Nature’s Variety Dog Food Review, Recalls & Coupons for 2023

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 is undoubtedly one of the best.

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, Nature’s Variety 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. No matter which recipe you choose, Nature’s Variety is always a good choice.

Who Makes Nature’s Variety Dog Food?

The Nature’s Variety brand of dog food is made by Nature’s Variety, Inc. This company was founded by Bob Milligan and the first Nature’s Variety product hit pet store shelves in 2002.

As a privately held company, Nature’s Variety makes all of their own products in company-owned facilities in the U.S.

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Is Nature’s Variety Made in the United States?

The Nature’s Variety company is a privately held company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Not only is Nature’s Variety a U.S.-based company, but they produce and manufacture all of their products in the United States.

This brand uses company-owned manufacturing facilities located in Lincoln, Nebraska to manufacture all of their products including classic, grain-free, and holistic dog foods.

Not only does this company avoid outsourcing the manufacture of their products, but they employ an expert team made up of holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to formulate their products.

About Nature’s Variety

Nature’s 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 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

Nature’s Variety Products Reviewed

1. Instinct Raw Boost Healthy Weight Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces Recipe
2. Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe
3. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet with Real Turkey
4. Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit
5. Instinct Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe
6. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Real Turkey Recipe
7. Instinct Grain-Free Stews Beef Recipe
8. Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Chicken Recipe
9. Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Cuts & Gravy Real Beef Recipe
10. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Beef Recipe

Nature’s Variety Dry Dog Foods

Instinct Raw Boost

The Instinct Raw Boost line combines high-protein and nutrient-rich kibbles with freeze-fried 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. Instinct Raw Boost Healthy Weight Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Turkey Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Menhaden Fish Meal

The Instinct Raw Boost Healthy Weight recipe not only keeps your dogs sated with the taste of pure meat, it also keeps their weight in check. The formulation contains 15% less calories and 25% less fat than the regular Instinct Raw Boost recipes.

Aside from the fewer calories and reduced fat, the Healthy Weight Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken also contains l-carnitine to help your dog burn fat and a healthy level of fiber to keep him feeling full for longer.

Like with every Nature’s Variety Instinct formulation, the meal starts with real meat. The first ingredient is chicken followed by chicken meal.

Menhaden fish meal, turkey meal, freeze dried chicken, freeze-dried chicken liver, and freeze-dried chicken heart round up all the meat sources to bring the crude protein level to a high 32%. Organs also have the added benefit of providing plenty of vitamins and minerals to any meal.

The fiber is provided by three sources: peas, tapioca, and dried tomato pomace. Dietary fiber is necessary to help dogs maintain gastrointestinal health. See, the fiber gets the digestive system moving and reduces your dog’s exposure to possible carcinogens he may have consumed. It can also lessen the symptoms associated with diarrhea and constipation.

There’s an ingredient here that might worry some pet owners, but which is perfectly safe. It’s the suncured alfalfa meal. Some mistakenly believe that since alfalfa sprouts contain a lot of bacteria and a toxic amino acid, it may be harmful to feed to pets.

Kibbles are produced at high temps, so those pathogens will not be an issue for your canine. Also, with the amount of alfalfa used in pet food, it’s highly unlikely that it will be toxic to dogs.

We also like the addition of probiotics into the diet. These are healthy gut bacteria that keep the digestive system healthy and keep the harmful bacteria down. At only 389 kcal per cup, your pooch will feel full but won’t gain unnecessary weight.

The Raw Boost range also has recipes for small and large breeds and puppies and seniors. There are a wide selection of flavors available too.

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. Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Millet

Pooches will taste the difference in this Instinct Be Natural recipe. Aside from listing all-natural meat as the first ingredient, this formulation makes it more palatable to dogs with its crushed freeze-dried raw meat coating to raise the bar in flavor

The first ingredient is lamb and the crushed raw coating is made from lamb parts to give it an extra protein boost plus a rich load of vitamins and minerals. The freeze-dried parts include the liver, spleen, heart, and kidney. Organs are extremely healthy and great sources of fat, protein, iron, zinc, and several B vitamins.

Apart from the lamb parts, some other meat sources were added as well. These are Menhaden fish meal and turkey meal. Healthy grains like oatmeal, barley, and millet act as carb sources, while nutritious fruits like apples, blueberries, and cranberries provide much-needed antioxidants. The combination of meat, grains, and fruit make this a wholly balanced meal.

The diet contains its share of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids taken from the inclusion of ground flaxseed — considered as a superfood and the richest source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids.

There are lots of added vitamins and minerals here complete the diet requirement of dogs of all ages and breeds. And as usual, there are no corn, wheat, brewer’s rice, poultry by-product meals, or artificial colors and preservatives.

Instinct Be Natural can also be found in these flavors: chicken and salmon.

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. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet with Real Turkey

First 5 ingredients: Turkey Meal, Peas, Turkey, Tapioca, Canola Oil

Knowing what’s exactly in your pet’s food is important when your dog is sensitive to a lot of things. This Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient recipe keeps the ingredient list short but powerful. Despite the minimal number of ingredients, it offers a complete and balanced diet for dogs of all breeds.

Turkey meal is the first ingredient. For those who are new to pet food lingo, turkey meal is simply turkey meat that has been dried out to remove most or all moisture. Because the meat is measured per ounce, each ounce of turkey meal will have much more protein than its raw counterpart.

But don’t worry if you’re looking for fresh turkey too. It’s the third ingredient and adds a protein boost to the recipe for a total crude protein level of 26%. The peas in the list also contribute some protein content as well as folate, fiber, and potassium.

If you’re puzzled about the montmorillonite clay in the food, it’s a perfectly safe anti-caking agent that also acts as a detoxifier (it binds with unwanted wastes and toxins to help eliminate them from the body). Besides, it is a natural source of minerals and trace elements.

There are two types of oil here. Canola oil and coconut oil. Canola oil contributes a significant amount of oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids to any diet as well as vitamins E and K. The advantages of coconut oil, meanwhile, are many, including improving skin and coat health and reducing allergic reactions.

And because the brand fully believes in the power of raw, each kibble is coated with freeze-dried raw meat made from turkey meat, turkey liver, and turkey heart.

To ensure that your sensitive pup is kept as free from allergens as possible, known allergy triggers such as dairy, grain, eggs, soy, chicken, beef, fish, and artificial stuff have been excluded.

There are also Limited Ingredient lamb, salmon, and rabbit flavors.

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. Instinct Original Recipe with Real Rabbit

First 5 ingredients: Rabbit, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Chickpeas, Canola Oil 

The rabbit flavor recipe of the Instinct Original line uses a 71:29 ratio of animal protein and oil to vegetables and fruits. Because it’s so packed with animal meat sources, the crude protein level is at a very high 36.5% minimum.

Rabbit meat makes up the bulk of the recipe and it’s listed as the first ingredient. It’s supported by many more diverse meat sources such as salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, rabbit meal, and white fish meal.

The plentiful animal meat sources add richness to the flavor, but it may be a problem for dogs who are allergic to the other ingredients. If your dog is food-sensitive, do take note of the other protein sources.

The white fish mentioned above doesn’t come from one type of fish only. It may be that of a Pacific Whiting, Pacific Sole, Pacific Rockfish or a combination of all three.

The Menhaden fish meal is a specific type of fish that is small and oily. Why is it so important? It’s a great inclusion to pet food because it’s rich in amino and fatty acids that support skin, bone, immune, and digestive health. When combined with the canola oil (also in the ingredient list), these two provide all the omegas your pet needs to thrive.

The 29% of fruits/vegetables/wholesome product include chickpeas, dried tomato pomace, peas, carrots, apples, cranberries, and montmorillonite clay. Some of these are called superfoods because they provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The others provide support in terms of fiber, trace elements, detoxifying characteristics, and more.

We particularly like the guaranteed levels of live probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that aids in digestion and modulates the immune system. They are also responsible for inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.

Because Instinct believes in the power of raw nutrition, it’s to be expected that a freeze-dried form can be found on the kibbles. In this case, the freeze-dried meats (made from rabbit and rabbit liver, lung, and kidney) are added to the coating of each morsel.

The recipe relies heavily on the use of premium ingredients. There are no fillers, artificial preservatives, nor by-products to be found.

The Original line is also available in these flavors: beef, duck, chicken, rabbit, and salmon.

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Nature’s Variety Wet Dog Foods

Instinct Original

Guided by Instinct’s belief in raw, the Original wet food line is similar to the dry kibble of the same range. The first ingredient is premium meat and thoughtfully balanced by fruits and vegetables in a texture that dogs will love.

5. Instinct Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Ground Flaxseed

This particular wet food recipe is something that meat-loving canines will particularly enjoy. It’s made up of 95% meat from chicken, turkey, and chicken liver in a delicious loaf mixture.

Chicken and turkey are common in dog food. But why liver, you may ask. Liver has a high fat, protein, and vitamin A content. Fats are crucial in a canine’s diet because it helps regulate bodily functions and provides energy. Protein is for building lean muscles, and the vitamin A supports your pet’s eye health.

It’s a formulation that is inspired by the diet of dogs in the wild, which regularly eat organs as they consume most of their prey. To humans, liver might not seem very attractive, but dogs love the rich taste. (One of the reasons finicky dogs are fed liver is because of its high palatability.)

Aside from the meats, this formulation also contains chicken broth (for moisture), ground flaxseed, montmorillonite clay, egg product, and a whole slew of vegetables and fruits that include carrots, peas, cranberries, artichokes, blueberries, and more.

Among those mentioned above, let’s discuss the uncommon ones starting with flaxseed. It’s a highly nutritious food that contains omega-6 fatty acids that your dog needs for a beautiful skin and coat.

It also helps boost the immune system and relieve inflammation through its omega-3 fatty acids. It contains lignans, which offer antioxidant properties. And lastly, since it is a good source of fiber, flaxseed is extremely helpful in aiding the digestion.

The montmorillonite clay is there as a natural caking agent. Plus, it has the added benefit of being a detoxifier that bonds with wastes to help in eliminating them from your dog’s system.

Dried egg product is simply a form of egg that has been separated from its shell then dried. It is bioavailable, highly digestible for pups, and is an excellent source of fatty and amino acids.

Of course, to round out the food and make it a completely balanced meal, let’s not forget the long list of added supplements such as folic acid, iron, vitamin E, choline, and more that the brand blended in.

The Instinct Original canned dog food is also offered in beef and rabbit flavors. There are also recipes specifically made for small breeds and puppies.

Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet

Sensitive pups need real food with a purposefully short list of ingredients to make it easy for pet owners to identify each one. The Limited Ingredient Diet line contains only one animal protein and one vegetable. Plus, it’s grain-free to keep as many allergy triggers away as possible.

6. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Real Turkey Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Peas, Pea Protein

The first ingredient here is cage-free turkey. Similar to chicken, turkey is a lean meat that is an excellent source of highly digestible proteins. Turkey also has the added benefit of being a novel protein — meat that is not commonly fed to dogs and may be a better alternative for dogs who are sensitive to chicken-based recipes.

Turkey is the only animal protein here and it is present in many forms. As muscle meat, as broth , and as an organ (liver is used). In wet foods, it’s normal to get broth or water as these add moisture to the food. The liver is particularly nutritious, even more so than the muscle meat because it has vitamin C, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin A, and so much more.

The peas are the only vegetable and they come in two forms: as whole peas and as pea protein. Both kinds provide a good amount of protein. The difference between the two is that the pea protein is a powder form and is extracted from yellow peas.

Aside from the meat and vegetable, the only other ingredient of significant note is the montmorillonite clay. Don’t worry about this ingredient as it is perfectly safe and is commonly used in premium pet foods as a natural anti-caking agent. (An anti-caking agent absorbs excess moisture from food and keeps it from clumping together.)

The rest of the list is made up of supplemental vitamins and minerals to keep the food as complete as possible to meet the requirements of adult pups.

Since the Limited Ingredient Diet is all about keeping the tummies of sensitive pups at ease, there are no dairy, potatoes, corn, soy, wheat, or other common allergens included.

Instinct Stew

Stews are a great way to feed pups who may find kibbles or loaf textures too dry for their taste. Most recovering dogs also prefer food with wet textures as these are easier to chew and swallow. But sometimes, dogs just want that rich taste of gravy. Instinct Stew provides a rich and savory meal for dogs regardless of reason.

7. Instinct Grain-Free Stews Beef Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Lamb Broth, Beef Liver, Egg Whites

Healthy does not have to be tasteless. With Nature Variety’s Instinct Stew Beef Recipe with Carrots and Peas, it’s the exact opposite.

In this formulation, real cuts of beef are balanced by the addition of wholesome foods, such as peas and pumpkin, and served in a delicious gravy sauce.

The first ingredient is, of course, beef. It’s a premium source of proteins and essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, so it’s important that dogs get as much as they can from their food. These acids are vital to various processes of the body, including the regulation of immune function and the building of muscles.

The beef meat is supported by beef liver, a nutritious organ that contains significant amounts of selenium, copper, vitamin A, phosphorus, and several B vitamins. There are also two types of broths: beef and lamb. The lamb broth livens up the taste of beef by adding its own subtle flavor.

In the fifth place in the list, you can find dried egg whites. Why eggs? Eggs boost protein intake and can provide dogs with many key nutrients such as riboflavin, folate, iron, vitamin A, and fatty acids.

Don’t worry about feeding your canine egg whites (raw egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion.) As long as these are cooked, you can avoid digestive problems.

There’s also little risk to your dog developing biotin deficiency due to the egg whites. It would take an extraordinary amount of egg whites to make this happen.

Because a well-rounded diet is important, we also commend the addition of veggies such as carrots, pumpkin, and peas into the recipe. These contain natural antioxidants that fight off harmful free radicals in the body.

Some of the other ingredients (not including vitamins or minerals) that you might want to know about in the recipe are sunflower oil, montmorillonite clay, and guar gum. Montmorillonite clay is simply a natural anti-clumping agent. Sunflower oil is a rich source of vitamin E and is good for softening and hydrating fur.

Lastly, guar gum is for preventing separation in the manufacturing process. It also has the added benefit of lowering LDL cholesterol, supporting glycemic control, and alleviating GI pain.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Stews are also offered in chicken, turkey & duck, and lamb flavors.

Nature’s Variety Frozen Dog Foods

Instinct Raw

Instinct Raw is an excellent intro into raw food for your dog. The line features recipes that are minimally processed and never cooked to give your canine the pure nutrition of food close to its natural state. Because they’re frozen at their peak, all the nutrients and freshness are sealed in.

The meals are protein-packed with around 85% made up of real meat, while the remaining percentage is taken up by a blend of non-GMO fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. There are no wheat, grain, corn, or artificial colors and preservatives in the Instinct Raw line of food.

8. Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Chicken Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Chicken (including Ground Chicken Bone), Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, Carrots, Apples

Raw food closely mimics the ancestral diets of dogs and is responsible for promoting lean muscles, good dental health, and energized bodies. These tasty bites hearken to the nutrition that nature intended — pure and wholesome.

The first ingredient in this savory formulation is chicken (including ground chicken bone), a healthy lean meat that most dogs favor. As for the bones because they’ve been ground up, they’re considered perfectly safe and can provide much of the calcium and phosphorus content that your dog needs.

Next to the chicken are two organ parts — liver and heart. Chicken liver and heart are two of the best organs to feed dogs because these contain the most share of nutrients. They come with iron, niacin, copper, zinc, and phosphorus, among many others.

To keep the meal more balanced, the brand decided that an inclusion of fruits and vegetables are in order. Apples, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and spinach make the list. A few of these are considered superfoods because they have such a capacity for nutrients as to positively affect health.

It’s not just the vitamins and minerals that Instinct Raw can provide. The brand also made sure to enhance the meal further with a good dose of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids through the use of ground flaxseed and salmon oil.

If you’re not quite sure what fatty acids do, they play an amazing role in the body. Fatty acids can help reduce inflammation, lessen shedding, promote undercoat growth, aid in eye and brain development, and improve cognitive function. They can also help treat arthritic symptoms.

The Instinct Raw line is available in different flavors (beef and lamb) as well as different textures and shapes (Bites, Medallions, and Patties). There is also a Raw line specifically made for small breeds.

Nature’s Variety Dog Food Toppers

Dog food toppers are useful for enhancing the taste of a pet’s regular meals, which he may find boring as time goes on. It can also be an excellent (and sneaky) way of adding moisture to dry food or as a way to add more nutrition to meals. Food toppers usually contain cuts of meat and or vegetables.

Instinct Healthy Cravings

The Healthy Cravings line of food toppers keeps regular meals exciting but healthy. It gives a whole new level of taste to any pet food and brings with it a good dose of necessary nutrients like protein, fiber, fat, and moisture.

9. Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Cuts & Gravy Real Beef Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Beef Broth, Beef, Chicken, Beef Liver, Eggs, Pea Flour

Instinct Healthy Cravings in beef flavor keeps the food as close to its natural state as possible by using real, grass-fed beef. It’s the second ingredient in the list of ingredients, right next to beef broth which is added for taste and moisture.

Beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein as well as essential amino acids. Since canines can’t produce essential amino acids on their own, it’s vital that they get the necessary amounts from the food that they eat.

Amino acids are essential to most body functions such as producing proteins, healing and repair, healthy digestion, producing neurotransmitters, and providing energy.

Beef is not the only type of meat here. Surprisingly, the recipe also contains chicken, another meat favorite of canines. It’s not simply for taste, however. The chicken brings with it an additional protein boost to keep the crude protein level at a good 9% minimum.

It’s nice to note that the fourth ingredient here is beef liver. Liver always adds an interesting flavor and more palatability to any pet food. It’s also a great source of iron, folate, and other minerals and vitamins that thriving dogs need.

The other key ingredients in this food topper are: eggs, pea flour, guar gum, and DL-methionine. The rest are made up of additives or preservatives. What do these ingredients above give our pets? Eggs have folate, riboflavin, and vitamin A. Pea flour is the powder resulting from milling roasted peas. It is rich in iron, abundant in protein, and high in fiber.

Guar gum thickens and stabilizes food, but it also gives you the bonus of lowering triglycerides and cholesterol. Lastly, DL-Methionine is an essential amino acid that is crucial for eye, skin, coat, and heart health. It also promotes the palatability of food.

Instinct Healthy Cravings can also be found in chicken, salmon, and lamb flavors.

Raw Boost Mixers

The Raw Boost Mixers are food toppers designed to give pups the pure nutrition of raw. The ingredients are freeze-dried to remove all moisture while retaining all the health-boosting nutrients and natural flavor of the meat. These toppers are crafted using high-quality meat and non-GMO fruits and vegetables.

10. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Beef Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Pumpkinseeds, Beef Spleen

You wouldn’t think these are just food toppers when you look at the nutritional info of the recipe. For example, the crude protein content is 38% minimum — far higher than the level you will find on most complete meals. The fiber is also at a very nice level at 15% max.

What boosts the protein content is the use of beef as the first ingredient. Beef is a high-quality protein source, besides being a rich and savory meat. It’s further boosted by the inclusion of three very nutritious beef organs — the liver, the spleen, and the kidney.

While muscle meat is always a good ingredient to start any pet food recipe, it’s always better to have it supported by an animal organ. See, organs are far richer than muscle meats when it comes to nutrition (although organs should not make up the bulk of the meal because too much nutrients is also not a good thing).

The liver, spleen, and kidney are particularly helpful when it comes to nutrients that will give your dog a healthy heart, strong muscles, and beautiful coat. They’re loaded with vitamins A, D, K, E, iron, zinc, potassium, and copper.

If the recipe is abundant with animal meat parts, it’s even more bursting with fruits and vegetables. The list is long and impressive. There are carrots, apples, pumpkinseeds, butternut squash, ground flaxseed, broccoli, and blueberries. These provide all the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals your pooch needs for an active and healthy lifestyle.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Mixers also has these flavors on offer: chicken and lamb.

There are also Raw Boost Mixers crafted to target specific concerns such as Gut Health, Skin and Coat Health, Mobility Support, Digestive Health, and Immune Health.

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Where Does Nature’s Variety Get Their Ingredients?

According to the FAQ section of the Nature’s Variety website, all of the ingredients used in their products are of the highest quality. The materials used in Instinct raw and raw frozen products are obtained from USDA-inspected facilities.

The pork and poultry Nature’s Variety uses in their products comes entirely the United States, though they do get some of their beef, lamb, and venison from Australia and New Zealand. The rabbit Nature’s Variety uses comes exclusively from Italy and France.

Nature’s Variety doesn’t say exactly where the rest of their ingredients come from but they do say that they are very stringent in their sourcing standards and they make an effort to build close relationships with their vendors.

Nature’s Variety Dog Food Recall History

Nature’s Variety is one of the top pet food brands on the market. Not only do they offer some of the greatest variety in dog food products, but they use only the highest quality ingredients in their recipes.

Although this brand holds themselves to a high standard for the quality and safety of their products, having such a large product lineup leaves a lot of room for error. Even so, Nature’s Variety has only had four fairly minor product recalls in the history of the brand. Here are the details of those recalls:

In July 2015, the Nature’s Variety company issued a voluntary withdrawal of a few Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Chicken Formula dog food products due to a concern regarding potential salmonella contamination.

In February 2010, the FDA issued a recall for several Nature’s Variety Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet dog food and cat foods products due to a concern of potential salmonella contamination. This recall was later expanded in March of 2010.

In February 2013, the FDA issued a recall for several runs of Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula medallions due to potential choking hazards caused by foreign bodies.

In July 2012, the Nature’s Variety company itself issued a voluntary withdrawal for some of their Prairie Beef Meal and Barley Medley dog food kibbles due to an unusual odor.

Is Nature’s Variety Dog Food Expensive?

The Nature’s Variety brand of dog food is a very high-quality brand which means that it can get a little pricey, depending which recipe you choose. For a 23.5-pound bag of Instinct Raw Boost kibble you will pay $75 to $115 and for a 20-pound bag of Ultimate Protein kibble you’ll pay about $75.

A 35.3-pound bag of Instinct Grain-Free or Limited Ingredient Diet kibble costs $55 to $90. Nature’s Variety Prairie kibbles are a little more affordable than anything in the Instinct line. For a 27-pound bag of Prairie dry dog food you will pay between $40 and $65. Most Nature’s Variety canned foods come in 13.2-ounce sizes and sell for between $33 and $68 for a case of 12.

What Kind of Dog Food Does Nature’s Variety Offer?

The Nature’s Variety company is known not only for the quality of their products, but also for their variety. Nature’s Variety dog food products can be divided into two different product lines – Instinct and Prairie.

The Prairie line of products includes dry food and wet food recipes for holistic foods made using simple but natural ingredients like fresh meat, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The Instinct brand includes a wide assortment of different products from traditional kibble and canned foods to high-protein recipes, limited ingredient diets, raw frozen foods, and freeze-dried formulas.

Nature’s Variety Dry Products

The Nature’s Variety brand of dog food actually includes two product lines – Prairie and Instinct. In the Prairie line there are four dry food recipes made with quality proteins like chicken, beef, lamb, and salmon.

The Instinct brand offers a much wider variety of dry foods in several lines including high-protein, raw boost, and limited ingredient formulas. Here is a list of Nature’s Variety dry dog food recipes:

Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Recipes:

Be Natural Dry Dog Food Recipes (Formerly Prairie):

• Real Chicken
• Real Lamb & Oatmeal
• Real Salmon & Brown Rice
• Real Beef & Barley
• Real Chicken & Brown Rice (Puppy Formula)

Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Recipes:

• Puppy Chicken Formula
• Large Breed Puppy Chicken Formula
• Adult Beef & Lamb Meal Formula
• Adult Chicken Meal Formula
• Adult Duck & Turkey Meal Formula
• Adult Lamb & Salmon Meal Formula
• Adult Venison & Lamb Meal Formula
• Small Breed Chicken Meal Formula
• Small Breed Duck & Turkey Formula
• Toy Breed Chicken Meal Formula
• Senior Chicken Meal Formula
• Healthy Weight Chicken Meal Formula

Instinct Originals Dry Food Recipes:

• Chicken Meal Formula
• Salmon Meal Formula
• Rabbit Meal Formula
• Duck & Turkey Meal Formula
• Beef & Lamb Meal Formula
• Small Breed Chicken Meal Formula

Instinct Ultimate Protein Dry Food Recipes:

• Chicken Formula
• Duck Formula
• Small Breed Chicken Formula

Instinct LID Dry Food Recipes:

• Duck Meal Formula
• Turkey Meal Formula
• Lamb Meal & Peas Formula
• Small Breed Turkey Meal Formula

Nature’s Variety Canned Products

In addition to a wide variety of dry food options, Nature’s Variety also offers many options for wet food. The Prairie line only offers seven recipes for homestyle wet food, but the Instinct line includes over a dozen options.

Here is a list of Nature’s Variety canned dog food recipes:

Prairie Homestyle Wet Food Recipes:

• Chicken Stew
• Beef Stew
• Lamb Stew
• Salmon Stew
• Turkey & Duck Stew
• Beef & Bison Stew
• Pork & Sweet Potato Stew

Instinct Originals Wet Food Recipes:

• 95% Beef Formula
• 95% Chicken Formula
• 95% Venison Formula
• 95% Salmon Formula
• 95% Rabbit Formula
• 95% Lamb Formula
• 95% Duck Formula
• Small Breed GF Chicken Formula
• Small Breed GF Salmon Formula
• Healthy Cravings Chicken Recipe in Savory Gravy
• Healthy Cravings Beef Recipe in Savory Gravy

Instinct Ultimate Protein Wet Food Recipes:

• Beef Formula
• Chicken Formula

Instinct LID Wet Food Recipes:

• Lamb Formula
• Rabbit Formula
• Duck Formula
• Turkey Formula

Nature’s Variety Raw Food: While Nature’s Variety does offer an assortment of kibbles and canned foods, some of their most unique offerings are raw frozen and freeze-dried products in the Instinct lineup.

Nature’s Variety offers several recipes for raw frozen foods as well as freeze-dried meal blends. They also offer freeze-dried and frozen “raw boost” mixers which can be added to your dog’s dry or wet food diet. Here is a list of Nature’s Variety raw food options:

Instinct Raw Frozen Recipes:

• Chicken Formula Raw Bites
• Beef Formula Raw Bites
• Chicken & Tuna Formula Raw Bites
• Turkey Formula Raw Bites
• Duck Formula Raw Bites
• Lamb Formula Raw Bites
• Rabbit Formula Raw Bites
• Beef Formula Raw Medallions
• Chicken Formula Raw Medallions
• Duck Formula Raw Medallions
• Rabbit Formula Raw Medallions
• Lamb Formula Raw Medallions
• Beef Formula Raw Patties
• Chicken & Tuna Formula Raw Patties
• Duck Formula Raw Patties
• Lamb Formula Raw Patties
• Rabbit Formula Raw Patties
• Turkey Formula Raw Patties
• Chicken Formula Raw Patties
• Small Breed Chicken Recipe Raw Bites
• Small Breed Duck Recipe Raw Bites

Instinct Raw Market Freeze-Dried Recipes:

• Beef Recipe Meal Blends
• Chicken Recipe Meal Blends
• Beef Recipe Nuggets
• Chicken Recipe Nuggets
• Lamb Recipe Nuggets

Instinct Raw Boost Mixers:

• Frozen Chicken Formula
• Frozen Beef Formula
• Frozen Lamb Formula
• Freeze-Dried Chicken Formula
• Freeze-Dried Lamb Formula
• Freeze-Dried Beef Formula
• Freeze-Dried Turkey Formula

Nature’s Variety Dog Treats

Both the Prairie and Instinct product lines by Nature’s Variety offer a variety of choices for dog treats. The Prairie product line includes oven-baked biscuits while the Instinct line includes raw boost treats as well as biscuits. Here is a list of Nature’s Variety dog treats:

Prairie Oven-Baked Biscuits:

• Pumpkin & Cranberries
• Peanut Butter & Bananas
• Chicken & Cheddar Cheese
• Bacon & Apples

Instinct Raw Boost Treats:

• Chicken Formula Munchies
• Beef Formula Munchies
• Lamb Formula Munchies
• Duck Formula Mini Treats
• Chicken Formula Mini Treats

Instinct Originals Dog Treats:

• Slow Roasted Beef Treats
• Duck Meal & Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Rabbit Meal & Apple Biscuits
• Chicken Meal & Cranberry Biscuits