New Back Pack - ✓ CHECK
Pencils, Marker, Notebook, Erasers - ✓ CHECK
Toothbrush, Wax and Floss - ✓ CHECK
Braces-Friendly Lunches - Oh. Oh-no! HELP!
If your child started orthodontic treatment over the summer and will be returning to school with a sparkling new set of braces this fall, packing lunches that won’t be too difficult to chew and won’t damage their braces may be YOUR biggest back-to-school challenge.
Dr. Brad Gilbert, Dr. Adam Wells and our team have made it easy to navigate packing braces-friendly lunches with tips and menu ideas to make it less challenging.
So what to actually pack?
By simply remembering our number one rule avoiding foods that are hard, crunchy, sticky and chewy, your braces-wearing child will still think you’re the BEST school lunch-packer in your family! Accidents happen, but they are much easier to avoid by following this simple rule.
You'll find many resources on the Internet and Pinterest for fresh ideas. Check out our SmilesForever Pinterest board Braces-Friendly School Lunches.
There are also some great books out there for cooking braces-friendly meals. We particularly love The Braces Cookbook by Pamela Waterman and Brenda Waterman.
A Few Braces-Friendly Items To Choose From:
Sandwiches
Any sandwiches with soft bread (cut off the crusts if necessary) or try using Pita Bread or a wrap as an alternative.
- Peanut (or Almond) butter & banana, Peanut butter & jelly or honey (remember to only pack smooth, creamy peanut or almond butter and avoid super sticky and crunchy peanut or almond butter)
- Soft lunch meats
- Hummus and thinly slices cucumber
- Tuna salad
- Egg Salad
- Chicken Salad (We found great braces-friendly recipe by Tracey over at The Kitchen is My Playground Traditional Southern Chicken Salad)
- Sandwich Wraps and Pinwheels
- Kabobs
Soft Foods
- Cottage Cheese
- Thin Cheese Slices
- Mock Crab Meat
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Deviled Eggs
- Cold Cuts
- Cold Pasta Salads
Fruits
- Oranges
- Kiwi
- Star Fruit
- Strawberries
- Melon
- Grapes
- Bananas
Sweet Treats
- Applesauce
- Marshmallows
- Smooth or creamy chocolate
- Pudding
- Muffins
- Cupcakes
- Yogurt (avoid yogurts that come with hard crunchy granola or toppings)
- Jello
Adaptable Lunch Favorites
- Soft Tacos
- Pizza cut into manageable bites (No thick crust)
- Apples and Carrots cut into thin slices and wedges
- Lunchables - make your own with thinly sliced lunch meats and cheese and soft Ritz crackers
Do you get bored having the same food for every meal? So will your child! Try mixing it up a little. Add pineapple to applesauce, dried cranberries to chicken salad, sliced olives to deviled eggs or hummus. Cut lunch meat, fruit and cheeses into fun shapes!
All of us at SmilesForever Orthodontics wish you fun and healthy lunch-packing this school year, just remember the number one rule - "Nothing hard, crunchy, sticky or chewy", and you'll keep those braces sparkling and do great!
