The 6 Best Budget Dog Foods of 2023

While premium dog food brands have proliferated, it’s still possible to provide a nutritionally complete diet to your dog without exploding your grocery budget. While there are great dog foods available from boutique manufacturers and subscription services, it’s often best to turn to bigger brands when shopping for dog foods on a budget.


“My recommendation is for a national brand, because there are more states monitoring whether the pet food companies are obeying the rules,” says Richard C. Hill, PhD, DACVIM (medicine), DACVIM (nutrition), associate professor and board-certified veterinary nutritionist at the University of Florida. “I also recommend a large manufacturer because they have the resources to check their supply chain and test their foods more than smaller companies.”


We’ve looked at a wide range of brands for dog foods that are complete and balanced and won’t require you to wear a monocle or take out a second mortgage. While it’s always advisable to speak with your dog’s veterinarian before making a dietary change—especially if your dog is older or has a sensitive stomach—our reasonably priced picks are a great place to start your own research.


Our overall favorite is Purina ONE, which offers comprehensive nutrition while providing a wide variety of formulas. It also includes both crunchy kibble and chewy pieces of meat, so most dogs love it, but we also have several other dog foods to recommend that your dog might like even more.


Here are the best budget dog foods.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall Dry:

Purina ONE Purina ONE Dog Food at Amazon

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Best Overall Wet:

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner Canned Dog Food at Chewy

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Best for Puppies:

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food at Amazon

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Best Bulk Buy:

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dog Food at Amazon

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Best for Seniors:

Iams ProActive Health Mature Adult Dry Dog Food at Amazon

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Best Grain-Free:

Nature's Recipe Dry Dog Food Grain Free Chicken Recipe at Amazon

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In This Article


    Our Picks

    What to Look for in Budget Dog Food

    FAQ

    Why Trust The Spruce Pets?


Best Overall Dry Purina ONE Smartblend Natural Dog Food

4.9

purina one dog food


Chewy

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What We Like


    Real meat first ingredient


    Trusted brand, with many of the same advantages as premium line


    Prebiotic fiber


    Multi-textured food with both chewy and crunchy textures


    Wide range of formulas and sizes


What We Don't Like


    No probiotics


Purina Pro Plan is one of our most recommended dog foods, and we especially like their puppy formula, but you can get many of the same advantages with Purina’s budget line, Purina ONE. Purina ONE is available for as little as $1.26 per pound (for a 40-pound bag), while Purina Pro Plan costs closer to $1.70 per pound.


Real chicken is the first ingredient in Purina ONE Smartblend Natural Dog Food Chicken & Rice Formula (just as lamb is the first ingredient for the Lamb & Rice formula). It’s made without fillers and has prebiotic fiber designed to foster a healthy microbiota. It also has glucosamine, which is commonly recommended by veterinarians for joint health. (Hard evidence demonstrates that glucosamine’s connection to joint health is limited so far, but it’s a safe addition to your dog’s diet while research is ongoing.)1


But Purina ONE doesn’t just offer complete nutrition, it’s also likely to be a hit with your dog, thanks to its combination of crunchy kibble and tender meat morsels.


Purina ONE doesn’t have probiotics, unlike Purina Pro Plan. While probiotics have been demonstrated to have some benefits, they’re probably not necessary for healthy dogs, and data on their efficacy is still fairly limited.2 Purina ONE also has slightly less fiber and fewer natural ingredients. If you’re just looking for a basic dog food for an adult pet without specific dietary needs, you’re saving money without giving up too much by opting for ONE over Pro Plan.


Purina ONE Smartblend Natural Dog Food is available in Chicken & Rice, Beef & Rice, and Lamb & Rice flavors, in addition to tailored formulas for puppies, senior dogs, large breeds, sensitive stomachs, and more. It’s also available in a wet food formula.


Life Stage: Adult︱Available Flavors: Chicken & rice, beef & rice, lamb & rice, and more︱Nutritional Specs: 26 percent protein, 16 percent crude fat, 12 percent moisture

Best Overall Wet Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner Canned Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner Canned Dog Food


Amazon

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What We Like


    High quality meat ingredients


    Whole vegetables


    No artificial colors or preservatives


    Wide range of flavors


What We Don't Like


    Medium-small dogs may find small breed portions are not enough, while the full-size can portions are too much


Chicken, chicken broth, and chicken liver are the first three ingredients in Blue Buffalo’s Homestyle Recipe “Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables” formula, but you can actually see chunks of carrots and peas, too. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe is a pate-style wet food that contains zero corn, wheat, or soy.


Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe also offers a wide range of flavors, including Turkey Meatloaf, Beef Dinner, Fish & Sweet Potato, Lamb Dinner, and more. There are also specialized blends for small breed dogs, which come in smaller, 3.5 ounce portions, compared to the standard 12.5 ounce can.


Life Stage: Adult (also available in large breed formula)︱Available Flavors: Chicken, turkey, beef︱Nutritional Specs: 8.5 percent protein, 5.5 percent fat, 78 percent moisture

Best for Puppies Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food


Amazon

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What We Like


    Available in several formulas including large breed


    No artificial colors or flavors


    Available in smaller kibble size for little breeds


What We Don't Like


    Larger bags more cost-effective but can go stale quickly with small breeds


Puppies are growing fast and have about twice the energy needs of an adult dog of the same breed, and this vet and breeder-recommended brand has everything your growing pooch needs. Puppy blends are typically higher in fat content and protein content to help them grow. It also contains ingredients such as DHA for brain and vision development.


Purina Pro Plan Puppy is available in several variants, targeting specific young dog age ranges and needs.


Life Stage: Puppies︱Available Flavors: Chicken, lamb, beef︱Nutritional Specs: 28 percent protein, 18 percent fat, 12 percent moisture

The 8 Best Dog Food Brands of 2023

Best Bulk Buy Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dog Food

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor


Chewy

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What We Like


    Readily available


    Budget-friendly


What We Don't Like


    First ingredient listed is corn


    Kibble is too large for very small dogs


If you’ve got a big eater, then Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition is a bargain bulk buy, available in bags up to 44 pounds. It’s complete and balanced, containing no artificial flavors or added sugar. The kibble comes in three different sizes, offering a varied texture for your dog.


Life Stage: Adult︱Flavors: Steak, chicken︱Nutritional Specs: 21 percent protein, 10 percent fat, 12 percent moisture

Best for Seniors Iams ProActive Health Mature Adult Dry Dog Food

Iams ProActive Health Mature Adult Dry Dog Food


Amazon

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What We Like


    Small size nuggets easier for older dogs to chew, especially if they have dental issues


    Also available in large breed formula


What We Don't Like


    Sometimes difficult to find


Senior dogs need protein to maintain muscle mass and also may benefit from food that contains supplements for brain and joint health. Iams Proactive Health Healthy Aging Dog Food has real chicken as the first ingredient and contains nutrients to support aging joints and fiber for healthy digestion. That may help senior dogs with more regular bathroom habits.


Flavors: Chicken︱Life Stage: Senior (age 6 or older for large dogs, 7 to 10 years for small dogs)︱Nutritional Specs: 24 percent protein, 10.5 percent fat, 10 percent moisture

The 9 Best Dog Foods for Sensitive Stomachs of 2023

Best Grain-Free Nature's Recipe Dry Dog Food, Grain Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe

Nature's Recipe Dry Dog Food, Grain Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe


 Amazon

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What We Like


    Reasonably priced for grain free food


    Real chicken is first ingredient


    Sweet potato and pumpkin are easy on digestion


What We Don't Like


    Sometimes difficult to find


Grain-free diets are meant for dogs who have been diagnosed by a vet with dietary sensitivities, not for the average dog. Despite the increased availability of this food in recent years, it’s not recommended to give your dog a grain-free diet, because it has been associated with an increase in cardiac disease, or dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. However, if your dog is on a grain-free diet as recommended by your vet, this reasonably priced brand is a good option.


Life Stage: Adult︱Available Flavors: Chicken, salmon, lamb︱Nutritional Specs: 25 percent protein, 12 percent fat, 10 percent moisture

The 7 Best Dog Foods for Allergies of 2023

Final Verdict


We recommend Purina ONE Smartblend Natural Dog Food as our top pick, because it has many of the same advantages as one of our favorite premium foods, including both chewy and crunchy kibble, in addition to a wide range of flavor and formula options. For puppies, we recommend Purina Pro Plan Puppy High Protein Dog Food, because it’s designed to support growth and also is available in large breed formula to meet the special nutritional needs of large and giant breed dogs.

What to Look for in Budget Dog Food

AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy Statement


The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) identifies safe ingredients and recommends nutrient profiles for pet foods based on the most recent research in pet nutrition. However, it does not inspect, approve, certify or regulate pet foods. Instead, the organization provides a standard for each state’s feed laws. In order to be marketed as “complete and balanced,” foods must meet nutritional standards outlined in AAFCO’s minimum requirements.

Complete and Balanced


“The label should state that the food is ‘complete and balanced’ for the life stage the diet is designed to feed,” says Richard C. Hill, PhD, DACVIM (medicine), DACVIM (nutrition), associate professor and board-certified veterinary nutritionist at the University of Florida. “Many dog foods meet the bill."

Life Stage


Pet foods are developed for specific stages in your dog’s life. Diets are formulated for growth and reproduction (puppies and pregnant dogs), adult maintenance (adult dogs), or all life stages. In addition, a puppy’s breed also plays a role in what life stage food is recommended. For example, large breeds, based on an adult weight of 70 pounds or more, can be more susceptible to excess calcium in their diets as they grow.


Therefore, “It’s important to feed a large or giant breed a diet which has fairly constrained amounts of calcium throughout growth,” says Hill. Look for packaging that specifically says “growth” and is specified for large breeds.

Dry Versus Wet


Dry foods contain 10 to 12 percent moisture content, while wet foods contain 75 to 78 percent moisture. Dry foods, which are typically less expensive, prevent tartar buildup, because your pet has to chew them, while wet foods may be more appealing to picky eaters, senior dogs, or dogs who have difficulty chewing due to tooth loss. It’s fine to mix types, too. More importantly, consult your vet for your dog’s calorie needs so you don’t overfeed. As with people, obesity can affect your dog’s health and lifespan.

FAQ


    Should you feed your dog raw food on a budget?


    Actually, raw food is not recommended for any dog. Despite what you may have read on various websites advocating such a diet, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that raw pet food is better than any other kind.


    “Raw foods commonly contain potentially pathogenic organisms that can affect the animal and those who handle the animal,” says Dr. Hill. Another real risk is nutritional imbalances.

    How much should I budget for dog food a month?


    One recent owner survey listed monthly dog food expense as ranging from $17 to $195. Obviously, it depends on your dog’s size and the type of food you purchase. Little dogs will eat less, while the big guys and gals are going to take a larger chunk out of your budget.


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