Meet Your New bestie, BlendBuddy
For tube-feeding families who want to try real food, here’s your blending blueprint.
“Hi everyone, I am very new to home blending and really excited to join this group. But, honestly, I’m feeling a little confused. I’m hoping to learn from others here and better understand how people safely transition into home blending.”
This is a message from a brand new member of BlendBuddy. And rest assured, they are in exactly the right place.
What began as a collection of recipes has become a comprehensive app and online community – the ultimate resource hub for people who don’t know where to start with blending but do know that nothing else is cutting it for their tube-fed kid.
BlendBuddy’s creator, paediatric dietitian Hilarie Geurink, tells the story of another member who joined the group in “crisis mode”.
“Her daughter was losing weight, vomiting. The next thing was going to be more procedures and major testing that costs a lot of money. And so, as a last-ditch effort, she decided to try blending. She found our group and shared that, just two months after following our process and recipes, their life was completely changed,” says Hilarie.
“Her daughter is now on bolus feeds, she’s gaining weight and she is so much more happy. And her medical team saw our process and were like, wow, this is really cool. We’re excited for you. Please keep doing this!”
The app that gets it and removes the guesswork
For those who want to try blending but feel overwhelmed or confused, BlendBuddy offers a clear roadmap.
Alongside video tutorials and guides to get you going, members can explore a recipe library of over 300 real-food meals, designed to match the calorie levels of commercial formula. The app also handles meal planning, generates grocery lists and produces nutrition reports families can take straight to their medical team, bridging the gap between home kitchens and consulting rooms.
A gap that, frustratingly, still looms large.
“Something that came up in the group that genuinely surprised me was a comment a doctor made to a mother,” says Hilarie.
“Her son was losing weight, not keeping his feeds down – but after a month of blending, he was doing so well with it. But the doctor told her she couldn’t do it because, as that doctor said, ‘how do you know if he’s going to get enough vitamin B12?’
“I really struggle with that because, how does this doctor know that they are getting enough B12? Or any of their orally fed patients? That double standard is really hard for me to understand because it makes real food feel risky in a way we don’t apply to anyone else.”
In the BlendBuddy community, stories like this are met with helpful comments from Hilarie and dozens of messages from members sharing their experiences and advice. A couple of weeks later, Hilarie or Bre will follow up with the family to see how things have progressed.
Support beyond the scroll
Here is an online village that, unlike your average Facebook group, offers virtual coffee meet-ups, live troubleshooting calls and a steady stream of positive encouragement and practical advice.
“We talk about everything – from formulas to reflux and constipation – no topic is off limits. Topics that I see, in other groups, spark a lot of noise,” says Hilarie who, as group moderator, hasn’t yet had to issue so much as a warning for unfriendly behaviour.
Hosted by Hilarie and her teammate, tube-feeding parent Bre Baney, BlendBuddy is home to hundreds of members – mostly mothers – supporting one another to get tube-feeding right. This is a place where the following questions have been asked and swiftly responded to with suggestions, served up with zero judgement:
“My daughter deals with constipation which leads to throwing up. I have attached her daily schedule hoping someone has some insight on what I can change?”
“How are we cleaning our 60ml syringes?! I hate the film that sticks to them.”
“We are at a restaurant trying to feed our daughter, and her G-tube button is mysteriously clogged. We tried pushing water directly through the button, with both pulling and pushing, but still no luck. Any other ideas?”
“Has anyone used the Kangaroo Omni pump? I’ve heard it does well with thicker blends.”
“Hey, so I tried to do a bigger batch and my Vitamix threw a fit. It kept stopping and needing to cool down, sounded like the motor was slipping, didn't smell great… Any tips?”
“Those who typically make your own blends, what do you do when you travel?”
“Hi everyone! Are there any families in the process of tube weaning or any that have successfully weaned their child off the tube? If so, what resources did you use?”
“Sorry for a gross post, but what do you use to get the puke smell off a car seat?”
Real-life answers to these and countless other queries can only come from those of us with syringes soaking in our sinks. Those of us waking to feeding pump alarms. Those of us averaging two to three loads of washing a day.
As Hilarie says: “I felt like there just needed to be a space where people could share their perspective and feel comfortable truly telling us what’s going on. A space where people could feel like someone’s on my side. I’m not the only one figuring this out.”
Issues freely aired, solutions collectively celebrated
BlendBuddy members share every part of tube-feeding life. Their wins and woes. Their headaches and hacks.
One mother explained how she fashioned a six-foot extension set so she could tube-feed her child from the front seat of their van. Another shared a link to the ENfitPress Syringe Feeder, designed to give our thumbs a most welcome break.
A member recently posted: “We finally gained back the weight we lost from our stretches of back-to-back GI sickness. Our dietitian was happy and didn’t say we need to increase feeds.”
Another said: “I just wanted to share that we have finally found a working mix for my son to stay regular, without diaper rash, and he’s not gagging in the mornings anymore.”
And another shared: “Sometimes, the process of filling and priming a pump bag or drawing up a syringe feed can feel so clinical, it takes a toll. But other times, everything works so beautifully, it makes you wanna do a dance in the kitchen!”
Wherever you are in the world, whether you’re blended tube-feeds curious, new to home blending or a seasoned whizzer in the kitchen, BlendBuddy can help you find your way.
“I hope that it makes you feel like, okay, I can do this. I’m not going to harm my child. I have a clear plan for moving forward,” says Hilarie.
“This is about more than just nutrition – it’s about finding something that truly works for you that you feel good about, that you are in control of. And you have a lot more options than you think, so just trust your gut. That mama instinct should be listened to.”
This article is made in partnership with BlendBuddy. From the BlendBuddy app to dietitian-approved advice and private community group, get support for your tube feeding journey here.