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Best Cheap Dog Food To Look Out For!

By Jacquelyn Kennedy
Updated on

Are you on a strict budget?

Well, I get it. Sometimes we all have to face some hard times. But you really don’t have to make an adverse change in your furry friend’s diet!

I’ll tell you why…

When you’re looking for dog food, it’s not the brand name or presence of the dog food that matters. What matters most is the ingredients in your dog’s food.

So, today, I’ll discuss some of the best cheap dog food brands available to buy.

Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered!

So, let’s start, shall we?

Best Cheap Dog Food: An Overview

Let’s take a look at the five best cheap dog food brands that we’ll be looking at today, shall we?

I’ll talk about them in depth later.

Good or Harmful?: The Lies Top Dog Food Companies Have Been Telling You!

Did you know that most of the kibble available in the market isn’t suitable for your dog?

It’s true!

It’s because most of the dog foods available just don’t use real meat. And if that wasn’t all, they only have enough nutrition to keep your dog alive.

And, if you look closely enough and read your dog’s food labels, you’ll see that it’s got a lot of quantity of corn in it, which is a filler ingredient.

And it’s the corn that has been deemed unfit for human consumption!

Yes, it is true that most dog food companies use really bad quality ingredients in the food that they advertise!

But, there’s more that you should know…

Food Recalls: A History You Need To Be Aware Of!

You really should be keeping track of all the pet foods that you buy for your dog.

This is because you simply just don’t know what the food manufacturers are mixing in it!

In fact, there was a massive dog food recall that took place in 2007. Do you know why?

I’ll tell you.

Some of the major dog companies were accused of putting certain chemicals in dog food to make it look like there was more quantity of protein in them than there actually was.

The dogs that ate this food paid the toll.

The thing is that the chemical that was supposedly added to the food led to kidney failure in several dogs.

This affected a lot of dogs all over the globe. From China to the United States of America!

So, what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t just blindly trust any dog food company and take their word for it.

There are a lot of filler ingredients, low-grade stuff, and God knows what, which is being mixed in your dog’s kibble!

What does this mean?

I’m trying to tell you that just because it’s the most expensive dog food on the shelves doesn’t mean it’s the best.

So, sometimes, cheap dog foods are actually way better than named and well-established brands!

So, let’s talk about the best cheap dog food brands, shall we?

A Taste Of Everything: Variation

Are you just feeding your dog kibble?

Well, as I said earlier, food isn’t necessarily the best thing you give your dog. Some named brands can contain chemicals and ingredients that may be harmful to your dog…

So, what should you do?

Well, for starters, you can give your furry little friend some extra nutrition from treats like bell peppers, olivestuna, and potatoes.

This will simply ensure that your dog gets the right nutrition and vitamins and minerals from his diet.

That’ll give you peace of mind!

How Can I Find The Best Affordable Dog Food?

Don’t worry! I’ll help you along the way!

So, I’ve got a few tips that you’ll appreciate about finding the best cheap dog food for your furry little friend.

Let’s go over them, shall we?

  • Buy more, save more: Well, it’s true when you buy shampoos, rice, etc., and it’s true for dog food as well!
  • Read the ingredients and choose the best one! It’s simple arithmetic; you don’t need to major in Math for it!
  • If you monthly subscribe to some dog foods, you get some additional benefits and discounts!

I hope you get a little insight and save some more of that cash!

Best cheap dog foods

Let’s Take A Look At The Best Cheap Dog Food

Keeping track of macros, ingredients, etc., of all the puppy foods available in the market can be really confusing and time-consuming.

And I get sometimes you just can’t understand those labels. They make them be so confusing!

And then, there are so many brands. You just can’t keep track of the price, macros, etc. and keep yourself sane!

And so, I’ve decided that I’ll provide you with a list of the best affordable dog food so that you don’t need to spend hours and hours on research.

I’ve made a table for you so that you can quickly review the macros in the five best affordable dog foods that I’ve picked up.

And I’ll later go into more detail. Okay?

I’ve got one secret that I need to share with you.

It’s not just the macros that count! You also need to look at the quality of ingredients in the food, their nutrition, and finally, the meat content.

So, don’t judge a food by the macros!

The best cheap dog foods that I’ve selected for you today meet all three criteria.

I can assure you that you won’t find any cheap filler ingredients in these.


Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
$78.27 ($0.17 / Ounce)
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12/18/2023 12:06 am GMT

If we look at the ingredients alone, then Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Dog Food is a really good quality, above-average dog food. And one of the best cheap dog food brands available!

But hold on! You need to know about the macros as well!

Let’s get to that, shall we?

This food contains the following:

Basically, this dog food had an above-average amount of protein which is a great thing! It also has a near-average amount of fat but a below-average amount of carbs.

But that’s not all that you have to see!

This dog food also has a notable amount of meat, even if you single out the protein in peas and flaxseed.

A good deal, isn’t it? Indeed this is one of the best affordable dog foods!

Pros:

  • Above-average protein
  • Near-average amount of fat

Cons:

  • Kibble is dry and pale in color

The bottom line…

According to me, the Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Dog Food is one of the best cheap dog food available in the market.
This one’s a really good deal and worth every penny.

Moving on…


So, by only judging this one by its ingredients, this one comes out as one of the best cheap dog food brands that you’d want to switch to during the harder times…

Your dog will love it!

Let’s talk a bit more about Taste of Wild, shall we?

Well, this product has the following macros:

Taste of Wild, when compared to average dog food, contains above-average levels of both protein and fat. But, when it comes to carbs, it’s got below-average levels of them.

Your dog will love this kibble! It’s one of the best cheap dog foods to keep an eye on!

Apart from that…

When you single out the protein in garbanzo beans, flaxseed, yeast, and pea products, it still contains a moderate amount of meat in it compared to other brands.

So, you know you’re getting the best deal.

Well, I feel that the Taste of the Wild definitely is a good plant-based dog food and it contains moderate quantities of named meats.

Now, that’s what I call a great deal!

But wait!

We also need to talk about the pros and cons!

So, here’s the deal:

Pros:

  • Average level of carbs
  • Above-average protein
  • Moderate amount of meat

Cons:

  • Can cause itching in dogs

So, what’s the bottom line?

Taste of Wild totally deserves a spot on my list of the best cheap dog foods available. I love the fact that this kibble contains a good amount of protein.

On to the next one…


Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
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When you just judge this one by its ingredients, Wellness CORE Natural Dog food definitely is certainly an above-average kibble.

And one of the best cheap dog foods available!

But hold on!

We need to talk about the macronutrients as well!

The food contains:

Wellness CORE Natural Dog food has an above-average amount of protein, an average amount of fat, and a below-average amount of carbohydrates compared to other dog foods.

But that’s not all!

When you single out the protein in legumes and flaxseed, Wellness dog food has a significant amount of meat in it.

Now, isn’t that just great?

I feel this one is one of the best cheap dog food alternatives you’d want to switch to.

Pros:

  • Significant amount of meat
  • Less fat
  • Above average protein
  • Average carbs

Cons:

  • May cause an upset tummy

A good option, isn’t it?


CANIDAE All Life Stages Dog Dry Food Chicken, Turkey, Lamb & Fish Meals Formula
$69.99 ($28.00 / lb)
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02/18/2024 01:22 pm GMT

So, like all the others, when you judge the Canidae life stages, dry dog food just by its ingredients, it’s an above-average dog food. And that landed this one on my list of the best cheap dog foods.

But let’s not jump the gun, shall we?

We should also be talking about the macronutrients…

The food contains:

So, this product simply contains an above-average amount of carbs and below-average amounts of both protein and fats.

Now, let’s talk about the meat content.

When you try to single out the protein-boosting effects of flaxseeds and alfalfa, this one still contains a moderate amount of meat content in it.

Pros:

  • Moderate amount of meat
  • Low fat

Cons:

  • Below-average protein
  • Can cause an upset tummy

So, all in all, this one deserves to be on my list of the best cheap dog foods available right now.

Moving on…


Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato & Fish Formula Dry Dog Food
$49.99 ($3.85 / lb)
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12/18/2023 12:10 am GMT

Well, this is the last one on my list…

The Natural Balance Ultra Premium dog food is an above-average kibble. Now, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?

So, what about the macros?

I’ve got the stats ready for you!

So, here are the macros:

But what’s the meat content like?

What I love about this product is that it is a meat-based food with a lot of named meats.

Now, that’s a good deal…

Pros:

  • Contains named meats
  • Low fat

Cons:

  • Has a weird consistency

All in all, I feel that this one is one of the best cheap dog food alternatives available in the market.

No, let’s take a recap…


So, What Should I Keep In Mind?

Household dog food brands aren’t necessarily the best choice for your dog. So, switching to cheap dog food may just be the best thing you do for your dog friend. All you should be looking for is the macronutrients and ingredients in the food…

There’s another thing.

You should also look at a brand’s recall history before investing. You’ll thank me later for this…

Don’t rely on just kibble; feed your dog some good ‘ole home-cooked food as well!

But it’s your choice.

Here are some of the best cheap dog food alternatives that you should look out for:

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About the author

Jacquelyn Kennedy

PetDT was founded by Jacquelyn Kennedy, a dog lover and pet admirer. She built the website to provide pet owners with information, experiences, and opinions on breeds, temperament, personalities, health, nutrition, products, and care.