Choice is a kibble line of 7 recipes that all contain grain. Each one leads with a single named meal: chicken meal, beef meal, turkey meal or whitefish meal. Barley, whole grain sorghum or brown rice usually follow. All 7 recipes contain peas or lentils, and pea starch appears in the first five ingredients of every recipe.
Six of the seven recipes sit in a tight band, as fed: 22 to 24% protein, 12% fat and 42 to 44% estimated starch. Performance Chicken is the outlier at 30% protein, 20% fat, 28% starch and 431 kcal per cup. Chicken and turkey each appear in 6 recipes, fish in 3 and beef in 2, so most recipes carry more than one animal protein.
The catalog average for kibble is 26.9% protein, 37.4% estimated starch and 395 kcal per cup. The line averages 24.1% protein, 40.7% starch and 398 kcal per cup. That makes most recipes moderate in protein and higher in starch than average. Only Whitefish Meal & Rice Recipe leaves out poultry. Chicken appears in every other recipe, including the beef and turkey ones.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Chicken | 30% | 20% | 28% | 431 | chicken meal, peas, chicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid) |
| Large Breed Chicken | 24% | 12% | 42% | 394 | chicken meal, barley, peas |
| Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe | 24% | 12% | 42% | 394 | chicken meal, whole grain sorghum, barley |
| Large Breed Beef | 23% | 12% | 43% | 389 | beef meal, barley, peas |
| Beef Meal & Barley | 23% | 12% | 43% | 389 | beef meal, barley, peas |
| Turkey Meal & Barley Recipe | 23% | 12% | 43% | 396 | turkey meal, whole grain sorghum, peas |
| Whitefish Meal & Rice Recipe | 22% | 12% | 44% | 393 | whitefish meal, brown rice, peas |
| Line average | 24.1% | 13.1% | 40.7% | 398 |
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.
30% protein · 20% fat · 28% starch · 431 kcal/cup · Adult
Performance Chicken has the most protein (30%), fat (20%) and calories (431 kcal per cup) in the line, and the least estimated starch at 28%. Peas sit second on its list, ahead of any grain, and it suits adult dogs with high energy needs.
Full review of Performance Chicken24% protein · 12% fat · 42% starch · 394 kcal/cup · Adult
Sold for large breed adults, this chicken meal recipe lists barley before peas and sorghum and includes fish alongside chicken and turkey. It matches Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe at 24% protein and 394 kcal per cup, but it is labeled for adults only.
Full review of Large Breed Chicken24% protein · 12% fat · 42% starch · 394 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Labeled for all life stages, this recipe puts whole grain sorghum second and is the only one in the line without whole peas in its first five ingredients, where pea starch is listed fourth. At 24% protein, it suits households feeding one chicken kibble to dogs of different ages.
Full review of Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe23% protein · 12% fat · 43% starch · 389 kcal/cup · Adult
Made for large breed adults, this recipe pairs beef meal with barley, peas and whole grain sorghum. It adds fish, chicken and turkey for four animal proteins, the most in the line, and suits large dogs eating a beef-led kibble at 389 kcal per cup.
Full review of Large Breed Beef23% protein · 12% fat · 43% starch · 389 kcal/cup · Adult
This adult recipe for all breed sizes leads with beef meal and barley. It carries beef, chicken and turkey but leaves out the fish in Large Breed Beef, and it suits owners of any size adult who want a beef-led kibble at 23% protein.
Full review of Beef Meal & Barley23% protein · 12% fat · 43% starch · 396 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This is the only recipe led by turkey meal, followed by whole grain sorghum, peas and barley, with chicken as its second animal protein. Labeled for all life stages at 23% protein and 396 kcal per cup, it suits owners who want turkey first on the list.
Full review of Turkey Meal & Barley Recipe22% protein · 12% fat · 44% starch · 393 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Whitefish meal and brown rice lead this all life stages recipe, oatmeal is in its first five ingredients, and fish is its only animal protein. It has the least protein (22%) and the most estimated starch (44%) in the line, and it suits owners avoiding poultry and beef.
Full review of Whitefish Meal & Rice RecipeNo. All 7 Choice recipes contain grain, such as barley, whole grain sorghum, brown rice or oatmeal. All 7 also contain peas or lentils.
Performance Chicken has the most, with 30% protein and 20% fat as fed and 431 kcal per cup. The other six range from 22% protein in Whitefish Meal & Rice Recipe to 24% in the two chicken recipes.
Whitefish Meal & Rice Recipe is the only one, and fish is its only animal protein. Every other recipe includes chicken, including Turkey Meal & Barley Recipe, Beef Meal & Barley and Large Breed Beef.
Protein runs lower than the average kibble we review (26.8% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is higher than average, at 41% 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.
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