Jiminy's dog food has become one of the most talked-about pet brands in recent years, winning the 2024 Pet Innovation Award for its insect-based protein formula. The pitch is compelling: crickets and black soldier fly larvae are more sustainable than beef, gentler on sensitive stomachs, and nutritionally complete.
But when most people hear "insect protein," they fixate on the bug part and skip the rest of the label entirely.
That's a mistake.
The Insect Protein Is Actually the Cleanest Part
Let's get this out of the way first: the insect protein in Jiminy's is well-studied and genuinely impressive. Cricket protein delivers all essential amino acids dogs need, meeting AAFCO standards. The exoskeletons of black soldier fly larvae provide prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. No artificial preservatives are used — rosemary extract and green tea extract handle that naturally.
Jiminy's has zero recalls since founding. For a pet food company, that's notable.
So what's worth paying attention to?
The Ingredient Concerns Nobody's Talking About
Oats — Pesticide Residue Risk
Oats appear in the top five ingredients of Jiminy's Good Grub formula. The problem isn't oats themselves — it's that oats are consistently among the most pesticide-contaminated grains in commercial food production. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) has been repeatedly detected in oat-based products at levels that concern researchers.
Unless labeled as certified organic, oats sourced for pet food carry the same residue risks as those in human food. Jiminy's doesn't specify organic oats in their formulation.
Brown Rice — Arsenic Accumulation
Brown rice is another top ingredient in the Good Grub formula. Brown rice naturally absorbs inorganic arsenic from soil and water as it grows — more so than white rice because the bran layer remains intact. Long-term chronic arsenic exposure is associated with kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in both humans and animals.
The FDA has flagged arsenic in rice as a concern for human food and is actively studying it in pet food. Dogs eating rice-heavy diets daily face ongoing low-level arsenic exposure that accumulates over time.
Potato Protein — GMO Concerns
Potato protein concentrate appears as a secondary protein source in some Jiminy's formulas. Most commercially sourced potato protein is derived from GMO potato varieties. While the long-term health impact of GMO ingredients on dogs remains debated, the data on chronic exposure is limited — and Jiminy's doesn't disclose whether their potato protein is GMO-free.
What Jiminy's Does Right
To be fair, Jiminy's avoids a lot of the junk you find in conventional dog food:
- No artificial colors
- No synthetic preservatives (uses rosemary and green tea extract)
- No artificial flavors
- Veterinarian-designed recipes
- Minimal processing at lower temperatures (preserves more nutrients)
The Cravin' Cricket formula is gluten-free, and the insect protein itself is arguably cleaner than factory-farmed chicken or beef in terms of antibiotic and hormone exposure.
The Bigger Lesson: Novel Ingredients Distract from the Base Formula
This is a pattern worth recognizing. When a product leads with an exciting, trendy main ingredient — insects, adaptogens, superfoods — consumers tend to stop reading at that point. The novel ingredient gets scrutinized. The boring base ingredients (grains, starches, protein concentrates) slide by unquestioned.
But the base ingredients are often where the real risks hide: pesticide residues, heavy metal accumulation, GMO sourcing, and processing byproducts.
This is as true for your dog's food as it is for your own.
Reading Labels Beyond the Headline Ingredient
Whether you're evaluating Jiminy's, another pet food brand, or any product you put in or on your body, the headline ingredient is just the marketing. The full ingredient list — ranked in order of weight, including the fillers and base materials — tells the real story.
What to look for in any dog food:
- Are grains in the top five ingredients? If so, are they organic?
- Is rice a primary ingredient? What's the source?
- Are protein concentrates listed? Are they GMO-disclosed?
- What preservatives are used — synthetic or natural?
Toxic Scan's database covers hundreds of food additives and ingredients with safety ratings so you can quickly understand what you're looking at. The same ingredient literacy that protects you applies directly to what you feed your pets.
Jiminy's is a genuinely better-than-average dog food. But "better than average" and "nothing to watch for" are two very different things — and the label has more to say than the marketing does.