Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Dog Food Review (Wet)

Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Wet Dog Food product range consists of 12 recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5  stars.

Specifically made for small breeds, these recipes are grain-free and high in protein to support lean muscle mass and healthy energy levels.

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

Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Teeny Texas Steak Tips Dinner Cup was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food 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 next two ingredients are beef broth and venison broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.

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

The fifth ingredient includes dried egg whites. Eggs are highly digestible and an excellent source of usable protein.

The sixth ingredient lists dried ground peas. Ground peas are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.

However, ground peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
protein.

The seventh ingredient is potato starch, which is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.

The next item is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.

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 this Merrick product.

With two notable exceptions…

First, sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

Next, this food contains chelated minerals, 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, Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Teeny Texas Steak Tips Dinner Cup wet dog food looks like an above-average product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43.2%, a fat level of 18.2% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25.5%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 42% and a mean fat level of 22%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.

Which means this Merrick product line contains…

Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other wet dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the ground peas, this still looks like the profile of a wet product containing a significant amount of meat.

Merrick Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Merrick through December 2025.

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

Our Rating of Merrick Lil' Plates Grain-Free Wet Dog Food

Merrick Lil’ Plates is a grain-free wet dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

All Merrick dog foods are produced in the United States. Most of the brand’s dry and wet recipes are manufactured at one of its 3 company-owned facilities in Hereford, Texas. Unlike most pet food brands, Merrick owns its own cannery.

Merrick also owns Castor and Pollux Natural Petworks (a quality brand known for its certified organic dog and cat foods)… and produces Whole Earth Farms pet foods, too.

Merrick was sold to Nestle Purina PetCare in 2015.

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