Beneful Dog Food Review in 2024
Table of Contents
Beneful Dog Food Guide
Being a pet parent, you’ve surely turned every digital stone searching high and low for the scoop on the best dog food brands. You’ve plowed through heaps of dog food critiques, all to ensure your furry pal gets nothing but the top-notch grub.
Should you feed wet dog food or dry kibble?
Reading through dog food reviews just isn’t enough. To really put your minds at ease, you need to get to know the brand, its history, and its values.
Today, we’re targeting Beneful dog food products in order to help pet owners figure out if this brand is a safe dog food choice and if it will serve pet owners and their fur babies. Whether your beloved pet has food sensitivities or allergies, the ideal pet food brand will have an entire product line or at least one formula that targets your pet’s needs.
Read on to find out our honest opinion about Purina Beneful prepared meals and how their products compare to other dog foods.
About Beneful
Beneful is closely related to Purina Pro Plan, as they are both brands under Nestle Purina PetCare Company. Learn more about Purina by checking reviews about Purina Pro Plan dog food. Beneful’s plan of action is to introduce pets to a different kind of pet food, giving them a sense of novelty. They are a relatively new brand and hit the dog food market back in 2001. Nutrition is their main focus, and their initial products resembled stew with real beef pieces inside.
Beneful has taken different approaches to market their food. Some of these examples include posters that smelled of dog food, TV commercials that emitted high-pitched sounds that only dogs could hear, and interactive billboards. We have to hand it to them, they dominated the creative advertising front.
Every year Beneful hosts the Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest, in which dog park designs are submitted and considered for a $0.5 million dollar project. A handful of parks across America have been the result of this competition.
About Beneful Dog Food
Our Purina Beneful dog food review as revealed that the price point of Beneful dog food is very appealing, as they are considered one of the least expensive choices on the market. The delicious taste is irresistible to a lot of dogs, even the finicky and picky eaters can’t resist!
There was a controversial formula change not too long ago, and this raised many questions with consumers. Some even reported their dogs refused to eat the new recipe. Beneful claimed these changes were due to an endless tweaking process they undergo to always exceed expectations.
Their dog food is made in the Purina facilities that exceed FDA, USDA, and AAFCO standards. Beneful claims to hold themselves to very high standards when it comes to dog food safety. Purina consistently performs quality checks to further guarantee the quality of their pet food.
How We Conducted Our Purina Beneful Dog Food Review
Nutrient Profiles
We want to give your fur babies the best dog food money can afford, or at least what we can afford within our budget. Going by the AAFCO nutrient profiles is the best way to determine the best recipe for your dog’s needs. AAFCO nutrient profiles are guidelines but not something mandated or rigorously regulated by dog food professionals.
The best way to determine the nutrition within Beneful prepared meals is to look through each ingredient. Get acquainted with what each individual item does for your dog and assess whether your fur baby will be getting a balanced profile.
Wet Food, Dry Food, or a Mix of Both?
We have recommended mostly dry dog foods in our Beneful dog food review, but wet food or a mix of the two can add health benefits. Wet food is very flavorful and gives your pups a moisture boost, but it can get expensive and it doesn’t have a very long shelf life. Dry kibble, on the other hand, is prominent in our Beneful dog food review because it lasts the longest, has balanced nutrition, is more affordable and has dental advantages.
Dogs eating a dry diet will have cleaner and whiter teeth than dogs on Beneful wet dog food. This is because the texture of the hard kibble will help scrape off plaque and reduce tartar buildup. However, you have to make sure to have water available at all times because dry dog food can dehydrate your dog.
For picky eaters, having a mix of both is a great balance and also entices your dog to eat. The different textures can be intriguing, which is why we also included recipes with small bites of real ingredients within our dog food review.
Which is best for your fur baby?
Think about his eating habits. For example, if you have a picky eater on your hands, we would suggest meal toppers on dry food or a mix of Beneful wet dog food with kibble. We wouldn’t recommend switching to wet food directly, because you could risk spoiling your fur baby and it’s not a very pocket-friendly option.
Ingredients
We also took a closer look at each ingredient within Beneful dog foods and if they had a purpose. We want to help dog owners avoid unnecessary fillers and unhealthy additives that are seen in some other dog food brands. The best is to look for all-natural, organic, human-grade whole ingredients. Where the ingredients for Beneful dog food were sourced is also a key factor.
Unfortunately, this is where geographical distinction really matters. Locally sourced ingredients will always be fresher than ones from other countries that may have traveled for days. We also want to avoid dog food that has ingredients that do not benefit dogs. We’re talking about by-products and some meals.
Colorful dog food may often have artificial flavors and coloring incorporated into the mix. This is a big no-no. While it may make the formula taste better, artificial flavors and coloring really do nothing for your dog’s health. Dry dog foods are more susceptible to this problem and artificial colors are less commonly seen in wet dog foods.
Before you go out and splurge on wet food, we must also remind dog owners that preservatives are a problem that is more prominent in wet food. Manufacturers need to prolong the shelf life of wet food, and this usually means added preservatives. Dry food also has preservatives as do dog treats. The key is to look for natural preservatives if possible.
Facilities
Where the food was prepared is also a primary consideration. Ideally, everything is cooked and prepared in state-of-the-art kitchens in FDA-approved facilities, which is true in Beneful’s case. You wouldn’t want to eat food prepared in a dirty kitchen, because the product could be riddled with germs and bacteria. The same can be said for your dog’s food.
We can almost say it’s worse for your dog because they aren’t being served in restaurants where the prepared food takes just a few minutes to reach your table after preparation. No, dog food takes a while to reach your home. The ingredients need to be sourced, processed, cooked, and packaged, which means it could take days or weeks until you open the bag and feed your pooch.
Who knows what can happen to the food during this time if it isn’t packaged correctly. You must make sure your Beneful prepared meals are as fresh as possible, and that’s where the kitchen facilities come in.
Beneful AAFCO Nutrient Profiles
Each of the recipes has its own AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) nutrient profile. Please refer to the information on their website for more details.
The rankings are G – Growth, M-Maintenance, A-All Life Stages, S-Supplemental, U-Unspecified.
The rankings are more for consideration. For a more accurate diagnosis on which is best for your pet, consult your trusted veterinarian.
Beneful Purina Dog Food Lines
Beneful Dry Dog Food Originals (M)
Best of the Line: Beneful Dry Dog Food Originals with Real Beef
Real meat is the first ingredient for the three flavors under the Beneful Original line. Formulated to meet AAFCO standards for maintenance, they have a good balance of protein, with added grains and vegetables.
This recipe in our Beneful dog food review is fortified with vitamins and minerals to make sure our pup doesn’t lack anything in the nutrition department, especially essential nutrients.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 23.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 12.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 4.0% max |
| Moisture | 14.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg min |
Beneful Dry Dog Food IncrediBites Small Dog Food(M)
Best of the Line: Beneful Incredibites Real Beef Dry Dog Food
The colorful bites in each of these recipes are real beef with carrots and peas to give the food the appearance of colorful cereal. The Incredibites line is suitable dog food for small dogs.
The recipe comes with high levels of protein and fats to keep up with your small but energetic fur baby. The added vitamins and minerals will give enough support for your pet.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 27.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 13.5% min |
| Crude Fiber | 4.0% max |
| Moisture | 14.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.1% min |
| Vitamin E | 150 IU/kg |
Beneful Dry Dog Food Healthy Weight with Real Chicken (M)
For dogs who need their weight regulated, there is the No products found.. The chicken still provides enough protein for your fur baby even with the lower protein and fat content in the entire recipe.
Chicken is an easily digestible protein that will pass through your dog’s system easily and the 12% fiber will help the process. If you need to keep your fur baby at a healthy weight, there is no better choice.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,213 kcal/kg, 341 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 25.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 8.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 7.5% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg min |
Related: Best Diet Dog Foods
Purina Beneful Dry Dog Food Healthy Puppy with Real Chicken (A)
Chicken is a good source of protein for delicate puppies. With Beneful’s No products found., the chicken is farm-raised and the calcium supports healthy bones and joints in development.
Give your puppy the chance to grow into a healthy and smart fur baby. The small-sized kibble is perfect for your puppy’s tiny mouth and supports dental hygiene with every chew. See more food for puppies here.
Beneful Playful Life Dry Dog Food with Beef & Egg (M)
Beef and eggs are the backbones of this recipe with blueberries, spinach and essential vitamins and minerals to tie the recipe together. Tailored specifically for more active dogs, the No products found. is rich in protein to support healthy muscles by supplying amino acids. Fruits such as the extra blueberries will provide antioxidants that boost the immune system and overall health.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 27.5% min |
| Crude Fat | 12.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 4.0% max |
| Moisture | 14.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg |
Beneful Grain-Free Dry Dog Food with Farm Raised Chicken (M)
As you might have noticed, Beneful has lines of dog food for almost every need, but with a limited number of recipes in each line. The grain-free recipe only comes with farm-raised chicken flavor. No corn, wheat, soy, gluten or artificial additives are included in their grain-free blend.
The no animal by-product policy for this line is admirable, resulting in balanced nutrition for sensitive pups. You can find pea starch, cassava root flour and blueberries to name a few of the ingredients.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 24.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 13.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg |
Beneful Simple Goodness Dry Dog Food (M)
Best of the Line: Beneful Simple Goodness Dry Dog Food with Real Chicken
The Simple Goodness Dry Dog Food has special kibble. Rather than being hard and dry, the kibble is tender and juicy, made with real beef. Heavily fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and no artificial additives, you will deliver wholesome nutrition into your dog’s system.
You can serve each pouch as an individual meal or mix these tender pieces in with regular kibble. There is a lot of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture within this Beneful dog food.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 18.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 7.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 3.0% max |
| Moisture | 33.0% max |
Beneful Select 10 Dry Dog Food with Beef (M)
The Select 10 blend is similar to the limited dog food recipes of other brands. Farm-raised beef is the first listed ingredient, and along with 9 others make up the Select 10 recipe. The recipe is reinforced with the vitamins and minerals that are crucial to your dog’s development.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,572 kcal/kg, 329 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 24.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 13.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg min |
Related: Dog Food Allergies
Beneful Superfood Blend Dry Dog Food with Salmon (M)
The Superfood Blend from Beneful is made with nutrient-rich ingredients, hence the name. The protein of choice for this recipe is salmon, which is rich in omega fatty acids that bolster skin and coat health.
Beneful advertises that no animal by-products go into their formulas. The chia seeds, cranberries with accents of kale will provide all the other vital vitamins and minerals for your pup.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,690 kcal/kg, 366 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 24.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 14.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 150 IU/kg min |
Beneful Dog Food Recall History
Our Beneful dog food review has shown us that the brand has only ever had one dog food recall. It was back in 2016- a fairly recent incident. Nestle Purina, the parent company voluntarily pulled select lines of Beneful and Purina Pro Plan due to not having ideal levels of vitamins and minerals in the recipes.
Even a dog food brand that claims they have regular quality inspections couldn’t escape recalls. A carefully conducted Beneful dog food review and reviews of other dog food brands can help reveal crucial recalls that may impact your purchasing decisions.
This isn’t to say that all dog foods that have had recalls are bad, after all, everyone including companies may deserve a second chance. The fact that Beneful Dog Food voluntarily pulled the products in favor of protecting dogs speaks volumes about where they stand. They seem to be a company that values their clients.
Which Dogs Can Eat Beneful Dog Food?
Beneful caters to many dogs and their unique needs, more specifically for overweight dogs, puppies, small breeds, sensitive fur babies and active pups. Noticeably missing from the list are large breeds and seniors. If your fur baby is either one of the latter, we would suggest looking for recipes that cater to their needs.
During our Beneful dog food review we also realized that they don’t fully disclose where they source their ingredients for their dog foods, and only that they meet necessary standards. However, they do claim their recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles. This doesn’t guarantee a brand’s quality, unfortunately, which is why it’s important for dog parents to do some homework and look at the ingredients list.
One more unfortunate thing we uncovered during our Beneful dog food review is that Beneful had been on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit alleging that poisonous ingredients such as propylene, mycotoxins, and glycol can be found in their dog food. This incident is what many people believe prompted their change in the formulas used.
While a class action lawsuit is quite an error that will undoubtedly leave a stain on a company’s reputation, it’s more important to look at how the issue was rectified.
Best Beneful Dog Foods
Don’t know which one to feed your dog? You can always ask your vet about which Beneful prepared meals are best suited for your pup’s needs. These professionals will have a clear understanding of your pup’s health history and they can make the best call. We have picked a few from the list above that we feel are the most impactful for dogs of different needs.
1. Purina Beneful Dry Dog Food Originals with Real Beef
The original line brings basic nutrition to your fur baby. With touches of real spinach, peas, and carrots your fur baby will get protein and much-needed beta-carotene from these added veggies. The farm-raised beef is paired with antioxidant-rich foods to create a bountiful blend for your fur baby.
Why We Like It
We chose this Beneful dog food as one of the best because of the real ingredients and the anti-oxidant-rich blend that helps boost your dog’s immune system.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 23.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 12.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 4.0% max |
| Moisture | 14.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg min |
Pros:
+ Made with real farm-raised beef
+ Real spinach, peas and carrots added
+ Full of anti-oxidants
+ Made in USA
Cons:
– Some dogs may not like the flavor
2. Beneful Grain-Free Dry Dog Food with Farm Raised Chicken
Beneful Grain-free is the way to go for more sensitive pooches and it also reduces inflammation. The chicken is a highly digestible protein that takes the stress of their systems. No fillers, gluten, wheat or corn are found in the recipe. Only real food without animal by-products go into this option for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Why We Like It
Grain-free dog foods can benefit certain dogs that are highly sensitive and need a dog food that won’t cause stomach issues and allergies.
Nutrition Information:
| Crude Protein | 24.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 13.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg |
Pros:
+ Grain-free recipe
+ Made with real farm-raised chicken
+ Great for dogs with digestion problems
+ No fillers
Cons:
– Not all dogs are suited for a grain-free diet
3. Beneful Select 10 Dry Dog Food with Beef
The selective ingredient recipe only includes 10 necessary main ingredients. Nothing but what is important and beneficial to your fur baby is included. Farm-raised beef is the first ingredient and nothing artificial is added, just extra sunflower oil and apples for strengthening your pup’s immune system.
Why We Like It
We like the selective ingredients dog food because it doesn’t give your pup any more than what’s necessary to avoid overworking his system.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,572 kcal/kg, 329 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 24.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 13.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 12.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.0% min |
| Vitamin E | 100 IU/kg min |
Pros:
+ Only uses what’s necessary
+ Made with farm-raised beef
+ No artificial ingredients
+ Strengthens your pup’s immune system
Cons:
– Not meant for puppies
Beneful Discount Coupons & Promo Deals
You can clip coupons the old fashioned way or click around online and browse coupon websites. Sometimes Amazon will also offer some buy one get one free deal or large discounts. Make sure you type in the month and year as keywords if you decide to search through Google. Shopping around on Amazon and other such websites could reveal some amazing hidden deals. Happy shopping!
Conclusion
Beneful is quite mysterious with where their ingredients come from. Even though they have no animal by-products, they have certain by-product meals, which is less than ideal. It is a below average product that sometimes contains unnamed products and had to do an overhaul of all their dog food lines. Whether it was due to the class action lawsuit or not, it isn’t a good look for any brand.
There are also no traces of glucosamine, chondroitin, and pro and prebiotics. Upon careful inspection of some of the ingredients, indeed some of them contain artificial colors and flavors with unnamed animal products in the mix. Overall, we give this brand a below average review.
