Everyone wants to feed their dog good food. If you have a limited budget, it can be hard to know which ones give the most value for the money and are affordable. In this article, we will give you our 9 best tips on the best cheap dog food that we think delivers good quality.
Best money value dry dog foods:
Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food
Rachael Ray Nutrish Peak Northern Woodlands Recipe With Turkey, Duck & Quail, Dry Dog Food
Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Turkey & Venison
For puppies: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
For senior dogs: Blue Buffalo Freedom Chicken Dry Dog Food for Senior Dogs Grain-Free
For small breed dogs: Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Shredded Blend Small Breed Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
For large breed dogs: Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Dry Dog Food
For allergy/sensitive stomachs: Purina Beyond Grain Free Natural
Wet dog foods: Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Red Meat Canned Dog Food
Good dog food for limited budgets
Dogs need high-quality foods to be able to live a happy and healthy life. However, quality doesn’t always mean it has to cost a fortune. There are good and affordable options on the market and our list is based on things such as price, high-quality ingredients and gives you the cons on the foods if there are any, we think is worth mentioning.
We were looking at both price and what quality you get for your money while doing this test. To be able to find the best affordable dog food you must know what to look for. In our test, we have 11 different types of food and listing pros and cons, the first six ingredients which we think says a lot about the food and give you an estimate on the price per pound.
Best money value dry dog foods:
Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food
Pros:
+ Chicken as the first ingredient.
+ Contains 7 essential nutrients for the heart.
Cons:
– Has a by-product meal included in the recipe.
– Contains corn.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp & Natural Flavor.
Type of food: Grain-inclusive.
Suits: Adult dogs.
Price: Around $1,40 per pound (calculated on a 38,5 lb. bag without discounts).
Rachael Ray Nutrish Peak Northern Woodlands Recipe With Turkey, Duck & Quail, Dry Dog Food
Pros:
+ Has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
+ 30% high-quality protein
Cons:
– Some say their dogs didn’t like it.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Whole Dried Potato, Dried Peas & Pea Starch.
Type of food: Grain-free.
Suits: Adult dogs.
Price: Around $1,87 per pound (calculated on a 23 lb. bag without discounts).
Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Turkey & Venison
Pros:
+ Real turkey as first ingredient
+ 4 different sources of antioxidants
Cons:
– Contains soy.
– Contains corn.
– Some say that their dog didn’t like it.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Turkey, Chicken Meal, Soy Flour, Beef Fat, Whole Grain Wheat & Whole Grain Corn.
Type of food: Grain-inclusive.
Suits: Adult dogs.
Price: Around $1,59 per pound (calculated on a 36 lb. bag without discounts).
One of the best and cheapest for puppies:
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
Pros:
+ Exclusive LifeSource Bits with antioxidants.
+ Real chicken as the first ingredient.
+ No artificial preservatives or flavors.
Cons:
– Contains grains if you don’t want to include that in your dog’s diet.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley & Menhaden Fish Meal.
Type of food: Grain-inclusive.
Suits: Puppies.
Price: Around $1,92 per pound (calculated on a 30 lb. bag without discounts).
One of the best and cheapest for senior dogs:
Blue Buffalo Freedom Chicken Dry Dog Food for Senior Dogs Grain-Free
Pros:
+ Has 345 kcals per cup so that your dog doesn’t gain unnecessary weight.
+ Exclusive LifeSource Bits with antioxidants for your senior dog’s wellbeing.
+ Real chicken as a first ingredient.
Cons:
– A little pricier.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Deboned Chicken, Potatoes, Peas, Pea Starch, Chicken Meal & Potato Starch.
Type of food: Grain-free.
Suits: Senior dogs.
Price: Around $2,79 per pound (calculated on a 24 lb. bag without discounts).
Blue Buffalo Freedom Chicken Dry Dog Food for Senior Dogs Grain-Free 24 lb. Bag
One of the best and cheapest for small breed dogs:
Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Shredded Blend Small Breed Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
Pros:
+ Guaranteed live probiotics.
+ Has small nutrient-dense kibbles.
Cons:
– A little pricier.
– Contains by-product meals.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Chicken, Rice, Poultry By-Product Meal, Beef Fat, Corn Gluten Meal & Soybean Meal.
Type of food: Grain-inclusive.
Suits: Small breed adults.
Price: Around $2,8 per pound (calculated on a 18 lb. bag without discounts).
One of the best and cheapest for large breed dogs:
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Dry Dog Food
Pros:
+ Contains calcium, chondroitin, and glucosamine to help the bones and joints.
+ Has both superfoods and guaranteed probiotics.
Cons:
– Not real lamb as the first ingredient.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Lamb Meal, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Cracked Pearled Barley, Oatmeal, Grain Sorghum & Dried Yeast.
Type of food: Grain-inclusive.
Suits: Large breed adults.
Price: Around $1,2 per pound (calculated on a 40 lb. bag without discounts).
One of the best and cheapest for allergy/sensitive stomachs:
Purina Beyond Grain Free Natural
Pros:
+ Has natural probiotics
+ No artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
Cons:
– Contains chicken meal as #2 ingredient.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Starch, Cassava Root Flour, Canola Meal & Dried Egg Product.
Type of food: Grain-free.
Suits: Adult dogs.
Price: Around $1,96 per pound (calculated on a 23 lb. bag without discounts).
One of the best and cheapest wet foods:
Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Red Meat Canned Dog Food
Pros:
+ High-quality protein.
+ No corn, wheat, or soy.
Cons:
– More pricey than other options, but it has all good and healthy ingredients.
First 6 ingredients on the list: Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Lamb, Pork Liver & Sweet Potatoes.
Type of food: Grain-free.
Suits: All breeds, all life stages.
Price: Around $3,4 per can (calculated on a pack of 12 cans without discounts).
Read more: do you want to know more about the best dog food brands? Click on the link to read the article.
Frequently asked questions
Does cheap dog food have lower quality?
No, not necessarily. But if you want to feed your dog good and healthy food the ingredients of higher quality costs more for the manufacturer to buy which means the price of the food will go up. So, it doesn’t have to be lower quality, but it tends to.
Does your test show the best cheapest dog food?
In our test, we concentrated on high-quality ingredients such as real meat or poultry as the first ingredient which makes it pricier than if you choose food with a by-product meal instead. We think that you should feed your dog a food that’s healthy, which makes this about value for the money rather than the cheapest.
What is the best cheap dog food?
According to us, it is Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Turkey & Venison. It has real turkey as the first ingredient and four different sources of antioxidants for your dog’s immune system. This is a price-worthy dog food that will fit your wallet.
Get involved!
Comments