Instinct Pet Food Freshly Crafted Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe
Fresh Shelf · complete
Our verdict
Is Instinct Pet Food Freshly Crafted Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 51/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Single named protein: chicken
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (32)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- veg 35.7%
- meat 27.8%
- carb 19.8%
- supplement 8.7%
- oil 7.9%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 4.1 |
| 2 | Chicken Broth | Chicken Broth | meat · medium | - | 4.1 |
| 3 | Peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 4.0 |
| 4 | Carrots | Carrots | veg · good | - | 3.9 |
| 5 | Kale | Kale | veg · good | - | 3.9 |
| 6 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb · medium | - | 3.8 |
| 7 | Tapioca | Tapioca | carb · medium | - | 3.7 |
| 8 | Tricalcium Phosphate | Tricalcium phosphate | supplement · good | - | 3.7 |
| 9 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil · good | - | 3.6 |
| 10 | Vitamin A Supplement | Vitamin A | supplement · good | - | 3.5 |
| 11 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement · good | - | 3.5 |
| 12 | Niacin Supplement | Niacin | supplement · good | - | 3.4 |
| 13 | Vitamin D Supplement | Vitamin D | supplement · good | - | 3.4 |
| 14 | d-Calcium Pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement · good | - | 3.3 |
| 15 | Riboflavin Supplement | Riboflavin | supplement · good | - | 3.2 |
| 16 | Thiamine Mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement · good | - | 3.2 |
| 17 | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement · good | - | 3.1 |
| 18 | Folic Acid | Folic acid | supplement · good | - | 3.0 |
| 19 | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement · good | - | 3.0 |
| 20 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 2.9 |
| 21 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 2.8 |
| 22 | Salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 2.8 |
| 23 | Zinc Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement · good | - | 2.7 |
| 24 | Ferrous Sulfate | Iron sulfate | supplement · good | - | 2.6 |
| 25 | Copper Sulfate | Copper sulphate | supplement · good | - | 2.6 |
| 26 | Manganese Sulfate | Manganese sulfate | supplement · medium | - | 2.5 |
| 27 | Calcium Iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement · medium | - | 2.4 |
| 28 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement · poor | - | 2.4 |
| 29 | Turmeric | Turmeric | veg · good | - | 2.3 |
| 30 | Sage | Sage | veg · good | - | 2.3 |
| 31 | Thyme | Thyme | veg · good | - | 2.2 |
| 32 | Rosemary. | Rosemary | veg · good | - | 2.1 |
- 1. Chicken4.1% estimated
- 2. Chicken Broth4.1% estimated
- 3. Peas4.0% estimated
- 4. Carrots3.9% estimated
- 5. Kale3.9% estimated
- 6. Brown Rice3.8% estimated
- 7. Tapioca3.7% estimated
- 8. Tricalcium Phosphate3.7% estimated
- 9. Sunflower Oil3.6% estimated
- 10. Vitamin A Supplement3.5% estimated
- 11. Vitamin E Supplement3.5% estimated
- 12. Niacin Supplement3.4% estimated
- 13. Vitamin D Supplement3.4% estimated
- 14. d-Calcium Pantothenate3.3% estimated
- 15. Riboflavin Supplement3.2% estimated
- 16. Thiamine Mononitrate3.2% estimated
- 17. Pyridoxine Hydrochloride3.1% estimated
- 18. Folic Acid3.0% estimated
- 19. Vitamin B12 Supplement3.0% estimated
- 20. Potassium Chloride2.9% estimated
- 21. Choline Chloride2.8% estimated
- 22. Salt2.8% estimated
- 23. Zinc Proteinate2.7% estimated
- 24. Ferrous Sulfate2.6% estimated
- 25. Copper Sulfate2.6% estimated
- 26. Manganese Sulfate2.5% estimated
- 27. Calcium Iodate2.4% estimated
- 28. Sodium Selenite2.4% estimated
- 29. Turmeric2.3% estimated
- 30. Sage2.3% estimated
- 31. Thyme2.2% estimated
- 32. Rosemary.2.1% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 8% · Fat 2%
Guaranteed analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8% |
| Fat | 2% |
| Fibre | 2% |
| Moisture | 80% |
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Refrigerate unused portion in a sealed container up to 4 days. No fridge, freezer, or prep needed before opening.
No additives recorded yet.
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-13
Brand and contact: Instinct Pet Food
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-13
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.instinctpetfood.com
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.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 0.0/5 · 0 reviews
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This food achieves an overall score of 51 out of 100. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +6.6 points to the total. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6 points. Additionally, the carbohydrate content contributed -3.5 points and the oil and fat content added -1.9 points to the final calculation.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. 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 | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.62 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 30.3% | -0.115 | -3.49 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 20.8% | -0.092 | -1.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 21.3% | -0.012 | -0.26 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.62 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 30.3% | -0.115 | -3.49 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 20.8% | -0.092 | -1.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 21.3% | -0.012 | -0.26 |
| 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 | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | no | 2.294 | +0.00 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| 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 | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| 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 | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
| 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
- -0.08
- Subtotal
- 51.1
- Final score
- 51/100
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.
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.
Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 8 | 32 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 2 | 8 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 80.3 |
| Fibre | 2 | 8 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 75% from the food type.
No nutritional additives section declared on the label.
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture 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 (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| 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 (Analytical constituents declared, Additives declared, 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.
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.
0/100 · limited — 1 checkable claim: 0 consistent, 1 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "Grain-Free Recipes" — the declared label says otherwise on grain-free.
9 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% Human Grade Meal (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Ready to serve - no fridge or freezer required (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Adds Hydration (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Picky Eater Approved (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Healthy Muscles (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich, satisfying flavor dogs crave (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain-Free Recipes (on page) | Free-from | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with fresh, real ingredients you can see (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Real, Natural Ingredients (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with responsibly sourced protein and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables like sweet potato, kale, and brown rice (on page) | 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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