Sundays Dog Food: Everything Vets Wish You Knew
When your veterinarian graduated from vet school, they received approximately six weeks of nutrition training—most of it sponsored by Hill’s Science Diet and Royal Canin. So when they recommend kibble over air-dried food like Sundays, ask yourself: are they speaking from nutritional expertise, or from the curriculum that pet food giants paid to create?
Sundays markets itself as “the world’s cleanest dog food”—a bold claim that begs critical examination. This air-dried product positions itself between traditional kibble and fresh/frozen raw diets, promising convenience without compromising quality. But does $3-7 per day for dog food deliver proportional nutrition, or are you paying premium prices for clever marketing that obscures some inconvenient truths about carbohydrate content, unnamed ingredients, and what “air-drying” actually means for pathogen control?
📋 Key Takeaways: The Critical Answers About Sundays
| ❓ Question | ✅ Honest Answer |
|---|---|
| Has Sundays ever been recalled? | No—zero FDA recalls since launch |
| Who actually created Sundays? | Dr. Tory Waxman, DVM—practicing small-animal veterinarian |
| What’s the real monthly cost? | $70-300+ depending on dog size; 90lb dog = ~$300/month |
| Does air-drying kill all bacteria? | Yes—140-180°F “kill step” eliminates pathogens unlike freeze-dried raw |
| How much is actually meat? | 83%+ meat in beef/turkey; chicken recipe has eggs/grains in top 5 |
| Is it grain-free? | NO—contains quinoa, millet, or oats (this isn’t disclosed upfront) |
| What’s the carb content? | 8-22% (beef lowest, chicken highest)—better than kibble but not disclosed |
| Are all fruits/veggies meaningful? | NO—most appear after salt, contributing negligible nutrition |
| Does “human-grade” guarantee quality? | It guarantees safety standards, NOT ingredient quality or sourcing |
| Can I buy it in stores? | Recently available at Target/Amazon, ending direct-only exclusivity |
| What about delivery delays? | Major 2024 complaints about late shipments leaving dogs without food |
🔬 The Air-Drying “Kill Step” That Nobody Explains Properly
Sundays’ marketing emphasizes that air-drying preserves nutrients while “killing germs”—but what temperature actually constitutes a pathogen “kill step,” and why does this matter when comparing to freeze-dried raw competitors?
📊 Processing Temperature Comparison: What Actually Kills Bacteria
| 🌡️ Food Type | 📊 Processing Temperature | 🦠 Pathogen Control | ⚠️ The Truth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional kibble | 300-400°F (extrusion) | Kills all pathogens | Destroys 40%+ of available nutrients |
| Sundays air-dried | 140-180°F | FDA/USDA-verified “kill step” | Kills Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria |
| Freeze-dried raw (no HPP) | Never above 32°F | NO pathogen elimination | Bacteria remain dormant, reactivate when wet |
| Freeze-dried with HPP | High-pressure processing added | Inactivates most pathogens | Added safety step, but not 100% guaranteed |
| Fresh/frozen raw | No heat treatment | ZERO pathogen control | Highest contamination risk |
💡 The Critical Reality: When Sundays claims their air-drying process “kills germs,” they’re technically accurate—but they bury the lead. Air-drying at 140-180°F qualifies as what the USDA calls a validated “kill step” that eliminates harmful bacteria. This gives Sundays a genuine safety advantage over freeze-dried raw foods that don’t use HPP (High-Pressure Processing).
However, this raises an uncomfortable question the company doesn’t address: if the food reaches temperatures of 140-180°F, is it still “raw”?
According to food scientists: No. Cooking begins at approximately 140°F. Sundays cannot simultaneously claim to preserve “raw nutrition” while heating food to temperatures that denature proteins and enzymes. The company tries to have it both ways—marketing the benefits of raw feeding while using temperatures that technically cook the product.
📊 What Sundays Actually Preserves vs. Traditional Kibble
| 💊 Nutrient Type | 🔥 Kibble (300-400°F) | ❄️ Sundays (140-180°F) | 📋 Actual Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat-sensitive vitamins | Up to 40% nutrient loss | 10-15% nutrient loss | Significantly better preservation |
| Protein quality | Maillard reaction denatures proteins | Minimal protein denaturation | Higher bioavailability |
| Digestive enzymes | Completely destroyed | Mostly preserved | Better digestive support |
| Beneficial bacteria | All killed (good and bad) | All killed (this is the goal) | Equal pathogen control |
| Omega fatty acids | Oxidation/degradation common | Better preservation | Genuinely superior |
💡 The Honest Assessment: Sundays achieves a middle ground that’s genuinely better than kibble from a nutritional preservation standpoint—but it’s not “raw” by any scientific definition. The 140-180°F processing temperature eliminates the bacterial risks that plague freeze-dried raw foods, while preserving significantly more nutrients than traditional kibble.
This is actually a strength, not a weakness—but the company’s marketing obscures this distinction because “lightly cooked at low temperature” doesn’t sound as sexy as “raw benefits without raw risks.”
💰 The Price Reality Nobody Discusses Until After You’ve Signed Up
Sundays markets heavily on social media with generous first-order discounts (35-50% off), carefully avoiding upfront discussion of what ongoing costs actually look like for different dog sizes.
📊 Real Monthly Costs by Dog Weight (Subscription Pricing)
| 🐕 Dog Weight | 📦 Daily Amount | 💰 Cost Per Day | 💳 Monthly Cost | ⚠️ Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs | ~½ cup | $2.20-2.60 | $66-78 | $803-935 |
| 20 lbs | ~¾ cup | $2.60-3.10 | $78-93 | $949-1,124 |
| 30 lbs | ~1 cup | $3.20-3.80 | $96-114 | $1,168-1,387 |
| 50 lbs | ~1.5 cups | $4.10-4.90 | $123-147 | $1,497-1,788 |
| 70 lbs | ~2 cups | $5.20-6.20 | $156-186 | $1,898-2,263 |
| 90 lbs | ~2.5 cups | $6.50-7.80 | $195-234 | $2,373-2,847 |
💡 The Sticker Shock Moment: A 40-ounce bag costs $75 retail or $59 with subscription. Sundays markets this as “affordable premium nutrition”—but for an 80-pound dog, that $59 bag lasts approximately four days. Monthly cost: $443-590.
Most families discover this reality only after signing up, when they receive their customized feeding plan. The initial promotional pricing (50% off first order) masks the ongoing financial commitment.
📊 Sundays vs. Competitors: Price Per Pound Comparison
| 🏷️ Brand | 💰 Price/Pound | 📋 Processing Method | 🥩 Meat Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sundays | $24-30/lb | Air-dried | 83%+ |
| Premium kibble (Orijen) | $4-6/lb | High-heat extrusion | 38-42% |
| The Farmer’s Dog | $12-18/lb (fresh) | Gently cooked | 60-70% |
| Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried | $30-50/lb | Freeze-dried + HPP | 95% |
| Nom Nom (fresh) | $15-22/lb | Gently cooked | 60-70% |
| We Feed Raw (frozen) | $6-10/lb | Raw frozen | 95% |
💡 The Value Assessment: Sundays costs 4-6x more than premium kibble and 2-3x more than fresh cooked options like The Farmer’s Dog. It’s price-competitive with freeze-dried brands—but freeze-dried typically offers 95% meat content compared to Sundays’ 83%+.
The company justifies premium pricing through convenience (shelf-stable, no refrigeration) and the air-drying process—but is convenience worth $150-300 monthly for most families?
🌾 The Grain Controversy Sundays Doesn’t Advertise Upfront
Sundays prominently features “no wheat, no soy, no corn” on packaging—leading many buyers to assume the food is grain-free. It’s not.
📊 What’s Actually in Each Sundays Recipe
| 🥘 Recipe | 🌾 Grain Source | 📊 Position in Ingredients | 📈 Calculated Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | Quinoa | #5 (after beef, heart, liver, bone) | ~8% (lowest) |
| Chicken | Millet, Oats | #4, #5 (before organs) | ~19% (highest) |
| Turkey | Millet | #5 (after meat, organs) | ~8% |
💡 The Marketing vs. Reality: Sundays doesn’t technically claim to be “grain-free”—but the prominent “NO wheat, soy, corn” messaging creates that impression. Many customers report surprise upon discovering quinoa, millet, and oats in the ingredient lists.
The critical question: Why include these grains if the food is 83%+ meat?
📊 The Grain Functionality Analysis
| 🌾 Grain Type | 📋 Nutritional Function | ⚠️ Potential Concerns |
|---|---|---|
| Quinoa | Complete protein, fiber, minerals | Moderate carb content (~22% carbs) |
| Millet | B-vitamins, energy, gluten-free | High pesticide residue risk (glyphosate) |
| Oats | Beta-glucans, fiber, antioxidants | High pesticide residue (spray-dried with Roundup) |
💡 The Critical Insight: According to Dogs Naturally Magazine’s independent analysis, millet and oats rank among crops with the highest glyphosate/herbicide residue—even higher than GMO crops. Unless certified organic (which Sundays doesn’t specify), these grains carry glyphosate from Roundup used in spray-drying.
Glyphosate functions as an antibiotic that kills beneficial gut bacteria and has been linked to cancer by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. For a premium food marketed on purity and transparency, the absence of organic certification for high-risk ingredients represents a significant oversight.
🐟 The “Unnamed Fish Oil” Problem That Premium Brands Shouldn’t Have
For a company emphasizing transparency and quality, Sundays includes a surprisingly non-specific ingredient: “fish oil.”
📊 What “Fish Oil” Actually Means in Pet Food
| 🔍 Ingredient Specificity | ✅ What It Guarantees | ⚠️ What It Doesn’t |
|---|---|---|
| “Wild Salmon Oil” (Beef recipe) | Named species, wild-caught | Excellent transparency |
| “Fish Oil” (Chicken/Turkey recipes) | Unknown species, unknown sourcing | Could be farmed, could be any fish |
| Named oils (general) | Quality control, traceability | Industry best practice |
| Unnamed oils (general) | Cost savings, flexibility | Lower quality, potential contaminants |
💡 The Critical Question: If Sundays uses “wild salmon oil” in the beef recipe, why does the chicken recipe only specify “fish oil” without naming the species or sourcing?
Dogs Naturally Magazine notes this concern in their review: unnamed animal ingredients often represent lower-quality, less expensive alternatives that allow manufacturers flexibility to change suppliers without reformulating.
Possible fish oil sources in unnamed formulations:
- Farmed fish (higher omega-6, lower omega-3, potential contaminants)
- Rendered fish waste and by-products
- Mixed species with inconsistent fatty acid profiles
- Lower-grade oils with potential heavy metal contamination
For a $24-30/pound food marketed on transparency, this represents a quality gap that shouldn’t exist.
🍓 The “Glam Ingredient” Illusion: When Superfoods Are Marketing Theater
Sundays’ ingredient lists read like a farmer’s market: blueberries, cranberries, spinach, kale, shiitake mushrooms, cherries, strawberries—14+ fruits and vegetables per recipe. The packaging features beautiful images of whole produce.
Then you check the ingredient order.
📊 Where Sundays’ “Superfoods” Actually Appear
| 🥬 Ingredient | 📊 Listed Position | ⚠️ What This Means |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin | #6 | Meaningful contribution (prebiotics, fiber) |
| Kale | #9-10 | Small amount, some nutritional value |
| Blueberries | After parsley/salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Carrots | After salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Apples | After salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Tomatoes | After salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Shiitake mushrooms | After salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Broccoli | After salt | Token amount, <1% |
| Oranges | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
| Cranberries | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
| Spinach | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
| Beets | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
| Cherries | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
| Strawberries | After salt | Token amount, <0.5% |
💡 The Ingredient Order Reality: When ingredients appear after salt (typically used at 0.5-1%), they’re present in amounts so minuscule they contribute virtually zero nutritional value. Sundays lists 13 ingredients after salt—all the photogenic fruits and vegetables featured in marketing materials.
The Honest Truth: Your dog gets nutritional benefit from:
- Beef/chicken/turkey (the actual nutrition source)
- Organs (liver, heart—nutrient-dense)
- Bones (calcium, phosphorus)
- Pumpkin (the only vegetable in meaningful quantity)
- Added supplements (selenium yeast in beef recipe)
The blueberries, strawberries, shiitake mushrooms, oranges, and beets? Marketing ingredients that test well with health-conscious consumers but contribute negligible nutrition in quantities used.
📊 Sundays’ Clever Marketing vs. Nutritional Reality
| 📣 Marketing Claim | 📋 Actual Implementation |
|---|---|
| “Hand-selected superfoods” | Present in amounts <0.5% each |
| “Nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables” | Listed after 1% salt—negligible quantities |
| “Antioxidant-rich ingredients” | Token amounts provide unmeasurable antioxidant benefit |
| Beautiful produce photography | Implies quantities that don’t exist in final product |
This doesn’t make Sundays bad—it makes the marketing misleading. The real nutrition comes from the 83%+ meat content, not from the token blueberries prominently displayed on packaging.
🚚 The 2024 Delivery Crisis That Sundays Doesn’t Acknowledge
While Sundays’ food quality receives generally positive reviews, customer service and delivery reliability emerged as major pain points throughout 2024.
📊 Common Customer Complaints (2024 Data)
| ⚠️ Issue | 📊 Frequency | 💡 Customer Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed shipments | Very common | Dogs run out of food before next delivery |
| Website/account glitches | Common | Cannot modify subscriptions or pause deliveries |
| Customer service unresponsive | Common | Emails go unanswered for days/weeks |
| Inconsistent product freshness | Occasional | Bags arrive stale or with mold |
| Crushed/damaged food | Occasional | Bottom of bag is powder/dust |
| Subscription management difficulties | Common | Cannot cancel, pause, or adjust easily |
💡 The Critical Pattern: Dogs Naturally Magazine, Thingtesting consumer reviews, and multiple Reddit threads document similar experiences: Sundays struggles with operational execution despite quality ingredients.
Real customer reports:
- “Food delayed three times in four months—left without food for my dog”
- “Customer service practically non-responsive, never returned my email”
- “Website glitches prevented me from pausing subscription, charged anyway”
- “Food arrived with inedible stuff in it—had to check every handful before feeding”
- “Took two weeks to ship after order, then another week to arrive”
📊 The Scaling Problem
| 📅 Company Stage | ⚠️ Operational Reality |
|---|---|
| Early years (2018-2020) | Excellent service, fast delivery, responsive support |
| Growth phase (2021-2023) | Service begins declining, delivery delays increase |
| High demand (2024-2025) | Major fulfillment issues, customer service overwhelmed |
💡 The Honest Assessment: Sundays appears to be experiencing classic hypergrowth operational problems—demand outpacing infrastructure. The company invested heavily in marketing and product development but seemingly underinvested in logistics and customer service capabilities.
For a subscription food service, this creates serious problems: unlike buying kibble at PetSmart, families depend on timely deliveries to feed their dogs. When shipments arrive 1-2 weeks late, owners scramble to find alternatives—defeating the convenience Sundays promises.
🥩 What Sundays Actually Gets Right (And It’s Substantial)
Despite criticisms around marketing transparency and operational issues, Sundays delivers genuine nutritional advantages over traditional kibble.
📊 Legitimate Sundays Advantages
| ✅ Strength | 📋 Evidence | 💡 Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Zero recalls ever | FDA database shows no recalls since 2017 launch | Exceptional safety record |
| Named meat proteins | Beef, chicken, turkey—not “meat meal” or “poultry” | Quality transparency |
| Organ meats included | Liver, heart in all recipes | Nutrient density from bioavailable sources |
| No synthetic vitamins/minerals | Nutrition from whole foods (except selenium yeast) | Better bioavailability than synthetic supplements |
| Verified kill step | 140-180°F eliminates pathogens | Safer than freeze-dried raw without HPP |
| USDA human-grade facility | Same standards as human food production | Genuine quality control |
| Veterinarian-formulated | Created by practicing DVM, not food scientists | Clinical experience informs formulation |
| AAFCO-compliant | Meets all life stages requirements | Nutritionally complete |
| No artificial anything | No colors, flavors, preservatives | Clean ingredient panel |
💡 The Balanced Reality: Sundays genuinely provides superior nutrition compared to traditional kibble. The air-drying process preserves 85-90% of original nutrients (compared to kibble’s 60%), the meat content is dramatically higher (83%+ vs. 18-25% in kibble), and the pathogen control is legitimate (unlike freeze-dried raw without HPP).
📊 Palatability: Dogs Actually Love It
Customer reviews consistently report:
- Picky eaters gobble it up (near-universal agreement)
- Jerky-like texture appeals to most dogs
- Strong meaty aroma increases food motivation
- Improved coat quality within 3-4 weeks
- Better stool quality (smaller, firmer, less odor)
- Increased energy levels in previously lethargic dogs
Sundays won a third-party taste test 39-0 against traditional kibble—dogs overwhelmingly preferred it.
📊 Who Should Actually Buy Sundays (And Who Shouldn’t)
📊 Sundays Suitability Matrix
| ✅ Excellent Fit For | ⚠️ Consider Carefully | ❌ Not Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Small dogs (affordable monthly cost) | Medium dogs ($100-150/month) | Large dogs ($200-300+/month) unless wealthy |
| Picky eaters refusing kibble | Dogs with grain sensitivities (contains grains) | Families on tight budgets |
| Owners prioritizing convenience over price | Those seeking 100% grain-free | Those expecting frequent perfect deliveries |
| Dogs with kibble-related digestive issues | Active subscription managers | Those wanting fully transparent sourcing |
| Health-conscious owners with disposable income | Anyone with delivery reliability needs | Owners expecting “raw” benefits |
| Travel-frequent families (shelf-stable) | Those with glyphosate concerns | Multiple large dogs (prohibitive cost) |
💡 The Financial Reality Check: For a 30-pound dog, Sundays costs approximately $96-114 monthly. That’s $1,152-1,368 annually—more than many families spend on groceries per month.
Compare to:
- Premium kibble: $40-60/month ($480-720/year)
- The Farmer’s Dog: $130-160/month ($1,560-1,920/year)
- We Feed Raw: $135/month ($1,620/year)
Sundays sits in the upper-middle price range—more expensive than kibble, comparable to fresh/frozen options.
🔬 The Bottom Line: Premium Product With Transparency Gaps
Sundays delivers genuinely superior nutrition compared to kibble—but falls short of the complete transparency its premium pricing should demand.
What’s legitimately excellent:
- 83%+ named meat proteins (beef, chicken, turkey)
- Organ meats provide bioavailable nutrients
- Air-drying preserves 85-90% of nutrients
- Validated kill step eliminates pathogens
- Zero recalls in 8+ years
- Dogs love the taste/texture
- AAFCO-compliant complete nutrition
- Convenient shelf-stable storage
What requires honest acknowledgment:
- NOT grain-free (contains quinoa, millet, oats despite marketing suggesting otherwise)
- Unnamed fish oil in chicken/turkey recipes (quality concern)
- Non-organic grains with high glyphosate residue risk
- “Superfood” marketing based on token amounts after salt
- Operational/delivery problems throughout 2024
- Premium pricing ($24-30/lb) requires significant budget
- Monthly costs ($70-300+) prohibitive for many families
💡 The Honest Recommendation:
Sundays represents a legitimate upgrade from kibble for families who can afford $100-300 monthly dog food budgets. The air-dried processing genuinely preserves more nutrients than traditional kibble, the meat content is substantially higher, and the safety record is impeccable.
However, the marketing creates inflated expectations that the product doesn’t fully meet. The “cleanest dog food in the world” claim oversells what is essentially very good lightly-cooked food with some transparency gaps around grain sourcing, unnamed fish oil, and token superfood ingredients.
For budget-conscious families: Premium kibble like Orijen or Acana delivers 80% of Sundays’ nutritional benefits at 20% of the cost.
For maximum nutrition at any cost: We Feed Raw (frozen) or Stella & Chewy’s (freeze-dried with HPP) provide 95% meat content with full transparency.
For convenience-focused owners with disposable income: Sundays delivers on its core promise—better nutrition than kibble, easier than fresh/raw, with enough legitimacy to justify the premium (if delivery reliability improves).
The food is good. The marketing oversells. The price is high but not unreasonable for what you receive. Whether that value proposition works depends entirely on your budget and priorities.
FAQs
💬 “Sundays claims no synthetic vitamins—but isn’t selenium yeast a supplement?”
This exposes a clever marketing distinction. Sundays states “no synthetic vitamins and minerals” while listing “selenium yeast” in the beef recipe.
📊 The Technical Truth:
| 📋 Supplement Type | ⚠️ What It Actually Is |
|---|---|
| Synthetic selenium (sodium selenite) | Chemical compound, poorly absorbed |
| Selenium yeast | Selenium-enriched yeast, organic form |
| Marketing distinction | “Natural” vs. “synthetic” |
💡 The Reality: Selenium yeast IS a supplement—but it’s an organic form rather than synthetic chemical. Sundays uses semantic precision: they don’t add synthetic vitamins/minerals, but they DO add supplements. The distinction matters for bioavailability (organic forms absorb better), but claiming “no added vitamins or minerals” while adding selenium yeast is technically truthful but misleading.
Most dogs cannot obtain adequate selenium from meat/organs alone—supplementation is necessary. But calling it “naturally occurring” while deliberately adding selenium-enriched yeast stretches transparency.
💬 “Is the 14% moisture content enough, or will my dog need more water?”
This question reveals an important consideration most buyers overlook until after purchase.
📊 Moisture Content Comparison
| 🥘 Food Type | 💧 Moisture % | 🚰 Additional Water Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh/wet food | 70-80% | Minimal |
| Kibble | 8-10% | Moderate |
| Sundays air-dried | 14% | Moderate-high |
| Freeze-dried (rehydrated) | 70-80% (after adding water) | None (water added to food) |
💡 The Hydration Reality: Dogs eating Sundays must drink significantly more water than dogs on fresh/wet food. The 14% moisture is higher than kibble (8-10%), but substantially lower than fresh food (70-80%).
Signs your dog needs more hydration:
- Decreased urination frequency
- Darker urine color
- Dry gums/nose
- Skin tent test (skin doesn’t snap back quickly)
Solutions:
- Add water/broth to Sundays before serving (but this removes the convenience advantage)
- Monitor water bowl levels closely
- Consider water fountain to encourage drinking
- Mix with wet food as topper
For dogs who naturally drink less water (common in senior dogs or certain breeds), this represents a legitimate concern that Sundays doesn’t prominently address.
💬 “The bag says ‘complete and balanced’—does that mean I don’t need any supplements?”
AAFCO “complete and balanced” certification represents minimum standards to prevent deficiency diseases—not optimal nutrition for every dog.
📊 What AAFCO Actually Guarantees
| ✅ What It Means | ⚠️ What It Doesn’t Mean |
|---|---|
| Meets minimum nutrient levels | Optimal health for YOUR dog |
| Won’t cause deficiency diseases short-term | Perfect for all breeds/ages/health conditions |
| Formulated OR feeding-trial tested | Long-term health outcomes studied |
| Safe for designated life stages | Best choice among all options |
💡 The Supplementation Reality: Many dogs benefit from additional support beyond “complete and balanced” base nutrition:
Common beneficial supplements even with Sundays:
- Joint support (glucosamine, chondroitin) for large breeds or seniors
- Probiotics for digestive health (Sundays includes chicory root prebiotic, but not probiotics)
- Omega-3 from krill/algae if you want EPA/DHA ratios specific to inflammation
- Vitamin E for active dogs or those with skin issues
However, avoid over-supplementation—Sundays already provides comprehensive nutrition. Adding random supplements can create dangerous imbalances.
The safe approach: Consult your vet about specific supplements for YOUR dog’s individual needs, rather than assuming “complete and balanced” means “perfect for every scenario.”
💬 “Can I mix Sundays with kibble to save money, or does that defeat the purpose?”
This represents the most financially sensible approach for many families—but Sundays doesn’t promote it because it reduces revenue.
📊 Mixing Strategy Cost Analysis (30lb dog example)
| 🥣 Feeding Approach | 💰 Monthly Cost | 📊 Nutritional Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 100% premium kibble (Orijen) | $50-60 | Baseline quality |
| 75% kibble + 25% Sundays | $75-85 | Significant improvement |
| 50% kibble + 50% Sundays | $100-120 | Substantial improvement |
| 100% Sundays | $96-114 | Maximum Sundays benefit |
💡 The Practical Reality: Mixing 50% Sundays with 50% quality kibble delivers most of Sundays’ benefits while cutting costs nearly in half. You still get:
- Higher meat protein than kibble alone
- Better nutrient bioavailability
- Improved palatability
- Enhanced digestive health
The mixing protocol:
- Choose quality kibble (Orijen, Acana, Fromm, Wellness)
- Reduce kibble portion by desired percentage
- Add equivalent Sundays to maintain caloric intake
- Mix thoroughly to prevent selective eating
Critical consideration: This dilutes Sundays’ benefits—you’re not getting “100% clean food,” you’re getting a hybrid. But for most families, 80% of the benefit at 50% of the cost represents excellent value.
Sundays won’t tell you this because their business model depends on exclusive feeding. But your wallet—and your dog—can both benefit from strategic mixing.
💬 “What happens if I need to suddenly switch back to kibble—will my dog refuse it?”
This fear is legitimate and represents a real risk with highly palatable premium foods.
📊 Palatability Hierarchy (Dogs’ Preference)
| 🏆 Preference Rank | 🥘 Food Type | ⚠️ Transition Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Fresh/raw meat | Extremely high (near-impossible to reverse) |
| 2nd | Sundays air-dried | High (difficult to reverse) |
| 3rd | Freeze-dried | High (difficult to reverse) |
| 4th | Quality canned/wet | Moderate (manageable to reverse) |
| 5th | Premium kibble | Low (easy transitions) |
| 6th | Budget kibble | Very low (dogs readily accept upgrades) |
💡 The “Spoiled Dog” Reality: Multiple customer reviews report: “My dog loved Sundays so much that returning to kibble became nearly impossible.”
Once dogs experience the jerky-like texture, strong meat aroma, and high palatability of Sundays, many refuse to eat regular kibble—creating a financial trap for families who can’t sustain $100-300 monthly costs long-term.
The emergency kibble protocol:
- Keep emergency kibble supply before starting Sundays
- Occasionally mix 10-20% kibble even while primarily feeding Sundays
- Don’t eliminate kibble familiarity entirely
- If forced to switch back: Mix gradually, expect food strikes lasting 1-3 days, don’t cave immediately (healthy dogs can safely skip meals for 24-48 hours)
The honest truth: This is a feature, not a bug from Sundays’ perspective—dogs that refuse kibble create loyal lifetime customers. But for families whose financial situations change (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), this creates serious problems.
Before starting Sundays, ask yourself: “If I had to stop this food tomorrow, would I be okay with my dog potentially food-striking for several days?”
💬 “Sundays says it’s made in ‘USDA-certified kitchens’—does that mean the ingredients are USDA-certified too?”
This question exposes a common misconception about “USDA” labeling in pet food.
📊 USDA Certification Reality
| 📋 Certification Type | ✅ What It Actually Means |
|---|---|
| “USDA-certified facility” | Manufacturing location meets USDA standards for human food |
| “USDA beef” (Sundays’ claim) | Beef passed USDA inspection for human consumption |
| “USDA Organic” | Ingredients meet organic certification (Sundays does NOT claim this) |
| “Human-grade” | Ingredients edible by humans, facility approved for human food |
💡 The Critical Distinction: When Sundays says “made in USDA-certified kitchens using USDA beef,” they’re stating:
- The facility meets human food safety standards
- The beef was inspected/approved for human consumption
They are NOT stating:
- Ingredients are organic
- All ingredients are USDA-inspected
- Grains meet any USDA quality standards
- Fish oil is USDA-regulated
The unnamed ingredients problem: While the beef is USDA-inspected, the millet, oats, and “fish oil” have no specified sourcing standards. For a company emphasizing transparency and quality, this represents an odd gap.
Questions Sundays doesn’t answer:
- Are the grains organic or conventional (pesticide-treated)?
- Where is the fish oil sourced? (China? Peru? Alaska?)
- Are eggs cage-free, free-range, or conventional?
- What quality standards apply to non-meat ingredients?
For $24-30/pound food, buyers deserve this transparency.
💬 “How long does the food actually stay fresh after opening—14 days or 8 weeks?”
Sundays provides conflicting information about post-opening freshness, creating confusion.
📊 Official Freshness Claims
| 📦 Storage Condition | ⏰ Sundays’ Claim | ⚠️ Real-World Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened bag | 12 months | Generally accurate |
| Opened bag (official website) | 6-8 weeks | Variable customer experiences |
| Opened bag (packaging) | Some say 14 days | Conflicting guidance |
| Optimal storage | Cool, dry place, sealed | Critical for freshness |
💡 The Freshness Variables:
Factors affecting shelf-life after opening:
- Humidity (major factor—moisture encourages mold)
- Temperature (heat accelerates rancidity of fats)
- Seal quality (bag must reseal tightly)
- Handling (repeated opening introduces oxygen/moisture)
- Initial production date (older bags degrade faster)
Customer reports of freshness issues:
- Stale smell after 3-4 weeks despite proper storage
- Bottom-of-bag pieces crushed to powder (oxidation?)
- Occasional mold discovery in opened bags
- Dogs refusing food that’s been open 4+ weeks
The conservative recommendation: Treat 4 weeks as maximum freshness despite Sundays’ claims of 6-8 weeks. The high fat content (20-29%) makes the food prone to oxidation once exposed to air.
For large dogs: This creates a problem. A 90lb dog eating 2.5 cups daily consumes a 40oz bag in 4 days—well within freshness window. But smaller breeds eating ¼ cup daily might take 8-10 weeks to finish a bag—potentially exceeding safe freshness.
The solution: Buy smaller, more frequent shipments if you have a small dog, even though per-ounce costs increase.
