Wholesome Grains is built around grain-inclusive kibble. All 9 recipes contain grain, and oat groats and whole sorghum appear in the first five ingredients of every recipe except Sea to Stream, where all of the first five are fish. Each list opens with a named meat or fish, such as chicken, beef, salmon, lamb or duck.
Protein runs from 27% to 31% and fat from 15% to 19%, as fed. Estimated starch ranges from 19% to 34%, though 7 of the 9 recipes sit between 29% and 32%. Fish is the most common animal protein (6 recipes), followed by chicken, egg and turkey (4 each). Beef and duck each appear in only one recipe. Large Breed Puppy is the only recipe that lists peas or lentils, and no recipe lists potato. All 9 are kibble.
Compared with the 1,834 kibbles in our catalog, the line averages 27.7% protein against 26.9%, and 30.1% estimated starch against 37.4%. The trade-off is that protein sits only slightly above the catalog norm. Apart from Sea to Stream, the recipes have similar figures, so the real choice is between protein sources and life stages.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea to Stream Fish & Grains Recipe | 31% | 17% | 19% | 371 | Salmon, whole herring, trout |
| Healthy Grains Puppy Recipe | 28% | 19% | 29% | 435 | Chicken, chicken meal, oat groats |
| Sea to Farm Puppy Recipe | 28% | 19% | 29% | 3,540 | Salmon, herring meal, oat groats |
| Wholesome Grains, Large Breed Puppy Recipe | 27% | 15% | 34% | 401 | Chicken, chicken meal, oat groats |
| Wholesome Grains, Small Breed Recipe | 27% | 17% | 32% | 413 | Chicken, chicken meal, oat groats |
| Red Meat & Grains Recipe | 27% | 17% | 32% | 371 | Beef, pork, beef meal |
| Free-Run Poultry & Grains Recipe | 27% | 17% | 32% | 371 | Chicken, turkey, chicken meal |
| Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe | 27% | 17% | 32% | 371 | Lamb, lamb meal, oat groats |
| Limited Ingredient Diet Duck & Pumpkin Recipe | 27% | 17% | 32% | 371 | Duck, duck meal, oat groats |
| Line average | 27.7% | 17.2% | 30.1% | 738 |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
31% protein · 17% fat · 19% starch · 371 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
All of its first five ingredients are fish, and it has the most protein (31%) and the least estimated starch (19%) in the line. Fiber is listed at 15%, against 6% for every line mate, so it suits owners who want a fish-only kibble with less starch.
Full review of Sea to Stream Fish & Grains Recipe28% protein · 19% fat · 29% starch · 435 kcal/cup · Puppy
This puppy recipe for all breed sizes leads with chicken and chicken meal and also contains fish, egg and turkey. At 19% fat and 3,625 kcal per kg, it has more fat and energy than Large Breed Puppy, which suits owners of puppies under large breed size who prefer poultry.
Full review of Healthy Grains Puppy Recipe28% protein · 19% fat · 29% starch · 3,540 kcal/kg · Puppy
This puppy recipe replaces poultry with salmon and herring meal, and pork is its only other animal protein. It has the same 28% protein and 19% fat as Healthy Grains Puppy at 3,540 kcal per kg, so it suits owners who want a puppy food without poultry or egg.
Full review of Sea to Farm Puppy Recipe27% protein · 15% fat · 34% starch · 401 kcal/cup · Puppy
This recipe is sold for large breed puppies and has the least fat (15%) and the most estimated starch (34%) in the line, at 401 kcal per cup. It is also the only Wholesome Grains recipe that lists peas or lentils, which matters to owners who track those ingredients.
Full review of Wholesome Grains, Large Breed Puppy Recipe27% protein · 17% fat · 32% starch · 413 kcal/cup · Adult
This chicken-led recipe is made for small breed adults and lists 27% protein, 17% fat and 32% estimated starch. At 413 kcal per cup and 3,440 kcal per kg, it carries more energy than the all life stages recipes, which suits owners of small adult dogs.
Full review of Wholesome Grains, Small Breed Recipe27% protein · 17% fat · 32% starch · 371 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This is the only recipe in the line with beef. Its list opens with beef, pork and beef meal, and lamb also appears. It contains no poultry, fish or egg, so it suits owners who want a red meat kibble for dogs of any life stage.
Full review of Red Meat & Grains Recipe27% protein · 17% fat · 32% starch · 371 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Chicken and turkey are the first two ingredients, with fish and egg further down, and the recipe is for all life stages. At 371 kcal per cup and 27% protein, it suits households that want one poultry-based kibble for dogs of different ages.
Full review of Free-Run Poultry & Grains Recipe27% protein · 17% fat · 32% starch · 371 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This recipe is sold as a limited ingredient diet, and lamb is its only animal protein: lamb, lamb meal and lamb liver all appear in the first five ingredients. It suits owners looking for a grain-inclusive kibble built on lamb alone.
Full review of Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe27% protein · 17% fat · 32% starch · 371 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This is the only recipe in the line with duck, and it is sold as a limited ingredient diet with duck, duck meal and duck liver as its only animal sources. It suits owners who want a single-protein option other than chicken, beef, lamb or fish.
Full review of Limited Ingredient Diet Duck & Pumpkin RecipeNo. All 9 Wholesome Grains recipes contain grain, and oat groats and whole sorghum appear among the first ingredients of most of them. No recipe lists potato, and only the Large Breed Puppy recipe lists peas or lentils.
Sea to Stream Fish & Grains has the most, at 31% protein as fed, and it also has the line's least estimated starch at 19%. The other recipes list 27% or 28% protein.
Yes, there are three: Healthy Grains Puppy (poultry-based), Sea to Farm Puppy (fish and pork) and Large Breed Puppy, which is sold for large breeds and has the line's least fat at 15%. Five more recipes, including Red Meat & Grains and Free-Run Poultry & Grains, are labeled for all life stages.
Protein is close to the average kibble we review (31.4% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is lower than average, at 30% of the food as fed.
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
0% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
MOST PROTEIN
Acana Wholesome Grains Sea to Stream Fish & Grains Recipe Dry Dog Food
35.2% dry matter
LEAST STARCH
Acana Wholesome Grains Healthy Grains Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food
29% as fed
FEWEST CALORIES
Acana Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
371 kcal per cup
Our log holds FDA dog food recall notices from 2012 on, so this is not a guarantee that Acana has never had one. See the recall log
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