Butternut Box Dog Food Review (Fresh-Cooked)

Butternut Box Fresh Cooked product range is made up of 10 recipes with ratings varying from 3 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 stars.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

These recipes are Unclassified as an AAFCO nutritional profile, but do meet FEDIAF, or European standards, for complete and balanced foods for all life stages.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Butternut Box Pork This Way was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is pork. Pork can be defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered pork” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.¹

This item includes pork heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle – all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

And pork liver is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

Pork is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The third ingredient lists lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The fifth ingredient is squash. Squash is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The sixth ingredient includes green beans, a healthy vegetable notable for its vitamin, mineral and natural fiber content.

The seventh ingredient is cauliflower, a member of the kale family. It’s rich in vitamins C, K, and several B vitamins, as well as fiber and various other nutrients.

Like other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower is believed to provide inflammation soothing properties which can link to anti-cancer benefits.

The eighth ingredient is broccoli. Broccoli is a healthy green vegetable and a member of the kale family. It’s notably rich in vitamin C and fiber and numerous other nutrients.

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli is believed to provide anti-cancer benefits.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With three notable exceptions…

First, we find brewers yeast, which can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.

Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, flaxseed is one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Butternut Box looks like an above-average moist dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 39%, a fat level of 26% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40% and a mean fat level of 24%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 28% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the lentils, brewers yeast and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a wet dog food containing a notable amount of meat.

Butternut Box Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Butternut Box through November 2024.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Butternut Box Fresh Dog Food

Butternut Box is a fresh-cooked then frozen dog food using a notable amount of named meats and organs as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

It is worth noting that the lower rating of the beef and lamb recipes is due to the high fat to protein ratio. With lower fat content all of these recipes would have been 4.5 to 5 stars. We highly recommend the beef and lamb recipes for working or highly active dogs. If you give this particular formula to pets and less active dogs, we recommend you monitor their weight regularly to ensure they remain their ideal size.

Highly Recommended

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