Frequently asked questions

How do I prepare Whole Story Meals?

Each scoop of our product is 100 calories. Add the desired number of scoops to a liquid of your choice, shake or stir, and feed. You choose the amount of liquid to determine the volume and consistency you prefer. Blend Recommended for feeding pump: 1 scoop powder + 3 oz of water = 1 calorie per ml Thick blend: 1 scoop powder + 2 oz of water = 1.43 calories per ml Very Thick blend: 1 scoop powder + 1.5 oz of water = 2.2 calories per ml *Feeding Pumps can vary in how they deal with liquids. Adjust the liquid to work for your pump.



How can I make Whole Story Meals even more calorically dense?

Whole Story Meals can be mixed with any liquid you choose. Milk, dairy alternative, juice, or any other liquid may be used to make our meals even more calorically dense. Generally whole milk contains about 17 calories per ounce, and orange juice contains 13 calories per ounce. If you add one scoop of our “Kale, Quinoa and Berries” meal to 3 ounces of whole milk, you will have a meal with a total of 151 calories.



Does Whole Story Meals use added sugar or artificial ingredients?

No. Whole Story Meals are made of 100% real food with no added sugar or artificial ingredients.



Can Whole Story Meals be fed through a feeding tube?

Yes. While our meals can be consumed orally, they were originally designed to meet the needs of Story Grace, the tube-fed daughter of our founder.



Can Whole Story Meals be consumed orally?

Yes. Our meals are great for oral consumption. Add desired number of scoops to liquid of your choice (the “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” tastes great with milk). Some suggestions: Three scoops of “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” mixed in 8oz of milk, juice or even water makes a fast nutritious on-the-go breakfast. Two scoops of “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” mixed in 3 oz of boiled water for a hot-cereal type meal, or a meal for those needing a thick texture.



Can Whole Story Meals be given via a feeding pump?

That depends on how thick you make the meals. Our meals are made up of real foods that have been powdered, so they may contain particles of different sizes. We have worked hard to ensure that our mixture can pass through a feeding tube when properly hydrated, but you may have to adjust your liquid to work for your pump. It has been our experience that some feeding pumps are more particular than others. Also, depending on the thickness you choose, it may be necessary to modify the bag. Our recommendation is to bolus the meals.
We would love hear your experience!



Does Whole Story Meals plan on offering a variety of meals?

Yes. We are currently developing additional meals that will be added to our product line in the future.



Why freeze dried?

There are two ways to make a product shelf stable. You can expose food to high temperatures or you can remove the moisture from the food that bacteria need to grow and cause spoilage. While heat treating is effective for making food shelf stable, there are disadvantages to this method. First, the nutritional quality of the food is decreased because heat breaks down various vitamins and mineral in the food. Second, once the food is opened, it becomes unsafe for consumption quite quickly, especially when left at room temperature. Freeze drying food makes food shelf stable by removing moisture. There is no heat to break down vitamins and minerals . Further, when our powders are opened, they remain safe for consumption for one month if properly resealed between uses.



Can I put unused meals in the fridge?

You can store unused portions of hydrated meals in the fridge for up to 24 hours, however we do not recommend this because the mixture can thicken over time which may affect how well it flows through a pump. One of the benefits of our meals is that you can make what you need and not have left overs.



Does Whole Story Meals offer dairy free meals?

Yes. Our “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” meal is dairy free.



Does Whole Story meals offer gluten free meals?

Yes. Our “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” meal is gluten free.



Does Whole Story meals offer soy free meals?

Yes. Our “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” meal is soy free.



Does Whole Story meals offer vegan or plant-based meals?

Yes. Our “Kale, Quinoa, & Berries” meal is both vegan and whole food, plant-based.



What kind of packing does Whole Story Meals use?

Whole Story Meals are sold in one-pound resealable, BPA free, zip top bags. Each bag comes with a scoop that holds 100 calories, to make it easier to mix meals based on the calories that you need.



How long do Whole Story Meals remain safe for consumption after opening?

Our powdered meals are safe for consumption for one month after the package is opened.



Why raw?

Our fruits, vegetables, and seeds are raw and never exposed to heat so their nutrients are maintained in the highest state possible. The cold processing of these ingredients prevents the delicate healthy fats from being damaged by oxidation. Also, the following nutrients can be broken down or reduced when they are heated: Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid and cobalamin, Vitamins A, D, E and K, potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium. We have formulated our meals to retain as much nutritional value a possible.



My loved one is immunocompromised and cannot consume raw food. Is this product safe for my loved one?

Yes. Simply add boiling water to your powder, mix and allow it to cool. This will cook the food, making it safe for those who required cooked food.



Are your meals low FODMAP?

FODMAPS are specific types of carbohydrates that might be hard for some people to digest. One serving of our meal is considered low FODMAP. However, our meal does contain some FODMAP carbohydrates (from sweet potato) and like other low FODMAP foods, more than one serving a day might pose an issue for those needing low FODMAP.



Does insurance cover WSM?

Our meals can be covered by insurance, but every insurance is different and depends on your individual plan. If your insurance covers HCPC billing code B4149 then our meals should be covered. If you have ever used Nourish or Real Food Blends they have this same billing code and insurance coverage should be no problem.
We are more than happy to help you get set up with Whole Story Meals and with a bit more information we can begin the process. What state are you in? Who is your DME? Email us at info@wholestorymeals.com

We have a bit more information on our website. Here's the link for your reference. https://www.wholestorymeals.com/insurance


Medicaid
Each state is different on what their medicaid will cover. Sometimes you may need a Letter of Medical Necessity. We have an example letter on our website to assist your dietitian. https://www.wholestorymeals.com/insurance