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Our Verdict
NutriSource Grain Free product range is made up of 16 recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 4.5 stars.
This NutriSource Grain Free range offers recipes for all life stages, and small, medium, and large breeds. There are also recipes aimed at weight management and performance. Each recipe contains prebiotics and probiotics to support a healthy gut.
Pros
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- Wide recipe variety
- Contain probiotics
Cons
- More expensive than some brands
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 |
|---|---|---|
| NutriSource Small and Medium Breed Puppy | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Large Breed Puppy | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Small Bites Chicken and Peas Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Chicken and Peas Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Large Breed Chicken and Peas Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Lamb Meal and Peas Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Large Breed Lamb Meal and Peas Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Small Bites High Plains Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource High Plains Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Prairie Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Small Bites Seafood Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Seafood Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Small Bites Woodlands Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Woodlands Select Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| NutriSource Weight Management | 4.5 | M |
| NutriSource Senior Recipe | 4.5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
NutriSource Grain Free Seafood Select was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
NutriSource Seafood Select Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Salmon, menhaden fishmeal, peas, pea flour, chicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid), pea starch, dehydrated alfalfa meal, flaxseed, natural chicken and turkey flavors, dried plain beet pulp, brewers dried yeast, dried tomato pomace, sunflower oil, dicalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, copper proteinate, magnesium oxide, manganese proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide), dl methionine, calcium carbonate, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), lactic acid, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), yucca schidigera extract, yeast culture, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, taurine, l-carnitine, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 7%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 17% | 48% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 35% | 41% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Although it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, raw salmon 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 menhaden fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They’re rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not exposed to mercury contamination as can be typical with deep water species.
This item is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1
The third ingredient lists 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 pea flour, a powder made from roasted yellow peas and also contains as much as 25% protein.
The fifth 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 next 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 is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.
The eighth ingredient is 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.
After the natural turkey and chicken flavor, we find tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup. Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others believe it’s often used as an inexpensive pet food filler.
As the presence of fiber in a dog’s diet is shown to have great importance, we view the inclusion of tomato pomace in this food as a positive.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But realistically, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this NutriSource product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, 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.
Next, we note the use of 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.
Dried fermentation products are also included in this food. Fermentation products are typically added to provide enzymes to aid the animal with digestion.
And lastly, this product contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, NutriSource Seafood Select Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29.8%, a fat level of 16.9% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37.5%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30.9% and a mean fat level of 17.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 36.2% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
Which means this NutriSource product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea products, alfalfa meal, flaxseed and brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
NutriSource Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to NutriSource through December 2025.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of NutriSource Grain Free Dog Food
NutriSource Grain Free is a dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
About
NutriSource is a brand of pet food that was founded in 1964 by a family-owned company called Tuffy’s Pet Foods, located in Perham, Minnesota.
All NutriSource dog foods are produced in the United States. The brand’s dry recipes are manufactured at its family-owned company facilities in Perham,.
The company’s wet foods are produced at its own pet food cannery located in Delano, Minnesota.
Compare NutriSource Grain Free Dog Food
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