Overview

Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Red Meat is the most palatability-driven product in this comparison — and it's not close. The combination of premium kibble with freeze-dried raw pieces of beef, lamb, and venison creates a feeding experience that dogs respond to with genuine, visible excitement. If your dog has ever looked at their kibble with bored indifference, Raw Blend is the antidote.

The formula mirrors Instinct Raw Boost's concept — kibble mixed with freeze-dried raw morsels — but takes it in a different direction with a red meat protein base rather than chicken. Grass-fed beef and lamb provide novel proteins and an amino acid profile distinct from the poultry-dominated options in this comparison. The freeze-dried raw pieces are made from the same recipes as Stella & Chewy's standalone freeze-dried dinners, which have a devoted following among raw-feeding enthusiasts.

At $2.55 per day for a 50-pound dog, this is the most expensive product in the entire comparison. The grain-free formulation carries the DCM caveat, and a 2021 recall (affecting the freeze-dried product line, not the kibble line) is worth noting. But for owners who believe that how much their dog enjoys mealtime matters — and who want red meat proteins with raw nutritional benefits — Raw Blend delivers an experience that no standard kibble can replicate.

Features Deep-Dive

Freeze-Dried Raw Morsels

The freeze-dried raw pieces in Raw Blend are made from Stella & Chewy's premium freeze-dried dinner recipes — the same products sold as standalone meals for raw-feeding dogs. These aren't generic freeze-dried protein chunks; they contain a blend of beef, lamb, lamb liver, beef liver, and bone in WholePrey-style ratios that include organs and connective tissue for natural nutrient density.

The freeze-drying process preserves 97%+ of the raw nutrition, including enzymes, amino acids, and heat-sensitive vitamins that standard kibble cooking destroys. When a dog bites into a freeze-dried morsel, it rehydrates slightly with saliva, releasing flavor and aroma compounds that trigger a feeding response unlike anything standard kibble produces.

Red Meat Protein Diversity

While most dog foods in this comparison lean heavily on chicken, Raw Blend uses grass-fed beef, lamb, and venison as its protein foundation. Red meat proteins provide a different amino acid profile than poultry, with higher levels of iron, zinc, and B12. For dogs that have eaten chicken-based food exclusively, the switch to red meat can resolve subtle protein sensitivities and provide genuine dietary variety.

The venison component adds a novel protein element — most dogs have never eaten venison, making it useful for sensitive dogs that have developed reactivity to chicken or beef. At 35% crude protein, the formula delivers performance-level macronutrients from premium red meat sources.

Raw-Coated Kibble Base

Every kibble piece in Raw Blend is coated with a freeze-dried raw coating — similar to Instinct's approach but using Stella & Chewy's proprietary raw recipes. This means even the "standard" kibble pieces deliver raw nutritional benefits and enhanced flavor. The coating adds palatability and nutritional density to every bite, creating a uniformly premium product rather than a kibble-with-occasional-treat format.

Pricing Analysis

At approximately $112 for a 22-pound bag, Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend costs about $2.55 per day for a 50-pound dog — the highest daily cost in this entire comparison. For context, you could feed Diamond Naturals for over four days for what one day of Raw Blend costs.

The pricing reflects two premium components stacked on top of each other: ultra-premium kibble formulation plus freeze-dried raw inclusion. You're paying for grass-fed red meat proteins, WholePrey-style raw morsels, and a feeding experience specifically engineered for maximum palatability. Whether a dog food's ability to make your dog visibly excited at mealtime is worth $2.55/day is a personal value judgment — but for the owners who prioritize it, Raw Blend delivers consistently.

Who Is This For?

Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Red Meat works best for:

• Owners of extremely picky eaters who've tried multiple kibbles without success — Raw Blend's freeze-dried raw pieces and red meat flavor profile have an exceptionally high acceptance rate among dogs that reject standard formulas
• Red meat protein seekers wanting beef, lamb, and venison instead of the ubiquitous chicken base — either for protein diversity, suspected chicken sensitivities, or preference for red meat amino acid profiles
• Raw-feeding enthusiasts who want convenience — the freeze-dried raw components deliver genuine raw nutrition without the sourcing, handling, storage, and bacterial safety concerns of a fully raw diet

Who Should NOT Use This

Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend might not be the right choice if:

• Price sensitivity exists at any level: At $2.55/day, this is the most expensive option in the comparison — and for a single large dog, monthly costs exceed $78. Instinct Raw Boost ($2.02/day) offers a similar kibble-plus-raw format at a meaningful discount with chicken protein
• You don't specifically need red meat proteins: If chicken-based formulas work fine for your dog, the premium for beef/lamb/venison doesn't deliver proportional nutritional advantages — the protein quality is excellent but not categorically better than premium chicken-based options

Bottom Line

Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend is the luxury sports car of dog food: it's the best feeding experience you can buy, it uses premium materials, and it costs accordingly. The freeze-dried raw morsels, red meat protein foundation, and raw-coated kibble create a product that dogs genuinely love. The price limits its audience, but for owners who can afford it and value mealtime enjoyment as a priority, nothing else in this comparison comes close.

FAQ

What happened with the 2021 Stella & Chewy's recall?

In 2021, Stella & Chewy's recalled specific lots of their freeze-dried dinner products due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall affected standalone freeze-dried dinners, not the Raw Blend kibble line. The company implemented corrective actions and enhanced testing protocols. The kibble line (including Raw Blend) has maintained a clean record.

Is the freeze-dried raw safe from bacteria?

Freeze-drying significantly reduces bacterial load in raw meat — the removal of moisture creates an environment hostile to bacterial growth. Stella & Chewy's also employs high-pressure processing (HPP) on their raw products as an additional safety step. The risk is substantially lower than handling fresh raw meat. However, immunocompromised individuals (human or canine) should discuss raw-component foods with their healthcare provider or veterinarian.

How does Raw Blend compare to Instinct Raw Boost?

Both combine kibble with freeze-dried raw pieces. Key differences: Stella & Chewy's uses red meat (beef, lamb, venison) while Instinct uses chicken. Stella & Chewy's costs more ($2.55/day vs. $2.02/day). Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried pieces follow WholePrey ratios with organs, while Instinct's are simpler raw chicken pieces. If palatability and red meat proteins are priorities, choose Stella & Chewy's. If price and chicken protein are fine, Instinct offers similar format benefits at lower cost.