Is The Honest Kitchen Limited Ingredient Beef a good dog food?
We score it 68/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe scores 68 out of 100. The undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, cost the product -10.6 points, while the overall quality of the ingredient list lifted it by +6.5. The processing format contributed +6.3, and being labelled nutritionally complete added a further +2.3.
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.
- Recipe68
- Nutritionallow91
- Transparency45
- Safety100
- Evidencemoderate100
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.
Why you might choose it
- Scores 68, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
- Single named animal protein: beef.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 2% of the dry matter (6% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 25%
- Fat
- 7.20%
- Fibre
- 6%
- Moisture
- 8%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E supplement; vitamin B12 supplement; calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5); vitamin D3 supplement; thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1); riboflavin (vitamin B2); Potassium chloride; iron amino acid chelate; zinc amino acid chelate; copper amino acid chelate; potassium iodide; sodium selenite
Storage
Store in original packaging, ideally in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Shelf life is 12 months depending on ambient temperatures and humidity. Do not store dry food in the refrigerator because this exposes it to moisture; if refrigerated or frozen, it must remain there for the duration of use.
Feeding guide
Add warm water, stir, wait 3 minutes, and serve. The food expands after water is added; a 10 lb box equals 40 lbs of fresh food.
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
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 (23)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beef | Beef | meat | medium | - | 5.7 |
| 2 | chickpeas | Chickpeas | veg | medium | - | 5.6 |
| 3 | sweet potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 5.5 |
| 4 | parsnips | Parsnips | veg | good | - | 5.3 |
| 5 | celery | Celery Seeds | veg | good | - | 5.2 |
| 6 | parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 5.1 |
| 7 | tricalcium phosphate | Tricalcium phosphate | supplement | good | - | 5.0 |
| 8 | minerals* | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 4.8 |
| 9 | taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 4.7 |
| 10 | vitamins** | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 4.6 |
| 11 | choline chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 4.5 |
| 12 | Vitamins: **Vitamin E supplement | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 4.3 |
| 13 | vitamin B12 supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement | good | - | 4.2 |
| 14 | calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5) | Calcium pantothenate | supplement | good | - | 4.1 |
| 15 | vitamin D3 supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement | good | - | 4.0 |
| 16 | thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1) | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement | good | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | riboflavin (vitamin B2) | Riboflavin | supplement | good | - | 3.7 |
| 18 | Minerals: *Potassium chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 3.6 |
| 19 | iron amino acid chelate | Iron Proteinate | mineral | good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | zinc amino acid chelate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | copper amino acid chelate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.2 |
| 22 | potassium iodide | Potassium iodide | supplement | good | - | 3.1 |
| 23 | sodium selenite. | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 3.0 |
Brand
- Contact page
- www.thehonestkitchen.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.thehonestkitchen.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.
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 2026-09-26. 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 | +6.50 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 2.0% | -0.115 | -0.23 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.7% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 86.2% | -0.012 | -1.05 |
| Recipe graded poor | 3.0% | -0.065 | -0.19 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 3.0% | 0.060 | +0.18 |
| 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 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.08 | 33.786 | +36.49 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | yes | 6.331 | +6.33 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.50 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 2.0% | -0.115 | -0.23 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.7% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 86.2% | -0.012 | -1.05 |
| 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 | 3.0% | -0.065 | -0.19 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 3.0% | 0.060 | +0.18 |
| 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 | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.08 | 33.786 | +36.49 |
| 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 | yes | 6.331 | +6.33 |
| 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
- +0.28
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 67.9
- Final score
- 68/100
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 | 25 | 27.2 (band 18 to 40%) | 95 |
| Fat | 7.2 | 7.8 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 79.6 |
| Fibre | 6 | 6.5 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| 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, 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.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "grain free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
10 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 with just 6 key ingreidents (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fresh Dog Food (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Human Grade (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| just add warm water to serve as a complete meal (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| ideal for dogs with sensitivities (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Travel Friendly (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Affordable for Daily Feeding (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| grain free (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| low fat (on page) | High/low level | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Shelf Stable (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No fillers, preservatives (on page) | Free-from | 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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