Natural Nosh Delighting Your Dog s Palate with the Freshness and Flavor

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

The Nosh Project Dog Food Review

The Nosh Project is a big hit with people who shop at Petbarn, especially with all the hype around human grade raw dog foods.

Truth be told, The Nosh Project is one of your best options if this is where you shop, with numerous benefits over some of the biscuits on the neighbouring shelves.

In Australia we really suffer from lack of standards in pet foods, and I lose count of the number of terrible brands of kibble we have. Choosing a human grade dog food, such as The Nosh Project, gives you assurances many pet foods dont.

However, it has to be said this food isnt as good as others in the human grade raw dog food category, but it doesnt cost as much either.

If youre looking for a more affordable human grade dog food, or youre a die hard Petbarn fan, then The Nosh Project could be for you (or more correctly, your dog).

Lets take a more in-depth look:

The Nosh Project Reviewed!

What the marketing says

You know I love to be cynical when it comes to pet food marketing, so lets get the grilling out of the way.

When you search Google for The Nosh Project this is what youll read:

Those few words really hit the spot in terms of marketing, and many Aussie dog owners will be instantly convinced its a great product, right?

Of course, because thats what marketing is there for. But what does this really mean?

Human grade dog food This is a plus in my book. Theres a lot of controversy in Australia about pet grade ingredients, and a lot of dubious questions with the Australian standards in that respect. Weve seen some horrible episodes with pet grade meats over the years, such as the horse meat scandal in 2021 where Maffra Knackery and other retailers in VIC were selling toxic horse meat, the ABC 7.30 report in 2018 where we helped expose the truth about the Australian pet food industry, plastic ear-tags in pet food, and a few years prior I recall issues with excessive sulphite preservatives in pet mince. These events have led to Australian consumers, such as you and I, to favour Human Grade pet food products. However, more on the human grade ingredients in The Nosh Project later.
Aussie ingredients I lived in the UK half of my life, and Australia the other half (not counting a brief stint in the middle of the frozen Gobi desert). One thing which can be said for us Aussies is were very proud of who we are, and we love to support Australian products and produce. Aussie ingredients is such a big selling point when it comes to making a choice for our dogs. On many occasions people tell me theyll only feed an Australian pet food for that very reason.
Developed by pet nutritionists This really sounds impressive, and we implicitly trust professionals in the field to formulate the food which will keep our dogs active and healthy for years to come. You may be surprised, however, that I became a certified pet nutritionist (CPD Accredited) in less than a day. According to The Nosh Project website, the food is also backed by science.

That covers the main aspects of the marketing, so lets take a look at the ingredients. Its the ingredients which tell the real story about a pet food.

What the ingredients really say

Ill start by saying there are valid reasons why you may choose The Nosh Project for your dog. Its a better dog food than many, you may find it more affordable than others, and theres reinsurance with it being human grade.

That puts The Nosh Project ahead of most of the competition.

When writing a review such as this, with the aim of exposing the real truth about a dog food, it can sometimes come across as negative. Keep in mind, compared to most dry dog foods, any human grade raw has clear benefits.

What is the key point you must know about the ingredients in The Nosh Project dog foods?

All of The Nosh Project recipes (or bowls) have a similar formulation. With each on youll find meat as the first ingredient. Note I say first ingredient rather than main ingredient. This ticks our box of meat is good for our dogs, as we all think of them as meat eaters. We often read the first ingredient and believe its the main ingredient, which isnt true.

The next ingredients matter as they can be in the exact same amount, and in The Nosh Project these are rice and potato. Its possible (and likely) these outweigh the meat ingredient 2 to 1, and later in the Analysis section Ill back this up with some boring maths (if youre interested).

This may make you wonder why youre paying such a high price per kilo?

At the time of writing this food is more expensive per kilo than Salmon fillet steaks, which youll know to be more expensive than rice and potato, although theres some merit as youre buying a complete and balanced dog food with all required nutrients to support your dogs health.

I consider rice and potato fine in moderation, but when fed in excess on a daily basis may not be the best for your meat-loving dog. Carbs arent overly natural for a dog to eat, especially in significant amounts. Keep that in mind if youre feeding The Nosh Product daily to your dog.

Personally, if it were me and my dog, I would feed this as part of the diet alongside some other foods (why not some fresh meat, organs, and raw meaty bones for good measure?)

We read earlier The Nosh Project is formulated by pet nutritionists, but for what reason?

We must not forget products are designed to make a profit, which is the primary aim for all pet foods.

Some formulas favour the dog (often with a higher price tag) and some are designed to appeal to consumers for the price they can afford (which often means cheaper ingredients to target that price point).

Meat ingredients are expensive, and potato and rice are cheap. For your dog you want meat more than rice and potato. Petbarn know their consumers, and know they can be priced out of the market if they sold a food 100% raw meat, organs, and bone, with a whopping price tag. Hence the compromise.

Right, I think Ive driven that point home enough. Lets focus on the benefits.

Lets take stock and remember this dog food is human grade, which is a plus. We also find broccoli, carrots, and spinach, which are beneficial to your dog. Its also great to see chicken liver which is excellent for dogs, and sadly not in many dog foods. Consider that a big plus.

Included are 27 vitamins, minerals, and DHA (an omega 3 fatty acid). These are all good, and also required to make The Nosh Project a complete and balanced dog food as per AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) requirements for adult maintenance or growth.

There are no added colours, preservatives, or flavourings, which is a really good point to end on.

Overall The Nosh Project as a human grade food should provide your dog with a safe and reliable meal. Keep in mind the formula more likely favours rice and potato over meat, but the benefit here is the price will more likely suit your budget. If thats the case, consider feeding some fresh meats, organs, and tasty raw meaty bones alongside this dog food, which will serve to add nutrition and keep the costs affordable.

Where to buy

You can order The Nosh Project directly from Petbarn and have it delivered or click-and-collect.

If this review of The Nosh Project has helped, please help by sharing it this helps spread the truth, the stuff marketing departments dont tell you.

Ingredients

The ingredients of The Nosh Project dog food (Slow Cooked Chicken Bowl for Dogs):

Chicken breast, rice, potato, broccoli, carrots, spinach, chicken liver, Nourish 27 (vitamins, minerals & DHA), vegetable oil, psyllium husk and salt.

Analysis

To gain an idea of carbohydrates in The Nosh Project dog food we can use our method of calculation. Using the figures stated below we can assume composition after moisture and ash is removed will be 28.5% (100% 70% moisture 1.5% ash). Of this 8% (min) will be crude protein, 2.8% (min) will be crude fat, which would leave 17.7% carbohydrates (or perhaps a little less when we account for protein and fat as minimum percentages).

That may not sound a great deal of carbohydrates compared to dry foods, but were dealing with wet percentages here (a lot of moisture). Consider it another way, and the carbohydrates would be double that of protein, which further justifies our assumption the rice and potato outweigh the meat 2 to 1.

These are the analysis figures for The Nosh Project dog food (Slow Cooked Chicken Bowl for Dogs), listed as composition (average as fed):

Protein	8% (min)
Fat	2.8% (min)
Crude Fibre	0.5% (max)
Carbohydrates *	Estimated 17.7% (wet, accounting for 70% moisture and 1.5% ash)

* May be estimated. Readhow to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

8.6Total Score

When it comes to human grade or raw dog foods The Nosh Project isn't as good as others, but it isn't as expensive either. But if you're looking for a decent base diet for your dog which comes with much more assurances in quality and safety than the many "pet grade" offerings then this might be a good choice for you (sorry, your dog, not you).

PROS

Human grade
Inclusion of liver
No added preservatives, colours, or flavours.

CONS

Keep in mind The Nosh Project formulas are one meat to two non-meat ingredients, rice and potato.

What to feed a picky dog? Expert Tips to Entice Your Dogs Palate

Are you one of the lucky owners who got to have the picky eater in the litter? The one that has such a peculiar palate that there is no food that could live up to its needs? Yes, we understand you and we sympathize with you. Because we have all been in your shoes and with this article we will try to help you with some tips and tricks on how to feed your picky dog.

Keep in mind, that there will be lots of trial and error, but you need to stick it to the end, and trust me, results will follow!

Make a schedule and stick to it!

Owners who dont feed their dogs at certain times and who leave the food available for their dogs constantly may be facing these problems. Usually, I tell my clients that dogs are like babies, they need a feeding schedule and since they are creatures of habit, you need to be able to respect that.

Whenever you are offering your dog its meal, make sure that this is always at the same time, every day. Also, do not leave the food available for them constantly, offer them the food and give them 15-20 minutes to eat. If they dont then just take the bowl and offer the next food when its time for the next meal.

I know this may sound very harsh for some owners and trust me this is not abuse. This is just teaching your dog that you are the alpha in the pack and that you run the show. Not the other way around.

Dont give too many treats

Treats are meant to be used for a special purpose, meaning when you are trying to teach your dog something or reward them, then this is when you reach out for the yummies they will do anything for. If you have the habit of giving too many treats, way too often, then dont be surprised if your dog becomes picky and expects the yummy food rather than the actual meal. You may also end up overfeeding them and you will again get the same result.

Think about trying out new flavors

Even though I am one of those people who would not fix anything if it is not broken, I understand the pain of owners who have to change food brands every so often. They simply have a dog that easily gets bored with the flavor of that food and they would rather choose hunger over anything else.

Provide variety

This is important, especially for those owners who choose to feed their dogs with homemade food. Make sure you also add up some fruit and veggies, which may make the food smell and taste better for your dog. Also, it may help mask certain smells and at the same time, you can keep your dog healthy.

But, before you start adding things to your dogs dish, make sure they are appropriate for them and consult about how much and how often certain ingredients could be added to the mix.

Use puzzle feeders

Some dogs would be more keen on eating if they are entertained. That is why it may be wise that you try and find some puzzle feeders that will keep your picky dog both entertained and fed at the same time. Keep in mind it may take some time for you to find the right one.

At the end of the story, you may simply have a dog that is picky and that nothing will work. But that only means that you may need to discover different ways to make your dog eat. If you do find new ones, please share them with us!