A dog eating from the same bag every day is relying entirely on what's actually in it, not what the name on the front implies, and this recipe is a good example of why reading the panel matters more than reading the pack.

BAKERS' Meaty Meals Beef is built on cereals first — 48% of the recipe — with meat and animal derivatives at 20%, and beef itself making up 4% of the total. The rest of that 20% meat group is unnamed. Glycerol, oils and fats, minerals and vegetable protein extracts round out the recipe.

• Cereals 48% — the largest ingredient
• Meat and animal derivatives 20%, of which beef is 4%
• Protein 21%, fat content 10%, crude ash 8%, crude fibre 2.5%, moisture 15%
• Omega 3 fatty acids 0.1%, omega 6 fatty acids 2.3%
• Feeding guide scaled from toy to giant breeds
• 1kg bag

What the label does not say. For a bag called Meaty Meals Beef, cereal outweighs the meat and animal derivatives by more than double, and beef on its own is 4% of the whole recipe. That's not unusual for a budget complete food, but it's worth knowing before assuming the name reflects the main ingredient.

Who it's for: owners feeding on a budget who want a complete dry food and are happy that cereal, not beef, is what fills most of the bag.