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Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Recipes Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, 12 count
Nature's Recipe

Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Recipes Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, 12 count

Evidence Fair
wet $3.93/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Recipes Variety Pack is a wet dog food featuring chicken and beef as its main protein sources.

This food offers reasonable protein quality, with beef providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Plus, chicken liver adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein.

The biggest thing to note is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. It also contains carrageenan, a thickener that some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation.

Good fit for dogs who enjoy a wet food with quality protein and carbs. Less ideal if you need AAFCO verification or if your dog has IBD.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef: beef anchors position 1, with one pulse (pea protein at position 8), plus chicken liver at position 5 (a natural taurine precursor). 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) .

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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Middle-of-pack grade. 49/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+18.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. beef: beef delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. AAFCO compliance is the deeper issue.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. beef: beef delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Bottom 4% for fat quality in Nature's Recipe's lineup (6/16)
  • Top quartile for DMB fat in Nature's Recipe's lineup (22.7%)
  • Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-free wet foods (36.4%)

Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.

Similar dog foods worth considering

Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Nature's Logic

Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12

67

Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Pate Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Rachael Ray Nutrish

Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Pate Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12

54

$2.94/lb vs your seed's $3.93/lb (25% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • carrageenan
    Seaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

26 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    beef: beef

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    beef broth

    Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  5. 5
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

    Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  6. 6
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

    Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  7. 7
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

    Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  9. 9
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

    Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  10. 10
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  11. 11
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  12. 12
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

    Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.

  13. 13
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  14. 14
    carrageenan Flagged

    Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →

  15. 15
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 15: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  16. 16
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

  17. 17
    apple

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  18. 18
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  19. 19
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

  20. 20
    ground fish
  21. 21
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  22. 22
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

  23. 23
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  24. 24
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  25. 25
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

Showing first 25 of 26. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.