Resource Article

Blenderized Diet for G-Tubes

All contents of this resource were created for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, therapist, or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have.

Getting a feeding tube (G-tube) for your child can feel scary and overwhelming. There is a lot to learn, and for many families, a G-tube comes after trying many other options. For some children with autism, serious feeding challenges or minimal eating make a feeding tube necessary so they can get enough nutrition to grow and stay healthy.

While this change can feel hard, it can also open the door to feeding your child real, whole foods. A blenderized diet (BD) means cooking foods and blending them with liquids to create a smooth, liquid meal that can go through a feeding tube. These meals can include fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and healthy fats. Many families like BD because it offers more control over ingredients and is easier to tolerate than traditional formulas.

This Article Will Cover:

What is a blenderized diet?
Commercial formulas and how they compare
What are Real Foods Blends?
Supplies and Equipment
Nutrition Basics — Macros, Calories, and Volume
Creating and Preparing Meals
Batch Cooking and Storage
On-the-Go and Everyday Life
Helpful Tools and Resources
Hospital Support for Blenderized Diets
Research and clinical evidence

What is a Blenderized Diet?

A blenderized diet is a feeding tube diet made from real, whole foods that are blended until smooth enough to go through a G-tube. Unlike commercial formulas, which are shelf-stable and highly processed, blenderized diets use fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats.

Many families choose a blenderized diet because their child tolerates it better and has fewer stomach and bowel issues, such as reflux, constipation, or bloating. Real food also provides natural nutrition in forms the body often recognizes and uses more easily.

Key points to remember:

Foods are blended until smooth enough for tube feeding

Ingredients come from real, whole foods rather than processed formulas

Medical guidance is essential before starting

Before beginning a blenderized diet, please talk with your child’s medical team to make sure it is safe and appropriate for your child’s needs.

Commercial Formulas

Commercial formulas are often used when a feeding tube is first placed because they are familiar, easy to use, and widely accepted in medical settings. While traditional pediatric formulas have improved over the last ten years, they are still highly processed.

Common concerns with traditional commercial formulas include:

Highly refined carbohydrates and added sugars
Industrial seed oils are used as the primary fat source
Synthetic vitamins and minerals
Processed protein powders instead of whole-food proteins

For many children with autism, these ingredients can be harsh on the digestive system.

Highly processed ingredients may contribute to:

Bloating, gas, and stomach discomfort
Diarrhea or loose stools
Constipation
Blood sugar swings that affect energy and behavior

Industrial seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which may increase inflammation and worsen GI symptoms in some children. Protein powders used in formulas are also highly processed and can be harder to digest than protein from whole foods. These powders often contain high levels of glutamate, which many children with autism may be sensitive to and may contribute to additional inflammation.

Many children with autism already have underlying GI challenges, such as:

Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”)
Chronic constipation
Diarrhea
Reflux
Trouble absorbing nutrients

For these children, highly processed ingredients can place extra strain on the digestive system over time. This may affect nutrient absorption, gut health, and even growth. In contrast, whole foods provide nutrients in their natural forms and include fiber and other helpful compounds that support digestion and overall gut health.

Blenderized Diet vs. Commercial Formula

Using Real Food Blends

Real Food Blends stand apart from most commercial options and are the closest shelf-stable product to a true blenderized diet. It is a premade, whole food–based blend that does not rely on processed seed oils or isolated protein powders. Because it is shelf-stable, it can be especially helpful when first adjusting to a G-tube and during hospital stays, travel, or other short-term situations.

While Real Food Blends offers real-food options in a convenient format, shelf-stable products still offer limited variety compared to freshly prepared meals. For this reason, many families choose to combine Real Food Blends with homemade blenderized meals. A common and gentle approach is to replace one feeding at a time with a fresh blend, allowing for a gradual, manageable transition while supporting better tolerance and more personalized nutrition.

Supplies and Equipment

Starting a blenderized diet means having the right supplies and equipment in place. Families usually work with a DME (Durable Medical Equipment) provider to obtain feeding supplies, including the type of feeding tube used (such as a G-tube or GJ-tube), extension sets, syringes, and feeding pumps.

Feedings may be given as bolus feeds using a syringe or as continuous feeds using a feeding pump, depending on what works best for the child. A high-powered blender is essential to make food smooth enough for tube feeding. Many families use brands like Vitamix, Blendtec, Ninja, or NutriBullet Rx, and some companies offer medical discount programs.

Important considerations for supplies:

Equipment must be compatible with the tube system
Pumps and syringes should match the feeding method
Your medical team or DME provider can help ensure everything is set up safely

Nutrition Basics — Macros, Calories, and Volume

A blenderized diet can be adapted to meet many different nutrition needs and special diets, including gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF), Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), REID, GAPS, and Paleo. Understanding basic nutrition helps families build balanced blends that support growth and overall health.

When creating blends, it is important to consider macros, calories, and micronutrients:

Carbohydrates provide energy for daily activities and growth
Protein supports growth, tissue repair, and immune health
Fats add calories and support brain development
Micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium, help the body function properly

Micronutrients are especially important because many children with autism have limited diets or difficulty absorbing nutrients.

Tracking calories and macros is essential with tube feeding, as nutritional needs must be met every day. Tracking helps families ensure their child is getting enough calories for growth and weight gain, avoid overfeeding, which can cause discomfort or reflux, and maintain the right balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It also helps adjust feeding volume so meals are well-tolerated.

Using a variety of foods supports a broader range of vitamins and minerals. Some children may still need supplements, and working with a registered dietitian can help ensure blends are safe, balanced, and appropriate for each child’s needs.

Creating and Preparing Meals

Creating blenderized meals starts with building a balanced blend that includes fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and grains, with enough calories to meet daily needs. Some families find it helpful to plan sample meals with estimated calorie and macronutrient counts.

Foods should be chosen carefully, as very fibrous foods, foods that do not blend well, or known allergens may increase the risk of tube clogging or reactions. All foods should be cooked and handled safely, just like any family meal.

Preparation tips:

Blend until smooth and thin enough to flow easily
Add liquids and strain if needed
Use healthy oils, broths, and supplements to boost nutrition
Combine ingredients that would typically be eaten together on the same plate or in the same bowl. For example:
- Dinner blend: chicken, green beans, sweet potato, microgreens, avocado, and broth
- Lunch blend: chickpeas, almond butter, assorted berries, banana, hemp seeds, and almond milk

Batch Cooking and Storage

Batch cooking can make a blenderized diet much easier to manage. Many families prepare meals in bulk to save time and reduce daily stress, often using meal plans, shopping lists, and simple prep schedules.

Families approach preparation in different ways, and there is no single “right” method. Common approaches include:

Preparing and storing individual ingredients:
Families cook proteins, vegetables, and grains separately, portion them, and freeze them. This allows caregivers to thaw only what they need each day and combine ingredients in different ways to create varied meals.
Preparing and storing fully blended meals:
Families prepare complete blended meals in advance and store them for later use. This approach can be especially helpful for busy schedules or when consistency and convenience are priorities.

The key takeaway is that families can choose the approach that works best for them. Both methods can be safe, nutritious, and effective when handled properly.

Prepared blends should be clearly labeled with dates and ingredients, and older meals should be used first to maintain freshness. Blends can be stored in the refrigerator for short-term use or frozen for longer-term storage.

Common storage options include:

Ice cube trays
Silicone molds
Freezer-safe glass jars
Pyrex containers

These options make it easy to portion meals, rotate stock, and stay organized.

On-the-Go and Everyday Life

A blenderized diet can fit into everyday life, including school, daycare, camp, and travel. Many families pack blended feeds in squeeze pouches or bottles toA doctor’s letter is helpful but not required

TSA PreCheck is strongly recommended
Many families travel with frozen blends
Insulated bags and ice packs help keep food safeA doctor’s letter is helpful but not required
TSA PreCheck is strongly recommended
Many families travel with frozen blends
Insulated bags and ice packs help keep food safe make feeding easier when away from home.

When traveling or eating out, blends can be brought from home or prepared using simple, familiar foods. For air travel within the United States, medical food and feeding supplies are allowed through airport security, even in amounts larger than standard liquid limits.

Travel tips:

A doctor’s letter is helpful but not required
TSA PreCheck is strongly recommended
Many families travel with frozen blends
Insulated bags and ice packs help keep food safe

Helpful Tools and Resources

The right tools and support can make a blenderized diet much easier to manage. Blenderized food calculators and nutrition apps can help families track calories, nutrients, and volume.

G-tube–specific communities, such as Blenderized RN Facebook Group, can be a valuable source of practical, experience-based information related to tube feeding and blending. These groups often include caregivers and clinicians supporting individuals with diverse medical backgrounds.

At the same time, it is helpful for autism families to keep the following in mind when engaging in these communities:

Not every person with a G-tube requires a specific or restrictive diet.
Feeding tubes are used for many different medical reasons, and nutritional needs can vary widely.
Blenderized diets may look different depending on:
- Individual medical needs
- Family preferences and cultural practices
- Guidance from healthcare providers
Some families focus on blending fresh, whole foods, while others may include more processed or convenience foods as part of their approach.

TACA encourages autism families to prioritize fresh, whole food ingredients whenever possible, using a blenderized diet as an opportunity to fully move away from processed foods a child may have been self-limiting to and replace them with nourishing, whole-food options, while respecting that different families may follow different paths.

Additional Resources:

Blended Recipe Builder
A website designed specifically for tube feeding that allows families to build customized blenderized meals and use adaptable premade recipes while tracking calories, nutrients, and total volume. Volume tracking is an essential part of a blenderized diet and can be especially helpful for families learning how to adjust liquids to achieve the right consistency and feeding volume.
Nutrition tracking apps such as Cronometer
- Apps like Cronometer make it easy to build blenderized recipes and track calories and macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates). Families can enter individual ingredients or full recipes to help adjust blends and meet calorie goals.
BD-affirming registered dietitians
Feeding tube forums and caregiver communities

Hospital Support for Blenderized Diets

Blenderized diets are gaining more support in medical settings than ever before, especially at major pediatric centers such as:

Even with growing acceptance, families may still need to advocate for their child’s blenderized diet not only during hospital stays, but also during feeding clinic follow-ups, GI and dietitian appointments, and when home nursing is involved. Home nurses and care teams can only provide what is written in medical orders, making clear documentation essential.

Being informed, prepared, and confident can help families ensure that fresh, whole-food feeding choices are respected across all care settings.

Research and Clinical Guidance

Research on blenderized diets has grown significantly in recent years, and multiple studies support their safety and effectiveness when used appropriately. Reviews and clinical studies show improved tolerance, fewer gastrointestinal symptoms, and better quality of life for children and families.

Clinical guidance articles also outline best practices for safely preparing and prescribing blenderized diets at home. Together, this growing body of evidence shows that blenderized feeding is a valid, evidence-supported option when families are adequately supported by their medical team.

Selected research includes:

Conclusion

Every family’s blenderized diet journey is different, and some trial and error is normal as you learn what works best for your child. Personalizing foods, textures, and schedules takes time.

By choosing fresh, whole foods, you provide your child with meaningful nourishment and care. You now have practical tools and clear next steps to get started, whether that means replacing one feeding, gathering supplies, or talking with your medical team. You are not alone, and you are doing an incredible job.