Australia:
You can purchase our whole food blends directly through our online store or via our trusted Australian medical distribution partners:

• HECSA
• Incontinence Product Solutions
• BrightSky
• Surgical House
• Tubie Fun

All of our distributors are familiar with NDIS processes. They can provide quotes, assist with order placement, and offer a range of billing options for NDIS participants using their funding to purchase our products.

International:
For international orders, we offer personalised service to help you access our products wherever you are. Please email us at admin@blendedbysarah.au and our team will provide a tailored quote including shipping.

Blended by Sarah products are designed for bolus feeding via an NG tube, gastrostomy button, or G-tube. Bolus feeding involves gently pushing the blend through your feeding tube using a syringe.

For the best experience, we recommend using:

• A bolus extension set that’s free of right angles to allow smooth flow
• An o-ring style syringe, such as the ENFit 60ml Enteral Reusable Syringe

Be sure to wash your equipment well between uses and lightly spray the o-ring with olive oil after a few washes to keep everything running smoothly.

Our blends are designed to be enjoyed just like a whole food meal. While a single pouch may not provide 100% of the macro- and micronutrients your body needs, it’s intended to complement your existing feeding plan—whether that includes commercial formulas, home-prepared blends, or a combination of both.

At Blended by Sarah, we support choice, not perfection. Just as most people don’t eat the exact same nutrients in perfect ratios every day, our approach is about variety, flexibility, and real-world nourishment. Our blends are developed to fit naturally into your feeding routine—offering support, not strict formulas.

As our range continues to grow, we’re focused on offering even more options to support a diverse and balanced enteral diet grounded in whole food principles.

Absolutely! Many families choose to combine Blended by Sarah products with their own homemade blends as part of a gradual transition or to create variety.

We often recommend starting with a small volume of Blended by Sarah, then increasing it by around 20% every three days. This gradual approach allows the gastrointestinal system and immune system to adapt comfortably to the change.

At Blended by Sarah, we believe in supporting choice for the tube-fed community. While commercially prepared formulas are often essential and nutritionally complete, our whole food blends offer an alternative for individuals who are medically stable and seeking a more natural approach.

Whole food tube feeding may be suitable if you or your child:

• Are not immunocompromised or in a high-dependency or intensive care setting
• Are not 100% jejunostomy fed (please consult your dietitian if this applies)
• Do not require continuous tube feeding
• Are 12 months or older
• Can tolerate some flexibility in feeding times
• Are not experiencing unexplained weight loss (unless under clinical guidance)
• Have the means to purchase, prepare, and safely store whole food blends
• Have access to a high-powered or industrial blender

We strongly encourage you to make this decision in partnership with your healthcare team. Dietitians are the experts in this space and should guide any changes to your feeding plan. Once you've considered the planning and commitment required for blended tube feeding, ask your care team to document your goals, current health status, and the steps you’re taking. This kind of collaborative documentation helps ensure ongoing, patient-centred support

It's best to avoid starting homemade blends during times when the body is under stress or when practical circumstances make it difficult to manage them safely. This includes periods of illness or infection, active weight loss, or during medical investigations.

You should also wait if you are experiencing issues with your feeding tube (such as blockages or reduced patency), going through a period of rapid growth, or if you don’t yet have the equipment, storage, or support systems in place to manage a blended diet confidently.

Starting when you're stable and well-prepared helps ensure a smooth transition and long-term success.

Before starting a home-blended tube feeding routine, it’s important to be informed and well-prepared—but remember, at its core, it’s just food. Research your or your child's individual needs, seek guidance from others who have experience, and trust your ability to learn and adapt.

Some key things to think about include understanding the nutritional composition of your blends and your body’s basic needs—like daily energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat requirements. You may also need to consider the use of liquid or powdered vitamin and mineral supplements to help meet your daily micronutrient needs.

Be aware of your required daily volume for bolus feeding, your maximum tolerated amount per feed, and how long it typically takes to digest a blend. It helps to have a clear plan for timing, starting volume, and how often you'll feed.

Food safety is also essential. Know how to clean your kitchen and blender thoroughly, handle and store perishable ingredients properly, and thaw frozen blends safely. Many local councils offer food safety courses, and there are also great online options available.

Finally, consider how you’ll store your blends—whether you're preparing them fresh daily or making batches to freeze. Planning ahead will make the process more manageable and safe.

Starting a blended tube feeding routine is empowering, and having the right tools makes all the difference. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Suitable recipes (our Blended cookbook is a great place to begin) or ready-to-use products from Blended by Sarah
• A feeding tube that is 12 French or larger (NG tubes can be used, but blends may need to be thinner and lower in energy density—check with your dietitian)
• A high-powered food blender—we recommend Vitamix or a similar industrial-strength model
• 60 mL syringes for bolus feeding and a straight bolus extension set
• A system to label containers with the date of preparation and name of the blend
• A dish rack for air-drying all utensils, blender parts, containers, and feeding equipment
• Separate cutting boards for meat and fruits/vegetables to maintain food safety

Being prepared with the right equipment makes blending safer, easier, and more sustainable for the long term.

Generally, most foods can be included in a blended diet when they’re properly prepared and blended long enough using a high-powered blender. The idea that certain foods will always clog feeding tubes is often based on outdated advice, a low powered blender, or limited experience with blending.

While some ingredients like berries with seeds, string beans, celery, chia seeds, cooked pasta, spinach, or mushrooms may need a little extra time, liquid, or preparation to achieve a completely smooth texture, they are not inherently unsafe to use. If you're just getting started, using a fine-mesh strainer to test blends can help you fine-tune texture and consistency. With the right approach, most whole foods can be used safely.

The right equipment matters

A key factor in avoiding blockages is not just the food—it's the feeding setup. For blended diets, a straight bolus extension set is essential. These sets allow the food to flow naturally through the tube.

In contrast, right-angled continuous feeding sets are not designed for thicker fluids, and trying to use one may cause resistance or backup. This is where the myth about food causing blockages often begins—not with the food itself, but with trying to force it through the wrong equipment.

By using a straight bolus extension and a good-quality o-ring syringe, you're setting yourself up for a smoother, safer feeding experience with whole foods.

Yes, you can absolutely use herbs and spices in your blends. They’re a great way to add flavour, boost micronutrient content, and even support digestion and nutrient absorption.

That said, if you or your child has a sensitive gut or is prone to reflux, it’s best to go gently. Consider avoiding heavily spiced blends that include ingredients like onion or garlic powder, chilli, pepper, or hot mustard. Fresh or dried herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, and turmeric are often well tolerated and can offer additional nutritional benefits.

As always, start small and monitor tolerance when introducing new flavours.

The ideal consistency for tube-feeding blends falls within IDDSI Levels 2–3, which refers to a moderately thick, smooth purée that can coat the back of a spoon and drip off slowly—thinner than cake batter, but not watery.

Viscosity simply refers to how thick or thin a liquid is. In tube feeding, a blend with the right viscosity is smooth enough to pass easily through the feeding tube without clogging, but thick enough to carry energy and nutrients in a manageable volume.

We use the IDDSI framework (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) to describe and test thickness.

• Level 2 (mildly thick) and
• Level 3 (moderately thick)
  are commonly used as references in the blending community.

A useful way to think about it: aim for the consistency of a smooth baby food purée, one that slowly drips from a spoon without clumping or running off like a liquid. If you're unsure, doing a quick spoon or syringe flow test using the IDDSI guidelines can help confirm you're in the right range.

To achieve a smoother viscosity while maintaining the nutritional quality of your blend, it's important to choose nutrient-dense liquids rather than thinning with plain water alone.

Great options include:

• Homemade or good-quality chicken or bone broth (see page 37 of our Blended cookbook!)
• Natural fruit or vegetable juices (with no added sugar or preservatives)
• Coconut milk or full-fat plant-based milks
• Cream or cow’s milk (if tolerated)
• Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, or flaxseed oil

These additions not only help improve texture but also boost energy, fat, and micronutrient content. Adjust the amount gradually and reblend until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency similar to Levels 2–3 on the IDDSI scale.

If you're unsure, strain through a fine mesh or perform a simple spoon test to check for smoothness before feeding.

If your blend is too thin, you can thicken it using nutrient-rich ingredients that add both texture and valuable energy, fibre, and micronutrients. Instead of adding fillers or starches with little nutritional value, aim for whole food additions that blend well and support balanced nutrition.

Great thickening options include:

• Avocado – rich in healthy fats and smooth when blended
• Banana – naturally sweet, energy-dense, and gut-friendly
• Cooked potato – easy to blend and a great source of carbohydrate
• Oats – add fibre, thickness, and sustained energy
• Amaranth flour – a gluten-free option that thickens and adds protein
• Tahini or sesame seeds – smooth and calcium-rich (avoid if allergic)
• Almonds, almond meal, or almond paste – high in protein and healthy fats (ensure finely blended or strain if needed)

These ingredients can help you achieve a thicker, IDDSI Level 3-style consistency while keeping the blend nourishing and easy to tolerate.

Unopened, Blended by Sarah products can be stored in a cool, dry place—like a pantry—for up to 18 months from the date of manufacture. Be sure to check the best-before date on the pouch and do not use the product after this date.

Once opened, reseal the pouch tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Use within 24 hours of opening to ensure freshness and food safety.

We’re always working to expand our range and make our blends even better—because we know that variety, flexibility, and great nutrition matter. Every product we release is developed with care, from recipe creation and nutrition analysis to final production.

But we’ve got something exciting blending behind the scenes! May is shaping up to be a big month, and let’s just say... some delicious surprises are on the way. We can’t reveal too much yet, but you might just see our product family grow in ways that are as practical as they are exciting.

Thank you for supporting our small, Australian, family-owned business. We can’t wait to share the next chapter with you.

Email us at admin@blendedbysarah.au or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’re here to help, support, and celebrate your journey—one blend at a time.