Rachael Ray Big Life Dry Dog Food Product Line Review
To make a conclusion about the whole product line, we will consider all recipes and their average nutrition ratio.
Recipes Average Compares to Ideal Level
In the total of 2 recipes, the group has an average of 28& percnt protein, 13& percnt fat and 44& percnt carbohydrate.
Protein and Fat: Prefer HigherCarbs: Prefer Lower
- Protein is -2 less than ideal
- Fat is -2 less than ideal
- Carbs is 16 higher than ideal
What does it mean?
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
Made without grains, gluten, or fillers the Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe is a great choice if your dog has allergies or a sensitive stomach. Based on Rachael Ray grain-free dog food reviews, most dogs love the fishy flavor and their coats never looked better.
Key Features
- Real salmon as the main ingredient
- Added chelated minerals
The main ingredient, real salmon, is reinforced with chicken meal and menhaden fish meal which brings this formula to 26% crude protein. Salmon is an easily digestible protein that helps build lean muscles and is a great choice for dogs with food allergies.
Being completely grain-free, this recipe contains sweet potatoes, dried peas, and tapioca as easily digestible carbs that wont cause an upset stomach. Dried beet pulp is added to increase the fiber count and to serve as a natural probiotic that supports a healthy GI tract and proper digestion.
Whole flaxseed and chicken fat create 14% crude fat and also contain omega-3 & -6 fatty acids which support healthy skin and a shiny coat. This formula doesnt contain fresh fruits but is reinforced with added vitamins and minerals which support a strong immune system.
Pros
- Contains natural sources of omega-3 & -6 fatty acids
- Fortified with added vitamins and minerals
Cons
- Fresh fruit isnt included in the formula
Is Rachael Ray Dog Food Good For Puppies
Rachael Ray Nutrish offers 9 all life stages formulas each considered safe for puppies. Nutrish Bright Puppy is designed specifically for growing puppies. The company also offers recipes that are labeled adult maintenance. These should not be fed to puppies. View all The Dog Food Advisors best puppy foods here.
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Rachael Ray Nutrish History
After becoming a successful celebrity chef, Rachael Ray decided to venture into the pet food business and create Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food brand. Although the Nutrish product line carries Ms. Rays name, it is in fact manufactured by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition which is based in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
A family-run and operated company, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition was originally founded in 1933 with the mission of making high-quality but affordable pet food. The companys focus is to make the safest and healthiest foods and treats for cats and dogs and to meet the needs of pet parents.
While Rachael Ray Nutrish dry dog foods are made in the USA, the canned food is made at a manufacturing facility in Thailand. However, Ainsworth states that their wet dog food is made under the same standards as their US-made foods.
Ainsworth Pet Nutrition is a well-known and respected manufacturer whose pet foods are made in compliance with USDA, FDA, and AAFCO standards. However, this company isnt completely transparent when it comes to the sourcing of their ingredients.
The brands website has a glossary of all the ingredients used in Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food. But if you click on the individual ingredients you will notice that some of them are sourced in the US but for many, there isnt any information about sourcing. Since this is an American based company, it is safe to assume that the bulk of the ingredients are locally sourced, but there is a chance that some are sourced overseas.
Controversial Ingredients: Beet Pulp + Iron Oxide
There are a few ingredients listed on the Rachael Ray Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe that give some owners pause. While none of these are likely to cause harm to your dog, some owners prefer to select foods that avoid them entirely.
The two most problematic ingredients in the recipe are beet pulp and iron oxide.
Beet pulp is actually a pretty good source of fiber, but many owners look at it as a cheap filler that fails to provide much nutritional value. As long as it is only included in moderate amounts, it is unlikely to cause any problems.
Iron oxide is essentially rust that is used as a food dye. This may not be a deal-breaker for you, but it is important to note that food colors and dyes are entirely unnecessary additives for your dogs diet, and they only serve to make the food look tastier to you your dog doesnt care about the color of his food.
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How Expensive Are Their Products
The Rachael Ray brand of pet food is by no means expensive in fact, it is designed for affordability and can be found in many local grocery stores.
For a 28-pound bag of dry food, you will spend less than $30 for most of the original recipes, though the Zero Grain and Peak formulas may cost a little more. For 8-ounce tubs of wet food, youll pay about $15 for a case of 8 which averages to about $1.87 per tub.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food Verdict
The Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food brand is advertised as being super-premium and all-natural, but you cant always believe everything you read from the brands website. There is no doubt that Nutrish contains quality ingredients like real meat and veggies, but I wouldnt go so far as to label it super-premium.
While it is true that Nutrish uses natural ingredients, the quality of those ingredients is questionable, at least, when it comes to certain recipes. For example, ground corn is a common ingredient in several formulas although it doesnt provide any nutritional value to dogs. And it is still included even though almost all pet owners know that pet food manufacturers use corn as a filler to bulk up the calorie count.
The fact that Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food always has a high-quality named meat protein as the main ingredient improves the brands entire standing. Also, a wide variety of different meats present is the feature that sets Nutrish apart from the brands of similar quality.
On the other hand, Im not really impressed with the fats and oils which are used in Nutrish recipes. Almost all recipes feature chicken fat as the main source, with some other fat or oil further down the list to bulk up the fat levels and make the food more appealing. Compared to other premium brands and the types of fat they use, Nutrish is a bit disappointing.
With so many different and nutritious options you will definitely manage to find the food you approve of and your dog likes.
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Introduction: Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food
Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food is an above-average dog food that has decent ingredients and budget price tag compared to similar brands. This dog food line has a wide variety of wet and dry food, as well as treats and biscuits to choose from. Nutrish also has limited ingredient recipes and grain-free recipes, so it can work for most dogs. There are some potential issues with this dog food, but it has a lot of great qualities that make it stand out from other brands. Check out what we have to say about Rachael Ray Nutrish.
Rachael Ray Nutrish: Ingredients
Although many of the recipes from the Rachael Ray Nutrish brand have similar ingredient lists, there are obviously important differences between them, so be sure to investigate the ingredients contained in the recipe you select.
Well review the Real Chicken & Veggies ingredient list below, as this is one of the brands most popular recipes.
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Poultry Fat , Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Brown Rice, Natural Chicken Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Peas, Dried Carrots, Olive Oil, Iron Oxide , Zinc Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate , Niacin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex , Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Folic Acid.
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Rachael Ray Nutrish Dish Natural Beef & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
Last but not least, the Rachael Ray Dish dog food review features one of this lines most popular formulas. The Rachael Ray Nutrish Dish Natural Beef & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food is made of natural ingredients that you can see and which your dog is going to love.
Key Features
- US farm-raised beef is the main ingredient
- Made without corn, wheat, or soy
The main ingredient, real beef, gives this food a tasty flavor and is combined with chicken meal. Together they create 26% crude protein which will keep your dogs muscles lean and strong.
Dried peas, brown rice, and brewers rice are wholesome and easily digestible carbs that will keep your dogs GI tract working properly and improve the quality of his stool. And while this isnt a grain-free formula, these ingredients contain valuable nutrients which will support your dogs overall health.
Chicken fat and flaxseed are sources of omega-3 & -6 fatty acids which support healthy skin and coat, and at the same time create 14% crude fat. This recipe also contains cranberries, dried apples, and dried carrots as natural sources of vitamins which are also fortified with supplements for a strong immune system.
Pros
- Features real bites of carrots, apples, and peas
- Chelated minerals improve nutrient absorption
- Lower fat count encourages weight loss
- Fortified with all essential vitamins and minerals
Cons
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Rachael Ray Nutrish Advantages
This brand is a go-to choice for many dog parents and based on countless Rachael Ray Nutrish reviews, most dogs thrive on this food and love its delicious flavor. When compared to other dog food brands, there are a lot of pros of feeding your dog with Rachael Ray food.
Advantages of Nutrish are:
- Most recipes contain named meat as the main ingredient and feature a named meat meal, which increases the protein count
- Dogs love the taste of the Rachael Ray Nutrish dog foods and chicken, chicken meal, and poultry fat are in general a real hit among dogs even if they are picky eaters
- Seafood based recipes from the Nutrish line contain a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids which support healthy skin and coat
- Rachael Ray dog food is very affordable and widely available. Although it isnt the best premium-quality dog food brand out there, it is way better than brands that are at a similar price point
- Nutrish is suitable for dogs of all life stages and consists of several product lines and various recipes that cater to the needs of individual dogs
- Having a lower fat count makes Nutrish ideal for less active seniors and chubby dogs who need to lose weight
- Most wet dog food recipes are made as a stew or feature real pieces of food in a gravy which dogs find extremely delicious
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Rachael Ray Dog Food Review
Best known as a celebrity TV chef, Rachael Ray used her passion for healthy eating and started her line of pet foods Rachael Ray Nutrish. This brand of dog food features products that are made of natural ingredients and based on Rachaels recipes but designed to meet the dietary needs of dogs in all life stages.
Staying true to the brands real recipes, real ingredients, real good slogan, this brand features a variety of different and delicious dog food formulas. All products feature all-natural ingredients such as US raised chicken, beef, turkey, and wholesome fruits and vegetables. There are never any poultry by-product meals or artificial flavors, just tasty and quality nutrition.
The Rachael Ray Nutrish brand is widely available in stores and online and is fairly reasonably priced compared to dog foods of similar quality. So far the brand features five dry foods and three canned dog food lines, all of which feature multiple recipes and different ingredients to cater to the needs of different dogs.
Pros
- Five dry dog food product lines
- Three different wet food lines
- Meets the nutritional needs of dogs in all life stages
Cons
- Some formulas use grains like corn and soy which are considered fillers
Carbohydrates: Ground Rice + Ground Corn
Ground rice and corn are the two primary carbohydrates included in the Real Chicken & Veggies recipe. Generally speaking, these are regarded as low-quality carbohydrates, and most premium dog foods avoid them.
Note that dogs do not require carbohydrates at all they are only included in dog foods because they are an inexpensive source of calories.
In a perfect world, youd probably feed your dog a diet primarily comprised of proteins and healthy fats. But this would be quite expensive to do several thousand calories of chicken per week would cost a pretty penny.
Ground rice is essentially rice flour, and while it is free of glutens, it doesnt provide a whole lot of nutritional value, aside from the calories it contains. Corn is not a problem for dogs who arent allergic to it, but it is generally avoided by most premium dog food manufacturers.
Real Chicken & Veggies derives about 41% of its calories from carbohydrates. While theres nothing necessarily wrong with this, it is far more than would be ideal.
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Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food Review
Customers simply love this dog food for their dogs and the reviews for Rachael Ray Dog Food certainly show this. Great taste, natural ingredients, healthy skin and coats are just a few of the reasons why customers love this dog food. And, dogs are wolfing down this kibble you cant beat the great taste and healthy ingredients.
Average To Below Average Protein Count
Based on four Rachael Ray dry dog foods which I will review later on, this dog food brand has a below-average protein count for its dry food products.
The average protein count for these formulas is 27% which is way lower compared to other dog food brands, especially those who are advertised as super-premium. Most of these brands have at least 30% protein with some reaching 40% or more.
Keep in mind that while the protein count is below average compared to other dog food brands, it is still well above the minimum set by the AAFCO. Overall, your pooch shouldnt experience any problems eating food with a moderate protein count, unless he is a working dog or overly active, in which case you should consider feeding him one of Rachael Rays Peak recipes which have a 30% protein count.
You should also consider that some of Rachael Ray dog foods contain pea protein that is cheaper than meat and will raise the protein count. While plant-based proteins arent bad, it is harder for dogs to extract valuable nutrients from plants than from meat.
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Rachael Ray Wet/canned Dog Food
Until recently, Rachael Ray Nutrish was primarily a dry dog food brand with a rather limited variety of wet dog foods. However, this brand now has several different wet dog food lines which feature tasty and healthy recipes. These lines are:
1. Rachael Ray Nutrish
The Rachael Ray Nutrish wet dog food is the brands first canned line which is basically a canned version of Nutrish kibble. It is made without corn, wheat, soy, gluten, artificial flavors, or additives.
Recipes include:
- Real Turkey & Veggies
- Real Beef & Veggies
The chicken and beef recipes are also available in a Dish Stew variety pack, which can be a more convenient and cheaper option if your pooch is a fan of these flavors.
3. Peak
The Peak ultra-premium wet dog food line features high-quality ingredients which are simmered in a tasty gravy to satisfy your dogs taste buds. This natural wet food for dogs is reinforced with vitamins and minerals and made without grain, gluten, or filler ingredients.
Recipes include:
- Open Range Recipe with Chicken & Beef in Hearty Gravy
- Wetlands Recipe with Chicken & Duck in Rustic Gravy
- Wild Ridge Recipe with Chicken & Lamb in Savory Gravy
- Red Range Recipe with Lamb & Beef in Hearty Gravy
- Woodland Ranch Recipe with Beef & Duck in Savory Gravy
- Wild Streams Recipe with Duck & Salmon in Rustic Gravy
Final Thoughts On Nutrish
While there are a few fairly good recipes in the Rachael Ray Nutrish product line, most of the brands offerings are relatively disappointing. The standard Nutrish line falls into the unimpressive category, not offering much in the way of dog food.
They do meet many of the minimum criteria youd want in any dog food, such as containing a meat at the beginning of the ingredient list and being formulated in accordance with AAFCO guidelines, but they lack many of the super-high-value ingredients included in premium foods.
These foods are probably fine in a pinch, but youd be better off looking elsewhere when looking for a good dog food.
Because cost is always a factor in your dog food selection, and Rachael Ray Nutrish foods are generally affordable and of higher quality than other options in the same price range, weve rated this a little higher than we otherwise would.
But wait!Thats just for the standard Nutrish line. How do the other formulas hold up?
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