Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Nibblets Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Company info
Company HQ
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Parent company
Carnivore Meat CompanyProduct info
Primary proteins
- Ground Chicken With Bone
- Chicken Heart
- Chicken Liver
Ingredients
Breed sizes
Toy
Small
Medium
Large
Giant
Compare Prices To Find The Lowest Price
Estimated Nutrient Content
To understand the nutrient content of pet food, we visualize its macronutrient composition in three ways. In the charts below, you’ll see a guaranteed analysis on an as-fed basis, a dry matter analysis, and a breakdown of the food’s macronutrients on a calorie-weighted basis.
Remember that all of these values are estimates based on the guaranteed analysis published by the company, and the food’s actual nutrient values may be slightly different.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 41.5%
Fat: 35.5%
Fiber: 1.2%
Moisture: 8.5%
Ash: 0%
Carb: 13.3%
Dry Matter Analysis
Protein: 45.36%
Fat: 38.8%
Fiber: 1.31%
Ash: 8%
Carb: 14.54%
Calorie Weighted Basis
Protein: 29.43%
Fat: 61.14%
Carb: 9.43%
Our Review
- Low carbohydrate content
- Freeze-dried food retains the nutritional value of raw meat
- Doesn’t contain fillers, by-products, or artificial additives
- Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
- Affordable
- Contains a limited number of ingredients
- Low in moisture
- Contains a small amount of plant-based proteins
- Freeze dried dog food requires rehydration, which is time-consuming
- The brand has had multiple recalls over recent years
Recall History
The following list (if present) shows all dog food recalls related to Vital Essentials since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.
| Date: | 07/08/2015 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Carnivore Meat Company, LLC |
| Product Description: | Pet Foods |
| Recall Reason: | Listeria monocytogenes |
| Date: | 01/15/2016 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Carnivore Meat Company, LLC |
| Product Description: | Frozen Chicken Patties Entree for Dogs |
| Recall Reason: | Potential for salmonella |
| Date: | 02/23/2018 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Carnivore Meat Company, LLC |
| Product Description: | Freeze-dried beef nibblets for dogs |
| Recall Reason: | Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella |
| Date: | 04/15/2018 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Carnivore Meat Company, LLC |
| Product Description: | Dog/pet food Freeze-Dried Beef Toppers and Frozen Beef Chub |
| Recall Reason: | Salmonella |
Ingredient Review
Our review of Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Nibblets Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food begins with a detailed look at the food’s ingredients.
The first ingredient is Ground Chicken With Bone. Ground chicken with bone is milled chicken meat with the bones ground in. This isn’t something we humans would find appealing but in pet food, ground chicken with bone can be a valuable source of protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to support your furry friend’s overall well-being.
The second ingredient is Chicken Heart. Chicken heart is meat from the muscles that form a chicken’s heart. In pet food, chicken heart can be a good source of protein, iron, and other important nutrients.
The third ingredient is Chicken Liver. Chicken liver is one of a few organ meats that come from a chicken. In pet food, chicken liver serves as a source of protein, iron, and amino acids.
The fourth ingredient is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a general name for the vitamins calciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), essential for the absorption of calcium and other minerals. Added vitamin D in pet food supports your companion’s health overall.
The fifth ingredient is Mixed Tocopherols. Mixed tocopherols are a form of vitamin E. These antioxidants are used as a natural preservative. In pet food, mixed tocopherols help to prevent spoilage and oxidization.
When we analyzed the ingredients in Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Nibblets Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food, we found that most of the protein is derived from meat based sources.
Price Analysis
Price per lb
Product Price
$30.99
Market Price avg.
$23.01
% From the Avg
+35%
Price per 100 kcal
Product Price
$1.00
Market Price avg.
$1.80
% From the Avg
-44%
Price per day
Product Price
$0.60
Market Price avg.
$1.08
% From the Avg
-44%
Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Nibblets Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food is priced well below the average market price for freeze-dried dog food.
Nutritional Analysis
Your adult dog needs a balance of macro and micronutrients to thrive. A food formulated for adult maintenance or all life stages is made to meet these needs. While there can be a lot of variation in actual calorie density, adult dog foods are generally intended to provide for basic calorie needs of the average active dog. In addition to satisfying their energy needs, these foods provide the protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients your adult dog needs to survive. Again, not all adult foods are the same, so you may have to search around for the right fit for your dog.
With that in mind, we’ve compared Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Nibblets Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food to the other 156 freeze-dried dog food recipes in our database:
DM Protein
Product info
45.36%
All Products avg.
45.03%
% From the Avg
+1%
DM Fat
Product info
38.8%
All Products avg.
27.3%
% From the Avg
+42%
DM Fiber
Product info
1.31%
All Products avg.
4.24%
% From the Avg
-69%
DM Carb
Product info
14.54%
All Products avg.
23.05%
% From the Avg
-37%
Analysis Overview
Overall, this is a meat based food that’s moderate in protein with high fat and low carbohydrate content relative to other freeze-dried dog foods.
Disclaimer and Disclosure
At Pet Food Sherpa, our primary goal is to provide pet owners like you with accurate, relevant, and unbiased information about pet nutrition. As such, we do not accept gifts or incentives as motivation to include certain products in our reviews.
We do, however, participate in affiliate marketing programs and we partner with select brands to fund our site. We choose the products we review carefully and review them thoroughly before publishing a review or accepting any form of payment.
Proceeds from this program and our partners enable us to continue providing high-quality content to our readers. Read more about how we’re funded here.
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