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Best Grain-Free Dry Dog Foods

Small dog waiting for the best grain-free dry dog food

In general, the best grain-free dry dog foods contain more protein than their grain-containing competitors.

But…

Many are made using ingredients that can upset the delicate amino acid balance of the finished food.

Which is why the best grain-free kibbles typically contain…

More Meat and Less Plant Protein

By design…

Grain-free dog foods use either potatoes or legumes (like peas, beans and lentils) to replace the cereal grains found in conventional recipes.

Yet even though both make adequate grain substitutes…

Legumes provide an additional benefit.

They’re naturally rich in protein.

But compared to meat, plant protein tends to be less complete in its essential amino acid content.

Which is why we selected the 18 grain-free kibbles below … where meat remains the primary source of protein in each recipe.

Best Grain-Free Dry Dog Foods
March 2024

Here are The Dog Food Advisor’s best grain-free dry dog food brands for March 2024.


Taste of the Wild Wetlands gf Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild Wetlands Grain-Free Kibble

Rating:

Taste of the Wild Wetlands is one of 9 recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Duck, duck meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas
  • Profile: Maintenance
  • Best For: Adults only (not for puppies)
  • See all 9 available recipes

Taste of the Wild Wetlands derives the majority of its animal protein from duck, duck meal and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 20% fat and 36% estimated carbs… which produces a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

A popular and impressive grain-free formula. Highly recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Tender and True Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Tender and True Salmon and Sweet Potato Grain-Free Recipe

Rating:

Tender and True Salmon and Sweet Potato is one of 7 recipes included in our review of the Tender and True dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Salmon, whiting meal, dried sweet potato, tapioca starch, dried potato
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + small or medium breed puppies
  • See all 7 available recipes

Tender and True Salmon and Sweet Potato derives most of its meat protein from salmon and whiting meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 18% fat and 41% estimated carbs… which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.

An above-average product made without grain.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Go Carnivore Lamb and Wild Boar Dog Food

Go! Carnivore Grain-Free Lamb and Wild Boar Dog Food

Rating:

Go! Carnivore Lamb and Wild Boar is one of 5 recipes included in our review of the Go! Carnivore dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: De-boned lamb, lamb meal, de-boned salmon, herring meal, lentils
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + small or medium breed puppies
  • See all 5 available recipes

Go! Carnivore Lamb and Wild Boar derives the bulk of its animal protein from lamb, lamb meal, salmon meal and herring meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 18% fat and 39% estimated carbs… yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

Enthusiastically recommended.



Nulo Freestyle Beef with Apples Freeze Dried Dry Dog Food

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Beef with Apples

Rating:

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Beef is one of 5 recipes included in our review of the Nulo Freeze-Dried product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Beef, beef heart, beef liver, beef kidneys, ground beef bone
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + puppies
  • See all 5 available recipes

Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Beef derives most of its animal protein from beef and beef organs. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 44% protein, 30% fat and 18% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 67%.

A great choice for an adult dog. Enthusiastically recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Instinct Original Grain-Free with Rabbit

Instinct Original Grain-Free with Real Rabbit

Rating:

Instinct Original with Real Rabbit is one of 5 recipes included in our review of the Instinct Original Grain-Free dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Rabbit, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, chickpeas, canola oil
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + small or medium breed puppies
  • See all 5 available recipes

Instinct Original with Real Rabbit derives the bulk of its animal protein from rabbit, salmon meal and menhaden fish meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 41% protein, 23% fat and 29% estimated carbs… which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

An quality all life stages option. Highly recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Canidae PURE grain free limited Duck and Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food

Canidae Pure Real Duck and Sweet Potato Recipe

Rating:

Canidae Pure Real Duck and Sweet Potato is one of 10 recipes included in our review of the Canidae Pure dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Duck, duck meal, turkey meal, sweet potatoes, peas
  • Profile: Maintenance
  • Best For: Adults only (not for puppies)
  • See all 10 available recipes

Canidae Pure Real Duck and Sweet Potato derives the majority of its meat protein from duck, duck meal and turkey meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 18% fat and 39% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

An excellent grain-free option for adult dogs.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Health Extension Grain-Free Buffalo and Whitefish Kibble

Health Extension Grain-Free Buffalo and Whitefish Recipe

Rating:

Health Extension Buffalo and Whitefish is one of 9 recipes included in our review of the Health Extension Grain-Free dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Buffalo, deboned whitefish, buffalo meal, whitefish meal, chickpeas
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + puppies
  • See all 6 available recipes

Health Extension Grain-Free Buffalo and Whitefish derives most of its animal protein from buffalo, buffalo meal, whitefish and whitefish meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 17% fat and 48% estimated carbs… which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.

A superb all life stages selection. Easily recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review


Farmina N&D Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Farmina N&D Grain-Free Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Farmina N&D Grain-Free Chicken Formula is one of 8 recipes included in our review of the Farmina N&D Grain-Free dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Chicken, dehydrated chicken, sweet potatoes, chicken fat, dried whole eggs
  • Profile: Maintenance
  • Best For: Adults only (not for puppies)
  • See all 8 available recipes

Farmina N&D Grain-Free Chicken Formula derives most of its animal protein from chicken and dehydrated chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 41% protein, 20% fat and 32% estimated carbs… which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 49%.

An excellent grain-free option for adult dogs.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Wyson Epigen Grain-Free Kibble

Wysong Epigen Grain-Free Dog Food

Rating:

Wysong Epigen is the only recipe included in our review of the Wysong Epigen dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Organic chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potato protein, meat protein isolate
  • Profile: Maintenance
  • Best For: Adults only (not for puppies)

Wysong Epigen derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken and poultry meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 67% protein, 17% fat and 9% estimated carbs… which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 25%.

An protein-rich, grain-free option. Easily recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review


The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dehydrated Beef

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef Recipe Dehydrated Dog Food

Rating:

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dehydrated Beef is one of 8 recipes included in our review of The Honest Kitchen dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Dehydrated beef, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dehydrated potatoes, organic flaxseed, dried organic coconut
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + puppies
  • See all 8 available recipes

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef derives the bulk of its animal protein from dehydrated beef. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 34% protein, 15% fat and 43% estimated carbs… which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 45%.

A great option for dogs of all sizes and ages.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Orijen Regional Red Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Orijen Regional Red Dog Food

Rating:

Orijen Regional Red is one of 9 grain-free recipes included in our review of the Orijen dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Deboned beef, deboned wild boar, deboned goat, deboned lamb, lamb liver
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + small or medium breed puppies
  • See all 9 available recipes

Orijen Regional Red derives most of its meat protein from beef, goat, wild boar and lamb. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 43% protein, 20% fat and 28% estimated carbs… which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.

A biologically appropriate, all life stages recipe. Highly recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review


Wellness Core RawRev Original Recipe

Wellness Core RawRev Original Recipe

Rating:

Wellness Core RawRev Grain-Free Original is one of 9 recipes included in our review of the Wellness Core RawRev dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal, chicken meal, peas, potatoes
  • Profile: Maintenance
  • Best For: Adults only (not for puppies)
  • See all 9 available recipes

Wellness Core RawRev Original derives the majority of its meat protein from poultry and poultry meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 40% protein, 18% fat and 34% estimated carbs… producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.

An exceptional, protein-rich recipe. Highly recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Acana Wild Atlantic Dry Dog Food

Acana Wild Atlantic Dog Food

Rating:

Acana Wild Atlantic is one of 6 recipes included in our review of the Acana Regionals dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Whole mackerel, whole herring, whole redfish, whole silver hake, mackerel meal
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + puppies
  • See all 4 available recipes

Acana Wild Atlantic derives the majority of its meat protein from various types of fish and fish meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 19% fat and 35% estimated carbs… which produces a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.

A superb, all life stages selection. Easily recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Grandma Lucy Artisan Venison Grain Free Kibble

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison Formula

Rating:

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison Formula is one of 4 recipes included in our review of the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Venison, potatoes, flax, sweet potatoes, carrots
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + small or medium breed puppies
  • See all 4 available recipes

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison derives most of its meat protein from venison. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 16% fat and 46% estimated carbs… which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.

Highly recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review



Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Grain-Free Skin and Coat

Diamond Naturals Grain-Free Skin and Coat All Life Stages Dog Food

Rating:

Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Skin and Coat is one of 4 recipes included in our review of the Diamond Naturals dry product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Salmon, fish meal, potatoes, lentils, peas
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best For: All adults + puppies
  • See all 4 available recipes

Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat derives the majority of its meat protein from salmon and fish meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 16% fat and 49% estimated carbs… producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

A quality, budget-friendly option. Enthusiastically recommended.

Read Our Full Brand Review


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