If you have a child with a feeding tube, you may decide that instead of using formula, you would rather use a blender to turn real food into liquid so that it can be fed through your child's tube. This is a much healthier option for a child because it means that instead of ingesting formula that contains high amounts of corn syrup, children are getting fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and other kinds of whole foods.

If you decide to do a blenderized diet, there are some things you'll want to add to it to maintain the health of your child. Here are four essentials to add to a blenderized diet.

Multivitamin

Even if you're adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to your child's blend, you should still add a multivitamin. Doing so will ensure your child gets all the necessary minerals and vitamins that he or she needs. When choosing a multivitamin to add to your child's blended diet, you'll want to make sure it contains the following:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Magnesium

You will also want to make sure your child gets enough iron, but not too much. If your child can't swallow or chew pills, many multivitamins come in liquid form that you can just add to the blend.

Probiotics

This live bacteria is known to be very good for the digestive system. Many foods, such as yogurt, already contain probiotics, but dairy can be hard on some children's digestive systems. Many brands of probiotics come in capsule form, so you can just open a capsule and mix it with your child's blended food.

Enzyme Supplements

This type of supplement aids in breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. In other words, enzyme supplements help the digestive process go much more smoothly. This is especially true of children that suffer with certain digestive issues, such as IBS or constipation.

A few benefits of taking enzyme supplements include these:

• better absorb nutrients
• reduce inflammation in the gut
• reduce food sensitivities and allergies

If your child can benefit from both probiotics and enzyme supplements, there are certain products that are a combination of both.

Plenty of Water

It's easy to get caught up in making sure you are blending enough food so that your child is getting an adequate amount of calories each day. However, you don't want to forget to give your child plenty of water. You can add water to your blend, but you should also be making sure your child gets enough free water as well.