Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food: Review

Whether you are a fan of her show or recognize her name, there’s no denying that Rachael Ray is a well-known celebrity chef, TV host, and businesswoman. While the brand uses Rachael’s name, it’s actually manufactured by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. The company has been manufacturing quality pet food for over 80 years.  

They saw an opportunity in Rachael’s platform and partnered with her in 2008 to create the Nutrish brand. Given that Rachael has a warm, friendly person and a public love of animals—it seemed like the perfect fit. Then the J.M. Smucker Company acquired them in 2018. 

Nutrish’s purpose is rooted in providing premium food for the average buyer to nourish and nurture their pets. They use simple, wholesome, and natural ingredients to cater to your dog’s nutritional needs. All their recipes are complete and balanced, made with real meat, vitamins, and minerals. 

Most of their ingredients come from the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. But their wet food is predominantly made in Thailand. Rachael Ray Nutrish adheres to strict safety standards by employing independent third parties that assess and audit their food safety programs at each manufacturing facility. 

The brand is also committed to philanthropic pursuits. A portion of the process from each sale of Nutrish dog or cat food is donated to The Rachael Ray Foundation to help animals in need. 

Now that you have more background on Rachael Ray Nutrish as a brand, it’s time to dive deeper into their dog food. To help you decide on whether this brand is a good choice for your pooch, we’ve reviewed their highest rated dog food formulas below.

This is a quality product, made with U.S. farmed raised chicken as the top ingredient. So you know the largest % of protein and fats are coming from a great ingredient. The added cranberries and carrots are a valuable source of vitamins and minerals that help support the immune system. I’m sure you want your dog’s digestion to work optimally, well this recipe has beet pulp, which is a wholesome fiber source that provides natural prebiotics. 

The guaranteed analysis of this recipe is within the industry average, what sets it apart is the ingredient quality for the price. This dry food gets the Dogz N Pawz stamp of approval!

Customer reviews:

“I had been feeding my dog a different brand that I thought was the best but after doing some research I decided to switch her. Best decision I made because after her eating this for 2 months she lost 5 lbs and she loves this kibble! I’m saving a ton of money and my dog loves this food. Win, win.”

“We switch between all the Rachael Ray flavors and the dogs do not have any tummy troubles. They get food bored and we usually buy the 14-16 lb bags just switching flavors.”

Guaranteed analysis:

• Protein (min): 25.0%
• Fat (min): 12.0%
• Fiber (max): 5.0%
• Moisture (max): 10.0%

Nutritional Info
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal (Source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Soybean Meal, Dried Peas, Ground Whole Corn, Pearled Barley, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Rice Bran, Brown Rice, Pea Fiber, Pea Starch, Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Dried Carrots, Rice Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dicalcium Phosphate, Soy Flour, Glycerin, Taurine, Sugar, Gelatin, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Salt, Cellulose, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate), Choline Chloride, Vinegar (Preservative), Lactic Acid, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Citric Acid (Preservative), Natural Smoke Flavor, Annatto Extract (Color), Rosemary Extract.

This wet food variety pack is made using high-quality ingredients, in a delicious stew formula. Rachel Ray inspired these recipes herself, so don’t go trying to steal your dog’s food! This product has a higher protein percentage than the industry average.

It is also made without corn, wheat, soy, or gluten. Additionally, you won’t find any meat or poultry by-products, meaning it’s great for pet parents who are concerned about allergies, digestion, or even obesity in their dogs.

Customer reviews:

“My corgi is super picky. I’ve tried other brands like blue, taste of the wild, kibbles, and wet food but coco eats it the first 2-3 days but later he gets bored. Right now I’m trying Nutrish kibbles and wet food and he likes it even wants more when he finishes his plate. I’m very happy with this brand.

“I have fed my dogs Nutro wet food for years. All of a sudden they wouldn’t eat it. I tried several varieties of other brands and no luck. Possibly because I was spoiling them with human food in between. Finally tried Rachel Ray and they love it. Who knew!!”

Guaranteed analysis: 

• Protein (min): 9.0%
• Fat (min): 5.0%
• Fiber (max): 2.0%
• Moisture (max): 78.0%

Nutritional Info

Chicken Paw Pie: Chicken Broth, Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Egg White, Pea Protein, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Pineapple, Ground Tapioca, Dicalcium Phosphate, Natural flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Sulfate, Fish Oil, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Caramel (color), Celery Powder, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of vitamin K activity).

Hearty Beef Stew: Chicken Broth, Beef, Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Egg White, Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Potato, Carrots, Green Pea, Ground Tapioca, Dicalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Caramel (color), Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Fish Oil, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Magnesium Sulfate, Celery Powder, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of vitamin K activity).

Savory Lamb Stew: Chicken broth, Lamb, Dried Egg Product, Chicken, Egg White, Pea Protein, Ground Tapioca, Natural Flavor, Carrots, Brown Rice, Dicalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Spinach, Choline Chloride, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Caramel (Color), Fish Oil, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Celery Powder, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of vitamin K activity).

Rachael Ray Nutrish cat food has been recalled once. This was in 2015 when several wet cat food varieties were pulled due to high levels of Vitamin D. 

According to their website, Rachael Ray Nutrish is actively working with Pet Food Industry (PFI) to establish and implement “Best Practices” that are aligned with evolving regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act. 

It should also be noted that Rachael Ray Nutrish has been in the media for a couple of legal conflicts, though they have either been inconclusive or dismissed:

• In 2019, the FDA named Rachael Ray Nutrish one of 16 brands associated with potentially increased risk of heart disease in pets. However, none of these brands, including Nutrish, have been recalled and the investigation remains inconclusive as of May 2020. 
• In 2018, a New York customer filed a $5 million class-action lawsuit which alleged that Nutrish was guilty of mislabeling products and that there were traces of an undisclosed dangerous herbicide called glyphosate. But this lawsuit has been thrown out twice and it was officially dismissed in February 2020.