The scores
Taste of the Wild High Prairie: B (78/100) - Above average. Buffalo leads the formula backed by lamb meal, chicken meal, and additional bison and venison further down the list.
American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato: B (75/100) - Above average. Deboned salmon, chicken meal, and turkey meal form a strong triple-protein base.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients tell the story:
Taste of the Wild: Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
American Journey: Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
Both formulas open with three animal proteins before any carbohydrate - that's impressive from either brand. They even share the same carb base of sweet potatoes and peas. The key difference is what kind of protein you're getting. Taste of the Wild leads with buffalo and includes bison and venison deeper in the formula, giving it one of the most diverse protein profiles in mainstream kibble. American Journey sticks with more conventional sources - salmon, chicken meal, and turkey meal.
Both formulas rely on legumes (peas, chickpeas) as their primary grain-free carb sources, which puts them equally in the FDA's ongoing DCM investigation territory. Neither has a clear advantage on the carbohydrate front.
Where Taste of the Wild pulls ahead
Protein diversity: Buffalo, lamb meal, chicken meal, bison, and venison give Taste of the Wild five different animal protein sources. That kind of variety provides a broader amino acid profile and reduces the risk of developing a sensitivity to any single protein. American Journey's triple-protein base is good, but it's more conventional.
Probiotics: Taste of the Wild includes proprietary probiotic strains - live, active cultures guaranteed at the time of feeding. This is a meaningful functional ingredient for digestive health that American Journey doesn't match. Taste of the Wild also has a stronger antioxidant profile with blueberries, raspberries, and tomatoes.
Preservative transparency: Taste of the Wild clearly lists mixed tocopherols (natural vitamin E) as its preservation system. American Journey doesn't have a clearly named preservative system, which is a small transparency gap. Shop on Amazon →
Where American Journey holds its own
American Journey's omega-3 profile is arguably stronger. Salmon oil provides EPA and DHA directly, while ground flaxseed adds ALA - that dual marine-and-plant omega-3 approach is excellent for skin, coat, and joint health. Taste of the Wild doesn't lean as heavily into omega-3 supplementation.
The triple-protein approach with deboned salmon leading is also a genuine strength. Salmon is a high-quality protein with its own omega-3 benefits, and having chicken meal and turkey meal behind it means the formula isn't relying on plant proteins to hit its numbers.
Price is the other factor. As Chewy's house brand, American Journey typically costs 15-25% less per pound than Taste of the Wild. For a 3-point difference on the same letter grade, that value proposition is hard to ignore - especially if you're feeding a large dog or multiple dogs. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Taste of the Wild is the better food by our ingredient analysis, but only by a slim margin. The 3-point gap reflects real advantages in protein diversity and probiotic inclusion, not a fundamental quality difference. Both formulas earn a B grade with three animal proteins in the top five and similar carb profiles.
If protein variety and probiotics matter to you, Taste of the Wild is worth the small premium. If you're optimizing for value and your dog does well on salmon-based formulas, American Journey delivers B-grade nutrition at a house-brand price. Read our full reviews of Taste of the Wild and American Journey for the complete breakdown.