Label analysisGrade CKibble (Extruded)

Merrick

Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight

Editor ingredient insight

Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight starts with beef but includes chicken meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, turkey meal, and chicken fat. I would use it for weight control with higher protein, not for poultry, pea, potato, or beef-only plans.

Logic-based verdict

This food suits weight-management priorities better than higher-energy feeding.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Whole plant protein source observed early

Animal protein

Deboned Beef (#1), Chicken Meal (#2), Turkey Meal (#6)

Plant protein

Peas (#5)

The protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.

This is not treated like processed protein boosting, but it is worth checking.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Deboned Beef
Chicken Meal
Sweet Potatoes
Fresh-meat leadNo plant booster
Crude protein30%
Crude protein30%
Crude fat10%
Other 60%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Higher
query_statsFat position
Lower
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

Calorie density is lower, crude fat does not run high, and protein does not collapse. That makes this easier to keep in a weight-management shortlist.

Nutritional strengths

  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude fat does not run high, which helps the weight-management read.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.
  • If higher energy density matters more, another option may fit better.
  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat, but the top profile turns to Sweet Potatoes by the third slot instead of staying fully animal-led.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken / beef alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

147 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

Merrick

Healthy Grains Adult Beef Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Merrick

Healthy Grains Healthy Weight Chicken Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Merrick

Lil Plates Small Breed Chicken Sweet Potato

Adult · Small breed

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Merrick

Healthy Grains Senior Chicken Brown Rice

Senior · All sizes

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1988 in the United States. This brand has multiple confirmed recall events, with the most recent public case here in 2018.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

B4.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Good
1Deboned Beef
Fresh Meat · Top
2Chicken Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Sweet Potatoes
Starchy Tuber · Upper

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Deboned Beef is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •Sweet Potatoes is a starchy tuber ingredient. It is not a grain, but it still reads mainly as a starch and energy source. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

21 ingredients
Deboned BeefChicken MealSweet PotatoesPotatoesPeasTurkey MealChicken FatNatural FlavorMiscanthus GrassFlaxseedDried YeastPotassium ChlorideSaltCholine ChlorideApplesBlueberriesMinerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Iodate)DL-MethionineTaurineVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement)Mixed Tocopherols for Freshness
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

Public data trust (ETF)

C1 tier

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.

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