Dog Food Calories per Cup: Chart of 305 Dry Foods
Short answer: dry dog foods from the big brands contain about 229 to 534 kcal per cup, with a median of 369. That spread matters: a 50 lb dog that needs 1,164 kcal a day would eat 2.2 cups of the richest food but 5.1 cups of the lightest. This chart lists 305 dry foods from Purina, Hill's, Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin, each with the calories the manufacturer publishes.
Calories per cup by brand
| Brand | Foods | kcal per cup | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Buffalo | 87 | 301-454 | 379 |
| Hill's | 54 | 243-418 | 365 |
| Purina | 81 | 326-534 | 402 |
| Royal Canin | 83 | 229-485 | 339 |
All 305 foods, lowest to highest calories per cup
Cups per day by brand
- Purina Pro Plan feeding chart
- Purina ONE feeding chart
- Purina Dog Chow, Beneful and ALPO feeding chart
- Hill's Science Diet feeding chart
- Blue Buffalo feeding chart
- Royal Canin feeding chart
How to use it
Find your food, then enter its calories per cup in the calculator below (or pick it in the "find your food" box), together with your dog's weight and life stage. Measure with a real 8 oz measuring cup or, better, a kitchen scale using the kcal per kg.
Sources: calorie content (metabolizable energy, as fed) copied from each manufacturer's own product page on October 26, 2026; each food name links to its page. Cups per day: RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75, × 1.6 for a spayed or neutered adult dog or × 1.2 for a spayed or neutered adult cat (WSAVA style energy factors). Formulas change: check the bag you buy.
Try the dog food calculator
Enter your own numbers below, or open the full dog food calculator with the formula and more examples.
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Your pet may differ: ask your vet. Terms
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a cup of dry dog food?
Most dry dog foods from the big brands have between 229 and 534 kcal per cup; the median of the 305 foods here is 369.
Which dog food has the fewest calories per cup?
In this list, Royal Canin Large Weight Care at 229 kcal per cup. Weight management formulas are usually at the low end.
Where do I find the calories of my dog food?
On the bag, usually near the guaranteed analysis as "Calorie Content (calculated): X kcal/kg, Y kcal/cup", and on the manufacturer's product page.
More guides
- Blue Buffalo Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog
- Purina Dog Chow, Beneful and ALPO Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog
- Hill's Science Diet Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog
- How Much Should I Feed My Puppy?
- How Often Should a Puppy Eat?
- Purina ONE Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog
- Purina Pro Plan Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog
- Royal Canin Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog