The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters Dog Food Review (Dry)

The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters product range consists of three recipes, each receiving the Dog Food Advisor’s rating of 4.5 stars.

The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters Whole Grain recipes contain protein and fat levels which are ample to deliver nutritional requirements for adults, without being too rich for many dogs. The combination of grains included makes the recipes gentle on digestion and helps dogs feel full.

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.

Recipe and Label Analysis

The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters Whole Grain Chicken Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The third 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 fourth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth ingredient is tricalcium phosphate, a beneficial source of calcium and phosphorous. In addition, this additive is used in wet foods as an emulsifier – an agent designed to disperse a food’s fats more evenly in water.

The sixth ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The seventh ingredient is coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

The eighth ingredient is natural chicken flavour, we’re pleased that the flavorings used are natural. Flavorings are used to make the food more appealing and tasty for our dogs.

The ninth ingredient is salt (also known as sodium chloride). Salt is a common additive in many dog foods. That’s because sodium is a necessary mineral for all animals – including humans.

However, since the actual amount of salt added to this recipe isn’t disclosed on the list of ingredients, it’s impossible to judge the nutritional value of this item.

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, fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high-quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Next we find 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.

This food also contains chelated minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters Whole Grain Chicken Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 25.5%, a fat level of 12% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 49.7%.

As a group, the brand features a protein content of 25.5% and a mean fat level of 13%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 48.2% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 51%.

This means this Honest Kitchen product line contains below-average protein, above-average carbohydrate and near-average fat, when compared to typical dry dog food.

The Honest Kitchen Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to The Honest Kitchen through November 2026.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters Dry Dog Food

The Honest Kitchen Essential Clusters range is a grain-inclusive dry dog food range using a significant amount of named meats as their dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars. 

The brand is marketed as the world’s first human-grade pet food company. It produces high-quality foods and formulates all its recipes with the assistance of veterinary nutritionists.

Highly Recommended

About

Lucy Postins is the founder of The Honest Kitchen, a pet food company that specializes in human-grade food. The company has its headquarters in San Diego, California. All the products are manufactured in the U.S. using ingredients sourced from around the world.

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