The Best Cheap Dog Food in 2022

If you’re looking for the best value dog food, this is it. The Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight by Blue Buffalo is packed with delicious and nutritious ingredients, which will not only help support your pet’s health and well-being, but will also fit in your tight budget easily.
This kibble features real, deboned chicken as the first ingredient, as well as a bunch of other healthy foods, including brown rice, barley, oats, peas, flaxseed, potatoes and sweet potatoes, carrots, kelp, blueberries, cranberries, spinach and many other nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich ingredients. There’s just enough protein for moderately active dogs and lots of fiber for healthy digestion and weight. The recipe is also fortified with all the necessary supplements, and even includes Glucosamine and Chondroitin for healthy joints and bones. Importantly, it’s free from all artificial additives!

If your pooch has digestive issues and food allergies, it’s a good idea to stick to limited ingredient diets. This particular recipe Just 6, with lamb and brown rice by Rachel Ray Nutrish, is a great choice as it contains only simple, natural ingredients known to support sensitive canine health and digestion.
Lamb meal is the first ingredient in this crunchy kibble, which is followed by brown and ground rice. There is some dried beet pulp in there too for increased fiber content, as well as chicken fat which makes up the basis of the fat content. With 20% protein, this is a good diet for moderately active dogs. Of course, the recipe is also enriched with vitamins and minerals and contains naturally occurring Glucosamine and Chondroitin. It’s free from artificial additives and fillers. For a wider selection of choices, check out our Rachael Ray Dog Food Review.

Cheap, healthy and delicious? Check, check and check. This kibble from Nature’s Recipe features many nutritious foods that not only taste amazing but help support your dog’s health and high energy levels. All that at a very fair price!
The first ingredient here is real salmon, which makes up the basis of the protein content. Speaking of which, this is a moderately high in protein kibble (27%), ideal for active dogs who thrive on high-protein foods. Then we have some garbanzo beans in there, as well as peas, sweet potatoes, apples, pumpkin and tomatoes, which all make for a healthy, antioxidant-rich meal. The kibble is grain-free, so suitable for dogs who have sensitive stomachs and/or grain allergies. There are added vitamins and minerals as well, making this food nutritionally complete and balanced.

If you’re looking for a super-tasty, crunchy kibble that also packs nutritious ingredients that support canine health, you should check out Iams Proactive Health, Adult Minichunks. This recipe features smaller sized kibble that most dogs absolutely love to munch on, without sacrificing on the nutrition department.
Real chicken is the first ingredient, which makes up the basis of the protein content. There is 25% protein, which is plenty for moderately active dogs. Besides poultry, this dry food also contains corn, whole grain sorghum, dried beet pulp, dried eggs, flaxseed and chicken fat. All in all, a nicely balanced nutrition for adult dogs. Of course, there are added supplements as well, including L-carnitine for healthy metabolism and weight. What you won’t find here are artificial preservatives, soy or wheat. Iams Adult MiniChunks Small Kibble High Protein is one of 5 dog food recipes included in our Iams Dog Food Review.

If wet dog foods are more of your pet’s thing, check out this chicken and barley entree by Hill’s Science. Made with nutritious ingredients that help support health and muscle maintenance in adult dogs, this is a good cheap dog food that can be mixed with kibble or served alone – whatever your pet prefers.
Some of the ingredients in this tasty wet food include chicken, pork liver and beef by-products – these are the main protein sources. There are whole grains present too, including whole grain corn and barley, as well as some soybean meal and dried whey for added protein content. The recipe is also enriched with all the vitamins and minerals an adult dog needs to be healthy, so it’s a balanced, complete everyday diet.

Cheap dog food doesn’t have to be bland, full of fillers and devoid of any real nutrients, and Purina Beneful dog foods are the prime example. This particular dry dog food made of real beef is not only affordable, but packed with good, tasty nutrients that will satisfy your dog’s cravings while providing optimal nutrition.
The kibble features beef as the first ingredient, which together with chicken by-product meal, makes up the basis of the protein content. There are whole and processed grains in here too, as well as antioxidant-rich veggies, including whole grain corn and wheat, barley, oats, spinach, carrots, peas, and soybean meal. With 23% protein and 12% fat, this is a good food choice for moderately active dogs. The recipe is also fortified with vitamins and minerals, so it provides a complete everyday nutrition.

If your pooch is a picky eater, it can be hard to find a tasty, cheap food. But Rachel Ray Nutrish’s line is definitely an exception, and this particular formula made with chicken and vegetables is not only delicious, but is healthy too, as it includes an array of different, nutritious foods.
The kibble features animal-based protein sources as the first two ingredients – chicken and chicken meal, which makes it healthy and just right in the protein department (26%). Other ingredients include peas, soybean meal, corn, dried beet pulp, brown rice, alfalfa and carrots. All in all, a nice blend of wholesome ingredients that are suitable for most healthy canines. Of course, the recipe also has added vitamins and minerals, but none of the artificial additives, including artificial flavors and preservatives.

If you have to work within a very tight budget, slightly lower in quality but still nutritious dog foods are fine from time to time. This dry dog food by Pedigree contains different nutrients that provide balanced nutrition for adult dogs at a very affordable price and may be worth checking out if you’re ok with foods that don’t have meat as the first ingredient.
The first two ingredients in this kibble are whole grain corn and poultry by-product meal, which is a good source of naturally occurring Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate. There are some meat and bone meal, chicken by-product meal and soybean meal in here too for increased protein content. Whole grain wheat, brewers rice, peas and dried beet pulp are also present which help increase fiber and essential micronutrients. The kibble is also enriched with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, so it’s a balanced diet. Read our in-depth Pedigree Dog Food review here.

If you’re looking for a high-protein dog food that is fairly priced and contains all the macro and micronutrients a canine needs to be healthy, the Blue Wilderness Salmon recipe by Blue Buffalo is definitely worth checking out. This formula is inspired by the diet of wolves, so it’s super-healthy, tasty and suitable for all adult dogs.
The first two ingredients of this kibble are two animal-based proteins, deboned salmon and chicken meal, a good source of Glucosamine. However, that’s not all – Manhaden fish meal is also a part of the ingredient list, which is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, so necessary for healthy skin and coat. Other foods are also part of the mix, including peas, tomato pomace, dried eggs, flaxseed, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, cranberries and other antioxidant-rich ingredients. The recipe is also enriched with all the vitamins and minerals a canine needs, so it’s a complete and balanced dog food.

Not the cheapest dog food out there, but definitely a good value product, this grain-free chicken recipe by Nutro MAX is delicious, healthy and balanced dog food that helps support canine health and well-being. Since this is a grain-free kibble, it’s suitable even for pups with sensitive stomachs and grain allergies.
Chicken meal is the first ingredient in this dry food, which together with lamb meal and chicken makes up the basis of the protein content. Other foods include chickpeas, potatoes, peas, alfalfa, dried beet pulp and chicken fat. In essence, although not marketed as such, this is more of a limited ingredient diet that is best suitable for dogs with digestive issues. It’s also fortified with all the necessary minerals and vitamins, so it provides a balanced and complete everyday diet. Nutro Max Grain Free Natural is one of 7 recipes included in our review of Nutro Dog Food.