When it comes to quality and nutritional value, you can’t do better than Nature’s Variety. This may not be one of the oldest brands on the market, but it has one of the widest raw-inspired lineups you can buy.
This brand is aptly named because, not only do they use the best ingredients that nature has to offer, but they have one of the most varied lineups of product choices.
Even with dozens and dozens of different recipes to their name, the company is uncompromising when it comes to their products.
Each recipe features a premium-quality protein and is formulated to deliver optimal nutrition and maximum flavor. Most recipes are sold today under the Instinct name.
Our quick take: is Nature’s Variety (Instinct) dog food good?
- Who makes it: Nature’s Variety, based in St. Louis, Missouri, has been wholly owned by the Spanish pet food group Agrolimen since 2016. In the U.S. its foods are sold under the Instinct brand; the older Prairie line is now called BeNatural.
- Best for most adult dogs: RawBoost+ Kibble Real Chicken, a grain-free kibble with freeze-dried raw chicken pieces (32% protein).
- For dogs with food sensitivities: Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb: lamb is the only animal protein and peas the only vegetable.
- If you want grains: BeNatural Real Lamb & Oatmeal (oatmeal, barley, sorghum, brown rice). It also contains chicken meal, so skip it for chicken-allergic dogs.
- Raw feeding: FreshRaw Bites Cage-Free Chicken (frozen). Handle it like raw meat.
- Recalls: three, all raw frozen products (2010 and 2015 for Salmonella, 2013 for pieces of plastic). We found none since 2015.
Most Instinct dry recipes are grain-free and use peas; ask your vet first because of the FDA’s grain-free/DCM investigation. Labels checked on Instinct’s website in November 2026.
| Recipe | Type | First 3 ingredients | Protein / fat (min) | Grains? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RawBoost+ Kibble Real Chicken | Dry + freeze-dried raw pieces | Chicken, chicken meal, peas | 32% / 16.5% | No | Most adult dogs |
| Original Kibble Real Chicken | Dry, raw-coated | Chicken, chicken meal, peas | 37% / 20% | No | Active dogs that need more protein |
| Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb | Dry | Lamb meal, lamb, tapioca | 24% / 21.5% | No | Food sensitivities, chicken-free diets |
| BeNatural Real Lamb & Oatmeal | Dry, raw-coated | Lamb, chicken meal, oatmeal | 26% / 15.5% | Yes | Owners who prefer grain-inclusive food |
| FreshRaw Bites Cage-Free Chicken | Frozen raw | Chicken, chicken liver, chicken heart | 12% / 9% (70% moisture) | No | Raw feeders |
Guaranteed analysis as printed (as fed), from Instinct’s product pages, November 2026. Wet and frozen foods hold much more water, so their percentages are not directly comparable with kibble. Comparing brands? See our best and worst dog food brands.
- About the brand
- Nature’s Variety Dog Food Review
- Who Makes Nature’s Variety Dog Food?
- Is It Made in the United States?
- Where Do They Get Their Ingredients?
- Recall History
- Is It Expensive?
- What Kind of Food Do They Offer?
- Their Current Line Up
- Overall product range
- Parting Words
About the brand
Natures Variety used to be divided into just two product lines — Instinct and Prairie. The Instinct line includes high-protein and holistic recipes made with premium meats, wholesome carbohydrates, healthy fats, and beneficial supplements.
The Prairie line of dry foods and wet foods are all holistic and natural, made with the highest quality ingredients available. Now, however, Prairie is known as Be Natural, a sub-range under the Instinct product line.
Other new sub-ranges have also come out, including Raw Boost, Limited Ingredient, Healthy Cravings, and more. This is to provide pet owners a wide selection of quality products to choose from that target the specific requirements or needs of their canine pets.
The brand is notable for its use of fresh meats, poultry and fish as well as wholesome grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Instinct recipes are all free from corn, wheat, and soy ingredients, designed in keeping with a holistic nutritional philosophy.
Raw is almost always a part of the Instinct diet, since it’s also known as the Raw Brand. In some recipes, freeze-dried food (raw meat) is added to the kibbles and on others, it’s crushed and used as a coating instead.
Nature’s Variety Dog Food Review
Instinct Raw Boost
The Instinct Raw Boost line combines high-protein and nutrient-rich kibbles with freeze-dried raw pieces in each bag. The raw pieces are all meat with nothing artificial in them. They’re whole, pure, and as close to their natural state as possible.
1. RawBoost High Protein Chicken Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tapioca
Protein: 32.0% min
Fat: 16.5% min
Fiber: 4.5% max
Moisture: 9.0% max
Food Type: Dry, Freeze-Dried
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Made with cage-free chicken as the first ingredient, this premium recipe delivers high-quality animal protein to help support strong, lean muscles while providing complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs.
What makes RawBoost unique is its irresistible combination of crunchy kibble and freeze-dried raw pieces, offering the taste, texture and nutritional benefits of raw food in every bite. Enhanced with wholesome fruits and vegetables, this grain-free formula supports six key areas of health, including digestion, immune function, heart health, skin and coat condition, energy levels and muscle maintenance.
Free from grains, corn, wheat, soy, potatoes, by-product meals, artificial colors, and preservatives, RawBoost focuses on clean, purposeful ingredients that help your dog thrive. By combining the power of raw nutrition with premium ingredients, it delivers a flavorful and nutrient-dense meal designed to bring out your dog’s best every day.
Instinct Be Natural
Nature Variety’s Instinct Be Natural line is dog food designed to be high in protein but balanced with hearty grains. There are no fillers to be found in the list and every piece of kibble is coated with freeze-dried raw to give your dogs only natural and pure nutrition.
2. Be Natural Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Lamb, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Sorghum
Protein: 26.0% min
Fat: 15.5% min
Fiber: 5.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
First 5 ingredients: Lamb, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Sorghum
This kibble recipe offers a noticeable difference in taste for dogs by using all-natural meat as the first ingredient and enhancing flavor with a crushed freeze-dried raw meat coating.
Leading the ingredient list is lamb, followed by chicken meal; turkey meal and fish meal add more animal protein, and the kibble is tumbled in freeze-dried raw fish. Because it contains chicken meal and chicken fat, it is not a good fit for dogs allergic to chicken.
Healthy grains like oatmeal, barley, and millet, along with fruits such as apples, blueberries, and cranberries, ensure a balanced and nutritious meal.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from ground flaxseed support overall health. The diet is free from corn, wheat, brewer’s rice, poultry by-product meals, and artificial additives. This dry dog food is also available in chicken and salmon flavors.
Instinct Limited Ingredient
When dogs have food sensitivities, a limited ingredient diet is essential. This range keeps it simple for dogs and their owners alike by limiting the animal protein and vegetable content to just one each.
There’s nothing in the list that’s unnecessary — just pure cage-free poultry or grass-fed meat that’s made without any artificial ingredient.
3. Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Lamb Meal, Lamb, Tapioca, Peas, Canola Oil
Protein: 24.0% min
Fat: 21.5% min
Fiber: 3.5% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Knowing what’s exactly in your pet’s food is important when your dog is sensitive to a lot of things. This Limited Ingredient recipe is designed for dogs with sensitivities, keeping the ingredient list short but effective.
The primary ingredient is grass-fed lamb, a high-quality animal protein that provides essential amino acids to support lean muscle maintenance. As the single animal protein source, it makes this grain-free recipe a potential option for dogs with certain food sensitivities.
The formula includes guaranteed levels of natural omega fatty acids and antioxidants to help maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat while supporting immune function. Its limited-ingredient approach focuses on simplified nutrition with easily digestible ingredients.
Each kibble is coated with freeze-dried raw lamb to enhance flavor and provide additional nutrition. Like any kibble, it is cooked during processing; for a never-cooked option, see the FreshRaw recipes below.
The Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet line also offers other single-animal-protein recipes, currently a salmon recipe for dogs, providing alternatives for dogs with different dietary needs.
Instinct Original
The Instinct Original line is made up of 70% (or over) animal ingredients and nutritious oils and 30% (or a little less) vegetables, fruits, and other wholesome ingredients. It’s raw inspired, high in animal protein, and free from grains.
4. Original Recipe Real Rabbit Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Rabbit, Pork, Pork Liver, Pork Broth, Ground Flaxseed
Protein: 10.0% min
Fat: 3.0% min
Fiber: 1.5% max
Moisture: 78.0% max
Food Type: Wet
Best for: Adult, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Availability note (November 2026): this rabbit wet recipe for dogs is no longer listed on Instinct’s U.S. website, so stock may be limited. The Original Real Chicken wet recipe below is still sold.
Give your dog a delicious, protein-rich meal featuring farm-raised rabbit as the first ingredient to help support strong, lean muscles and overall health. This grain-free wet dog food features a nourishing blend of 95% rabbit, pork and liver, complemented by 5% vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients to provide complete and balanced nutrition inspired by raw feeding. Packed with high-quality animal protein, this recipe offers a flavorful alternative for dogs who enjoy the taste of real meat.
Its smooth, moist, and meaty texture delivers the rich flavor and moisture your canine companion craves, making mealtime more satisfying and enjoyable. The soft consistency is also ideal for dogs who prefer wet food over dry kibble or simply enjoy a more tender meal. Thoughtfully formulated without grains, potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors or preservatives, it provides a straightforward feeding option for pet parents who want to avoid these ingredients in their dog’s diet.
Crafted in the USA using quality ingredients sourced from around the world, this nourishing recipe combines irresistible taste with balanced nutrition to help keep your furry friend happy, healthy, and ready for everyday adventures.
5. Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Ground Flaxseed
Protein: 9.5% min
Fat: 8.5% min
Fiber: 3.0% max
Moisture: 78.0% max
Food Type: Wet, Pâté
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This grain free, wet food recipe is designed for meat-loving dogs, containing 95% meat from chicken, turkey, and chicken liver in a delicious loaf.
Chicken and turkey are common in dog food, while liver adds high fat, protein, and vitamin A, which are essential for energy, muscle building, and eye health.
Inspired by the natural diet of wild dogs, the recipe includes chicken broth for moisture, ground flaxseed for omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, montmorillonite clay as a detoxifier and natural caking agent, and dried egg product for digestible fatty and amino acids.
The formulation is rounded out with vegetables and fruits like carrots, peas, cranberries, artichokes, and blueberries, plus added supplements like folic acid, iron, vitamin E, and choline for a balanced diet.
Instinct Original canned dog food is also available in beef and rabbit flavors, with specific recipes for small breeds and puppies.
6. Limited Ingredient Diet Real Turkey Recipe
