Highly Recommended
DogFoodAdvisor is reader supported See how
All reviews are 100% impartial but if you buy using links on this page, we may earn a referral fee.
Our Verdict
Blue Buffalo Love Made Fresh product range is made up of four recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
Love Made Fresh tubs are crafted with natural and wholesome ingredients like chicken or beef, combined with carrots and peas, which are rich in minerals and dietary fibre.
Pros
- Formulated with veterinarians and animal nutritionists
- No poultry by-product meals or artificial flavors or preservatives
- Quality protein as the first ingredient
Cons
- Unsuitable for ambient storage, chilled storage is necessary
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Love Made Fresh Chunky Beef Stew with Carrots & Peas | 5 | M |
| Blue Love Made Fresh Chunky Chicken Stew with Carrots & Peas | 5 | M |
| Blue Love Made Fresh Small Breed Adult Chunky Beef Stew Recipe with Carrots & Peas | 5 | M |
| Blue Love Made Fresh Small Breed Adult Chunky Chicken Stew Recipe with Carrots & Peas | 5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Blue Love Made Fresh Chunky Beef Stew Adult was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Blue Love Made Fresh Chunky Beef Stew Adult
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, chicken, chicken broth, carrots, peas, celery juice, brown rice, vinegar, preserved with citric acid, powdered cellulose, flaxseed, vegetable juice for color, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, guar gum, l-threonine, choline chloride, l-tryptophan, dried chicory root, natural flavor, magnesium sulfate, blueberries, cranberries, taurine, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, l-carnitine, vitamin E supplement, sodium selenite, vitamin A supplement, copper amino acid chelate, vitamin B12 supplement, manganese amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), niacin (vitamin B3), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), biotin (vitamin B7), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid (vitamin B9), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodide
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 48% | 17% | 28% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 41% | 35% | 24% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.2
Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many wet products.
The fourth ingredient is carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The sixth ingredient is celery juice. Although raw celery can be very high in water, it can still contribute a notable amount of dietary fiber as well as other healthy nutrients.
The seventh ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The eighth ingredient is vinegar, an item of only modest nutritional value to a dog. We would assume it’s used here to adjust the pH of this recipe.
From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.
This recipe has three notable exceptions.
First, flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
Next, chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
We also note taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Blue Love Made Fresh Chunky Beef Stew Adult looks like an above-average fresh product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 46%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 22.8%.
As a group, the brand features a protein content of 49% and a mean fat level of 20%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 17.8% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 41%.
This means this Blue Buffalo Fresh product line contains near-average protein, above-average carbohydrate, and below-average fat, when compared to typical fresh dog food.
Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Blue Buffalo through December 2025.
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall Event Number 2 of March 2017 (March 18, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of March 2017 (March 3, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of February 2017 (February 14, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of May 2016 (May 31, 2016)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Chews Recall of November 2015 (November 25, 2015)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall (October 8, 2010)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Blue Buffalo Love Made Fresh Tubs Dog Food
Blue Buffalo works with veterinarians and animal nutritionists. This product line of Blue Buffalo is certainly worthy of the 5 stars earned in our review as it is packed with quality proteins.
About
Blue Buffalo was officially launched in 2003 by Bill Bishop, who became frustrated with the lack of transparency and poor ingredient quality in commercial dog food at the time. His inspiration came after his beloved Airedale Terrier, Blue, was diagnosed with cancer. Determined to create a better recipe for his dog, Bishop developed his own formula, and thus Blue Buffalo was born.
In 2018, the brand was sold to General Mills Corporation for $8 billion.
Compare Blue Buffalo Love Made Fresh Dog Food
How does Blue Buffalo Love Made Fresh compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
A Final Word
The Dog Food Advisor does not accept money, gifts, samples or other incentives in exchange for special consideration in preparing our reviews.
However, we do receive a referral fee from online retailers (like Chewy or Amazon) and from sellers of perishable pet food when readers click over to their websites from ours. This helps cover the cost of operation of our free blog. Thanks for your support.
For more information, please visit our Disclaimer and Disclosure page.
