Merrick Pet Care Lil' Plates Grain Free Real Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe
Dry Extruded · complete
Our verdict
Is Merrick Pet Care Lil' Plates Grain Free Real Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 44/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this 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.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, turkey, lamb, venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids beef: the label lists deboned beef
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon protein
- 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 (42)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- supplement 25.6%
- carb 18.0%
- additive 15.1%
- veg 15.1%
- meat 9.9%
- oil 7.3%
- mineral 5.0%
- fibre 4.0%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deboned Beef | Deboned Beef | meat · good | - | 3.1 |
| 2 | Pork And Bone Meal | Bone | mineral · medium | - | 3.1 |
| 3 | Salmon Meal | Salmon Protein | meat · good | - | 3.1 |
| 4 | Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb · good | - | 3.0 |
| 5 | Potatoes | Potatoes | carb · medium | - | 3.0 |
| 6 | Peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 3.0 |
| 7 | Pork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols | Tocopherols | additive · good | - | 2.9 |
| 8 | Pea Protein | Pea protein | carb · medium | - | 2.9 |
| 9 | Natural Flavor | Flavor | additive · poor | - | 2.8 |
| 10 | Potato Protein | Potato protein | carb · medium | - | 2.8 |
| 11 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil · good | - | 2.8 |
| 12 | Miscanthus Grass | Miscanthus Grass | fibre · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 13 | Dried Yeast | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 2.7 |
| 14 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 2.7 |
| 15 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 2.6 |
| 16 | Salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 2.6 |
| 17 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 2.5 |
| 18 | Apples | Apples | veg · good | - | 2.5 |
| 19 | Blueberries | Blueberries | veg · good | - | 2.5 |
| 20 | Salmon Oil | Salmon Oil | oil · good | - | 2.4 |
| 21 | Zinc Amino Acid Complex | Zinc Oxide | supplement · good | - | 2.4 |
| 22 | Iron Amino Acid Complex | Iron | mineral · good | - | 2.4 |
| 23 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement · poor | - | 2.3 |
| 24 | Manganese Amino Acid Complex | Manganese | supplement · good | - | 2.3 |
| 25 | Copper Amino Acid Complex | Copper | mineral · good | - | 2.2 |
| 26 | Calcium Iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement · medium | - | 2.2 |
| 27 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement · good | - | 2.2 |
| 28 | Taurine | Taurine | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 29 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 30 | Vitamin B-12 Supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 31 | Vitamin A Supplement | Vitamin A | supplement · good | - | 2.0 |
| 32 | Niacin | Niacin | supplement · good | - | 2.0 |
| 33 | Thiamine Mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 34 | Calcium Pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 35 | Folic Acid | Folic acid | supplement · good | - | 1.9 |
| 36 | Riboflavin Supplement | Riboflavin | supplement · good | - | 1.8 |
| 37 | Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex | Menadione sodium bisulfite complex | supplement · poor | - | 1.8 |
| 38 | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement · good | - | 1.8 |
| 39 | Biotin | Biotin | supplement · good | - | 1.7 |
| 40 | Vitamin D-3 Supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement · good | - | 1.7 |
| 41 | Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols | Tocopherols | additive · good | - | 1.6 |
| 42 | Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product | Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product | supplement · good | - | 1.6 |
- 1. Deboned Beef3.1% estimated
- 2. Pork And Bone Meal3.1% estimated
- 3. Salmon Meal3.1% estimated
- 4. Sweet Potatoes3.0% estimated
- 5. Potatoes3.0% estimated
- 6. Peas3.0% estimated
- 7. Pork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols2.9% estimated
- 8. Pea Protein2.9% estimated
- 9. Natural Flavor2.8% estimated
- 10. Potato Protein2.8% estimated
- 11. Sunflower Oil2.8% estimated
- 12. Miscanthus Grass2.7% estimated
- 13. Dried Yeast2.7% estimated
- 14. Flaxseed2.7% estimated
- 15. Potassium Chloride2.6% estimated
- 16. Salt2.6% estimated
- 17. Choline Chloride2.5% estimated
- 18. Apples2.5% estimated
- 19. Blueberries2.5% estimated
- 20. Salmon Oil2.4% estimated
- 21. Zinc Amino Acid Complex2.4% estimated
- 22. Iron Amino Acid Complex2.4% estimated
- 23. Sodium Selenite2.3% estimated
- 24. Manganese Amino Acid Complex2.3% estimated
- 25. Copper Amino Acid Complex2.2% estimated
- 26. Calcium Iodate2.2% estimated
- 27. DL-Methionine2.2% estimated
- 28. Taurine2.1% estimated
- 29. Vitamin E Supplement2.1% estimated
- 30. Vitamin B-12 Supplement2.1% estimated
- 31. Vitamin A Supplement2.0% estimated
- 32. Niacin2.0% estimated
- 33. Thiamine Mononitrate1.9% estimated
- 34. Calcium Pantothenate1.9% estimated
- 35. Folic Acid1.9% estimated
- 36. Riboflavin Supplement1.8% estimated
- 37. Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex1.8% estimated
- 38. Pyridoxine Hydrochloride1.8% estimated
- 39. Biotin1.7% estimated
- 40. Vitamin D-3 Supplement1.7% estimated
- 41. Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols1.6% estimated
- 42. Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product1.6% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 32% · Fat 15%
Declared analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32% |
| Fat | 15% |
| Fibre | 3.50% |
| Moisture | 11% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.30% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 2.30% |
Energy: 364 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Feeding guide
Using the chart, divide the total cups per day by the total number of times you feed your dog per day to determine the portion size for each meal. Keep a clean bowl of fresh water available at all times. Adjust for age, size and activity level. If feeding with wet food, reduce dry amount by 1/4 cup for every 3 oz of wet food. Transition gradually over 7-10 days.
Additives declared on the label
Technological additives
Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols; Zinc Amino Acid Complex; Iron Amino Acid Complex; Sodium Selenite; Manganese Amino Acid Complex; Copper Amino Acid Complex; Calcium Iodate; Vitamin E Supplement; Vitamin B-12 Supplement; Vitamin A Supplement; Niacin (Vitamin B-3); Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1); Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5); Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9); Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2); Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K); Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6); Biotin (Vitamin B-7); Vitamin D-3 Supplement
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-12
Brand and contact: Merrick Pet Care
- 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 44 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +5 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 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +5.04 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.2% | -0.115 | -1.18 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 10.2% | -0.092 | -0.94 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.2% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 19.1% | 0.163 | +3.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.2% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| Recipe graded poor | 13.8% | -0.065 | -0.90 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 4.3% | 0.060 | +0.26 |
| 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 | -18.18 | 0.222 | -4.04 |
| 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +5.04 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.2% | -0.115 | -1.18 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 10.2% | -0.092 | -0.94 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.2% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 19.1% | 0.163 | +3.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.2% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| 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 | 13.8% | -0.065 | -0.90 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 4.3% | 0.060 | +0.26 |
| 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 | -18.18 | 0.222 | -4.04 |
| 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
- 44.3
- Final score
- 44/100
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 | 32 | 35.4 (band 18.099447513812155 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 15 | 16.6 (band 5.530386740331492 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) | 364 | 402.2 | 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 — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Premium gluten free beef dog food formulated with a holistic blend of high protein and healthy fats to help little dogs maintain lean muscle mass and energy levels" — supported by the declared high protein data.
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real deboned beef is the first ingredient (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Wholesome smaller-sized kibble is perfectly sized for small dog breeds and helps to clean teeth and freshen breath as they chew (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Probiotics are added to support digestive health (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 |
| Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to nourish skin and coat (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made without corn, wheat, and soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain free (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Premium gluten free beef dog food formulated with a holistic blend of high protein and healthy fats to help little dogs maintain lean muscle mass and energy levels (on page) | High/low level | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
Alternatives to Lil' Plates Grain Free Real Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe
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