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Garden & wildlife

Best wild bird food compared in 2026

Wild bird foods come in several formats, so these five are not like-for-like substitutes. This roundup covers dried mealworms, fat and suet balls, energy balls, peanuts and a large mixed feed, comparing what each is, how much you get and what it costs, so you can match the food to the feeders you already use.

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Johnston & Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food 20kg

Our Top Pick

Best overall

A 20kg bag of selected wild bird food at £18.85 gives by far the most food for the money, making it the strongest value of the five.

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Wild bird foods compared by format and pack size

Product	Brand	Price	Retailer	Food format	Quantity named
Premium Dried Mealworms 5L Bag	Pet Ting	£9.99Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC	Amazon UK	Dried mealworms	5L bag
RSPB Fat/Suet Balls 6 Pack	RSPB	£1.6Checked 6 Nov 2026, 18:40 UTC	Amazon UK	Fat / suet balls	—
Peckish Natural Balance Energy Balls 50 Box	Peckish	£6.0Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC	Amazon UK	Energy balls	50 box
Garden Ting Peanuts Wild Bird Food 5 Litre Tub	Garden Ting	£12.99Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC	Amazon UK	Peanuts	5 litre tub
Johnston & Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food 20kg	Johnston & Jeff	£18.85Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC	Amazon UK	Wild bird food	20kg

Please check the Amazon page for the current price.

The five wild bird foods in detail

Best for a single-ingredient treat

Premium Dried Mealworms 5L Bag

A 5L bag of dried mealworms at £9.99 suits those who want one simple ingredient rather than a mixed feed.

These are dried mealworms supplied in a 5L bag for £9.99. Being a single ingredient, they are easy to understand and to offer on their own or alongside other foods. The pack is far smaller than the 20kg mixed feed, so it works as an addition rather than a bulk staple.

Price£9.99Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC

Key Details

Food format: Dried mealworms
Quantity named: 5L bag

What We Like

Single-ingredient food that is simple to understand
5L bag is easy to store and handle

Considerations

Costs more than the 20kg mixed feed, which supplies far more food

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Best low-cost starter pack

RSPB Fat/Suet Balls 6 Pack

At £1.60 for six, these RSPB suet balls are the cheapest way into the group and are described for year-round feeding.

The RSPB balls are made with suet, wheat flour, peanuts, millet, rapeseed and linseed, and the listing describes them for year-round feeding. At £1.60 for six they are the lowest outlay here, which suits a small trial. They are a ready-made format, so no mixing or measuring is needed.

Price£1.6Checked 6 Nov 2026, 18:40 UTC

Key Details

Food format: Fat / suet balls

What We Like

Lowest price of the five at £1.60
Mixed ingredients list including suet, peanuts, millet, rapeseed and linseed

Considerations

Only six balls per pack, so larger quantities mean buying more packs
Contains peanuts, which matters for anyone avoiding that ingredient

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Best for a larger ball supply

Peckish Natural Balance Energy Balls 50 Box

A box of 50 energy balls for £6.00 gives a sizeable supply of ready-made balls in one purchase.

Peckish Natural Balance energy balls come as a box of 50 for £6.00, which gives plenty of ready-made balls for the price. They are a different format from loose seed, nuts or mealworms, so they fit regular refills of ball feeders rather than acting as a general bulk feed.

Price£6.0Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC

Key Details

Food format: Energy balls
Quantity named: 50 box

What We Like

Box of 50 provides a large number of balls
Ready-made format needs no mixing or measuring

Considerations

Fewer feeding options than loose feeds, as the balls suit only ball-style feeders

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Premium single-ingredient option

Garden Ting Peanuts Wild Bird Food 5 Litre Tub

This 5 litre tub of peanuts is the dearest option at £12.99, so it suits those who specifically want peanuts.

Garden Ting peanuts come in a 5 litre tub for £12.99, the highest price here for a pack of its kind. It is a single-ingredient food, so it is a clear choice for anyone who wants peanuts on their own rather than as part of a mixed feed.

Price£12.99Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC

Key Details

Food format: Peanuts
Quantity named: 5 litre tub

What We Like

Single-ingredient peanut feed
Tub format is straightforward to store

Considerations

Highest price of the five, and costs more than the 5L mealworm bag
Smaller quantity than the 20kg mixed feed at a higher total price

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Best overall

Johnston & Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food 20kg

The 20kg bag offers the most food for the price, which makes it the most defensible all-round pick on value.

This is a selected wild bird food sold in a 20kg bag for £18.85, so it is the largest quantity here by a clear margin. As a general feed it suits keepers who refill often and want a bulk supply, rather than a single specialist treat or a ready-made ball.

Price£18.85Checked 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 UTC

Key Details

Food format: Wild bird food
Quantity named: 20kg

What We Like

Largest quantity of the five at 20kg
Lowest cost for the amount of food supplied

Considerations

A 20kg bag is heavy to carry and needs somewhere dry to store it

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