Blended Diets 101: Benefits, Basics & Getting Started

For many families of tube-fed children, feeding challenges can feel like an ongoing cycle of managing symptoms, adjusting formulas, and searching for solutions. Blenderized tube feeding offers another option that incorporates real food while supporting nutrition, family mealtimes, and quality of life.

Join DEEP for an educational webinar with Hilarie Geurink, RD, a pediatric dietitian specializing in blended tube feeding. Through her online community and the BlendBuddy recipe app, she helps families use real food to support digestion, meet nutrition needs, and create feeding routines that fit real life.

In addition to clinical expertise, this webinar will feature lived experience perspectives from caregivers who have firsthand experience incorporating blenderized tube feeding into their family’s daily routine. Parent panelists will share their personal journeys, including what inspired them to make the transition, what the process looked like, the challenges they faced, and what they wish they had known when they were getting started.

Designed for caregivers of children with feeding tubes, this beginner-friendly session will walk through the fundamentals of blenderized tube feeding, including the research behind its growing popularity, practical steps for getting started, and common misconceptions that often prevent families from exploring this option.

You’ll Learn

• What blenderized tube feeding is and how it differs from traditional formula feeding
• Why many families report improvements in digestion, comfort, and quality of life
• The basic equipment needed to begin (and what you likely already own)
• Safe, simple ways to introduce real food, including for children who have never eaten by mouth
• How to gradually incorporate blended meals using homemade blends, family meals, or commercial real food formulas
• Evidence-based answers to common concerns about tube clogs, food safety, meeting nutrient needs, and growth

Whether you’re curious about trying a single blended meal each week or considering a more significant transition, this webinar will provide practical tools, realistic expectations, and the confidence to explore blenderized tube feeding alongside your child’s healthcare team.

Featured Speakers

Clinician

Hilarie Geurink, RD is a pediatric dietitian specializing in blended tube feeding. Through her online community and the BlendBuddy recipe app, she helps families use real food to support digestion, meet nutrition needs, and create feeding routines that work in real life.

Parent Voices

Jamie Chong is a former special education teacher and stay-at-home mom to Asher (7), Evie (4), and Arlo (4 months). After Asher experienced a brain injury at birth that affected his ability to eat by mouth, Jamie began preparing blended meals for him when he started solids at age one. Over the past several years, blenderized tube feeding has become a meaningful part of their family’s journey, and Jamie is passionate about sharing how real food has supported Asher while making mealtimes more inclusive and connected.

Marissa Bishop is mom to Gregory, a ten-year-old boy who lives with CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Knowing her son would likely need a feeding tube, Marissa began researching blended diets well before his gtube surgery. Gregory has been on a blended diet since he got his gtube at age three. Now with a g/j tube, Gregory still enjoys a blended diet continuously through his j port. Marissa believes that all people deserve to be fed real food and she is passionate about helping parents advocate for how they want to feed their child. You can learn more about Marissa and life with CDKL5 by tuning in to her podcast, CDKL5 in Color.

Melanie Kandzierski is the full-time caregiver and mother to her six-year-old daughter, Rosie, who has Dravet syndrome and complex medical needs. Melanie is a parent advocate, content creator, and Shine Forward With Dravet Parent Ambassador who shares their family’s journey to raise awareness, support other families, and advocate for the rare disease and medically complex community. She is passionate about helping families feel empowered with practical information and hopes sharing Rosie’s blended diet journey encourages others exploring nutrition options for their own children.