Nature’s Recipe, what a great name for a pet food brand! When you hear it, your imagination is instantly flooded with fields of green grass, well-kept farms, and bubbling rivers.
The company’s motto is “Recipes with a purpose,” which is reflected in its products. Nature's Recipe dog food recipes are formulated using high-quality ingredients, and size- and age-specific nutrition is taken into account. They produce only wet and dry dog food. This is a big plus in our book because this shows that they have a specific focus, and they’re not trying to impress anyone with a million different products.
In this review, we’ll look at what makes Nature’s Recipe a good choice for your canine. We’ll show you the dog foods that showcase Nature’s Recipe quality.
Who makes Nature's Recipe Dog Food?
We don’t want to get into the details about who acquired what and when, but suffice to say, the company became part of Big Heart Pet Brands, which produces Meow Mix, 9Lives, Kibbles ‘n Bits, and many others.
Big Heart Pet Brands was eventually bought by Smucker’s for $5.8 billion. Most famous for their jams, jellies, and preserves, Smucker’s also owns Folgers, Dunkin’ Donuts, and various food product companies.
Nature's Recipe Dog Food Reviews
Many of Nature's Recipe dog food reviews you’ll find on the web have not updated the ingredient lists and products that Nature’s Recipe currently offers. For example, the company no longer produces dog treats nor Nature's Recipe Pure Essentials line of dog food. We scoured the web for the most accurate information, and we’ll present each product in the most unbiased way.
The most qualified person to consult when thinking about choosing a new dog food is your vet. Also, keep in mind that every dog is different. Your dog might not like certain dog food, and that’s OK. It doesn’t mean the brand is bad, though.
Nature’s Recipe has dog nutrition down to a science. Every ingredient they put into their dog foods has a clear purpose. And every recipe has been extensively tested, both in the lab and by labs (other dogs, too).
Nature's Recipe Adult Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
- Nature's Recipe Lamb and Rice has everything a happy adult dog needs without the fillers.
- The new and improved formula includes Chicken Meat as the 2nd ingredient (Lamb is the #1).
- It’s fortified with vitamins & minerals for a healthy heart, bones, skin, and coat.
Nature's Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
- Zero grains with chicken as the first ingredient.
- Contains real sweet potato and pumpkin for high-energy dogs.
- Kibble is smaller in size to accommodate the small breeds’ smaller mouths.
Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin
- Nature's Recipe Easy to Digest Salmon Recipe is high in Omega-3s.
- Lower in calories than other recipes to help your doggy friend stay in shape.
- Grain-free product but contains healthy carbs from sweet potato and pumpkin.
Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Lamb, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
- High-quality lamb as the first ingredient.
- Includes Linoleic Acid and Glucosamine, which support healthy skin, coat, and joints.
- Well-balanced formula with zero grains and only healthy carbs.
Nature's Recipe Easy-To-Digest Chicken Meal, Rice & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food
- Easy on the stomach, includes prebiotics which aid in digestive health.
- Grain-inclusive, with rice and barley as the main sources of carbs.
- High in protein, chicken is the #1 ingredient.
Nature's Recipe Adult Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
A well-balanced, fortified, and protein-rich recipe without any artificial flavors or flavors. Includes oatmeal and barley, which have plenty of fiber to aid in doggy digestion. Does not contain any soy, corn, or wheat.
The Adult version of the Lamb & Rice Recipe has the fuel necessary to keep your furry friend active, happy, and healthy. This recipe contains whole grains, which aid in digestion. If you’re confused by the term “lamb meal,” we researched and found that lamb meal is everything except hooves, horns, innards, hair, and blood — lamb meal is pure lamb meat.
There are also Puppy and Senior formulas, each with different nutritional contents. Each recipe is well-balanced, with enough carbs, proteins, and fats to keep your dog’s youthful energy at maximum levels. The Original Recipe line does not contain chicken by-products, corn, wheat, or soy. Perfect for dogs with allergies.
One thing to note about the new recipes is that they are more expensive than the old ones. People complain about this online, but we feel it’s a fair trade-off for higher-quality ingredients. There’s more meat in the new recipe with the addition of chicken meal.
KEY FEATURES:
- Fortified with vitamins & minerals
- Whole grain recipe
- No artificial colors or flavors
- No corn or wheat
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4.5, 12, 15, 24-pound bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- High-quality proteins
- The first two ingredients are lamb and chicken
- Great for dogs with allergies (no wheat, corn, soy, or artificial ingredients)
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Nature’s Recipe website has the old recipe
Nature's Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Nature's Recipe Small Breed Recipe is grain-free, with a balance of proteins and veggies. Crafted for spunky small breeds. Easy to digest, contains no wheat, soy, or corn. The kibble is smaller in size, so it’s easier to chew for smaller mouths. Also, there are no artificial flavors or colors.
Small breeds get a bad rap. They’re stereotypically labeled as mean or aggressive, when in fact, they’re just like any other dog breed — they need the right nutrients delivered in the right form. This recipe is high in protein from chicken and garbanzo beans, a great source of nutrients, and it’s also grain-free.
It includes sweet potato and pumpkin, which aid in digestion with the fiber they pack. Plus, these veggies are healthy sources of carbs to fuel your small companion for the entire day. Every Nature’s Recipe food helps dogs stay active, supports skin and coat, and tastes great.
This recipe is the definition of balance. The most important thing to keep in mind is that transitioning to a grain-free diet takes time. Nature’s Recipe recommends adding ¼ grain-free kibble to your dog’s current dry food and adding ¼ at a time, all while monitoring their behavior and health.
KEY FEATURES:
- Added vitamins & minerals
- Grain-free recipe
- No artificial colors or flavors
- Includes garbanzo beans, which are a great additional source of protein
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: Small breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12-pound bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- The first two ingredients are chicken and chicken meal
- Grain-free
- Created specifically for small breeds
- Contains all the essential nutrients dogs require
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Transitioning to grain-free may take 1-2 weeks
Nature's Recipe Grain Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Nature's Recipe salmon dog food is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It has real salmon (it’s the #1 ingredient), an excellent balance of proteins/carbs/fats, and it’s grain-free. This formula is easy to digest and contains no artificial colors or flavors.
This is one of the most heart-healthy dry foods that Nature’s Recipe offers. Its ingredients are similar to the Small Breed recipe above, but it has a few clear differences. First, 100% salmon is used instead of a combination of fishes or their by-products. It also includes Menhaden Fish Meal as the 5th ingredient — which is dried and ground up tiny marine fish — an excellent source of amino acids and fatty acids.
Sweet potato and pumpkin were added as grain-free carbs to keep energy levels high without bogging your canine down in grains. Also, there’s no corn, wheat, or soy, which often cause allergies.
Cats aren’t the only animals who like fish, and the evidence for this is in this recipe. Nature's Recipe reviews across the board rave about how their dogs chow down on the tasty kibble. Like with the other grain-free products, your dog will need time to adjust. It’s always a good idea to consult your vet before starting a new dog food.
KEY FEATURES:
- Added nutrients, vitamins, and minerals
- Grain-free
- No corn, wheat, soy, or artificial colors/flavors
- “Clean” carbs — sweet potato and pumpkin
- Great source of Omega-3 fatty acids
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12, 24-pound bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Easy-to-digest formula
- Contains real salmon
- Has lower calories than other Nature’s Recipe dog foods
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Transitioning to grain-free takes time
Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Lamb, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Grain-free with plenty of high-quality, energy-pumping carbs from vegetable sources. Lamb is the first ingredient. This is a formula your pup or adult dog will love. It also has added nutrients like linoleic acid and glucosamine for healthy skin, coat, and joints.
Lamb isn’t big in the US, and some people might have the impression that lamb meat is low-quality or undesirable. That’s a huge myth! Lamb is consumed by millions of people worldwide, and there’s no doubt it’s tasty. Once your dog tries it, you’ll see for yourself how much they love it.
Nature’s Recipe formulated this meal around lamb — it’s the #1 ingredient. In addition to lamb, chicken meal and vegetable proteins were added to supplement the protein content. Diversified protein sources make for tastier dry food.
Grain-free doesn’t mean carb-free. But, at the same time, carbs aren’t bad — your dog needs carbs for energy, and in this recipe, sweet potato and pumpkin supply the puppy power. Nature's Recipe review threads on Amazon clearly show that this dog food is a canine crowd favorite.
Apart from the standard vitamins and minerals, this recipe includes Linoleic acid, a fatty acid that keeps dogs’ skin and coat in tip-top shape. It also includes Glucosamine for joint and cartilage health, so your furry friend can run and play without aches and pains.
KEY FEATURES:
- Zero-grain recipe
- Zero corn, wheat, and soy
- No artificial colors or flavors
- Great balance of animal & vegetable proteins
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: All life stages
- Weight: 4, 12, 24-pound bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- High-quality carbs (sweet potato, pumpkin)
- The first ingredients are lamb, with chicken meal a close second
- A balanced, tasty meal that can be supplemented with wet food
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Has zero grains, which mean you have to transition your dog to the new food slowly
- The official website has inaccurate nutritional info
Nature's Recipe Easy-To-Digest Chicken Meal, Rice & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
When you want something easy to digest, you turn to simple, whole grain, and fiber-rich foods. This is the easy-to-digest formula for active dogs of all ages. It includes chicken as the #1 ingredient, it has a nice balance of flavor and nutrition, and your dog will love it.
Grain-free isn’t for every dog. Some dogs just don’t function as well without them. Some vets switch dogs from grain-free to grain-inclusive (and vice-versa), depending on how they react to it. No two dogs are the same, and your dog’s diet will depend on their breed, age, and size.
This formula was created to pack a powerful poultry punch. Compared to the old formula, the new one has more chicken and poultry products (not by-products). The chicken flavor will entice your pup and will have him skating on his paws when he hears the sound of the kibble being dropped into the bowl.
The big selling point with this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy to digest, so dogs with GI issues can enjoy a well-balanced meal without sacrificing flavor. In addition to carbs from rice and barley, this dog food has prebiotics, which creates the environment needed for good bacteria to grow — improving digestion two-fold.
KEY FEATURES:
- Chicken and Chicken Meal are the #1 and #2 ingredients
- Includes grains
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Easy-to-digest formula
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 24, 30-pound bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Includes more chicken compared to the old formula
- Rice and barley replace sweet potato and pumpkin as the main sources of carbs
- Consistent with Nature’s Recipe motto of creating recipes with a purpose
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Includes grains, which mean you have to transition your dog to the new food slowly
- The official website has the wrong formula (it has been updated)
Nature's Recipe Wet Dog Food
First off, we think it’s important to stop for a second and remind you that if you read a less-than-five-star Nature's Recipe dog food review, that doesn’t mean the brand is bunk. To reiterate, dogs are sensitive to new foods, and if you switch them to a new food too quickly (and you don’t consider the consequences), it’s not the brand’s fault.
Now, let’s look at the wet dog food from Nature’s Recipe. It’s available in three different sizes: 13.2 oz cans, 10 oz cans, and 2.75 oz cups. You can buy them in a 12-pack to save money (hint, hint). But keeping in line with our advice above, we’d recommend buying a few cans at first until you’re sure your pup likes it.
The wet food recipes have similar names to the dry food, with a few new ones: Prime Blends™ and Healthy Skin. Whatever your dog’s preference, you’ll find something that they love. Calorie-wise, 13.2 oz cans range from 374-445 kcal/can; 10 oz cans from 258-272 kcal/can; and 2.75 oz cup wet dog food is around 65-76 kcal/cup. The number of calories depends on the flavor.
Here’s a full list of Nature’s Recipe wet foods (taken from their official website, subject to change).
Prime Blends™
- Prime Blends™ Grain Free Chicken And Lamb Recipe In Wholesome Broth
- Prime Blends™ Chicken And Turkey Recipe In Wholesome Broth
- Prime Blends™ Chicken And Tuna Recipe In Wholesome Broth
- Prime Blends™ Grain Free Chicken And Beef Recipe In Wholesome Broth
Easy To Digest
- Stew Easy To Digest Chicken, Rice, & Barley Recipe Cuts In Gravy
- Easy To Digest Chicken, Rice, & Barley Recipe Homestyle Ground
- Easy To Digest Lamb, Rice, & Barley Recipe Homestyle Ground
- Stew Easy To Digest Lamb, Rice, & Barley Recipe Cuts In Gravy
Grain Free
- Grain Free Chicken & Venison Stew
- Grain Free Chicken & Turkey Stew
Grain Free + Easy-to-digest
- Healthy Skin
- Stew Healthy Skin Vegetarian Recipe Cuts In Gravy
Original
- Chicken Recipe In Broth
- Chicken & Wild Salmon Recipe In Broth
- Chicken & Turkey Recipe In Broth
Because we’re unbiased, we would like to note that most wet foods are produced in Thailand. That doesn’t mean the quality is poor, but it may be a deal-breaker for you. If you look at Nature's Recipe dog food ratings, you’ll see that they’re just as high for the wet food as the dry food, which makes sense if you because Nature’s Recipe is big on quality standards.
Nature's Recipe for Puppies
Nature's Recipe Puppy Food is available in dry and wet form. Currently, Nature’s Recipe offers the following six puppy foods:
- Easy to Digest Chicken Meal, Rice, & Barley Recipe
- Grain Free Puppy Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe
- Grain Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe
- Grain Free Chicken & Turkey Stew
- Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe
- Grain Free Chicken & Venison Stew
Puppies need different amounts of nutrients for their growing puppy bodies. Looking at the labels, we found that puppy food tends to have more proteins and fats than the Adult and Senior versions.
Nature's Recipe Senior Dog Food
Mature, aka senior dogs, like pups and adults, have different nutritional needs. Generally, that means fewer fats and higher fiber content. Hey, we’re not so different from our pets after all! Nature's Recipe senior dog food is available in wet and dry options: grain-free, grain-inclusive, easy-to-digest, and easy-on-the-teeth stews. We love brands that follow your pets through their lifecycle, from peppy puppies to active adults and all the way to mature mutts.
Nature's Recipe Dog Food Recalls
According to our research, neither Nature's Recipe canned dog food nor dry foods have ever been recalled.
However, in 2012, Nature’s Recipe recalled their Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken due to possible Salmonella contamination. Like in humans, Salmonella can wreak havoc on the digestive system, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. While the risk of death is low in Salmonella infections, it was still enough of a concern to recall the products officially.
Since 2012, there have been no recalls issued on any Nature’s Recipe products, and the recalled product we mentioned above was discontinued.
FAQs
Yes, Nature’s Recipe is a pet-conscious brand that has been making quality pet food for over 35 years. Nature's Recipe wet dog food and dry food comes in different size- age- and diet-specific recipes. Nature’s Recipe has improved its formulations over the years to include better quality ingredients.
Nature’s Recipe dry dog food is made in the USA, and wet food varieties are produced in Thailand. Regardless of where it’s made, Nature’s Recipe adheres to strict nutritional standards laid out by the AAFCO. They use only high-quality sourced ingredients and focus solely on improving your dog’s diet.
While the specific caloric content varies between the various recipes and types of dog food, generally, Nature’s Recipe dry dog food is around ~350 kcal/cup. Calories in the wet dog food depend on the can: 13.2 oz cans range from 374-445 kcal/can; 10 oz cans range from 258-272 kcal/can, and 2.75 oz cup wet dog food is around 65-76 kcal/cup.
Before starting your diabetic dog on new dog food, consult your veterinarian. You should already know what your dog requires, but if you need a refresher, check out this refresher from Tufts University on the best diets for diabetic dogs. Dogs with diabetes need extra fiber and portion control not to overeat, leading to serious problems.
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