The Honest Kitchen Dog Food: A Comprehensive Review
The Honest Kitchen has made a name for itself as a pioneer in human-grade, dehydrated whole food meals for dogs and cats. But does their dog food live up to the hype? This comprehensive review will give you an in-depth look at The Honest Kitchen‘s ingredients, manufacturing, sourcing, health benefits and potential downsides.
Overview of The Honest Kitchen
The Honest Kitchen was founded in 2002 by Lucy Postins after she struggled to find a quality dog food for her own pup. Frustrated by the poor ingredients used in most commercial pet foods, Lucy set out to create nutritious meals made from real, human-grade ingredients.
Today, The Honest Kitchen offers an array of grain-free and whole grain recipes for dogs and cats. Their dog food contains meat, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and grains that have been gently steamed, dehydrated and processed in a human food production facility. This retains more nutrients than high heat kibble processing.
The Honest Kitchen sources 84% of ingredients from North America and the remaining 16% from select regions around the world such as New Zealand. All ingredients are non-GMO and free of corn, wheat, soy and by-products.
Pros of The Honest Kitchen Dog Food
Nutritious Whole Food Ingredients: Recipes feature meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains like quinoa, barley and oats. This variety supplies complete and balanced nutrition without synthetic vitamins.
Grain-Free and Whole Grain Options: They offer recipes tailored to dogs with grain sensitivities or allergies as well as nutritious whole grain blends.
Human-Grade from Farm to Bowl: All ingredients meet FDA standards for human consumption and are processed in a human food production facility for quality control.
Made in the USA: While they source some ingredients globally, all manufacturing from preparation through packaging is completed in the USA.
Minimally Processed: Gentle steaming and dehydrating retains more nutrients than extruded kibbles exposed to high heat processing. Low temperature also preserves taste.
Customizable: As you just add warm water to rehydrate, it’s easy to mix in fresh foods or The Honest Kitchen’s DIY nutrient boosters like bone broth.
Vet Recommended: Some veterinary nutritionists and veterinarians caution against homemade diets for the risk of nutritional deficiencies. The Honest Kitchen offers balanced nutrition without the guesswork.
Potential Cons of The Honest Kitchen
High Price Point: As a premium food made from high quality ingredients, The Honest Kitchen costs significantly more than average kibbles. Feeding a large or giant breed exclusively on this food may not be financially feasible for all dog owners.
Some Ingredients Lack Research: Limited studies exist on the benefits of some of ingredients like cranberries or parsley for dogs specifically. While these may provide nutrition, claims about health advantages are mostly theoretical.
Higher Stool Volume: The high moisture and fiber can lead to larger, more frequent stools versus kibble. You may go through more poop bags. This can indicate good digestion but surprise some owners.
Possible Pickiness: Some dogs may turn up their noses at foods with less familiar textures and flavors or when transitioning off of dried kibble. Picky pups may require a gradual transition by slowly introducing the new food.
Shelf Life Concerns: Once prepared, the food needs to be consumed within 4 hours to prevent bacterial growth. Owners who don‘t follow first-in-first-out practices risk giving spoiled food. Freezing individual portions can help address this.
Not Ideal for All Dogs: The balance of nutrients may not suit puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, working dogs with high caloric needs or dogs with certain health conditions. In these cases, a consultation with your veterinarian is recommended first.
Ingredient Sourcing Confusion: The Honest Kitchen claims humanely raised, sustainably caught meat from trusted North American sources. Yet some reports challenge these claims around their sourcing practices and whether all ingredients truly meet their high standards.
Evaluating Specific Recipes
To help you best gauge their dog foods, let’s take a closer look at some of The Honest Kitchen’s most popular recipes. We’ll break down key ingredients, nutritional value and potential benefits.
Beef Recipe Grain-Free
The Beef Grain-Free recipe skips grains, peas and potatoes and delivers nutrition through nutrient-dense sweet potatoes and pumpkin instead. Help fuel your pup’s muscles with:
- Ranch-raised beef
- Pumpkin
- Sweet potatoes
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Apples
- Coconut oil
- Flaxseed
- Eggs
- Quinoa
With 38% protein from beef and eggs, this formula supplies a well-balanced, carb conscious diet for active or working adult dogs while supporting muscle development in puppies or growing dogs.
Potential Health Benefits
- Muscle support
- Joint health
- Aids digestion
- Healthy skin and coat
Chicken Whole Grain Recipe
The Chicken Whole Grain Recipe features free-range chicken as the first ingredient along with oats, barley and peas packed with fiber and carbohydrates for fuel. It includes:
- Free-range chicken
- Barley
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Peas
- Flaxseed
- Apples
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Eggs
- Chia seeds
This comforting recipe mimics home cooking with its hearty, whole food ingredients. With 30% protein from chicken and eggs, it makes an excellent diet for less active or senior dogs who need fewer calories. Support your aging dog’s joints with its omega fatty acids for skin and coat health.
Potential Health Benefits:
- Joint flexibility
- Digestion regulation
- Muscle support
- Brain boost
Turkey Whole Grain Recipe
Much like its chicken-based alternative, the Turkey Grain-Inclusive recipe relies on cage-free turkey, barley, oats and nutrient-dense vegetables to craft a lower calorie but still flavourful meal suited for less active lifestyles. Key ingredients include:
- Turkey
- Barley
- Carrots
- Eggs
- Apples
- Pumpkin
- Oats
- Chia seeds
With 9% fat and 30% protein, this savory recipe encourages lean muscle development while keeping aging dogs in ideal body condition. The balance of carbohydrates and fiber supports your senior dog’s digestion as well.
Potential Health Benefits:
- Weight control
- Muscle support
- Digestion regulation
- Joint health
Clusters Grain-Free Chicken Recipe
The Clusters provide nutritious whole food ingredients in a crunchy, kibble-like form that dogs love. Free of artificial flavors, colors and additives you’ll find:
- Free-range chicken
- Sweet potatoes
- Eggs
- Pumpkin
- Apples
- Spinach
- Coconut oil
- Flaxseed
With a tasty crunch dogs love, 38% protein from chicken and eggs and limited carbs from sweet potatoes, these clusters supply the energy and nutrition high activity dogs need. The recipe also supports lean muscle development in puppies and younger dogs.
Potential Health Benefits:
- Muscle building
- Athletic performance
- Digestion regulation
- Healthy weight
Customized Booster Blends
In addition to their popular meals, The Honest Kitchen’s personalized booster blends take food customization further. Add in:
-
Bone Broths: Choose turkey or beef bone broth to amplify protein, moisture and savory flavor. The nutrients promote digestion, joint health and immunity.
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Oats & Eggs: Bulk up nutrition with farm-fresh oats and eggs for muscle support, lasting energy plus vitamins and minerals.
-
Gut Health: Get digestion back on track with five billion probiotic cultures plus gut-soothing pumpkin and papaya. Reduce gas and diarrhea.
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Skin & Coat: Pamper skin inside and out with omega oils plus skin-nourishers like parsley and papaya for healthy skin and lustrous coat.
Personalize nutrition to what your unique dog needs most. Consult your veterinarian if your dog requires specialized nutrition for health conditions. Customization allows you to turn one Honest Kitchen recipe into multiple meals to prevent boredom.
What Do Customers Say?
The majority of customers praise The Honest Kitchen for its focus on nutritious ingredients. Numerous reviews commented on seeing improvements in digestive issues, allergies, skin irritation, bad breath and energy levels after switching to this food. Dogs eagerly lap up the tasty recipes.
Critically, some pet owners say picky dogs turned their nose up at the food or had loose stools during the transition. This emphasizes the importance of slowly transitioning by mixing the new food in gradually over 7-10 days.
Most customer photos show happy, vibrant dogs thriving on the diet. Many report the food giving dogs with sensitivities or allergies relief almost immediately with ingredients they can stomach easier.
While some caution the high price, most agree the exceptional quality makes it worthwhile for pet owners willing to invest more in premium nutrition with noticeable benefits.
Specific pros highlighted include:
- Improved digestive issues
- Decreased skin irritations
- Resolution of chronic ear issues
- Better breath
How The Honest Kitchen Compares to Competitors
As interest in fresh, whole food diets rise, The Honest Kitchen now faces stiffer competition. Let’s see how they stack up to their rivals.
Vs. NomNomNow
- More protein sources and recipe variety including grain-inclusive options. NomNom offers just 4 recipes currently based on chicken, turkey, beef or fish.
- end Customizable with booster packs. NomNom fully prepares meals.
- Higher price point on average.
- No subscriptions or autoship options. NomNom offers a slight discount for subscriptions.
Vs. Ollie
- Broader range of customization options with booster packs. Ollie pre-makes all recipes.
- Grain-free and whole grain selections. Ollie is strictly grain-free.
- Made in the USA. Ollie sources some ingredients from New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
- Higher price point on average.
- Multiprotein recipes. Ollie recipes feature one animal protein source per meal.
Vs. Freshpet
- Uses more whole food ingredients without artificial additives. Many Freshpet recipes contain gums, salts, carrageenan etc.
- Prepared fresh instantly by owner. Freshpet is cooked, packaged and refrigerated.
- Customizable nutrition. You get what you see with each Freshpet recipe.
- Low moisture recipes require refrigeration before opening. The Honest Kitchen recipes store at room temp.
- Higher price points on comparable recipes.
Vs. Stella & Chewy’s
- Made in the USA kitchens. Sourced and manufactured in the USA. Stella & Chewy‘s makes products in several countries.
- Broader recipe selection including whole grain options.
- Less processed than freeze-dried raw. Higher price points on comparable recipes.
Is The Honest Kitchen Worth the Cost?
At roughly $6-$9 per pound depending on recipe, The Honest Kitchen sits at the premium end of the spectrum. With some styles exceeding $10 per pound, this absolutely comes at a higher cost than average kibbles.
Factors like your dog‘s size, activity needs, servings per day and personal budget play into if the investment makes sense for your family. By choosing more affordable proteins like turkey or chicken over beef and buying larger box sizes, costs can drop slightly.
To offset the price, you can add lower cost fresh foods like carrots, rice, eggs or yogurt to recipes customize nutrition and stretch meals further. Their broad range of whole food clusters, dehydrated mixes and custom booster packs allows you to balance cost and nutrition easily.
In the end, most pet owners feeding The Honest Kitchen report noticeable improvements in their dog‘s health, energy and skin and coat condition. This suggests exceptional quality nutrition worth paying more for. Dogs with sensitivities or allergies tend to transition especially well.
How to Transition Your Dog
To transition your dog smoothly:
- Mix their current food and The Honest Kitchen together, slowly adjusting the ratios over 7-10 days. This allows their stomach to adapt.
- Hydrate the food fully before serving. Add warm water and let it sit for a few minutes to reach the right texture.
- If introducing a new protein or grain, watch closely for any reactions which may signal an intolerance.
- Separate dogs at mealtimes if one tends to eat faster or guard food from another household pup.
- Stick to a consistent feeding schedule rather than leaving food out all day to monitor input and stool quality.
- Give probiotic supplementation if needed during transition to support digestive health.
- Offer tasty mix-ins like shredded chicken, bone broth or pumpkin to entice picky eaters.
- Contact your vet if any severe reactions, vomiting or diarrhea occur.
Follow tips from The Honest Kitchen’s feeding guide to estimate the right daily portions for your dog’s size and activity level. Portion bags inside boxes help take the guesswork out. Tailor as needed to keep your dog satisfied and maintain ideal body condition.
The Best Honest Kitchen Recipes for Different Dogs
With The Honest Kitchen’s wide range of diets, you can find tailored nutrition for dogs with varying needs. See which recipes veterinarians typically recommend for different types of pups.
For puppies: Choose a whole grain chicken recipe for balanced nutrition to fuel development. Avoid high calcium diets marketed solely for large breed puppies.
For adult dogs: Try a grain-inclusive chicken or turkey recipe or consider one of the grain-free or limited menus if your dog exhibits sensitivities. Add Honest Kitchen’s oats and eggs supplement to customize nutrition further.
For senior dogs: Opt for a recipe made with turkey or chicken coupled with lower glycemic whole grains like barley or oats to supply steady energy and fiber older dogs require. The lower calories support weight control. Joint support bones and broths boost nutrition.
For active dogs: Pick a grain-free recipe with red meat like beef or try the chicken-based clusters for lasting fuel and muscle support. Add bone broth or oats and egg supplements to balance protein and carb sources.
For dogs with allergies: Choose a limited ingredient or novel protein recipe made with duck, fish or game meats to reduce exposure to common irritants. Utilize booster packs to address skin, coat or digestion issues.
Work alongside your vet to select recipes that account for your dog’s medical needs, activity and any pre-existing conditions. Custom-tailor from there using supportive nutrient upgrades like pumpkin for digestion or flaxseed oil for skin and coat health.
Final Verdict
The Honest Kitchen sets themselves apart from lower quality conventional brands by relying on simple whole food ingredients gently processed to retain maximum nutrition. Their dedication to quality shows through in carefully sourced proteins, produce and grains all brought together in their human food facilities.
This exceptional commitment comes at a price. Cost conscientious owners may find the brand out of budget for giant breeds or multi-dog homes. Owners willing to spend more for premium quality will appreciate seeing benefits like reduced skin irritations, improved digestion and shinier coats.
If seeking balanced nutrition without additives or by-products, The Honest Kitchen delivers quality recipes to suit different dog’s needs. Just be prepared for the larger bite out of your wallet. Adding your own fresh foods can stretch costly proteins further.
For pet owners wanting human-grade ingredients tailored to their dog’s unique needs and sensitivity, The Honest Kitchen mealscheck every box. The breadth of formulas supply well-balanced nutrition fueled by natural proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Dogs with frequent digestive upsets, itchy skin or dull coats may find welcome relief with the easily digestible whole food recipes. Just transition gradually and customize to your dog’s needs.
