Simply Nourish Dog Food Review

Dog Food February 6, 2024
Simply Nourish Dog Food Review

Simply Nourish Dog Food Review

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Simply Nourish Dog Food Review

Simply Nourish dog food is the house brand or private label dog food for Petsmart so it’s unlikely that you will see it sold in other pet food stores. It is sold on Chewy.com and through some other online retailers.

As a private label, it’s hard to get detailed information about Simply Nourish but we will provide as much information as we can in our unbiased review so you can decide if this brand is right for you and your dog.

Brand Score

Simply Nourish Dog Food
Brand
Overall Score
Pros
  • No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or fillers
  • Real meat is the first ingredient
Cons
  • Peas and other legumes are found in nearly every recipe; they frequently appear in the first five ingredients
  • Some recipes are very high in carbohydrates
Pros
  • No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or fillers
  • Real meat is the first ingredient
Cons
  • Peas and other legumes are found in nearly every recipe; they frequently appear in the first five ingredients
  • Some recipes are very high in carbohydrates
Ingredients
Overall Quality
Customer Experience
Recall History
Formulation
Nutritional Standards
Research
Price

Our reviews are based on extensive research and years of professional knowledge of dog food brands. In order to remain objective, we do not accept gifts of free products or write sponsored posts on this site.

We’ve examined Simply Nourish dog food closely and graded the brand according to the PupJunkies.com standard. Our criteria include ingredients, quality, customer experience, recall history, working with veterinary nutritionists to formulate the food, nutritional standards, research, and price.

About Simply Nourish Dog Food

From what we can tell, Simply Nourish debuted for Petsmart around 2011. Petsmart doesn’t provide a web site for Simply Nourish or any background history on the brand. We didn’t find any verifiable information about Simply Nourish or its history.

According to Petsmart, the first ingredient in their Simply Nourish recipes is carefully sourced meat, poultry, or fish. Other ingredients are ones that you will recognize, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

They state that they don’t use any artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or fillers, although “fillers” is always a somewhat subjective term in pet foods. Petsmart also emphasizes that Simply Nourish is natural, though this is a broad term according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration use-term-natural-food-labeling.

We do need to mention that Petsmart and Simply Nourish are facing a class action lawsuit over their claims that their foods are “natural.” There have been a rash of lawsuits against pet food companies recently on this subject.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Simply Nourish, a pet food product, was previously manufactured by American Nutrition for Petsmart. In 2020, American Nutrition was acquired by C.J. Foods, resulting in Alphia, a pet food manufacturing giant.

Alphia has facilities in Pawnee City, Bern, Baxter Springs, and Brownwood, as well as five state-of-the-art facilities in Washington, Utah, and Pennsylvania.

They meet or exceed FDA, AAFCO, and USDA standards and work with trusted vendors and verified ingredients. Ingredients are sourced responsibly worldwide, with no ingredients currently coming from China.

Recall History

We found an October 2014 notice relating to a recall for specific lots of Simply Nourish Biscotti with Beef and Sweet Potatoes dog treats due to the potential for mold growth. At that time, the treats were being manufactured by Loving Pet Corps and they made the voluntary recall.

We didn’t find any recalls concerning Simply Nourish dog foods.

What Kinds of Dog Food Does Simply Nourish Offer?

Simply Nourish offers both dry kibble and wet foods. They have grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes, toppers, and treats. Other formulas are made with ancient grains, limited-ingredient diets, and high-protein diets.

Simply Nourish Dog Food: Top Five Recipes Reviewed

Here’s a look at some of the bestselling Simply Nourish dog food recipes on Chewy.com to give you an idea of what’s popular and what other dog lovers are choosing for their dogs.

1.

Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Diet Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 26% Min
  • Fat: 13% Min
  • Fiber: 7.5% Max
  • Moisture: 10% Max
Ingredients: Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Diet Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food is Simply Nourish dog food’s bestselling food on Chewy.com. This is a grain-free, limited ingredient diet, adult maintenance formula. It’s available in a 22-lb bag.

This LID recipe contains one source of animal protein from salmon and one primary carbohydrate sourced from sweet potatoes. The canola oil is non-GMO. This recipe contains zero white potatoes and no chicken. No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Dried Sweet Potatoes, Dried Peas, Dried Lentils, Pea Starch, Ground Flaxseed, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, Dried Carrots, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid (Preservatives), Rosemary Extract.

This formula does include multiple sources of peas and other legumes if you are concerned about possible issues with nutrient-related dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. A link with these ingredients, especially in large amounts, is suspected but it has not been proven.

Salmon and salmon meal are great protein sources for dogs. However, there are seven ingredients listed before the fat (canola oil) in this food. This leads us to suspect that the food relies on peas, lentils, and flaxseed to increase the protein percentage. This is not uncommon with salmon dog foods. This recipe also appears to be high in carbohydrates.

According to the dry matter basis (DMB), this food has 28.9 percent protein, 14.4 percent fat, and 8.3 percent fiber. This formula has an estimated 49.4 percent carbohydrates. It has 367 kcal/cup.

Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
2.

Simply Nourish Source Salmon Recipe High-Protein Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 34% Min
  • Fat: 14% Min
  • Fiber: 6% Max
  • Moisture: 10% Max
Ingredients: Simply Nourish Source Salmon Recipe High-Protein Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food is a high protein, grain-free dog food formulated for adult maintenance. It’s available in a 24-lb bag.

Simply Nourish’s Source recipes are high protein foods made for adult dogs. This recipe features real deboned salmon, salmon meal, and chicken meal. It also provides a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints. Complex carbohydrates help keep your dog full between meals.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Chicken Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Dried Peas, Dried Potatoes, Pea Starch, Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Carrots, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), DL-Methionine, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid (Preservatives), Rosemary Extract.

This Simply Nourish recipe also contains peas and flaxseed in the first several ingredients, if you are concerned about dietary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Whether or not there is a link to dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, these ingredients will increase the protein percentage of the food.

We do note that the first three ingredients are deboned salmon, salmon meal, and chicken meal. Salmon meal and chicken meal, in particular, have had most of the moisture removed and are concentrated meat proteins.

Simply Nourish Source Salmon Recipe High-Protein Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food has 37.8 percent protein and 15.6 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 6.7 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to about 40 percent DMB. It contains 353 kcals/cup.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.
3.

Simply Nourish Grain-Free Chicken with Peas & Potatoes Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 27% Min
  • Fat: 16% Min
  • Fiber: 6% Max
  • Moisture: 10% Max
Ingredients: Simply Nourish Grain-Free Chicken with Peas & Potatoes Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food is a grain-free formula for adult maintenance that is made without soy or glutens. This formula is available in 4-lb, 11-lb, and 24-lb bags.

According to Simply Nourish, with no grains, soy, or glutens, this recipe is easy to digest and highly nutritious, making it a good choice for dogs with common allergies and food sensitivities.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Dried Potatoes, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Pea Fiber, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Carrots, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberries, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Potassium Chloride , Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid (Preservatives), Rosemary Extract.

Like Simply Nourish’s other grain-free formulas, this recipe contains peas in the first five ingredients. This raises concerns about the plant protein percentage as well as DCM issues.

This formula has 30 percent protein and 17.8 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 6.7 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 36.7 percent DMB. It has 380 kcals/cup.

Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.
4.

Simply Nourish Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 25% Min
  • Fat: 13% Min
  • Fiber: 5% Max
  • Moisture: 10% Max
Ingredients: Simply Nourish Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food is a grain-inclusive formula containing rice, oatmeal, and barley. This recipe is intended for adult maintenance. It’s available in 5-lb and 15-lb bags.

This recipe features real deboned lamb, turkey meal, and lamb meal. Brown rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates to keep your dog full between meals.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Deboned Lamb, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Turkey Meal, Lamb Meal, Barley, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Pea Fiber, Flaxseeds, Sunflower Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potassium Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Carrot, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), DL-Methionine, Taurine, Citric Acid (Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.

This recipe looks slightly grain-heavy, with three grains in the first six ingredients, but the lamb, turkey meal, and lamb meal may make up for it.

According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 27.8 percent protein, 14.4 percent fat, and 5.6 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 43.3 percent. It contains 355 kcal per cup.

Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.
5.

Simply Nourish Healthy Weight Turkey & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 25% Min
  • Fat: 9% Min
  • Fiber: 6.5% Max
  • Moisture: 10% Max
Ingredients: Simply Nourish Healthy Weight Turkey & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food is an adult food to help with your dog’s weight control. This food is also available in small breed and a large breed formulas. Comes in 15-lb and 30-lb bags.

This weight control dog food contains real deboned turkey and turkey meal for a good source of protein. It includes L-Carnitine to help your dog burn fat and keep muscle tone. It even has a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints. Brown rice provides complex carbohydrates so your dog won’t feel hungry between meals.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal (Source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Peas, Natural Flavor, Rye Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseeds, Pea Fiber, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Carrot, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberries, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Chicken Cartilage, Citric Acid (Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract.

As with other Simply Nourish recipes, this formula includes peas in the first five ingredients. It also has several different kinds of legumes lower in the ingredient list, if you are concerned about dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs.

This formula has 27.8 percent protein and 10 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 7.4 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 48.9 percent DMB. It contains 350 kcal per cup.

Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.

How Much Does Simply Nourish Dog Food Cost?

Simply Nourish is moderately priced. It compares favorably to many other premium dog foods.

What Do Customers Think of Simply Nourish Dog Food?

Most customers give Simply Nourish dog foods high ratings. There are many five-star reviews. Some 88–95 percent of customers would recommend these foods to other buyers. Each food has some individual low reviews so you should look at them if you have questions about a particular recipe.

We did find some complaints online that buyers had found mold and insects in the Simply Nourish food they purchased, including online sales. These complaints were made sporadically over a period of several years.

Simply Nourish dog foods have never been recalled so you should probably view these complaints cautiously. Anyone can complain online without providing much (or any) evidence. If Simply Nourish or their manufacturer had a serious problem with mold or insects, there would likely have been a recall of some kind.

Overall, Is Simply Nourish Dog Food a Good Choice?

Overall, we do think that Simply Nourish is a good brand, especially for the moderate price.

Where is Simply Nourish Dog Food Sold?

You can find Simply Nourish dog food at Chewy.com and a few online retailers. You can also buy Simply Nourish at Petsmart stores.

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Carlotta Cooper is a long-time contributing editor for the weekly dog show magazine DN Dog News. She's the author of The Dog Adoption Bible, a Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) award winner. In addition, she is an American Kennel Club Gazette breed columnist and the author of several books about dogs. She has been reviewing pet foods and writing about dog food for more than 10 years.
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