🌿 The Honest Pet Food Checklist: What to Look For (and Avoid) in Your Pet’s Bowl

When it comes to feeding our pets, we all want to do what's best — but with so many labels, trends, and bold marketing claims out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. At Pickles Pet Pantry, we believe in cutting through the noise with clarity, compassion, and science. That’s why we’ve created this Honest Pet Food Checklist — to help you make informed decisions about what’s going in your pet’s bowl.

Whether you're a seasoned raw feeder, a kibble convert, or somewhere in between, this guide is for you

Feeding should be fun, not stressful.

✅ What to Look For in High-Quality Pet Food

1. Named Animal Proteins

Look for clearly labeled meat sources like chicken, salmon, turkey, or duck — not vague terms like “meat meal” or “animal derivatives.”

💡 Why it matters: Named proteins are easier to digest, less likely to cause reactions, and help you track your pet’s sensitivities.

2. Digestibility and Bioavailability

High-quality foods should offer nutrients that your pet can actually absorb. Some advanced formulas, like our Peterinary®️, even use hydrolysed proteins to reduce the risk of allergic reactions and improve absorption.

💡 Why it matters: It's not what goes into your pet, it's what their body can use. Highly digestible foods reduce waste and improve wellbeing.

Look out for nutrients not just ingredients!

3. Science-Backed Formulation

Choose food designed by or in consultation with veterinary nutritionists. Look for transparency around formulation, testing, and the nutritional reasoning behind the recipe.

💡 Why it matters: Trends like “grain-free” or “raw” aren’t inherently good or bad — it’s the science and balance behind them that counts.

4. Transparent Ingredient Lists

The fewer the mystery ingredients, the better. Look for whole food inclusions and avoid “e-numbers,” unnamed fats, or ingredients you wouldn’t recognise in your own food.

💡 Why it matters: Transparency builds trust. If you can't understand what's in the bag, how can you trust it?

We work with only the best scientists.

5. Reputation of the Manufacturer

Has the brand shared how and where the food is made? Do they have quality control in place? At Pickles, we’ve toured our partner’s factory ourselves — and we know our food is made with care. We're proud to work with GA Pet Food Partners

💡 Why it matters: Manufacturing quality = food safety. That’s non-negotiable.

❌ What to Avoid in Pet Food

1. Buzzwords with No Backing

"Grain-free," "natural," or "premium" mean nothing without context. Some grains are great! And “natural” doesn’t equal nutritious. Grain-free diets can be great, we even have our own, but look for nutrients in the foods!

⚠️ Watch out: Don’t fall for packaging that focuses on trends instead of truth.

2. Artificial Colours and Flavours

Dogs don’t care what colour their kibble is — these additives are just marketing fluff and can sometimes trigger sensitivities. Ours are free from artificial flavourings & preservatives!

⚠️ Watch out: If the food looks like a rainbow, it’s time to reconsider.

As humans we look for a colourful plate, not for your pets!

3. Unspecified Meat or Fat Sources

Generic terms like “animal fat” or “meat meal” don’t offer insight into what animal the ingredient came from — which can be risky for pets with allergies. We use Fresh ingredients along side dried nutritious ingredients.

⚠️ Watch out: The more specific, the safer.

4. No Contact with Experts

If the company can't answer your questions or doesn't work with vets and nutritionists, that's a red flag. At Pickles, we always welcome questions (in fact we LOVE your questions!)— it’s what we’re here for.

⚠️ Watch out: If you're getting more marketing than knowledge, it's time to dig deeper.

Questions help us all to learn, so please ASK!

🥣 Pickles Pet Pantry’s Promise

We’re not just here to sell food — we’re here to solve problems, support your pets, and back it all with science. Whether your pet is thriving, sensitive, or struggling, we can help you find something that works — honestly.

Have questions about ingredients, allergies, or switching diets? Pop into the shop, drop us a message, or explore our range online or via our new app (available on Apple & Android).