Rating: 
Evanger’s Hand Packed Dog Food gets the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
Currently, the Evanger’s Hand Packed product line includes seven canned dog foods.1
- Evanger’s Roasted Chicken Drumette Dinner
- Evanger’s Chunky Chicken Casserole Dinner
- Evanger’s Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy
- Evanger’s Whole Mackerel with Gravy
- Evanger’s Whole Chicken Thighs
- Evanger’s Hunk of Beef
- Evanger’s Wild Salmon
Evanger’s Whole Mackerel with Gravy was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Evanger's Whole Mackerel with Gravy
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Whole mackerel, water sufficient for processing, carrots, peas, pasta, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D2 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamin mononitrate, pyriodoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, zinc proteinate, ferrous proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, and sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 11.1%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists whole mackerel (bones and all). Fish is a high protein ingredient rich in all ten amino acids needed by a dog for life.
The second ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a normal finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient is carrots. Carrots contain beta-carotene and other healthy nutrients.
The fourth item includes peas. Peas are considered a quality source of carbohydrates. And (like all legumes) are particularly rich in natural fiber.
The fifth ingredient is pasta… a noodle product made from wheat flour and water. This item provides a tasty (yet nutritionally limited) addition to the recipe.
We also note some of the “dinners” contain chelated minerals while others don’t. These are minerals that have been chemically linked to proteins… thus making them easier to absorb.
Why Evanger’s chose to chelate only some of the products remains a mystery to us.
Evanger’s Hand Packed Dog Food… the Bottom Line
These seven “hand packed” dog foods are all quality products. But because of their two different designs, it is critical to pay close attention to their intended “audiences”.
Basically, the dinners can be fed routinely to most pets without concern… whereas the all-meat recipes are supplements. They were never intended to be “complete and balanced” dog foods.
Supplements must not be fed continuously as the sole menu item in a dog’s diet.
We prefer to use a food like this as an occasional special treat. Or as an appetizing topper… to be served over a dry kibble.
Now, a look at the nutrient profile of our selected example…
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 11% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 37%.
High protein. Low fat. And moderate carbohydrates (compared to a typical canned dog food).
Featuring a brand average of 46%, protein percentages range from a low of 44% to a high of 56% (for the Wild Salmon formula).
Quality nutrient profiles for the group.
However, to prevent feeding errors, we would have liked to have seen Evanger’s make all seven products either supplements… or dinners. Not both.
Bottom line?
Evanger’s Hand Packed dog food is primarily a meat-based canned product utilizing a generous amount of quality meats as its main source of animal protein… earning the brand a solid five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
The dog food info provided is grate. Can anyone tell me what or which foods are considered or can be rations as diet food. My dog (small beagle) is 25 lbs and needs to get down to about 15-18 lbs. Any advice would be appreciated.By the way my Vet prescribes Hill’ Prescription Diet R/D Canine.
v/r frich
Hi Frank… Many dog food companies make weight management products… but (as you’d expect) all are not equal.
To narrow your choices, click on the menu tab at the top of our website labeled “Tag Cloud”. On the next page, click on the phrase “Weight Management”. This will give you a list of all brands reviewed on our website that contain at least one weight loss dog food.
As you click on each one, remember these are only the brands… and not the specific weight loss products made by those companies. Click on each review until you find only the 3, 4, or 5 star brands. Then look for the name of the weight loss product in the list near the top of each review.
This should give you plenty of choices. Hope this helps.