Q&A for Consumers

All currently available products are listed on the website. If you see it listed, it's available!

Please visit our Complete Meals or A La Carte page under the Home Delivery tab. When you see something that sounds good, simply choose how many of that item you would like and it will be added to your cart. When you're ready, check out as usual.

Shipping is included in the cost of the meal case. We ship Federal Express Priority Shipping.

Please use our website to purchase products. You can add any products to your shopping cart and then pay by credit card during the checkout process.

Yes, we are happy to speak directly to our customers to best address their questions or comments. You will find most of the frequently asked questions right here on our website but understand that at times, digging through a website can be frustrating. Our direct line is 510-893-3321. You can also contact us through our Request Information button on our site. Please remember to provide your best contact phone number and/or email. As we are a USDA kitchen, it is not always possible to be in our office or answer our phones at certain times throughout the day. We do make every attempt to return calls within a 24 hour time frame (we are PDT).

Blossom Foods began in 2006 as a thought to create better tasting and nutritional values to Pureed food. Creating our own recipes, we began in a shared 4000'a USDA kitchen, and preparing 18 different menu items. In 2008, we introduced Ground and Soft Chopped items using the National Dysphagia Diet levels. In 2019, we began to adjust our textures to adhere to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative levels of 4 - Pureed, 5 - Minced and Moist, and 6 - Bite Size.

Our main kitchen is located in Oakland, CA. A beautiful city to be in for the proximity to fresh produce and wonderful creative food minds. We have created our own recipes that we are so happy with tasting delicious! We make each of our products in a USDA kitchen allowing us to use a USDA seal for inspection. We make every attempt to source our ingredients locally and recycle any unused food, or refuse possible. We strive to be a 0 waste facility.

Currently, our Direct to Consumer is unavailable until we can insure overnight or 2 day delivery with a carrier. The increase in consumer home delivery has greatly restricted our ability to send/deliver our frozen meals safely to your door. Please check back or feel free to contact us directly.

Those with swallowing difficulties are a passion for all of us here at Blossom Foods. Most of us have worked in healthcare and been involved in diagnosing dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). We know what the perception of textured food and we don’t believe it has to be three (3) balls of beige with gravy and unenjoyable. Pureed food (ground and soft chopped/mechanical soft too) should be the same color and taste of the food served on a regular menu. We have heard the stories and lived through the questions of “What is this?” and “is this it for the rest of her/his life?” many times before. If we had a hidden camera to show the reactions to the taste of our Textured Menu it would be a TikTok sensation. Our number 1 goal is to bring pleasure to the dining experience, regardless of texture. Our testimonials are real.

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No. Our patients understand they are on a soft textured diet and hope that their meals will remain delicious.

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)

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.

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.

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.

No. We do not add any fillers and we do not use preservatives. We also do not add coloring to our meals.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our entire team at Blossom Foods is committed to preparing our puree, ground and chopped meals for your continued enjoyment at mealtime. Our primary goal has always been to keep the pleasure in mealtime regardless of the texture. Do not hesitate to contact us with concerns, general questions, or information you may have regarding swallowing, food preferences, etc.

No, Blossom Foods can be for anyone who likes to eat a softer diet or who fatigues easily during mealtime. Many of our customers also have dental issues that soft food becomes a great help at mealtime. We also have customers that have arm/hand weakness or inability to coordinate their movements. There are many reasons one eats a soft diet.

Yes. The gold standard for the assessment and diagnosis of dysphagia is the modified barium swallow in which a patient is given small amounts of thin liquids, and/or barium, and/or a small piece of a cookie or cracker. The assessment includes x-ray and video of the swallowing process to determine which stage of swallowing is involved. A “bedside evaluation or visually observing a patient eating/drinking a variety of liquids and textures can also be done to observe where the difficulties may be.

Yes. Aspiration (food or liquid entering the lungs), malnutrition and can also affect the ability to take many of their prescribed medications.

Your physician will begin the diagnostic process to see if you have a swallowing disorder and recommend the next steps.

The numbers of dysphagia ranges between 7% and 35% of the population; most quote about 20%. This number includes all adults, it is accepted that older adults and people with acid reflux are more commonly affected. More importantly, many believe that only half of those with symptoms of dysphagia discuss them with their physician.

Some observable signs indicating potential problems include the following: coughing while eating or drinking; choking on food, fluid, or medication; a gurgly sounding voice, especially after eating or drinking; difficulty swallowing food or fluid; and the pocketing of food on one side of the mouth. Weight loss for no other apparent reason can be another key sign that swallowing has become an issue.

Below may be a few of the questions your physician may ask. Do you often cough or choke after eating or drinking? Does it sometimes feel as though food is going down the “wrong way”? Do you often feel that food is stuck in your throat? How long does it take you to eat a meal? Is eating sometimes less enjoyable than it had been previously? Have you recently experienced weight loss without trying to lose weight?

Your physician can provide you with names and information to educate yourself to dysphagia. With the internet, a search of dysphagia will also lead you to many resources that will help you learn more about this condition.

Treatment for dysphagia includes the involvement of both a speech language therapist and a registered dietitian. “Health professionals, particularly speech therapists, work with patients to improve the safety of their swallow with compensatory techniques, strengthening exercises, electrical stimulation, adaptive devices, and more including catering to patients’ food preferences and making mealtime as relaxing as possible. The problem can be progressive and soft or puréed foods—and in severe cases tube feeding—may be necessary permanently. A speech therapist typically identifies the specific problem and makes recommendations that may include changes in positioning or posture when eating or drinking, exercises to strengthen or improve swallowing muscles, techniques to aid in swallowing more safely, or changes in consistency of foods (such as puréeing or mashing them) and the possibility of adding thickeners to fluids to improve ease of swallowing.

From the Medical Website: Normally, the muscles in your throat and esophagus squeeze, or contract, to move food and liquids from your mouth to your stomach without problems. Sometimes, though, food and liquids have trouble getting to your stomach. There are two types of problems that can make it hard for food and liquids to travel down your esophagus: The muscles and nerves that help move food through the throat and esophagus are not working right. This can happen if you have: Had a stroke or a brain or spinal cord injury. Certain problems with your nervous system, such as post-polio syndrome, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, or Parkinson's disease. An immune system problem that causes swelling (orinflammation) and weakness, such as polymyositis ordermatomyositis. Esophageal spasm. This means that the muscles of the esophagus suddenly squeeze. Sometimes this can prevent food from reaching the stomach. Scleroderma. In this condition, tissues of the esophagus become hard and narrow. Scleroderma can also make the lower esophageal muscle weak, which may cause food and stomach acid to come back up into your throat and mouth. Something is blocking your throat or esophagus. This may happen if you have: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When stomach acid backs up regularly into your esophagus, it can cause ulcers in the esophagus, which can then cause scars to form. These scars can make your esophagus narrower. Esophagitis. This is inflammation of the esophagus. This can be caused by different problems, such as GERD or having an infection or getting a pill stuck in the esophagus. It can also be caused by anallergic reaction to food or things in the air. Diverticula. These are small sacs in the walls of the esophagus or the throat. Esophageal tumors. These growths in the esophagus may becancerous or not cancerous. Masses outside the esophagus, such as lymph nodes, tumors, orbone spurs on the vertebrae that press on your esophagus. A dry mouth can make dysphagia worse. This is because you may not have enough saliva to help move food out of your mouth and through your esophagus. A dry mouth can be caused by medicines or another health problem.

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing . Although dysphagia can happen to anyone, it is most common in older adults, babies, and people who have problems of the brain or nervous system. There are many different problems that can prevent the throat or esophagus from working properly. Some of these are minor, and others are more serious. If you have a hard time swallowing once or twice, you probably do not have a medical problem. But if you have trouble swallowing on a regular basis, you may have a more serious problem that needs treatment. Please contact your physician.