritional benefits of a 100% raw diet

• •A simple, limited-ingredient diet to manage allergies or sensitivities

• •A food that is safe for all life stages, including large-breed puppies (frozen line)

• •The option of a shelf-stable raw food (freeze-dried) that doesn't use heat

• •A scientifically validated pathogen-reduction step (HPP)

Sundays

Go with Sundays if you:

• •Prefer a diet that includes a high volume of fruits and vegetables

• •Specifically want an air-dried texture

• •Are not concerned about the food being technically raw vs. low-heat cooked

Ready for We Feed Raw?

At We Feed Raw, we are committed to the idea that raw is best. By offering both our simple frozen patties and our ultra-convenient freeze-dried recipes, we ensure that every dog can thrive on a raw diet, regardless of their owner's schedule.

Ready to see the difference that 100% raw, safe, and convenient nutrition can make? Take our quiz today to get your dog's personalized meal plan started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary difference in the processing of We Feed Raw vs Sundays?

The biggest difference lies in how the nutrients are preserved. We Feed Raw is a 100% raw diet, available in both frozen and freeze-dried forms, neither of which involves heat.

Sundays is an air-dried food that uses low heat (typically between 140°F and 180°F) to dehydrate the ingredients. While air-drying is gentler than kibble extrusion, the use of heat means Sundays is a cooked product, which can denature some proteins and destroy delicate enzymes that are preserved in a truly raw diet.

Is there a difference in convenience when comparing Sundays vs We Feed Raw?

While Sundays is often marketed as the more convenient choice because it is shelf-stable, We Feed Raw provides a similar level of ease with our freeze-dried line. Our freeze-dried recipes are shelf-stable, lightweight, and require zero preparation—you simply scoop and serve.

This allows you to have the nutritional benefits of a raw diet with the same pantry-ready convenience offered by Sundays. For those who prefer the traditional method, our frozen patties provide a moisture-rich raw experience with only a simple thawing step required.

How do the safety protocols compare for We Feed Raw vs Sundays for Dogs?

Both brands prioritize safety, but they use different methods to address pathogens. Sundays uses the heat from the air-drying process to kill bacteria.

At We Feed Raw, we use a cold-pressure method called high-pressure processing (HPP). This non-thermal process uses water pressure to inactivate harmful pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria while keeping the food 100% raw. This allows us to ensure the food is safe for your family and your dog without sacrificing the nutritional integrity that heat can destroy.

Are both diets suitable for all life stages in a comparison of We Feed Raw vs Sundays?

There is a distinction to keep in mind regarding life stages. Our frozen raw recipes are complete and balanced for all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies. 

However, our freeze-dried recipes are specifically formulated for adult dogs only. Sundays generally offers recipes for all life stages, but it is always important to check the specific recipe label to ensure it meets the requirements for a growing puppy.

How does the nutritional philosophy differ between We Feed Raw vs Sundays?

We Feed Raw focuses on simplicity and a biologically appropriate, protein-forward diet. Our frozen line follows the Prey Model Raw ratio of meat, organs, and bone with no added plant fillers.

Sundays uses a more complex recipe that includes a high volume of fruits, vegetables, and seeds like quinoa and flaxseed. While these are high-quality ingredients, they add significant carbohydrates to the diet. For owners who want a low-carb, high-protein diet that mirrors what a dog would naturally eat, We Feed Raw provides a more streamlined nutritional profile.