Question 1

How do I prepare Whole Story Meals?

Accepted Answer

Each scoop of our product contains 100 calories.   1. Add the desired number of scoops to a liquid of your choice, shake, and feed.  2. Choose the amount of liquid to determine the volume and consistency you prefer.          Blend Recommended for feeding pump: 1 scoop powder + 3 oz (90ml) of water 
          calorie per ml          Thick blend: 1 scoop powder + 2 oz (60ml) of water = 1.7 calories per ml          Very Thick blend: 1 scoop powder + 1.5 oz (45ml) 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. Modification of the feeding bag may be necessary.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

Does Whole Story Meals use added sugar or artificial ingredients?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

Can Whole Story Meals be fed through a feeding tube?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Can Whole Story Meals be consumed orally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our meals are great for oral consumption.   Add desired number of scoops to liquid of your choice. Some suggestions:  Three scoops of  any flavor mixed in 8oz of milk, juice or even  water makes a fast nutritious on-the-go breakfast. Two scoops of any flavor mixed in 3 oz of boiled water for a hot-cereal type meal, or a meal for those needing a thick texture.  "Restore Fusion" is created for those who desire something a little sweeter with added monk fruit and a natural vanilla flavoring.

Question 6

Can Whole Story Meals be given via a feeding pump?

Accepted Answer

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!

Question 7

What flavors of meals are offered?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We currently offer four different meals: Kale, Quinoa and Berries, Chicken, Peas   and Carrots, Restore and Restore Fusion Nutritional Shake.

Question 8

Why freeze dried?

Accepted Answer

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 a 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 minerals in the food. Second, once the package is opened, the food becomes unsafe for consumption quite quickly, especially when left at room temperature.  Freeze drying removes the moisture from a food, which makes it shelf stable, while retaining the maximum amount of nutrients. Further, when our powders are opened, they remain safe for consumption for one month if properly resealed between uses.

Question 9

Can I put unused meals in the fridge?

Accepted Answer

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 the ability to make the exact amount needed at one time without having to worry about storing leftovers.

Question 10

Does Whole Story Meals offer dairy free meals?

Accepted Answer

Yes, All our meals are dairy free.

Question 11

Does Whole Story meals offer gluten free meals?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all our meals are gluten free.

Question 12

Does Whole Story meals offer soy free meals?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all our meals are soy free.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

The following meals are vegan and contain no animal products:  Kale, Quinoa and Berries Restore Restore Fusion

Question 14

What kind of packaging does Whole Story Meals use?

Accepted Answer

Whole Story Meals are sold in one-pound resealable, BPA free, zip top bags. Each bag comes with a scoop that holds ~100 calories. This makes it easy to prepare meals based on the amount of calories you need.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

Why use raw foods?

Accepted Answer

Our fruits, vegetables, and seeds are raw and never exposed to heat for maximum nutrient retention. The cold processing of these ingredients prevents the delicate vitamins, minerals and healthy fats from being damaged by heat or oxidation. The following nutrients can be broken down or damaged when they are heated:  vitamins C, A, D, E and K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid and cobalamin, potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.  We have formulated our meals to provide the greatest nutritional value as possible.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

Are your meals low FODMAP?

Accepted Answer

FODMAPS are specific types of carbohydrates that might be hard for some people to digest. One serving of our meals is considered low FODMAP. However, our meals do 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 FODMAPs.

Question 19

Does insurance cover WSM?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 20

Are your meals considered nutritionally complete?

Accepted Answer

Our meals are not intended to be the sole source of nutrition for an individual without any vitamin or mineral supplementation. Our meals are a complete and nutritious meal, but we believe that everyone deserves variety in their diet, even tube fed individuals. Our meals allow each individual to customize their diet and supplement with the individual micronutrients they need.

Question 21

What is the exact volume displacement of your meals?

Accepted Answer

Our powders have been tested by CTLA laboratories and volume displacement was determined as follows:  Chicken, Peas and Carrots: 0.938 ml/gm Kale, Quinoa and Berries: 0.901 ml/gm Restore: 0.860 ml/gm

Question 22

What is the hang time of this product once hydrated?

Accepted Answer

Two hours as is. If hanging for more than 4 hours, we suggest placing little ice packs next to the Infinity bag to maintain a lower temperature.The bag and pump can also be put into a thermal cooler bag to help maintain temperature.