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Is Nutrish a good dog food?
In this review… The Dog Food Advisor takes a comprehensive look at Nutrish Dog Food… and its 6 most popular sub-brands.
Nutrish was formerly known as Rachael Ray Nutrish. It rebranded in 2025.
We’ll also reveal…
- Is Nutrish Dog Food made in the United States?
- Has Nutrish Dog Food been recalled?
- Which flavors and recipes get our top ratings?
But first…
Which Nutrish Sub-Brand Is Best for You?
In the section below, you’ll find Nutrish’s six most popular sub-brands. We’ll also share what makes each different. So you can choose the food that best suits your dog.
Nutrish Dry
This is Nutrish’s original dry kibble. Each recipe is made with grain and ample amounts of animal protein… derived from fresh meat and named meat meals.
- No BHA, BHT or other high-risk preservatives
- Chicken, beef, salmon and other protein options
- 9 recipes (ratings vary)
Nutrish Grain Free
This is Nutrish’s popular grain-free dry sub-brand (formerly Zero).
- No corn, wheat, rice or barley
- Chicken or salmon
- 2 recipes
Nutrish Limited Ingredient
Nutrish Limited Ingredient is a dry kibble designed to help dogs suffering from suspected food sensitivities.
- Only 6 natural ingredients
- Lamb meal and brown rice
- 1 recipe only
Nutrish dish
Nutrish dish is a dry kibble that’s blended with pieces of whole ingredients you can see… like fruits, vegetables and meat.
- Grain-inclusive recipes
- 29% dry matter protein (above-average)
- 2 recipes
Nutrish High Protein
High Protein (formerly Peak) is Nutrish’s nutrient-dense product line. This grain-free dry recipe contains about 10% more protein than the company’s basic sub-brands.
- 34.2% dry matter protein (above-average)
- Added taurine
- 1 recipe
Nutrish Canned
This sub-brand is for those who prefer a wet recipe.
- A recipe for digestive health and weight management
- Flavorful topper for dry kibble
- 9 recipes
- Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com
Is Nutrish a Good Dog Food?
The Nutrish dry product range is made up of nine recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 4.5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 stars.
Pros
- Real protein as the first ingredient
- No artificial preservatives, flavors, or poultry by-product meal
- Affordable
Cons
- Some controversial ingredients
Individual Recipe Ratings
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
Nutrish Real Chicken, Pea, Carrot & Brown Rice Recipe Whole Health Blend Large Breed was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Nutrish Real Chicken, Pea, Carrot & Brown Rice Recipe Whole Health Blend Large Breed
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), dried peas, soybean meal, whole ground corn, pea starch, dried plain beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), brown rice, carrots, cranberries, corn protein concentrate, dicalcium phosphate, salt, menhaden fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural flavor, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement), minerals (zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, manganese sulfate, calcium iodate), choline chloride, taurine, lactic acid, mixed tocopherols (preservative), citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 12% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 13% | 51% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 29% | 46% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is dried peas. Dried peas are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.
However, dried peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fourth ingredient is soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production more commonly found in farm animal feeds.
Although soybean meal contains 48% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label – a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The sixth ingredient is pea starch, a paste-like, gluten-free carbohydrate extract probably used here as a binder for making kibble. Aside from its energy content (calories), pea starch is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The seventh ingredient beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The ninth 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.
Other Notable Ingredients
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 Nutrish product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.
Taurine is 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.
We view the presence of taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.
In addition, this food includes 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.
Lastly, menhaden oil. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. Their oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids, two high quality fats boasting the highest bio-availability to both dogs and humans.
What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not as likely to be exposed to mercury contamination as is typical with deep water species.
Nutrient Summary
Based on its ingredients alone, Nutrish Dry Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28.8%, a fat level of 14.1% and estimated carbohydrates of about 44.8%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.8% and a mean fat level of 15.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.
Which means this Nutrish product line contains…
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the dried peas and soybean meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble still containing a notable amount of meat.
Nutrish Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Nutrish through December 2025.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Nutrish Dog Food
The Dog Food Advisor finds Nutrish to be an above-average, grain-inclusive kibble. The recipe uses a notable amount of fresh meat and named meat meal as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
A Quick Guide to Rachael Ray’s Sub-Brands
Still not sure which Nutrish sub-brand is right for you? This short video from Chewy can help.
Who Makes Nutrish Dog Food?
Nutrish was purchased from Ainsworth Pet Nutrition in 2018 by Big Heart Pet Brands… a division of The J. M. Smucker Company of Orville, Ohio.
All dry foods are produced in the United States. Wet recipes are made in Thailand.
What Do Others Say About Nutrish Dog Food?
As of the time of this update…
Chewy customers rate Nutrish 4.5 out of 5 stars… and 92% say they would recommend it to others.
Here’s an actual user review…
Sample buyer review… “When the food arrived we knew something was different than the other foods we have used because both dogs immediately followed me into the pantry and sniffed the bag from top to bottom. They actually were drooling when I was putting the food into their bowls. I have not had to ‘enhance’ their meals and they don’t leave until their bowls are empty. For us that is well worth the price for this brand.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Nutrish's Best Recipes?
Based on the weighted average of their popularity and ratings, here are our 7 most recommended Nutrish flavors and recipes.
- Nutrish Natural Chicken and Veggies Dry
- Nutrish Natural Beef, Pea, and Brown Rice Dry
- Nutrish Just 6 Natural Lamb Meal and Brown Rice Dry
- Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Turkey and Potato Grain-Free Dry
- Nutrish Peak Grain-Free Natural Open Range Recipe Dry
- Nutrish Dish Natural Chicken and Brown Rice Dry
- Nutrish Natural Hearty Beef Stew Wet
Is Nutrish Dog Food made in China?
All Nutrish dry dog foods are made in the United States by Big Heart Pet Brands… a division of The J. M. Smucker Company of Orville, Ohio. All wet recipes are produced in Thailand.
Is Nutrish a healthy dog food?
All Nutrish recipes meet nutrient profiles established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials… based on guidelines published by the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science. Each Nutrish recipe is considered complete and balanced for the specific life stage printed on the label of each product.
Does Nutrish dog food contain grain?
At the time of our most recent research, Nutrish offers 17 dry and wet dog food products that are made with cereal grain. An additional 19 recipes are 100% grain-free… including Nutrish Zero Grain dry dog food.
Is Nutrish Dog Food good for puppies?
Nutrish offers 9 all life stages formulas… each considered safe for puppies. Nutrish Bright Puppy is designed specifically for growing puppies. The company also offers recipes that are labeled “adult maintenance”. These should not be fed to puppies. View all The Dog Food Advisor’s best puppy foods here.
Compare Nutrish Dog Food
How does Nutrish 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.
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