Low Fat Vegetarian Dinner Canned Dog & Cat Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Evanger's Low Fat Vegetarian Dinner is a wet food, designed as a vegetarian option, with sweet potato and potato as its main ingredients.
This formula uses quality carbohydrate sources like sweet potato and potato, which also provide declared fiber.
A significant concern is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which caps its score. The formula is also plant-protein-dominated, with sweet potato as the first ingredient, and it lacks a declared omega-3 source.
Good fit for dogs whose owners seek a vegetarian diet. Less ideal if you prioritize an AAFCO statement or animal-based protein.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Sweet potato leads the deck, with one pulse (peas at position 8), plus added taurine at position 14.
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 33/100, this formula sits below where we look for everyday picks. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 12 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. The ceiling on this score is 59, set because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. Protein quality would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. sweet potato as the #1 ingredient.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest protein quality in Evanger's's lineup (0.3/27)
- Top 10% for crude fiber in Evanger's's lineup (12.5% DMB)
- Lowest fat quality in Evanger's's lineup (4/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 29%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 1: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 2vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 3water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 4grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6tomatoes
Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.
- 7olive oil
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11dried eggs
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12dried brewers yeast
- 13vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 14supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 15mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 19mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 20vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 21mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 22vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 23l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate
A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.
- 24mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 25mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
Showing first 25 of 38. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.