Meijer Meijer Original Dental Chews Mini — Grade A− Very Good (87/100)

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Scanned by Randall Saunders · April 10, 2026

Meijer Meijer Original Dental Chews Mini

87/100

Grade A− Very Good — Very Good

📦 Product Overview

BrandMeijer

TypeDog Treats/Snacks

Life Stageadult

Size12 oz (340g)

AAFCO Compliant❌ No

This is a treat/snack, not a complete and balanced food. No AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement is present or expected. Dental chews are supplementary — they cannot replace a complete diet. This is labeled as a treat, not a main course.

🧪 Ingredient Breakdown

❌

Potato Flour

Ingredient #1 is a refined starch filler. This is the bulk of the chew. Zero meaningful nutrition — it's a cheap binder that forms the chew's structure. Not what you want leading the list.

−3 pts

✅

Coconut Glycerin

Humectant to keep the chew soft and chewy. Plant-derived glycerin is generally safe. Provides moisture retention without harmful chemicals.

✅

Chicken

Named whole meat protein — good. But it's ingredient #3 in a treat, so the actual amount is small. At least it's named and identifiable.

❌

Powdered Cellulose

This is literally wood pulp ground into powder. It's used as a fiber source and to give the chew its abrasive texture for 'teeth cleaning.' It has zero nutritional value. It's sawdust.

−3 pts

⚠

Natural Flavors

Source never disclosed. Could be animal digest under a friendlier name. The word 'natural' is not regulated by FDA for pet food. You have no idea what this actually is.

−2 pts

🟡

Dried Cultured Skim Milk

Cultured dairy product — provides some probiotics but carries lactose concern for sensitive dogs. Listed as dried skim milk.

−1 pts

❌

Cellulose

Second appearance of cellulose on this label. More wood pulp fiber. This is being used both as filler and as the abrasive agent. Penalized separately from Powdered Cellulose because it appears as a distinct ingredient.

−3 pts

✅

Citric Acid (Preservative)

Safe natural preservative. No concerns.

✅

Alfalfa Leaf Concentrate

Green coloring agent and mild nutrient source. Safe. Gives the chew its green color naturally.

🟡

Canola Oil

Omega-6 heavy oil with no omega-3 benefit. Cheap fat source. Not harmful but not ideal.

−1 pts

✅

Parsley

Natural breath freshener. Safe and appropriate for a dental chew.

✅

Peppermint Leaf Powder

Natural breath freshener. Safe in small amounts.

✅

Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative)

Vitamin E-based natural preservative. The gold standard. Good choice.

✅

Green Tea Extract

Natural antioxidant preservative. Safe and beneficial.

✅

Rosemary Extract

Natural preservative. Safe. No concerns.

⚖ What's Good / What's Bad

Good

✅ Named chicken as a protein source — at least it's identifiable

✅ Natural preservatives only — mixed tocopherols, citric acid, green tea extract, rosemary extract

✅ No artificial colors or dyes — the green comes from alfalfa, not chemicals

✅ No BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, or any cancer-linked preservatives

✅ Parsley and peppermint for breath freshening are appropriate for a dental chew

✅ Gluten-free formulation

✅ Short ingredient list — not trying to hide garbage behind 80 ingredients

Bad

❌ Potato flour is ingredient #1 — this treat is primarily refined starch

❌ Powdered cellulose AND cellulose both present — double dose of wood pulp

❌ Natural flavors — undisclosed source, could be anything

❌ No real dental efficacy data — VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal is not present, meaning no independent verification that this actually cleans teeth

❌ Mini size is designed for 5-15 lb dogs — Bruno is 80 lbs, this product is completely wrong for him

❌ Crude protein at 13% and crude fat at 2% — nutritionally empty treat

🧬 Potential Cancer-Linked Ingredients

✅ None found.

📊 Score Breakdown

Start score100 pts

Ingredient penalties−13 pts

❌ No named whole-meat protein in top 3 ingredients — Chicken is #3 but Potato Flour and Coconut Glycerin are #1 and #2. Chicken IS in the top 3, so this deduction does NOT apply.−0 pts

Final score87/100

💬 The Verdict

For a store-brand dental chew, this is surprisingly clean. No artificial colors, no cancer agents, no rendering mystery ingredients. The problems are structural: it's mostly potato starch and wood pulp with some chicken. But that's the nature of dental chews — they're designed to be abrasive, not nutritious. The real issue here is that this product is COMPLETELY WRONG for Bruno.

🧨 Final Verdict

Randall, let me be straight with you. This dental chew scores well for what it is — a clean, no-garbage store-brand treat with natural preservatives and no cancer agents. That's better than a LOT of dental chews on the market. BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM: Bruno is an 80-pound Treeing Tennessee Brindle. This bag says 'For Dogs 5-15 lbs.' These mini chews are designed for tiny dogs. For Bruno, these are like giving a grown man a single Tic Tac and calling it a snack. He could swallow one of these whole without chewing, which defeats the entire purpose of a dental chew AND creates a choking/digestive blockage hazard. You need the LARGE size dental chew for a dog Bruno's size — something designed for dogs 50+ lbs that he actually has to work on and chew. Look for dental chews with the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of acceptance — that means they've been independently proven to reduce plaque or tartar. This Meijer chew doesn't have that seal. For Bruno specifically, I'd recommend Greenies Large or CET VeggieDent L — both carry the VOHC seal and are sized appropriately for an 80-lb working dog. Don't feed Bruno these minis. Put them back on the shelf and grab the right size, or better yet, a VOHC-certified product. His Boundless Acres kibble scored an A− (85/100) — a solid base. Don't undermine it with the wrong treats.