New braces - packed lunch ideas please!

paulmccartneysbagel · 2022-12-18T10:05:42+00:00

My DD had a brace put in a couple of days ago and I need a few packed lunch and snack time ideas for school. So far I've got - pasta salad, sandwiches (soft bread and soft filling like cream cheese), cous cous... For snack time, maybe Cheesestring? A banana muffin? We have a food flask but it's shit so although she loves soup I think it would be cold by lunchtime. She is a good eater and willing to try pretty much anything, her only dislikes are chickpeas, mushrooms and aubergine!

Fivemoreminutes1 · 18/12/2022 10:41

Where abouts do you live? Surely you’ve only got a few more days left of school before the holidays? And is there a hot dinner option? Some of the school meals might be better e.g. spaghetti bolognese or curry

Otherwise:
Yogurt
Pot of soft fruit in jelly
Cucumber with a pot of cream cheese to dip
Frittata muffin

primeoflife · 18/12/2022 10:43

It's an absolute nightmare when they first have them!
Mashed potato was about the only thing mine could eat 🤣. Rice as a no go as they couldn't really chew it.

They had over cooked pasta but that's about it and a yogurt

ScribblingPixie · 18/12/2022 10:47

Could you make fried potato cakes with feta & veg in that can be eaten cold?

Squishedstormtrooper · 18/12/2022 10:48

I would avoid bread at the beginning- it’s really sticky on braces and hard to get off until you are used to it. Pasta is ok but definitely not spaghetti and make sure it’s over cooked until it’s mush. Anything soft so rice pudding, porridge, yoghurts with things added like peanut butter to make them filling, custard, angel delight. When I first got my braces my teeth hurt so much I didn’t chew and just swallowed food for the first few days.

fedupofthiscoldffs · 18/12/2022 10:55

My DD10 had her braces on a Friday and by Monday she could eat normally. She doesn't have whole apples or anything hard that needs biting into with front teeth first which so far has only been apples.

tinselvestsparklepants · 18/12/2022 11:04

Oh god just lots of sympathy. I had them and it was horribly painful. So a bit of extra kindness as well as soft food!

Georgyporky · 18/12/2022 11:04

Re the Thermos; fill it with boiling water, wait a mo, empty & fill with hot food.
Should easily last 5-6 hours.

SnarkyBag · 18/12/2022 11:07

I’m not sure I think I lived on weetabix for breakfast and lunch and then fish fingers and beans for weeks!

agree spaghetti is one of the worst things to try to eat with braces!

Original poster

paulmccartneysbagel · 18/12/2022 12:25

Thank you all for the ideas - noting them all down. She doesn't finish school until Wednesday so I have a few packed lunches to make before Christmas.

Pasta salad may be the way to go, I will avoid bread for now!

OP posts:

Original poster

paulmccartneysbagel · 18/12/2022 12:25

Georgyporky · 18/12/2022 11:04

Re the Thermos; fill it with boiling water, wait a mo, empty & fill with hot food.
Should easily last 5-6 hours.

I tried that but it is a cheap one - need to invest in a proper Thermos I think!

OP posts:

Original poster

paulmccartneysbagel · 18/12/2022 12:26

tinselvestsparklepants · 18/12/2022 11:04

Oh god just lots of sympathy. I had them and it was horribly painful. So a bit of extra kindness as well as soft food!

Thank you. Lots of wax and soluble paracetamol. I think we are coming through to the other side now but I would hate to pack her something she couldn't eat.

OP posts:

AtleastitsnotMonday · 18/12/2022 15:38

Could you send her with weetabix and milk to make up and leave to go soft at lunch time?
Boiled or mashed eggs
Dairylea triangles
Yoghurts
Little pots of rice pudding or custard

Not standard packed lunch but would prevent her from being hungry

tarheelbaby · 20/12/2022 09:16

My DD has also just had her traintracks fitted. The ortho's assistants have really banged on about soft foods and given her a long list of foods she shouldn't eat because they could damage her braces.

I had braces, back in the day, and don't remember there being such anxiety about damaging them. Are they less sturdy than they were in the past? I don't remember any of my contemporaries losing a bracket or their braces 'breaking' in any way. We all ate normal food. Have your DC's had problems with food breaking their braces?

Also there seems to be a lot of anxiety on the ortho's part about brushing and about teeth being stained. Again, I was encouraged to brush after every meal but no more than with a normal (manual) toothbrush. Have your DC had problems with discoloration?

SnarkyBag · 20/12/2022 10:13

tarheelbaby · 20/12/2022 09:16

My DD has also just had her traintracks fitted. The ortho's assistants have really banged on about soft foods and given her a long list of foods she shouldn't eat because they could damage her braces.

I had braces, back in the day, and don't remember there being such anxiety about damaging them. Are they less sturdy than they were in the past? I don't remember any of my contemporaries losing a bracket or their braces 'breaking' in any way. We all ate normal food. Have your DC's had problems with food breaking their braces?

Also there seems to be a lot of anxiety on the ortho's part about brushing and about teeth being stained. Again, I was encouraged to brush after every meal but no more than with a normal (manual) toothbrush. Have your DC had problems with discoloration?

I have braces at the minute and my ortho hasn’t said anything other than avoid curries and red wine for discolouring the braces and avoid biting down on hard foods with my front teeth.

had mine on 18 months and never had a problem or anything break. Make me wonder if the quality of some braces aren’t that good.