With traditional wire braces, you hear a lot about foods that you have to avoid. Think sticky, hard, sugary, and chewy. But what about fun and tasty food choices for braces wearers? Believe it or not, there are lots of foods you can eat with braces!
Dr. Dunn says, “The key is that the following foods are soft, but not sticky. They also tend to be healthier, with less sugar, but can still be delicious choices. Family members without braces will have no problem joining you either.”
What Breakfast Foods to Eat with Braces
Most breakfast foods are okay. Eggs, french toast, pancakes, waffles, grits, and oatmeal are fine for those with braces. You can also have a smoothie or soft fruit.
Good Snacks for Braces
Cheese, fruit (including baked apples-yum!), smoothies and milkshakes are all tasty choices. Ice cream can be a fun snack too, but it’s not the healthiest option.
Lunch with Braces
Soups, salads, fruit salads (melons, grapes, oranges, and kiwi for example), applesauce, yogurt or pudding can make great additions to lunch while you have braces. Lunch meat and cheeses are fine as well, and can be eaten in a sandwich. Love the breakfast choices, such as eggs? They’re great anytime and can be a part of brunch or lunch.
Dinner Foods for Braces
There are plenty of great food choices for dinner. Meatloaf, meatballs, pot roast, soft chicken or fish, and food cooked in the slow cooker can be an excellent start. Side dishes like soft vegetables (carrots, squash, beans, greens), rice or quinoa, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and salad are in abundance and help make dinner a bit more interesting. Let’s not forget pasta. Most of us love it, and it’s on the menu.
Dr. Schreiber adds, “Remember to keep meals interesting and enjoyable and your time in braces will be a breeze. Google searches yield a lot of good food results, and Amazon has a number of cook books as well. For those that don’t want to give up any choices in dining, ask us about Invisalign.”
