10 Best Affordable Dog Foods for Labs in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Anyone who’s ever owned a Labrador Retriever knows that they love their food…a lot. In fact, a study has shown that a gene mutation associated with weight and food motivation has been found in Labradors.

This means that Labs are more prone to obesity than other breeds, so it is especially important to feed them the right amount of suitable, complete, and balanced dog food.

There are foods specifically made for large breeds that fulfill the requirements, as do some standard foods formulated for any breed. But, you still want the food you feed your Lab to be affordable, especially since they are a large breed that eat so much.

We’ve reviewed the ten best affordable foods for Labradors to prevent your dog from chewing up your budget. We know you’ll need that extra money anyway to replace your favorite pair of slippers or treat your lab to a nice new bone because, at the end of the day, they’re still your best friend.

Important note: The following information tables are based on data provided by the food manufacturers. The nutrient percentages are not based on dry matter basis, but on the food as it is found in the bag or can (guaranteed analysis). These foods are recommended for healthy dogs with no underlying medical issues or specific nutritional requirements. It is always best to discuss your dog’s individual nutritional needs with your veterinarian.

A Quick Comparison of Our Winners in 2024

The 10 Best Affordable Dog Foods for Labs

1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult – Best Overall

It’s hard to beat the nutritional quality of our best overall affordable dog food for Labs, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula, especially considering its low price. Deboned chicken is the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal. While sometimes a controversial ingredient, chicken meal is often used by pet food manufacturers to keep the cost down because it’s a cheaper source of protein that includes ground meat and bones.

Oatmeal and brown rice are beneficial whole grains that will pass much more fiber to your pup than the ground rice that’s commonly found in other inexpensive formulas. We really like how this food carefully includes prebiotic and probiotic fibers, and a taurine supplement. The LifeSource bits exclusive to Blue Buffalo contain minimally cooked ingredients that haven’t been stripped of their nutrients in a high heat process.

The only thing not to love about this food is that it contains pea¹—an ingredient commonly found in grain-free diets that has been potentially linked to canine cardiomyopathy—and some pet parents may be concerned about the chicken meal.

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2. Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food – Best Value

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition provides sufficient nourishment for an extremely low price. This formula garners mostly positive reviews on Chewy, and it appears that it’s a hit with the pups. It’s the best affordable dog food for Labs for the money on our list, and we recommend it if you’re trying to keep your lab’s grocery tab to a minimum.

We’re not a huge fan of artificial preservatives (BHA) and food coloring, however. While this formula uses several other commercial shortcuts, such as cheap meat meals and chicken by-products, we’re not sure why Pedigree includes artificial dyes such as Yellow 5, which have been linked to cancer.²

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3. Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Food – Premium Choice

We picked Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach as our premium choice because it contains beneficial fats to help keep your lab’s joints healthy and their coat shiny. This formula is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids through the salmon and fish ingredients. Although salmon is the main protein source, this recipe does contain beef fat, so it’s not an option for a dog who’s allergic to beef or who needs a single protein source.

The prebiotic and probiotic fibers aid digestion, but this is a limited-ingredient diet, so there is no fruit or vegetables on the list.

While most of the ingredients seem to be fairly high-quality, we did notice canola meal in the first five ingredients. Canola meal isn’t strictly bad for your pup, but it isn’t as nutritionally efficient as another protein source such as meat. It’s commonly used in cheaper foods to meet the protein dietary requirements without relying on more expensive sources such as extra meat.

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4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Food

Similar to our overall best choice, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Formula packs even more protein into a meal for your younger lab. We appreciate how deboned chicken is the first ingredient because it’s a whole protein instead of a cheap plant-based protein or meat by-product. This recipe sets up your young Labrador for life by providing a bounty of whole grains, probiotics, prebiotics, Omega 3s, and taurine!

We don’t like the inclusion of pea protein¹ because of the possible link to cardiomyopathy. Also, the chicken meal as the second ingredient reveals one of the reasons for its low price. However, we think Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy still leads the pack of high-quality foods on a budget.

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5. Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Adult Dry Food

This is a protein-dense diet that’s perfect for active Labradors. The prebiotics and probiotics nourish your dog’s gut. Taurine supports heart-health, and the blueberries give your dog some antioxidants. There’s also a helpful supply of Omega 3’s.

Deboned turkey is the first ingredient, but that’s not the only animal protein in this meaty meal. Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Trout, and Spelt features several different meats. While everyone may not be supportive of chicken meal, which is made from rendering leftovers such as ground bones and meat, at least this formula relies on animal meat for nutrition instead of cheaper plant-based fillers such as canola meal.

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6. Purina Pro Plan 7+ Complete Essentials High Protein Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan 7+ Complete Essentials High Protein is a good fit for senior Labradors and helps support lean muscle and joint health. We like how beef is the first ingredient, and fish meal and fish oil give some added nutrients and flavor further down the list.

Poultry by-product is listed as the second ingredient, and soybean meal and corn protein meal are also included. The latter two are cheaper, plant-based proteins that pet manufacturers use to pad the amount of protein. While they may not be harmful to your dog, we would definitely prefer to see more whole-meat ingredients instead.

This food contains prebiotic fibers and live probiotics to help promote gut health. It also contains glucosamine and EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid to support joint health and mobility.

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7. Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

This Ultra recipe is Nutro’s finest formula for large-breed dogs. We like Nutro because it’s one of the only low-cost brands that uses non-GMO ingredients.

Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult provides your pup with antioxidants through rich superfoods such as spinach, kale, and blueberries, a prime selection of produce that helps this food stand out from the pack. Real chicken is the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal, which is a common cheap protein. Whole-grain brown rice, sorghum, and barley give your Labrador some more fiber in their diet.

Although Nutro Ultra contains a bounty of healthy foods, it definitely lacks some extra nutritional additions such as probiotics and taurine.

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8. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-free Dog Food

Although we don’t recommend a grain-free diet unless medically necessary, Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-free food is a good choice if your Labrador needs to forgo the grains because it’s high in animal protein. Salmon and ocean fish meal provide the bulk of the protein and also give your lab a supply of Omega 3 fatty acids to support their joints.

Unlike some formulas that have fish in the title but list another protein further down the ingredient list, this formula only uses salmon and ocean fish, making it a good option for dogs with food allergies to common proteins. This food is relatively cheap—especially compared to foods marketed as a hypoallergenic diet—so it might be a prudent alternative to a specialty diet.

This food also includes probiotics, prebiotics, and an ample supply of taurine. We didn’t like how peas were in the first five ingredients. Peas and grain-free diets are both possibly linked to cardiomyopathy3. However, there’s a theory that suggests this link may be actually caused by a taurine deficiency, and we see Taste of the Wild has negated that risk through the supplement.

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9. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Large Breed Dry Food

This food is the best choice for Labradors who need a limited ingredient, chicken-free food but would still benefit from whole grains. Lamb serves as the single animal protein source, and brown rice provides your pup with some whole grains. Unfortunately, there aren’t any fruits or vegetables, but we expected a short ingredients list given that it’s a limited diet. However, we do regret the lack of prebiotics and probiotics because we believe they could help dogs with sensitive tummies.

On a positive note, Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe includes an excellent supply of taurine, and essential vitamins and minerals.

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10. American Journey Active Life Formula Large Breed Dry Food

American Journey Active Life Formula Large Breed Dry Food is intended for bigger breeds, such as the Labrador, who likes to spend their free time romping through fields and ambling around the house. The deboned salmon and Menhaden fish meal are the main sources of protein that also provide your lab with Omega 3 fatty acids, nutrients that help maintain their skin, coat, joints, and brain health. Although this recipe relies on salmon for the meat, it still contains chicken fat, so this formula isn’t a good choice for a dog who needs a single protein recipe.

Brown rice is an excellent heart-healthy whole grain. We like how American Journey adds a taurine supplement, which is another heart-conscious choice. Although this food lacks a probiotic supplement, prebiotic fibers sneak in through chicory root, which is a natural source of prebiotic fibers.

Peas are one of the five ingredients. Lentils, legumes, and peas are common substitutes for grain in grain-free diets. These formulas were investigated by the FDA in 2018 after an uptick in canine cardiomyopathy³ diagnoses. The FDA found a correlation between these diets and CDM, but more studies need to be done because it’s still unclear whether the link occurred from the lack of grain, or through the heavy use of grain substitutes such as peas.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Affordable Dog Food for Labs

While we always recommend talking to your vet before changing your Labrador’s diet, there are a few factors to look for and take into account when shopping for an affordable food.

Complete and Balanced

Make sure any food you purchase is complete and balanced, meaning it contains all the nutrients your Labrador requires in the correct ratios. Look for the nutritional adequacy statement on the label. This shows you it is nutritionally balanced for them and can be fed as their sole diet as it meets the dog food nutrient profile established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Life Stage

Look for a food that is suitable for your Lab’s age. Growing puppies need dog food designed for them. They have different nutritional needs than adult dogs and require more calories and higher levels of protein to support their growth. They also need specific levels of calcium and phosphorus to support healthy bone development. Balance is the key since excess calories and protein can cause puppies to grow too fast and can result in joint problems later in life. Also, overweight puppies are more likely to become overweight adults.

Puppies that are not overfed will reach the same size (which is determined by genetics) but grow more slowly. This means they will have a lower risk of developmental skeletal diseases, which Labradors are unfortunately prone to.

Every dog is unique in their nutritional needs, so we recommend reaching out to your vet for advice.

Inclusion of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Primarily found in marine sources, omega-3 essential fatty acids can help maintain your lab’s joints, skin, coat, and brain health. Although any dog may receive these benefits, it’s vital to consider your lab’s joint health because they’re prone to a variety of developmental conditions, including hip and elbow dysplasia.

Price

No one wants to spend their whole paycheck on dog food, but lab owners know that retrievers like to chow down. A large breed dog is simply going to require more calories than a yappy lap dog, so you might want to buy in bulk and consider food at a moderate price point.

How We Selected These Dog Foods for Labs

This buyer’s guide was carefully crafted by our writers and editors in collaboration with our team of in-house veterinarians. The dog foods reviewed here are rated on a combination of factors: brand reputation, customer reviews across multiple retail outlets, personal experience, and in some cases, feedback from our own dogs! Together, we choose and review only the best dog foods available, to help you make the most informed decisions that foster the well-being of your furry friends.

Why Trust Dogster?

Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online since 2004, which means we have a lot of experience with dog foods. We are a team of passionate dog owners who care about our pups as much as you do yours. We want the best for every canine on the planet. Dogster’s writers, editors, and veterinarians are deeply invested in the well-being of our pets, and we believe that all pet owners share this dedication to providing only the highest quality products and services for our dogs.

Summary

Although the trope is true that labs will eat everything, we reviewed the foods that would provide the most benefit to their health while staying on a tight budget. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult was our overall best choice for adults because it contained the most high-quality nutrients for a low price. Their comparable Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for puppies is our favorite choice for growing Labradors for the same reasons.

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition fit the criteria for our best value option because it was the best choice for the money, although we don’t approve of a few ingredients such as artificial food coloring. For optimal nutrition at an only slightly higher price, we chose Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula because it features healthy Omega 3s, probiotics, and prebiotic fibers.

Finally, we listed Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Trout, & Spelt because it’s a high-protein food that’s fit for an active Labrador. We hope these reviews help you choose the best recipe for your lab that doesn’t take a big bite out of your budget. As always, talk to your vet if you have any specific questions about your pet’s diet, or if they have medical needs that might require a special diet.

See Also:

• 11 Best Treats for Labs – Reviews & Top Picks
• 10 Best Affordable Canned & Wet Dog Food

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Featured Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock