Wholesomes Dog Food Review 2024

Wholesomes dog food is a product range from Midwestern Pet Foods. It offers a series of dry dog food recipes, which include wholegrain and grain-free options, and a more specialist choice for certain health conditions — dogs who are prone to sensitive skin and stomachs. Wholesome also has two recipes specially formulated for active dogs. 

To complement its dog food, Wholesomes also has a range of treats, with oven-baked biscuits for puppies and adults. They also produce grain-free and gluten-free jerky snacks.

But, it’s Wholesomes dog food that we’re going to take a closer look at here. So, is Wholesomes dog food good? Read on to discover more about the Wholesome product range, selection of flavors, its brand history, customer reviews and more.

The Wholesomes dog food range is exclusively dry dog food. There are grain-free and wholegrain recipes among the product ranges, and food formulated for large breed, and large breed puppies.

Overall, there are 13 different flavors and variations of Wholesomes dog food, at the time of writing. Let’s get into more detail here.

Wholesomes whole grain dog food

Grain-inclusive recipes from Wholesomes are available in four main flavors, with other products formulated for large breeds, puppy, and large breed puppy.

Recipes feature meat — or fish — as the main source of protein, supported by brown rice, fruit and vegetables. The recipes don’t include corn, soy or wheat, so are suitable for dogs that may have certain dietary restrictions, while the presence of fatty acids (Omega-6 and Omega-3) can contribute to a healthy coat and skin.

There are four flavors in the grain-inclusive Wholesomes dog food range:

• Beef Meal & Rice
• Chicken Meal & Rice
• Lamb Meal & Rice
• Whitefish Meal & Rice

There are three further grain inclusive recipes from Wholesomes, which have been formulated for specific breed sizes.

Large Breed Chicken Meal & Rice

Large Breed Chicken Meal & Rice from Wholesomes is suitable for dogs that will weigh over 50lbs when fully grown. It includes Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which can help to keep joints healthy.

Puppy Chicken Meal & Rice

Puppy Chicken Meal & Rice is designed to provide all the nutrients a young pup needs during its first year. It has extra calories to deliver growth and energy, and it’s high in protein, which helps to build muscles and strengthen bones.

Large Breed Puppy Chicken Meal & Rice

Large Breed Puppy Chicken Meal & Rice is formulated for puppies who will grow into big adult dogs, eventually weighing 70 lbs-plus. The inclusion of chicken meal provides a natural source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

Wholesomes grain-free dog food

Wholesomes grain-free dog food is also gluten-free, so it’s ideal for dogs who have certain food allergies. With no corn, wheat or soy, recipes feature beef meal, chicken or whitefish as its first ingredient, followed by potatoes, peas and several other ‘farm grown’ fruits and veg.

The three flavors are:

• Beef Meal & Potatoes
• Chicken Meal & Potatoes
• Whitefish Meal & Potatoes

Wholesomes Sensitive Skin and Stomach dog food

For dogs who have a sensitive stomach or skin allergies that might be triggered by certain food, there’s a series of formulated recipes. The Wholesomes dog food sensitive stomach and skin range has ingredients that are easily digestible. Recipes are free of peas, lentils and legumes, which some dogs can find hard to digest.

The three flavors are:

• Lamb Protein
• Salmon Protein
• Salmon Large Breed

Wholesomes Energy Plus

Energy Plus products from Wholesomes are for highly active dogs who are on the go a lot — suitable for working and sporting breeds. High in protein, Energy Plus recipes also have Glucosamine and Chondroitin to help protect joints, while ingredients are formulated to maximize endurance and stamina.

There are two flavors:

• Beef Protein
• Chicken Protein

Made with good quality ingredients

Wholesomes recipes have a named protein as its lead ingredient, such as chicken meal, beef meal or salmon meal. This is supported by rice, fruit and vegetables. Recipes don’t contain corn, wheat and soy.

Offers a range of dog food products

All Wholesomes dog food is dry dog food, but products available include grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes, and a range created specifically for pups who have sensitive skin and/or sensitive stomachs. There are also recipes formulated for large breed dogs, large breed puppies, and puppies. Plus, recipes for highly active dogs who might need extra energy.

Each sale supports a charitable organization

Midwestern Pet Foods, the parent brand of Wholesomes, donates a percentage of every sale to a charitable organization titled Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. It’s a worthy cause that you can read more about here.

Made in the US

All Wholesomes dog food is crafted and created in the US, at one of Midwestern’s four kitchen facilities — Illinois, New York, Indiana and Oklahoma.

Cheaper than other dog food brands

Wholesomes is priced lower than many competitors, so it offers a good quality dry dog food in more of the budget range. Prices vary across the products but at the time of writing you can buy a 40 lb bag of Beef Meal & Rice from $46.55 with Chewy Autoship.

No specific senior food

Although Wholesomes offers products for puppies and adults, and technically covers all life stages, there’s no specific senior range. So, if your dog needs a formulated diet in its advanced years, you may not find that from Wholesomes — meaning you might have to make a brand switch to a dedicated senior food.

Subject to recalls 

Midwestern Pet Foods has been the subject of a few recalls in the past, in 2020 and 2021. There was a Wholesomes dog food recall — along with multiple other products — in March 2021.

“I've been feeding my dog this brand for many years and while she has never loved dry dog food of any kind, she likes this one more than all the others. BUT, I find this brand a good middle-range food that I'm comfortable and happy with. Chewy had this particular chicken meal with rice formula that I've never seen in any store so I was pleased to find it!”

“We were introduced to this food by a specialty feed store when we were transitioning our last pup to adult food, and noticed it made his coat shiny and he seemed to love it. When we rescued Ranger, we knew we would put him on this food. He loves to eat it, and we love that it has quality ingredients and (it’s) affordable. Ranger is now a healthy weight and his coat is gleaming!”

Read more reviews on Chewy.

Wholesomes is produced by Midwestern Pet Foods, a family-owned business that’s been feeding pets for generations — it was founded in 1926. In addition to Wholesomes, Midwestern produces other pet food brands, including SPORTMiX, Earthborn Holistic, Ultimates and Canine X.

Wholesomes is a range of dry dog food that’s prepared in kitchens in four different locations in the US — in Monmouth, Illinois; Waverly, New York; Evansville, Indiana; and Chickasha, Oklahoma. A percentage of all sales of Wholesomes dog food is donated to the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation.

There have been three dog food recalls relating to Wholesomes at the time of writing (November 2023).

These were:

On December 30, 2020, parent brand Midwestern Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for nine Sportmix pet food products — including both dog and cat food recipes — due to possible fatal levels of aflatoxin and a risk of potential aflatoxin poisoning. There were reports that at least 28 dogs had died, and eight fell ill, after eating the recalled food. No Wholesomes products were included in the recall.

On January 11, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods expanded the recall to include additional products that were made in its Oklahoma facility. More than 1,000 lots were affected. Wholesomes dog food products weren’t among those issued with a recall. As of January 21, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) had been made aware that more than 110 dogs had died, with more than 210 taking ill, after eating affected food.

The recall was terminated on January 25, 2021.

On March 27, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for multiple brands of its dog and cat food because of a potential contamination of salmonella. Wholesomes dog food products were included. Only products manufactured at the company’s facility in Illinois were affected. The recall was completed and terminated by the FDA. No illnesses were recorded as a result of this recall.

Our online partners, Dog Food Advisor, can alert pet parents to any dog food recalls. Sign up here.