Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Dinners product range is made up of 13 recipes with ratings varying from 3 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4 stars.
Some recipes in this range have received lower ratings due to their high fat-to-protein ratios, consequently bringing down the overall rating to 4 stars. However, this brand uses high-quality ingredients and incorporates organic produce, making it a very good quality choice.
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
Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Chewy’s Chicken Dinner Patties was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Chewy’s Chicken Dinner Patties
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken with ground bone, chicken liver, chicken gizzard, pumpkin seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash, organic blueberries, fenugreek seed, potassium chloride, dried kelp, sodium phosphate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), choline chloride, dried pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, taurine, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 48% | 28% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 51% | 30% | 12% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 38% | 53% | 9% |
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.
This item includes ground bone, an excellent source of natural calcium.
The second ingredient is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The next ingredient is chicken gizzard. The gizzard is a low-fat, meaty organ found in the digestive tract of birds and assists in grinding up a consumed food. This item is considered a canine dietary delicacy.
The fourth ingredient includes pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and, more importantly, linoleic acid – an essential omega-6 fat.
The fifth ingredient lists organic cranberries, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.
The next ingredient is organic spinach. Due to its exceptional vitamin and mineral content, spinach exhibits a remarkably high nutrient Completeness Score2 of 91.
The seventh ingredient is organic 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.
Next, we find beets, the root portion of a sugar beet plant. As the name implies, beets contain a high concentration of sucrose (sugar).
The ninth ingredient lists organic carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
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 five notable exceptions…
Since this recipe contains a number of organic ingredients, we feel compelled to grant this line a more favorable status as we consider its final rating.
That’s because organic ingredients must comply with notably more stringent government standards – standards which significantly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
We note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added to provide enzymes to aid the animal with digestion.
Next, taurine is an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
In addition, 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 includes 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, Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Chewy’s Chicken Dinner Patties looks like a superior raw product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 51%, a fat level of 30% and estimated carbohydrates of about 12%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 45% and a mean fat level of 35%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 12% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 81%.
Which means this Stella & Chewy’s product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical raw dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a raw product containing an abundance of meat.
Stella & Chewy Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Stella & Chewy through November 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Dinners Dog Food
Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Dinners is a grain-free raw dog food using a generous amount of named meats and organs as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Compare Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Dinners Dog Food
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A Final Word
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