DIBO Fresh vs Butternut Box Dog Food: Full Comparison of Ingredients, Cost & Cooking Method
Fresh dog food has become one of the most popular ways UK owners feed their dogs, and Butternut Box is one of the best-known names in that space. DIBO Fresh takes a different approach, built on the same butcher's-counter thinking behind DIBO's raw ranges, so if you're weighing the two up, it helps to know exactly where they differ. This page walks through those differences, so you can decide what matters most for your dog.
Two different ideas of"fresh"
Butternut Box built its name on tailored, subscription-based meal plans calculated around your dog's weight and activity level, delivered in daily pouches. It's a well-known route into fresh food for a lot of UK owners, and its recipes are gently cooked at 90°C before freezing.
DIBO Fresh takes a simpler route: fewer ingredients, a lower cooking temperature, and no lock into a subscription. You buy the block you want, when you want it, from the same butcher's-counter thinking that's gone into DIBO's raw ranges for years.
What's actually in a DIBO Fresh block
DIBO Fresh Chicken Block
67% chicken (muscle meat, skin, liver), rice, carrot, courgette, chicory, minerals, hemp oil, salmon oil. Eight ingredients, gently cooked at 72°C in its own juices, then frozen at peak freshness.
No legumes, lentils or peas, and no buckwheat. Every recipe's full composition and typical analysis is published on pack and online, and it's sold as a straightforward one-off purchase, in store or online, with no plan or subscription attached.
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DIBO Fresh Cooked Block- Beef 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per -
DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Salmon 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99 -
DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Lamb 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99 -
Back SoonDIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Chicken 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99Back Soon
Read the label: DIBO Fresh vs Butternut Box
Figures shown are per 400g, based on DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Chicken 400g and Butternut Box Chicken You Out. All information has been sourced from each brand's own published product information as of August 2026. Prices shown are the standard, non-promotional prices for each product.
| DIBO Fresh | Butternut Box | |
|---|---|---|
| COST PER 400G | £3.99 | £4.19 |
| MEAT CONTENT | 67% | 60% |
| LEGUMES, LENTILS OR PEAS | No | Yes |
| INGREDIENT TRANSPARENCY | Yes | Yes |
| COOKING TEMPERATURE | 72°C | 90°C |
| NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS | 8 | 13 |
| SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED | No | Yes |
| ONLINE & INDEPENDENT PET SHOPS | Yes | No |
| CONTAINS BUCKWHEAT | No | No |
Content sourced from Butternut Boxes' own pricing page, https://butternutbox.com/our-dog-food/fresh-meals/chicken in August 2026. Comparison of DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Chicken 400g and Butternut Box Chicken You Out. Butternut Box offers a subscription service, and as such, there is potential variability in per-unit pricing.
8 ingredients vs 13
DIBO Fresh is built on a simple principle: every ingredient should earn its place. Recipes are kept to a single source of protein plus a handful of carefully selected vegetables.
Butternut Box takes a different approach, building recipes around named meat and vegetables plus additional ingredients like red lentils and brewers' yeast. DIBO Fresh simply chooses not to include them, as they're not needed to meet FEDIAF standards. Some owners prefer diets without legumes for dogs with food sensitivities, though this is a preference rather than a requirement.
More Meat, Plain and Simple
DIBO Fresh contains 67% meat, compared with 60% for Butternut Box Chicken You Out, based on each brand's published typical analysis.
A higher meat content generally means a recipe sits closer to a dog's natural diet, with less need to make up the nutritional balance from other ingredient types. That said, the right overall balance of protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate still depends on your individual dog's age, health and activity level, so your vet is always the best judge for their specific needs.
So, by choosing DIBO Fresh, you get more meat per pack.
Please note: the right overall balance of protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate still depends on your individual dog's age, health and activity level, so your vet is always the best judge for their specific needs.
Tailored plan vs pick-up-and-go
Butternut Box works on a calculated, recurring plan: you set up your dog's profile, meals are portioned to their needs, and the subscription renews automatically unless you pause or cancel it. DIBO Fresh doesn't require any of that. It's sold as a standard product, in the quantity you want, whenever you want it, both online and through independent pet shops around the country.
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DIBO Fresh Cooked Block- Beef 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per -
DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Salmon 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99 -
DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Lamb 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99 -
Back Soon
DIBO Fresh Cooked Block - Chicken 400g
Regular price £3.99Regular priceUnit price per£3.99Sale price £3.99Back Soon
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Preparation
Our carefully selected raw ingredients are vacuum-sealed to lock in essential nutrients.
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Cooking Process
Our fresh recipes are gently cooked in their own juices at approximately 72°C. This preserves valuable nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
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The Result
A gently cooked, healthy and nutrient-rich fresh food. All recipes are frozen and come in four different flavours.
JUST LIKE HOMEMADE ONLY FROM US
Each recipe in our Fresh Menu has been lovingly crafted for clean bowls every time.
Each protein has been paired with fresh, complementary vegetables before being gently cooked to lock in the nutrients.
Chicory - a powerful natural prebiotic.
Courgette - gentle, hydrating and easy on the stomach. Full of vitamins B6 and C.
Broccoli - packed with antioxidants and vitamins C and K.
Frequently asked questions
Is Butternut Box raw or cooked?
Butternut Box is cooked, not raw. Its recipes are cooked at around 90°C, then frozen. DIBO Fresh is also gently cooked, but at a lower 72°C, which generally helps retain more of the food's natural nutrients. DIBO also offers raw ranges for owners who prefer that route.
Can I try DIBO Fresh without committing to anything?
Yes. DIBO Fresh is sold as a one-off purchase with no subscription, so you can buy a single pack to try before deciding whether to reorder.
Is Butternut Box more expensive than DIBO Fresh?
Based on standard, non-promotional pricing, Butternut Box works out at roughly £4.19 per 400g compared with £3.99 per 400g for DIBO Fresh. Butternut Box's subscription model means costs recur automatically unless you actively pause or cancel it. As Butternut Box offers a subscription service, there is potential variability in per-unit pricing.
Where can I buy DIBO Fresh?
DIBO Fresh is available directly online and through a network of independent pet shops across the UK.
Is more meat always better for my dog?
Not for every dog, but it's a meaningful factor. A higher proportion of named meat, like DIBO Fresh's 67% versus Butternut Box's 60%, generally means a recipe sits closer to a dog's natural diet, with less need to make up the balance from other ingredients. The right overall mix of protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate still depends on your individual dog's age, health and activity level, so if in doubt, ask your vet what's right for your dog specifically.
