blenderized foods

[Guest guest]

Just sending some old quotes from the feeding board on using the Vitamix to

give table food for tube feedings in case anyone is interested. The company

gives a discount to tube feeders with a note from the doctor, but you might

want to contact them for the latest info: http://www.vitamix.com/

I find it easier to use Compleat Pediatric to get blenderized foods, although I

can't delete things or avoid the BHT this way.

Inga

..........

I just started this, but what I did was buy some cheap ice trays, make a bunch

of stuff, blend it up and freeze it in zip-lock bags. It was a lot of work for

a day or two, and now I do nothing. Just get out what I need and then thaw it

out & add liquid. Even if you don't cook, you can brown ground beef, you can

open a can of boneless chicken, open green beans or spinich (I bought low

salt), grind up toast. Toddlers don't eat complex meals, so I just cooked

what my niece eats (2 1/2). Now, I made most of mine from scratch, be

there is no reason that you can't buy it. I'm mostly stressing about getting

the right amounts and the correct fluid balance (my child has complex heart &

lung issues), but prepareing the food was really no problem. Now, if you catch

yourself grinding up Cheetoes, maybe you should reconsider! LOL .

-Shari

>

> It may be a little more difficult for you because of 's allergies, but

> there are certainly plenty of children with allergies who aren't tube fed so

> there is food available out there! For example, I use peanut butter

> sometimes for protein and calories but you can achieve much the same result

> with tahini (if she can have that) or tofu + oil, for example.

>

> -

The way I do it, because it all went in through the tube, is to throw it in all

together. That's what is going to happen once it hits their stomach if it were

an oral feed, so I just do it together in the blender. Bread needs a little

fluid, so for example, I would throw in a piece of pizza. Then a little garlic

bread, but not much because there you already have a lot of wheat. Then I'd

put in a half an apple, which has some moisture to it but not enough, so I

might put in some soy milk (more protein) and blend it. Now it won't blend

well, stick to the sides, or leave big chunks, if it doesn't have enough

moisture. So if that happens, I'll pour in some more milk until I like the

consistency. Or add some more moisture foods, like some steamed zucchini.

That doesn't need any liquid, and in fact takes the place of adding some milk.

Most of my meals had a vegetable source (usually high in moisture) a fruit

(also high in moisture) a main meal that had protein (tofu, nuts, cheese,

quiona, whatever) and some kind of grain or starch. Just what I would feed

" normal " kid. He has some desert in with it at times, but usually I could get

him to at least taste that orally. (Why waste that through a tube:)

I've worked in nursing homes at times in my RN career, and the good places

(meaning they don't give the people pureed food out of a can) do it exactly the

same way. The ones who can't chew well just get the food the other residents

get on their plates. I even worked in one place that fed blended food to their

only tube fed resident. Funny, I didn't think of that until just now, who'd

have thought 20 years later, when it meant nothing to me then, thought it was a

little odd myself, that I'd be doing the same thing!!!

Trish and Bobby, 2.5 yrs old, CHD, orally defensive after 3 months in the PICU

following surgery (but not so much any more) and eating most of his food orally

today!

My experience with the Vitamix is that the diameter (fr.) of the tubing doesn't

matter. I was actually getting ground fruits and veggies through a 5 fr. (yes,

that is not a typo, a F_I_V_E fr.) NG tube. Granted, they had to be diluted in

something like breastmilk, or formula, whatever liquid you use, but it wasn't

so diluted that he didn't have a change in stools from having solids added.

I think this thing could grind tree stumps!

Trish