Real food tube feeding, made simpler.
From the BlendBuddy app to dietitian-approved advice and private community group, get support for your tube feeding journey inside the BlendBuddy Membership.
The Benefits of Using Real Food for Tube Feeding
You want the best for your child and are sick of watching them just “get by”. You’re considering a switch to real food but are worried about nutrition and how to convince your medical team. And what if things get worse?
Many medical providers hesitate to recommend home-blended meals for tube feeding, fearing that nutritional and calorie needs won’t be met. That’s why I created a solution that makes it easy to transition to real food while effortlessly meeting nutrition and calorie goals just like with formula.
Studies show blended tube feeding can enhance digestion, promote better growth and nutrition, and lead to overall improved health outcomes. Navigating this transition is challenging alone. With a blended tube feeding dietitian and a supportive community on your team, you will quickly become confident you can do this.
Get Clarity. Get Support.
Get the Tools You need
to Make Blended Food Easy.
BlendBuddy puts a support system in your pocket, with recipes, custom blends, planning tools, nutrition tracking, reports, and access to a community of families just like you.
Get the Tools You need to Make Blended Food Easy.
The BlendBuddy Membership puts a support system in your pocket, with recipes, custom blends, planning tools, nutrition tracking, reports, and access to a community of families just like you.
Success Stories…
“Since we have switched to a blenderized diet with Hilarie, our daughter is a whole new kid…
She seems healthier, is throwing up WAY less, in a better mood, showing more interest in food, and handling larger volumes of bolus feeds. Hilarie takes the busy work and guessing out of switching over to a blended diet. She listens to everything you ask and request, and follows through with everything she says she will do!“
– CASSIE K
“Just trust your gut, make the transition, and before you know it it’ll feel like this has always been your routine.
Now my daughter is 100% on blended foods and just within the first month she has already been able to get off her reflux meds. Her mood is better, she just seems happier! So many benefits that I didn’t expect to see so quickly. The first week of making my own blends was a bit of a hot mess but now it feels simple, especially following the recipes in the blend buddy app. Just trust your gut, make the transition, and before you know it it’ll feel like this has always been your routine.”
– Ashley B
“I found this community and it is a literal prayer answer…
It’s been about two months since we joined, and after switching to real food and using these recipes, everything changed. We avoided another very serious surgery, she’s now tolerating bolus feeds instead of a slow drip, she’s so much more comfortable, and she is FINALLY gaining weight!
These recipes give me the confidence to tell our care team what is actually working and why we are going to stick with it. If they push back I can respond with nutritional values for everything I’m feeding her!”– MICHELLE D
“After signing up, my anxiety was at ease…
I was given a lot of support and help to make sure that I understood how and what foods to give my daughter. I feel so confident now blending home cooked meals and knowing that my daughter is getting a variety of foods – I actually enjoy blending different types of meals for her! Blenderized tube feeding has made my bond with my daughter stronger because she is able to participate in eating the same foods as we do.”
– VICTORIA N
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude..
We just got back from Vanderbilt and Prim received an AMAZING report across the board! Her heart function is completely normal, her lung function and pressures are perfect, and her growth curve is right where it should be.
We started the transition to a blended diet little over a month ago. Her energy levels are better than I have ever seen. Even her color/complexion is better! She is crawling and even wanting to try her blends by mouth! Such an improvement from vomiting daily and having trouble with bowel movements. I’m so thankful we took the leap.”– OLIVIA S
“We’ve come a long way thanks to this community.…
We are at the 1 year mark of us introducing food to our daughter Pia at 6 months old despite our clinic’s recommendation to keep her on breast milk/infant formula only and then switch to a nutritionally complete pediatric formula at 12 months.
Recently, I created a 4-day report from BlendBuddy for our follow up with my daughter’s dietitian last week. Our dietitian was happy with Pia’s growth and everything we are feeding her; she had no concerns at all. I felt so great after that appointment.”– CORRINE M
“It truly has been life changing for our family. Most importantly for our son…
Everything is easily laid out that doesn’t leave you with many questions. Our biggest wins have been sharing meals together. Only tubie parents can understand the true excitement about eating the same meal as your child. Or ordering something through the drive thru for the first time for them. I highly recommend anyone on the fence about starting to just do it!”
– CRYSTAL V
“Hilarie took all of the stress and confusion out of it…
I was nervous that blending his food would be overwhelming and take too much time. I tried switching on my own a few months prior and was completely overwhelmed, not knowing how to transition without causing reflux or overwhelming his little body. Hilarie took all the stress and confusion out of it. She is so kind and always there to answer any questions I may have. I would make this choice 1,000 times over.”
– KEARSTYN S
“In just 2 short months we are on 100% home blends and have a whole system down.
We feel like switching to a blenderized diet for our youngest son has made our family feel more cohesive. There is something so empowering and comforting about knowing we are living life as closely to normal as possible for him! Hilarie truly wants to help people learn a better way to feed their tube fed loved one. I couldn’t have done it without her help!”
– JESSICA P
“Hilarie gave me my evenings back…
I used to be up past midnight daily trying to come up with recipes that were high calorie low volume for my twins with different diet needs. I no longer have to guess and blend every night. My son with growth issues gained over a pound in one month. Hilarie is kind, approachable, and responsive. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to give their child real food.“
– KATIE W
“Hilarie has been extremely kind, patient and informative…
Our son has had extreme difficulty tolerating packaged foods/formulas. He was not growing or gaining weight despite extreme increases in calories and volume. Being able to blend real food that is full of nutrition has helped him not only feel better, but he is growing and steadily gaining weight! Hilarie guides you through everything from getting the blender, picking recipes, troubleshooting, etc. We are thankful we found her!”
– SARAH H
“I felt incredibly supported in whatever our family needed…
We needed to adjust our plan at times due to illness or being overly busy, and we were well equipped to do that. Hilarie provides incredible resources and support to make blended feeds feel doable and achievable.
I would encourage anyone that is considering joining to do it and know it will be worth your time and energy.”– TAYLOR H
“Hilarie has been amazing to work with….
Tube feeding is such a big part of our lives right now and so having the kind of support Hilarie provides is worth every penny.
What I have especially appreciated about her is that there have been absolutely no feelings of pressure or stress. She is so supportive of whatever we feel is best for us.“– REBEKAH Y
“I am equipped to give my child some of the best nourishment through the training Hilarie showed me.…
She gave me one of the best tools you can give a special needs/medically fragile parent. The confidence and assurance that you can feed your child real food and it will be okay, worth it, and doable for anyone. Hilarie was honestly the best thing I’ve ever spent my money on.“
– NICOLE M
“Hilarie takes the time to find what works for you.…
This journey is often difficult and can feel a bit lonely, but to have the support of someone who wants to take some of your stress & make your life easier, I can’t really describe how awesome that is. Honestly, I felt like we were in such a tough spot with our son that I really wasn’t sure that it would be worth it. I guess reaching such a tough point of desperation also gets you to do things regardless of the outcomes because at least you TRIED.
I would encourage anyone, if you’re feeing overwhelmed, you want to feed your loved one good healthy food but the challenges are about to push you over the edge, try this!“– JANET Y
“We have been given love and care and so much support…
Hilarie takes the time to listen to my true thoughts and feelings about what is currently going on with my daughter and problem-solve to find solutions that will work for my daughter AND for me.
This support has meant the world to me, it makes me feel like I’m not so alone in this giant pool of programs and procedures and options.“– LIBBY K
“Hilarie is amazing….
I have gastroparesis and need high calorie puree recipes that are low in volume, fiber and fat to eat by mouth and heal my gut. She answers all my questions and gives me so many suggestions. Hilarie is the key component that I need in my toolbox to be successful in making the transition from being fed 80% by jejunal feeding tube to going back to eating 100% by mouth.“
– SHARON M
“My baby is off the FTT charts for the first time in her 23 months of life.
I was worried it would make things “worse” in terms of her growth by disrupting her “set” calories and fat on formula. I tried it anyway, almost just as a “secondary” option, and she THRIVED! She’s gained more in the last four months with than in the last year! I needed these resources, and to be able to use them on my own time with job changes and new houses, it has been so supportive with absolutely no pressure. She truly helped me get what’s best for my girl to live her best quality of life.“
– Alexis W
“Hilarie is always available and she is focused on making sure you feel safe and secure with the process…
The experience was great, there was always an answer provided to make this process easier. It felt stress free, you feel like someone is listening and will find a solution for the problem on hand. The platform has many options to help you explore blended food recipes and it makes me feel great knowing I am providing my daughter a real meal.”
– VICMARIS G
“My son has changed completely on a blended diet!
I was scared at first because you are so used to the way things are. My son was vomiting a lot and we thought it was volume related but we realized it was actually the formula he was not tolerating. We now have switched to real food and have had no issues. He has colour back, is gaining weight, is so much stronger in his rehab and he has had tons of complements wanting to know what we are doing.”
– JENNIFER M
about hilarie, RD, CSP
Hello! I am a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Pediatrics and have been helping families navigate tube feeding since 2015. My path took a significant turn while working in a pediatric neurodevelopment clinic, where I was introduced to the transformative benefits of a blenderized diet. This experience completely changed my approach and inspired me to advocate for real food in this field. In 2021, I founded Blended Tube Feeding, aiming to bridge the gaps between medical professionals and families so no one has to choose between getting support and the benefits of real food. Here, I’m all about empowering families with knowledge and choice in their tube feeding journey. You don’t have to navigate this alone, let’s get started today.
Latest Blog Posts
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Pumpkin, Pear & Date Tube Feeding constipation support
Like me, you may have been taught that we don’t talk about anything poop-related at the dinner table. But that’s not how we roll around here. Why? Because constipation is something almost every tubie family deals with at some point. Between limited mobility, medical complexity, hydration struggles, and calorie-dense diets, stooling can quickly become one…
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High Calorie Breakfast Burrito Tube Feeding Recipe
When you go to a restaurant and order eggs, you’re almost guaranteed to hear, “How do you like your eggs?” You may have your go-to order…. scrambled, over-easy, poached…. But can you imagine the look you’d get if you said, “blended”? I’m sure you and I can both picture a raised eyebrow from the waiter,…
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Banana & Yogurt Overnight Oats Tube Feeding Recipe
As a dietitian, I’m always thinking about nutrients and digestion, but I also know that in real life, the blends that work are the ones you can make without stress. And this one did just that! It blends smoothly and is gentle enough for a wide range of children. The kind of recipe you can…
Working with a tube feeding expert
BlendBuddy is designed to make tube feeding with real food easier and more practical for busy families.
Inside, you’ll find our full program of on-demand resources that provide a clear roadmap to get started, recipes that make easy to meet nutrient needs, and lots of guidance and support from me and other families on this same journey.
You don’t have to blend alone or scour the internet for piece-meal answers anymore. Here, you’ll find a compassionate, supportive community that truly understands your journey. Our mission is to empower you with knowledge, choice, and the confidence to make real food work for tube feeding.
With flexible options, you can subscribe and cancel anytime or stay as long as you’d like—and if you need additional 1-1 support, it’s an easy add on. However you need support, we’re here for you.
