Braces are meant to help your child's smile, but they also make it hard for you child to eat certain healthy foods. Hard, crunchy foods such as certain fruits and vegetables not only get stuck in your child's new hardware, but also can damage the braces. That's why softer foods are generally best for braces-wearers. Most harder foods are easily modified to make it easier for your child to consume them to maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Step 1
Steam hard vegetables to make them easier for your child to consume. Crunchy veggies, such as carrots, green beans and cauliflower, are all liable to become lodged in your child's braces. Place vegetables in a steamer basket over a pot filled with 2 ounces of water and steam for five to 10 minutes or until soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.
Step 2
Puree fruits, especially those with seeds, which could become lodged in braces. By pureeing strawberries and raspberries, straining the seeds and then blending with yogurt and ice, your child reaps the benefits of a healthy smoothie without the pitfalls. Harder fruits, such as apples and pears, can be pureed into a fruit sauce, while soft fruits such as peaches can be eaten in their raw form.
Step 3
Bake whole-wheat breads and crusts so they're slightly undercooked. Crusty foods are especially difficult for braces-wearers to eat, since small flakes and a crunchy consistency wreaks havoc on the teeth and braces. By removing baked goods from the oven just as they set and storing in an air-tight container, you ensure that healthy whole grains stay soft and easy to eat.
References
- Lisa P. Howard, DDS: Your Braces & Food
- Eberle Orthodontics: Eating with Braces
- "The American Dietetic Association Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids: How Your Children Can Eat Smart from Five to Twelve"; Jo Ellen Shield, et al.; 2002
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