Highly Recommended
DogFoodAdvisor is reader supported See how
All reviews are 100% impartial but if you buy using links on this page, we may earn a referral fee.
Our Verdict
Open Farm Gently Cooked Fresh product range is made up of seven recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 4.5 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.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Open Farm Harvest Chicken was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Open Farm Harvest Chicken
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, carrots, kale, butternut squash, apples, pumpkin, water, flaxseed, coconut oil, salmon oil, potassium chloride, tricalcium phosphate, salt, chicory root, chia seeds, choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, dried kelp, turmeric, cinnamon
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 29% | 25% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 28% | 53% | 19% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the 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 is kale, which is a type of cabbage in which the central leaves do not form a head. This dark green vegetable is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C, vitamin K and calcium.
And like broccoli, kale contains sulforaphane, a natural chemical believed to possess potent anti-cancer properties.
The fourth ingredient is squash. Squash is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is apple, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.
The sixth ingredient is pumpkin, a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
The next ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most wet dog foods.
The eighth ingredient is flaxseed, 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.
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 Open Farm product.
With seven notable exceptions…
First, coconut oil is a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.2
Because of its proven safety3 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.
Next, salmon oil is rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, this food includes chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
We also find chia seed in this product. Chia seed is an edible seed nutritionally similar to flax or sesame. Provided they’re first ground into a meal, chia seeds are rich in both omega-3 fatty acids as well as dietary fiber.
However, chia seeds contain about 17% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
We note this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
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, Open Farm Harvest Chicken looks like an above-average wet dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.5%, a fat level of 29.2% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25.3%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 38.8% and a mean fat level of 28.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 24.8% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 74%.
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flax and chia seeds, this still looks like the profile of a fresh-cooked dog food containing a moderate amount of meat.
However, with 53% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 28% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for pets on a low-fat diet.
Open Farm Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Open Farm through December 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Open Farm Gently Cooked Grain-Free Dog Food
Open Farm Gently Cooked is a fresh, human-grade, grain-free dog food using a moderate amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein… this brand receives 4.5 stars. The 2 poultry recipes receive higher ratings due to their lower and more favorable fat-to-protein ratios.
Compare Open Farm Gently Cooked Dog Food
How does Open Farm Gently Cooked compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
Sources
A Final Word
The Dog Food Advisor does not accept money, gifts, samples or other incentives in exchange for special consideration in preparing our reviews.
However, we do receive a referral fee from online retailers (like Chewy or Amazon) and from sellers of perishable pet food when readers click over to their websites from ours. This helps cover the cost of operation of our free blog. Thanks for your support.
For more information, please visit our Disclaimer and Disclosure page.
