No. Our patients understand they are on a soft textured diet and hope that their meals will remain delicious.
Besides puree, what other textures do you offer?
We provide three textures: Puree, Ground and Soft Chop/Mechanical Soft. Directly to the consumer we currently only offer Puree as many of our customers are able to grind and chop their loved ones meals.
To the Institutions and Hospitals we offer all three textures in a variety of packaging styles. (see institutions below)
Do you have regular customers and what do they do?
Yes, we have many regular, greatly valued customers who order from us on a weekly, bi-weekly and monthly basis. They learn through trial how much their loved one is able to eat, their preferences of menu items, and the ease of preparation. Our regular customers comment on the continued independence of their loved one in making meal choices, the lack of mess and guess work in preparing the meal and that this allows them to spend more time doing what they enjoy doing.
Do you offer complete meals?
To healthcare facilities we offer a two (2) and three (3) compartment meal. At this time, we do not offer as a shipping option as we have not had great success with keeping the meals frozen upon shipping. We are working on this and hope to have these meals ready to ship in the future.
Do you offer samples?
Yes, you are able to order a “Sample Pack” that consists of eight (8) of our most popular meat, vegetable, and breakfast items. These are full size servings and the price includes the shipping and packaging materials. We believe this is a great way to be introduced to a puree diet and understand the textures and tastes of a puree meal. It does not commit you to “fill your freezer” with items that you may or may not need in the future.
Do you use preservatives or fillers?
No. We do not add any fillers and we do not use preservatives. We also do not add coloring to our meals.
Do your products need to be frozen or refrigerated?
Yes, our products need to be frozen. If there is unused portions to your meals, you may place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, much like any other frozen food item that is a left over.
Does making foods softer impact the nutritional value at all?
No…the texture of an item (pureed, ground, or chopped) does not impact its nutritional value. As we do not use fillers or substitutes, the same nutritional value for a 4.5 ounce serving of beef would be the same as if you made it in your own home. As our portions are consistent, controlled portions, it is easy to calculate calories and nutritional intake.
How do I cook Blossom Foods?
After removing the saran seal, each item is to be cooked in the microwave or conventional oven to a recommended internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. As microwave wattage varies, our studies show in a 1000 watt microwave, 2 1/2 minutes to 4 minutes is the recommended time to cook. Stir the product throughout the cook cycle to assure even heating. Oven temperature at 350*F reaching a minimum temperature of 165*F, 14-16 minutes, is another option.
How often do you change your menu items?
We add and subtract menu items several times a year. Our biggest changes occur in the springtime with the arrival of seasonal fruits and vegetables. It’s such a happy time in our kitchen when we see the asparagus and berries come in to the kitchen. Preparing the Lemon Mousse for Easter with Myers Lemon juice has been a treat for the staff at lunchtime. Our strawberries just seem to roll in starting in March. And of course in the fall we remove many of the seasonal selections and add more of the hardy meals such as stews and root vegetables.
What is the difference between baby food and Blossom Foods pureed meals?
Baby food is designed obviously for babies. Nutritionally different, baby food is often a wetter texture that may not be what you have been prescribed. Flavor and variety may also be limited. Portion size is often 2-3 ounces for baby food, Blossom Foods will be 3-3.5 ounce servings for side items and 4-4.5 ounces for entree size. We provide an adult menu with meals that are familiar. Baby food is referred to as bland, using spices to enhance flavors keeps mealtime familiar.
What is the difference between puree, ground, or chop texture?
There are many opinions and written information as to what exactly each consistency is. Many hospitals and health care professional dealing with textured diets have varying thoughts on the textures. Some healthcare providers and hospitals have six (6) levels of a textured diet and some have as few as three(3.)
At Blossom Foods, our pureed foods are processed to a smooth, mashed potato-like consistency. Puréed foods should keep their shape when heated, not become runny or difficult to maintain a solid, smooth texture (creamy really). If any food does not purée into a smooth consistency, it may make eating or swallowing more difficult for the consumer. If there is any question to the smoothness or pureed texture, do not consume if on a pureed diet.
Ground foods are blended to ground/diced texture or ~1/4-inch pieces. These pieces of food are similar in size to rice. Chopped foods are ~1/2-inch pieces. These pieces of food are similar in size to uncooked small elbow macaroni.
We may be more conservative than many other vendors or those that recommend a textured diet. We want our customers to enjoy their meals, and texture, with no worries.
What makes Blossom Foods products special?
We source local, fresh products as often as we can. We are fortunate to be located in an area of San Francisco that is home to the Produce Market, and within driving distance to some of the greatest farms in California (think Central California). Each of our menu items was created from a recipe specific to Blossom Foods using no fillers, added colors or preservatives. Each item is cooked, and prepared in a commercial chopper to obtain the appropriate puree, ground or chopped texture. It is then immediately frozen and ready to ship.