Natures Menu 80% Beef Nuggets
Raw complete High meat Clear label
Is Natures Menu 80% Beef Nuggets a good dog food?
We score it 94/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score for this recipe is 94 out of 100. The meat content contributed +7.3 points, while the overall quality of the ingredient list added +5.4 points. Being labelled nutritionally complete gave the recipe +2.3 points, and printing percentages for most of the recipe provided a further +1 points.
- Recipe94
- Nutritionalmedium100
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencestrong100
The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.
Complete raw food for adult dogs, with beef, blackberries and swede as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Meat makes up an estimated 76% of the dry matter (80% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
- Single named animal protein: beef.
Why you might not
- High in fat: 37% fat on a dry-matter basis.
- Needs freezer space and defrosting before serving.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 13%
- Fat
- 11%
- Fibre
- 1%
- Ash
- 2%
- Moisture
- 70%
Energy: 165 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 1,000 IU; Vitamin D3 100 IU; Vitamin E 14 mg; Zinc sulphate monohydrate 50.1 mg (Zn 18.3 mg); Iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 20 mg (Fe 6 mg); Copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate 7.2 mg (Cu 1.8 mg); Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.4 mg (I 0.26 mg); Selenised yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3060, inactivated 8.6 mg (Se 0.02 mg)
Storage
Defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours. Keep frozen until ready to thaw and serve. Once defrosted, store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Single named protein: beef
- Doesn't list chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- You are limiting fat: 36.7% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (12)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80% Beef | Beef | meat | medium | 80 | 80.0 |
| 2 | 4% Blackberry | Blackberries | veg | good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 3 | 4% Swede | Swede | veg | good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 4 | 3% Carrot | Carrots | veg | good | 3 | 3.0 |
| 5 | 2% Peas | Peas | veg | good | 2 | 2.0 |
| 6 | 1% Chicory | Chicory | veg | good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 7 | Pea Fibre | Pea Fibre | fibre | medium | - | 1.3 |
| 8 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil | good | - | 1.2 |
| 9 | Minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 1.1 |
| 10 | Yeast Products | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 0.9 |
| 11 | Yucca | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 0.8 |
| 12 | Green Tea | Green Tea | veg | good | - | 0.7 |
Brand
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-15
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.naturesmenu.co.uk
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-06. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.38 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 75.9% | 0.096 | +7.29 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.9% | -0.092 | -0.36 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.5% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.012 | -0.11 |
| Undeclared quantities | 6.0% | -0.106 | -0.63 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Fresh × high meat | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.38 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 75.9% | 0.096 | +7.29 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.115 | +0.00 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.9% | -0.092 | -0.36 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.5% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.012 | -0.11 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.065 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.876 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.060 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 6.0% | -0.106 | -0.63 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -3.158 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -1.74
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 93.6
- Final score
- 94/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13 | 43.3 (band 24.75 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 11 | 36.7 (band 7.5625 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1 | 3.3 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 165 | 550 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 8 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A 1,000 IU
- Vitamin D3 100 IU
- Vitamin E 14 mg
- Zinc sulphate monohydrate 50.1 mg (Zn 18.3 mg)
- Iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 20 mg (Fe 6 mg)
- Copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate 7.2 mg (Cu 1.8 mg)
- Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.4 mg (I 0.26 mg)
- Selenised yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3060, inactivated 8.6 mg (Se 0.02 mg)
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (94% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 18.8/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Feeding guidance given, Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
100/100 · strong — 4 checkable claims: 4 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Single protein" — supported by the declared single protein data.
- "No grain" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Chicken free" — supported by the declared chicken data.
- "Complete and balanced" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
5 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Strong: at least three checkable claims, all consistent with the declared label, and no compliance cap.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made to FEDIAF guidelines (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps support digestive wellbeing and wonderfully shiny coats (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No artificial colours or preservatives (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Single protein (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| No grain (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Bone free (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chicken free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete and balanced (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 80% beef (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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