Merrick Pet Care Lil' Plates Grain Free Real Salmon & Sweet Potatoes Recipe Dry Dog Food

Dry Extruded · complete

45out of 100

Average

our rating

Our verdict

Is Merrick Pet Care Lil' Plates Grain Free Real Salmon & Sweet Potatoes Recipe Dry Dog Food a good dog food?

We score it 45/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

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.

Why you might choose it

Doesn't list grain ingredients.
Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.

Why you might not

100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Its additive load costs about 4 points in the rating.

Who is this food for?

Suits

Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon
Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein

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 (40)100% of the recipe is estimated

Estimated composition

supplement 27.5%
veg 16.9%
additive 16.2%
meat 15.8%
carb 15.1%
fibre 4.3%
oil 4.2%

#	As declared	Matched	Label reading	Declared %	Est. %
1	Deboned Salmon	Salmon	meat · good	-	3.3
2	Salmon Meal	Salmon Protein	meat · good	-	3.3
3	Sweet Potatoes	Sweet Potatoes	carb · good	-	3.2
4	Potatoes	Potatoes	carb · medium	-	3.2
5	Peas	Peas	veg · good	-	3.1
6	Whitefish Meal	White Fish	meat · good	-	3.1
7	Pork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols	Tocopherols	additive · good	-	3.1
8	Potato Protein	Potato protein	carb · medium	-	3.0
9	Natural Flavor	Flavor	additive · poor	-	3.0
10	Flaxseed	Linseed	veg · good	-	2.9
11	Miscanthus Grass	Miscanthus Grass	fibre · medium	-	2.9
12	Sunflower Oil	Sunflower oil	oil · good	-	2.9
13	Dried Yeast	Yeast	supplement · good	-	2.8
14	Potassium Chloride	Potassium Chloride	supplement · medium	-	2.8
15	Salt	Salt	additive · poor	-	2.7
16	Apples	Apples	veg · good	-	2.7
17	Blueberries	Blueberries	veg · good	-	2.6
18	Choline Chloride	Choline	supplement · good	-	2.6
19	Zinc Amino Acid Complex	Zinc Oxide	supplement · good	-	2.6
20	Iron Amino Acid Complex	Iron	mineral · good	-	2.5
21	Sodium Selenite	Sodium selenite	supplement · poor	-	2.5
22	Manganese Amino Acid Complex	Manganese	supplement · good	-	2.4
23	Copper Amino Acid Complex	Copper	mineral · good	-	2.4
24	Calcium Iodate	Calcium iodate	supplement · medium	-	2.4
25	DL-Methionine	Methionine	supplement · good	-	2.3
26	Taurine	Taurine	supplement · good	-	2.3
27	Vitamin E Supplement	Vitamin E	supplement · good	-	2.2
28	Vitamin B-12 Supplement	Vitamin B12	supplement · good	-	2.2
29	Vitamin A Supplement	Vitamin A	supplement · good	-	2.1
30	Niacin (Vitamin B-3)	Niacin	supplement · good	-	2.1
31	Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)	Thiamine mononitrate	supplement · good	-	2.1
32	Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)	Calcium pantothenate	supplement · good	-	2.0
33	Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9)	Folic acid	supplement · good	-	2.0
34	Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2)	Riboflavin	supplement · good	-	1.9
35	Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)	Menadione sodium bisulfite complex	supplement · poor	-	1.9
36	Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)	Pyridoxine hydrochloride	supplement · good	-	1.9
37	Biotin (Vitamin B-7)	Biotin	supplement · good	-	1.8
38	Vitamin D-3 Supplement	Vitamin D3 supplement	supplement · good	-	1.8
39	Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols	Tocopherols	additive · good	-	1.7
40	Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product	Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product	supplement · good	-	1.7

1. Deboned Salmon3.3% estimated
Salmon · meat · good
2. Salmon Meal3.3% estimated
Salmon Protein · meat · good
3. Sweet Potatoes3.2% estimated
Sweet Potatoes · carb · good
4. Potatoes3.2% estimated
Potatoes · carb · medium
5. Peas3.1% estimated
Peas · veg · good
6. Whitefish Meal3.1% estimated
White Fish · meat · good
7. Pork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols3.1% estimated
Tocopherols · additive · good
8. Potato Protein3.0% estimated
Potato protein · carb · medium
9. Natural Flavor3.0% estimated
Flavor · additive · poor
10. Flaxseed2.9% estimated
Linseed · veg · good
11. Miscanthus Grass2.9% estimated
Miscanthus Grass · fibre · medium
12. Sunflower Oil2.9% estimated
Sunflower oil · oil · good
13. Dried Yeast2.8% estimated
Yeast · supplement · good
14. Potassium Chloride2.8% estimated
Potassium Chloride · supplement · medium
15. Salt2.7% estimated
Salt · additive · poor
16. Apples2.7% estimated
Apples · veg · good
17. Blueberries2.6% estimated
Blueberries · veg · good
18. Choline Chloride2.6% estimated
Choline · supplement · good
19. Zinc Amino Acid Complex2.6% estimated
Zinc Oxide · supplement · good
20. Iron Amino Acid Complex2.5% estimated
Iron · mineral · good
21. Sodium Selenite2.5% estimated
Sodium selenite · supplement · poor
22. Manganese Amino Acid Complex2.4% estimated
Manganese · supplement · good
23. Copper Amino Acid Complex2.4% estimated
Copper · mineral · good
24. Calcium Iodate2.4% estimated
Calcium iodate · supplement · medium
25. DL-Methionine2.3% estimated
Methionine · supplement · good
26. Taurine2.3% estimated
Taurine · supplement · good
27. Vitamin E Supplement2.2% estimated
Vitamin E · supplement · good
28. Vitamin B-12 Supplement2.2% estimated
Vitamin B12 · supplement · good
29. Vitamin A Supplement2.1% estimated
Vitamin A · supplement · good
30. Niacin (Vitamin B-3)2.1% estimated
Niacin · supplement · good
31. Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)2.1% estimated
Thiamine mononitrate · supplement · good
32. Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)2.0% estimated
Calcium pantothenate · supplement · good
33. Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9)2.0% estimated
Folic acid · supplement · good
34. Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2)1.9% estimated
Riboflavin · supplement · good
35. Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)1.9% estimated
Menadione sodium bisulfite complex · supplement · poor
36. Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)1.9% estimated
Pyridoxine hydrochloride · supplement · good
37. Biotin (Vitamin B-7)1.8% estimated
Biotin · supplement · good
38. Vitamin D-3 Supplement1.8% estimated
Vitamin D3 supplement · supplement · good
39. Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols1.7% estimated
Tocopherols · additive · good
40. Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product1.7% estimated
Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product · supplement · good

Nutrition and feedingProtein 31% · Fat 15%

Declared analysis (as fed)

Nutrient	As fed
Protein	31%
Fat	15%
Fibre	3.50%
Moisture	11%
Omega-3 fatty acids	0.60%
Omega-6 fatty acids	2.30%

Energy: 373 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Feeding and storage

Feeding guide

Keep a clean bowl of fresh water available at all times. Use as an initial recommendation and adjust based on age, size and activity level. If feeding with wet food, reduce dry amount by 1/4 cup for every 3 oz of wet food. 440 kcal/cup.

Additives declared on the label

Technological additives

Mixed Tocopherols (preservative)

Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-12

Brand and contact: Merrick Pet Care

Website: https://www.merrickpetcare.com/
Phone: 1-800-664-7387
Address: Office of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 340, Neenah, WI 54957
Contact page: www.merrickpetcare.com

Trust and provenance

Recall history: No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked: 2026-09-12
Scored with: Model v3 (methodology)
Product page: www.merrickpetcare.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 recipe achieves an overall rating of 45 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +5.1 points to the total. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6, the processing format subtracted -6.7, and the additive load contributed -4.3 points.

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	0.6	9.191	+5.08
Carb share of dry matter	5.5%	-0.115	-0.63
Oil share of dry matter	6.1%	-0.092	-0.56
Vegetable share of dry matter	8.6%	-0.005	-0.04
Additive share of dry matter	21.3%	0.163	+3.46
Supplement share of dry matter	36.9%	-0.012	-0.45
Recipe graded poor	15.0%	-0.065	-0.97
Number of poor ingredients	4	-0.876	-3.50
Largest single poor ingredient	4.6%	0.060	+0.27
Undeclared quantities	100.0%	-0.106	-10.56
Complete diet	yes	2.294	+2.29
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)	yes	-3.158	-3.16
Additive penalty	-19.53	0.222	-4.34
Processing multiplier	0.98	33.786	+33.11
Processing: Dry Extruded	yes	-6.713	-6.71

Show all 40 components

Component	Input	Coefficient	Contribution
Base score	-	30.909	+30.91
Average ingredient quality	0.6	9.191	+5.08
Meat share of dry matter	0.0%	0.096	+0.00
Carb share of dry matter	5.5%	-0.115	-0.63
Oil share of dry matter	6.1%	-0.092	-0.56
Vegetable share of dry matter	8.6%	-0.005	-0.04
Additive share of dry matter	21.3%	0.163	+3.46
Supplement share of dry matter	36.9%	-0.012	-0.45
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	15.0%	-0.065	-0.97
Poor-quality meat in recipe	0.0%	-0.179	+0.00
Number of poor ingredients	4	-0.876	-3.50
Largest single poor ingredient	4.6%	0.060	+0.27
Undeclared quantities	100.0%	-0.106	-10.56
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)	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	-19.53	0.222	-4.34
Processing multiplier	0.98	33.786	+33.11
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	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	yes	-6.713	-6.71
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: +0.02
Additives declared on label: +1 transparency bonus
Subtotal: 45.2
Final score: 45/100

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	31	34.3 (band 18.546961325966855 to 40%)	100
Fat	15	16.6 (band 5.667127071823206 to 20%)	100
Fibre	3.5	3.9 (band 0.5 to 5%)	100
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)	-	-	100
Energy (kcal/100g)	373	412.2	100

Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.

Scored over 5 declared nutrients (combined weight 70); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% 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)	5/10
✓ Energy value declared (voluntary)	5/5
✓ Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)	5/5
✓ Feeding guidance given (mandatory)	10/10
✓ Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)	10/10
✓ Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)	10/10
✓ Batch and date labelling (mandatory)	5/5

Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared).

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.

100/100 · moderate — 2 checkable claims: 2 consistent, 0 contradicted.

Consistent with the label

"Made without corn, wheat, and soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
"Grain free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.

6 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.

Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.

Claim	Type	Check	Substantiation
Made without corn, wheat, and soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives (on page)	Free-from	consistent	Manufacturer assertion
Grain free (on page)	Free-from	consistent	Manufacturer assertion
Real deboned salmon is the first ingredient (on page)	Content	not checkable	Manufacturer assertion
Gluten free salmon dog food (on page)	Free-from	not checkable	Manufacturer assertion
High levels of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids nourish your small dog's skin and coat (on page)	Functional	not checkable	Manufacturer assertion
High levels of glucosamine and chondroitin to support healthy hips and joints (on page)	Functional	not checkable	Manufacturer assertion
Probiotics are added to support digestive health (on page)	Functional	not checkable	Manufacturer assertion
Premium dry dog food (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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