Most parrots love their food, but they’ll let you know if the food you’re offering doesn’t excite them. From throwing food out of their cage or simply ignoring it, it will be quite clear if your parrot would prefer something new. At this point, it’s up to you to do the research and find tasty new food for them to try!
Besides being palatable, this food also needs to provide the majority of your parrot’s nutrient requirements. While some parrot owners like to supplement their parrot’s meals with fresh fruit and veggies, selecting a complete and balanced parrot food means you can rest easy knowing that your parrot’s nutritional requirements are completely taken care of.
But a quick glance at all the options out there shows that there are many different types of parrot food. Some are a pelleted blend of nutrients, and others contain a blend of fruits, seeds, and nuts to encourage natural foraging behavior. But what’s best for your parrot? Our reviews are designed to help you answer that question!
A Glance at Our Top Picks (2023 Update)
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Lafeber Sunny Orchard Nutri-Berries
Choose from two bag sizes
Contains 10% protein
Veterinary developed
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Best Value
Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health
Great value for money
Maintains vibrant feather colors
Includes probiotics and prebiotics
Check Price
Premium Choice
Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries
Contains 10% protein
Unique shape is fun to eat
Choose from four bag sizes
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ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor
Choose from six different bag sizes
Attractive colors, shapes, and flavors
Complete and balanced nutrition
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Kaytee Fiesta Variety Mix
Choose from three bag sizes
Contains 14% protein
Made in the U.S.A.
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The 10 Best Parrot Foods
Unlike many other parrot foods, the grains and seeds in this Nutri-Berries are pre-hulled, to guarantee that your parrot gets the maximum nutritional benefit from each and every bite. Every berry also contains stabilized vitamins in beadlet form, chelated minerals, and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Reviewers note that their parrots simply love this food and look forward to every meal.
As the best parrot food overall, we don’t think that you can beat the Lafeber Sunny Orchard Nutri-Berries Parrot Food. This veterinarian-owned brand uses hand-inspected ingredients that are prepared in small batches to guarantee quality and freshness. It features sun-ripened apricots, cranberries, and dates for ultimate palatability. The unique round shape and crunchy texture of this food promote a range of sensations for your parrot, leading to better enrichment and a happier parrot!
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Pros
Choose from two bag sizes
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 5% fiber
Complete and balanced nutrition
Made in the U.S.A.
Seeds and grains are all hulled
Veterinary developed
Cons
None that we can see
This complete nutrition blend is specifically designed to help support better feathering and vibrant plumage colors. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy eye, brain, and heart function. This food does contain colorings, but they’re all from natural sources. This seed is extremely palatable, and most parrots seem to love the wide choice of seeds and grains.
Choose from two bag sizes
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 5% fiber
Complete and balanced nutrition
Made in the U.S.A.
Seeds and grains are all hulled
Veterinary developed
- Choose from two bag sizes
- Contains 10% protein
- Contains 6% fat
- Contains 5% fiber
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Seeds and grains are all hulled
- Veterinary developed
None that we can see
- None that we can see
We recommend the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Parrot Food as the best parrot food for the money. This contains a blend of seeds, grains, and fortified supplements to make sure that your parrot’s muscles, feathers, and skin are healthy from the inside out. It also helps support their immune system because it contains DHA, probiotics, and antioxidants. The clean blend of natural seeds and grains includes sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, canary grass seeds, whole peanuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and more!
Pros
Great value for money
Contains 15% protein
Contains 12% fat
Contains 18% fiber
Helps maintain vibrant feather colors
Includes probiotics and prebiotics
Choose from three bag sizes
Cons
May contain GMO ingredients
What sets this parrot food apart from many others is that the seeds and grains have all been hulled first, then blended with all the additional vitamins and minerals that your parrot needs. This means they get the maximum benefit from each bite. The blend is veterinary-approved and can be fed as a complete food or as a treat to enrich your parrot’s environment. Many parrots adore these, and you can be confident that your parrot will be getting balanced nutrition and have great fun eating these nutri-berries.
Great value for money
Contains 15% protein
Contains 12% fat
Contains 18% fiber
Helps maintain vibrant feather colors
Includes probiotics and prebiotics
Choose from three bag sizes
- Great value for money
- Contains 15% protein
- Contains 12% fat
- Contains 18% fiber
- Helps maintain vibrant feather colors
- Includes probiotics and prebiotics
- Choose from three bag sizes
May contain GMO ingredients
- May contain GMO ingredients
As a premium choice, the Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries Parrot Food is excellent. It can be fed as a complete diet and has been formulated to provide everything that your parrot needs. The unique and fun-to-eat shape of this food creates a variety of sensations on your parrot’s beak and tongue, helping replicate their natural diet in the wild. This food also contains pieces of real mango, papaya, and pineapple.
Pros
Choose from four bag sizes
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 5% fiber
Unique shape is fun to eat
Made and hand-packed in the U.S.A.
Cons
Expensive
- ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot Food
Check Latest PriceThe ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot Food is a great choice if you’re looking for a low-fat parrot food that’s still appetizing and nutritionally balanced. These pellets are designed to appeal to your parrot’s inquisitive nature due to their bright colors, different shapes, and tasty flavors. These pellets contain oranges, apples, grapes, and bananas, as well as a blend of seeds and grains. Of course, they also contain all the additional vitamins and nutrients that your parrot needs to stay happy and healthy.
Choose from four bag sizes
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 5% fiber
Unique shape is fun to eat
Made and hand-packed in the U.S.A.
- Choose from four bag sizes
- Contains 10% protein
- Contains 6% fat
- Contains 5% fiber
- Unique shape is fun to eat
- Made and hand-packed in the U.S.A.
Expensive
- Expensive
Check Latest Price
The ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot Food is a great choice if you’re looking for a low-fat parrot food that’s still appetizing and nutritionally balanced. These pellets are designed to appeal to your parrot’s inquisitive nature due to their bright colors, different shapes, and tasty flavors. These pellets contain oranges, apples, grapes, and bananas, as well as a blend of seeds and grains. Of course, they also contain all the additional vitamins and nutrients that your parrot needs to stay happy and healthy.
Pros
Contains 14% protein
Contains 4% fat
Contains 3.5% fiber
Choose from six different bag sizes
Attractive colors, shapes, and flavors
Complete and balanced nutrition
Cons
Takes some parrots a while to get used to
This food is nutritionally balanced and can be fed as a complete feed. It also includes ingredients designed to help your parrot’s feathers stay in the best condition possible and with the brightest colors. If your parrot is overweight, be warned that this contains quite a high percentage of fat, so you may want to feed this in smaller amounts and combine it with a lower-fat or diet feed.
Contains 14% protein
Contains 4% fat
Contains 3.5% fiber
Choose from six different bag sizes
Attractive colors, shapes, and flavors
Complete and balanced nutrition
- Contains 14% protein
- Contains 4% fat
- Contains 3.5% fiber
- Choose from six different bag sizes
- Attractive colors, shapes, and flavors
- Complete and balanced nutrition
Takes some parrots a while to get used to
- Takes some parrots a while to get used to
Kaytee Fiesta Variety Mix Parrot Food contains a yummy blend of grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables to provide variety for your parrot when it comes to their diet. It contains corn, sunflower seeds, buckwheat, peanuts, almonds, papaya, raisins, oats, bananas, apples, and more! The shapes, textures, colors, and flavors all combine to add enrichment and give your parrot something to look forward to at mealtimes.
Pros
Choose from three bag sizes
Contains 14% protein
Contains 14% fat
Contains 18% fiber
Made in the U.S.A.
Cons
High in fat
Choose from three bag sizes
Contains 14% protein
Contains 14% fat
Contains 18% fiber
Made in the U.S.A.
- Choose from three bag sizes
- Contains 14% protein
- Contains 14% fat
- Contains 18% fiber
- Made in the U.S.A.
High in fat
- High in fat
ZuPreem Pure Fun Parrots Food is a premium blend of fruit, smart pellets, nuts, and vegetables, all designed to provide an enriching variety of foods for your parrot. This food is not designed as a complete feed, but as a supplement that can be up to 30% of your bird’s weekly rations. This can help add interest to your parrot’s diet, but it won’t provide all the nutrition that they need on its own.
Pros
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 8% fiber
Includes a good blend of grains, seeds, fruits, and pellets
Cons
Only available in one small bag size
Not designed as a complete feed
Contains artificial colors
- Higgins Vita Seed Parrot Food
Check Latest PriceHiggins Vita Seed Parrot Food contains a premium blend of seeds, vegetables, and fruits designed specifically for parrots. It contains sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, corn, oats, peanuts, papaya, pineapple, cashews, red peppers, blueberries, apples, bananas, and more! You can choose from three bag sizes, although it’s a large jump from 3- and 5-pound bags to 25-pound bags!
Besides plenty of nuts, grains, seeds, and fruit, this parrot food is supplemented with plant-based DHA, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics. It’s made in the U.S.A. and completely free from any artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. While the blend of ingredients within this food is varied, reviewers do comment that in reality, it’s heavy on sunflower seeds.
Contains 10% protein
Contains 6% fat
Contains 8% fiber
Includes a good blend of grains, seeds, fruits, and pellets
- Contains 10% protein
- Contains 6% fat
- Contains 8% fiber
- Includes a good blend of grains, seeds, fruits, and pellets
Only available in one small bag size
Not designed as a complete feed
Contains artificial colors
- Only available in one small bag size
- Not designed as a complete feed
- Contains artificial colors
Higgins Vita Seed Parrot Food contains a premium blend of seeds, vegetables, and fruits designed specifically for parrots. It contains sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, corn, oats, peanuts, papaya, pineapple, cashews, red peppers, blueberries, apples, bananas, and more! You can choose from three bag sizes, although it’s a large jump from 3- and 5-pound bags to 25-pound bags!
Pros
Contains 15% protein
Contains 16% fat
Contains 14% fiber
Choose from three bag sizes
Cons
Expensive
Contains more sunflower seeds than anything else
Not GMO-free
This fortified food is ideal as a complete diet, although reviewers do note that it’s primarily made up of small seeds, sunflower seeds, and corn. You’ll need to make sure the package is well mixed before you feed your parrot, so they get a blend of all the larger pieces with each serving.
Contains 15% protein
Contains 16% fat
Contains 14% fiber
Choose from three bag sizes
- Contains 15% protein
- Contains 16% fat
- Contains 14% fiber
- Choose from three bag sizes
Expensive
Contains more sunflower seeds than anything else
Not GMO-free
- Expensive
- Contains more sunflower seeds than anything else
- Not GMO-free
Brown’s Encore Premium Parrot Food contains a blend of striped sunflower seeds, grains, peanuts, safflower seeds, dried peppers, and ZOO-Vital baked biscuits. This blend encourages your parrot to forage and increases their interest in their food. The ZOO-Vital baked biscuits contain probiotics and essential nutrients to keep your parrot in the best of health.
Pros
Contains 13% protein
Contains 18% fat
Contains 20% fiber
Cons
Contains artificial flavors
Contains artificial colors
Doesn’t include many larger nuts
- Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food
Check Latest PriceHiggins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food is free from sunflower seeds but contains a large blend of other ingredients, including safflower seeds, wheat, cashews, blueberries, legumes, grains, bananas, pumpkin seeds, and more! This does contain coloring, but from spices, seeds, and vegetables rather than artificial versions. Besides seeds, grains, and fruits, this blend contains pellets enriched with probiotics, omega fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Higgins can’t guarantee that this blend is GMO-free, so if you prefer to avoid any GMO foods for your parrot, then this won’t work for you. It’s also only available in a very small bag of 3 pounds or a very large bag of 25 pounds. It’s also worth noting that while this does contain a good blend of seeds and grains, the majority of the contents are tiny seeds and grains, with far fewer large seeds, nuts, or fruit.
Contains 13% protein
Contains 18% fat
Contains 20% fiber
- Contains 13% protein
- Contains 18% fat
- Contains 20% fiber
Contains artificial flavors
Contains artificial colors
Doesn’t include many larger nuts
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains artificial colors
- Doesn’t include many larger nuts
Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food is free from sunflower seeds but contains a large blend of other ingredients, including safflower seeds, wheat, cashews, blueberries, legumes, grains, bananas, pumpkin seeds, and more! This does contain coloring, but from spices, seeds, and vegetables rather than artificial versions. Besides seeds, grains, and fruits, this blend contains pellets enriched with probiotics, omega fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Pros
Made in the U.S.A.
Contains 14% protein
Contains 8% fat
Contains 14% fiber
Cons
Only available in very small or very large bags
Not GMO free
Includes many tiny seeds
Some parrots don’t like this
- Related Read: 8 Best Parrot Pellets of 2021
- Brown’s Tropical Carnival Biscuits Small Hookbill Bird Food
Check Latest PriceBrown’s Tropical Carnival Biscuits Small Hookbill Bird Food is a nutritionally balanced blend of interesting shapes, tasty flavors, and plenty of colors and textures to tempt your parrot to eat. This blend also helps encourage your parrot’s natural foraging instincts, helping relieve boredom and add enrichment. This contains chili peppers as spicy treats full of nutrients. Besides whole seeds and grains, this parrot food contains ZOO-Vital biscuits, which include probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.
While this food does contain a good blend of seeds and grains, some reviewers have commented that it’s primarily sunflower seeds, very small seeds, and corn. It contains few larger ingredients, like whole peanuts, which most parrots love. This blend is also high in fat, so bear that in mind if your parrot is overweight.
Made in the U.S.A.
Contains 14% protein
Contains 8% fat
Contains 14% fiber
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Contains 14% protein
- Contains 8% fat
- Contains 14% fiber
Only available in very small or very large bags
Not GMO free
Includes many tiny seeds
Some parrots don’t like this
- Only available in very small or very large bags
- Not GMO free
- Includes many tiny seeds
- Some parrots don’t like this
Brown’s Tropical Carnival Biscuits Small Hookbill Bird Food is a nutritionally balanced blend of interesting shapes, tasty flavors, and plenty of colors and textures to tempt your parrot to eat. This blend also helps encourage your parrot’s natural foraging instincts, helping relieve boredom and add enrichment. This contains chili peppers as spicy treats full of nutrients. Besides whole seeds and grains, this parrot food contains ZOO-Vital biscuits, which include probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.
Pros
Contains 13.5% protein
Contains 16.5% fat
Contains 13% fiber
Cons
Contains artificial flavors
Contains artificial colors
Contains few peanuts
Only available in two bag sizes
Contains many smaller seeds
- See Also: Can Parrots Drink Milk? What You Need to Know!
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Parrot Food
There’s a huge range of different parrot foods to choose from. But which one is going to get your parrot excited about their dinner? Our buyer’s guide is designed to help you answer that question.
Contains 13.5% protein
Contains 16.5% fat
Contains 13% fiber
- Contains 13.5% protein
- Contains 16.5% fat
- Contains 13% fiber
Contains artificial flavors
Contains artificial colors
Contains few peanuts
Only available in two bag sizes
Contains many smaller seeds
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains artificial colors
- Contains few peanuts
- Only available in two bag sizes
- Contains many smaller seeds
Pellets, seeds, or both?
You can choose parrot food in the following categories:
Pellet form
A blend of seeds, grains, and nuts
A combination of pellets, seeds, grains, and nuts
Pellets contain balanced nutrition, so you don’t need to worry that your parrot is missing out on anything. Most pellets contain a blend of seeds, nuts, and grains, and all the additional minerals and vitamins that your parrot requires.
- Pellet form
- A blend of seeds, grains, and nuts
- A combination of pellets, seeds, grains, and nuts
Parrots love foraging, so giving them a blend can encourage them to spend time looking through their food. Parrots love seeds, but they’re also high in fat and relatively low in essential minerals and vitamins. So, if your parrot is overweight, seeds may not be the right choice.
A mixed food including a blend of both pellets and seeds is great for adding interest to your parrot’s diet, as well as encouraging natural foraging behavior. Because it also contains pellets, you know that your parrot’s nutritional requirements are being met.
Some parrots will have particular preferences as to the kind of foods that they prefer, so if you are feeding a mix, make sure that your parrot is eating some of each item in the mix. If they’re consistently ignoring the pellets or throwing them to the base of their cage, they may not be getting all the nutrition that they need.
What else should I feed?
Besides your chosen parrot food, you can also supplement your parrot’s diet with things like fresh fruits and vegetables and protein sources like peanuts and other parrot-safe nuts.
Each parrot is individual, and some will prefer certain foods over others.
How much should you feed your parrot?
Each manufacturer will have feeding guidelines for their particular blend, but as a general rule, 70% of your parrot’s diet should be pellets or parrot food mix. This equates to around half a cup for a large parrot. The remaining 30% should be fresh vegetables and fruit.
You can try feeding your parrot apples, bananas, berries, and other fruits like pineapple or papaya. Vegetables to include are carrots, peas, celery, asparagus, and broccoli.
- See Also: Can Parrots Eat Cherries? What You Need to Know!
How often should you feed your parrot?
You should feed your parrot twice per day. Split their ratio, and give them half in the morning and half in the evening.
How to switch to a new parrot food
Parrots can become fond of their food, so transitioning them onto a new brand should be done over a period of around 10 days. This also reduces the chance of any gastrointestinal issues. We recommend the following:
Days 1-3: Mix ¼ of the new food into ¾ of the current food.
Days 4-6: Mix ½ of the new food with ½ of the current food.
Days 7-9: Mix ¾ of the new food with ¼ of the current food.
Day 10: Feed 100% of the new food.
Keep an eye on your parrot as you make the transition.
- Days 1-3: Mix ¼ of the new food into ¾ of the current food.
- Days 4-6: Mix ½ of the new food with ½ of the current food.
- Days 7-9: Mix ¾ of the new food with ¼ of the current food.
- Day 10: Feed 100% of the new food.
Conclusion
As the best parrot food overall, the Lafeber Sunny Orchard Nutri-Berries Parrot Food has a unique shape and texture that are designed to appeal to your parrot’s foraging abilities, so they can have fun while having all their nutritional needs met.
We selected the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Parrot Food as the best value parrot food. Containing a tasty blend of grains, seeds, and fruits, this food is also enriched with DHA, antioxidants, and probiotics to help your parrot feel and look great on a budget.
We hope that you found our reviews of the 10 best parrot foods helpful! Rest assured that no matter which one you pick, your parrot will be getting all the nutrition that they need. From seed and grain mixes to pellets and supplementary mixes, there’s something for every parrot!
- Related read: Can Parrots Eat Eggs? What You Need to Know!
Featured Image Credit: vargazs, pixabay
