Protein is close to the average kibble we review (30.7% on a dry matter basis).
99% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (90% across the site).
22% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 2,491 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
Blue is the pet food brand of the Blue Buffalo Company, which has been owned by General Mills since 2018. Its dog food lines include Life Protection Formula, Wilderness, Basics, Freedom and the fresh Love Made Fresh range. The company says its recipes start with real meat and exclude corn, wheat, soy and poultry by-product meals. 1, 2
Blue Buffalo operates two company-owned plants, the first in Joplin, Missouri and a second, $200 million dry food plant in Richmond, Indiana that opened in 2019. The Richmond plant makes Life Protection Formula, Wilderness, Basics and Freedom dry foods. Public sources do not make clear whether some products, such as wet foods, are still produced by contract manufacturers. 3, 4
Bill Bishop and his sons Billy and Chris started Blue Buffalo in a barn in Wilton, Connecticut, naming it after their Airedale, Blue, and began shipping to PetSmart in August 2003. The company went public in 2015, and General Mills acquired it in April 2018 for about $8 billion. In October 2025 the brand launched Love Made Fresh, a refrigerated fresh dog food line. 1, 2
In 2007 Blue Buffalo recalled its canned dog foods and dog treats during the melamine crisis after its contract manufacturer, American Nutrition, added rice protein concentrate without the company's consent. In 2015, after a Purina lawsuit, Blue Buffalo acknowledged that some of its foods contained poultry by-product meal, and it settled consumer class actions for $32 million without admitting wrongdoing. In 2017 it recalled one lot of Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe wet dog food. 5, 6, 7
Researched from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Dog food
Cub Size - Wild Chews
Blue Buffalo launched an AI tool that identifies a photographed dog food and compares it with a similar Life Protection Formula recipe. The tool also displays ingredient and benefit comparisons. Petfood Industry
An Illinois couple filed a proposed class action alleging that Blue Wilderness grain-free food contributed to their dog's fatal dilated cardiomyopathy. General Mills said the case is without merit and moved to dismiss it. CBS Chicago
Blue Buffalo announced a promotion offering $1,000 credits toward Love Made Fresh products. The release names Tender Meatball Recipes as the newest format in the fresh line. General Mills
Blue Buffalo launched Love Made Fresh nationally in two formats, Scoop & Serve tubs and Slice & Serve rolls, in chicken and beef recipes. The line is sold at Walmart, Target, Kroger, Meijer and grocery stores. General Mills
Blue Buffalo named actor Taylor Lautner as an ambassador for its high-protein Wilderness dog food line and ran an Instagram sweepstakes. Business Wire
General Mills announced that Blue Buffalo would enter the fresh pet food category with a line called Love Made Fresh, due in stores nationwide later in 2025. General Mills
Ten everyday foods. Safe, In Moderation or Never. No googling, no second guesses. Then share your score with your friends, however embarrassing it turns out to be.
115 foods in the deck. Grapes are in there. So is cheese.
Ten foods, one at a time. Call each one Safe, In Moderation or Never, then flip the card to see if you had it right. The ones you miss are listed at the end.
Keys: 1 Safe 2 Moderation 3 Never Enter Next
Copied. Paste it anywhere your friends will see it.
Want the reason behind every answer? The 80-page e-book, $7.99
Now, is your dog's food any good?
Look it up: estimated starch, calories per cup and every ingredient, for 2,493 foods.
