Real foods and blended diets: Let’s talk about the benefits of including real food in tube fed diets

Contributing expert: Emma Green - Specialist Home Enteral Tube Feeding Dietitian

Blended diets have become a very popular topic in the tube feeding community. As a result of an increasing number of people exploring this as an option, Talking Tube Feeding wants to help answer some of the most commonly asked questions to help people on their journey.

In this article you will watch videos of Elizabeth Chaplin (whose 16-year-old daughter Ava is tube fed) blending Ava’s meals throughout the day while discussing products she uses, ingredients she includes as well as tips on consistency and storage.

We also have Specialist Home Enteral Tube Feeding Dietitian Emma Green sharing some of the most commonly asked questions about blended diets and her guidance on these topics.

Elizabeth blending Ava’s breakfast

For Ava’s breakfast, Liz adds to a blender a variation of fruits, porridge and pea milk as Ava is dairy intolerant. Liz prepares Ava’s breakfast batches at the start of the week and uses handy freezer bags that can be stored for easy access for the rest of the week.

Elizabeth preparing Ava’s snack blend

Using a small blending cup, Liz combines pear and blueberries with a big scoop of Ava’s favourite peanut butter for a high calorie, tasty snack.

Elizabeth blending Ava’s dinner

Liz has cooked a nutritious vegetable soup for the whole family to enjoy, and has blended Ava’s meal separately, which is then decanted into 60ml syringes ready for Ava’s tube to be administered at the dinner table during the family meal.

Dietitian discussing blended diets

To help new and existing members of the tube feeding community, dietitian Emma Green shares her knowledge and guidance by answering the most frequently asked questions about blended diets.

1. What benefits have you seen from tube fed diets that include real food?

There are lots of different benefits that can be had from having a tube fed diet that includes real food, whether that be food derived formulas, blended diets or oral intake.

One benefit I find particularly stand out is the positive impact on gut health and gastrointestinal symptoms. For example, many patients who enterally feed will have a typically looser bowel than others who can eat orally. Often, getting symptoms such as cramping or urgency. By introducing real food into their diet, I can drastically improve these symptoms whilst meeting their nutritional needs and in turn, help improve their quality of life.

2. Have you noticed a rise in people asking you about blended diets? If so, why do you think this is?

I have noticed an increase of parents and caregivers asking about, or being interested in, blended diets. As food derived formulas and blended diets grow increasingly popular, the results and improvement in symptoms across patients also increases. The tube fed community, whilst small, is a close knit and very supportive one where online forums and platforms, such as that of Talking Tube Feeding, are available for both professionals, parents and patients to use – by developing these with health professionals, we can ensure that the information and guidance given is safe and regulated for our patients.

As professionals working in tube feeding, there is an increased amount of literature and case reviews available than there has ever been before, meaning the scientific evidence is there to support our practice. Our regulatory boards have also released statements and advice for us to support our patients who wish to know more about and start on a blended diet.

3. Have you any tips on how to start a blended diet? Are there particular recipes that are better to start with/ingredients to trial first?

There are plenty of tips and interactive content online and on social media, created by dietitians and registered health professionals, on how to get started. My golden rule when getting started is ‘prepare to succeed’ – get yourself set up and organised with all the equipment you’ll need such as a powerful blender, sieves, storage containers and syringes etc. Also, practice and do some test runs of recipes before you start with the real thing.

Typically, fruits and vegetables can be the easiest to get started with, due to their consistencies, but make sure that skins, seeds and pips are removed to avoid potential blockages. As families get more confident with their techniques and equipment, they can branch out to more family foods and alternatives. Always work with your dietitian or health professional when working out how to add nutritional value and meet requirements with your blended diet, to ensure you are meeting goals and needs.

4. What are parents’ FAQs about blended diets?

One of the main questions I get asked about blended diets is: ‘is it safe?’. A blended diet must be implemented carefully and safely, alongside the support and guidance of your dietitian and/or health team, however when done right and well, the benefits can far outweigh the risks.

Another is: ‘are blended diets time consuming?’. Whilst blended diets can take a bit longer at first to adjust to, especially with the preparation, cleaning and administering, after a while, blended diets can fit into a family’s life really well and become routine. Families often find that as they become more experienced and comfortable with a blended diet, they can incorporate family foods into mealtimes, which enhances the mealtime experience, getting to share this with their siblings or family. For parents who aren’t quite ready to go full time with a blended diet, this is where food derived formulas can ‘bridge the gap’ and be a taster into the blended diet and its positive side effects.

If you have any questions regarding blended diets or want to know more about tube feeding in general, drop us a message on Instagram @talkingtubefeeding or email us at talkingtubefeeding@uk.nestle.com, we’d love to hear from you!