I totally relate to the bread and cracker thing—those seemed like they’d be gentle, but I learned the hard way that they’re actually pretty rough on sore gums. I’m a little anxious about trying new foods after dental work since I’m always worried about messing up the healing process or, honestly, wasting money on stuff I can’t eat. Has anyone found any budget-friendly soft foods that aren’t just soup or eggs? I get tired of the same things really fast...
Yogurt and cottage cheese were my go-tos after wisdom teeth out—way cheaper than a bunch of premade soups, and you can mix in fruit or honey for variety. Mashed sweet potatoes are another winner, especially if you get tired of eggs. I totally get the anxiety about trying new things...it’s frustrating when something “soft” ends up hurting more than expected.
Pizza was the one food I missed most after my wisdom teeth came out. It’s wild how even “soft” foods can turn into a nightmare if you get the wrong texture or temperature. I tried a piece of plain cheese pizza about a week after my extraction—thought I was being brave—but the crust was just too much. Ended up picking off the cheese and eating it with a fork, which felt a little sad but got the job done.
Yogurt and cottage cheese are definitely solid choices. I lived on those, and mashed potatoes (regular and sweet) for days. I know some folks say scrambled eggs are easy, but for me, even those were a bit much at first—something about the way they move around in your mouth just hit the sore spots. I actually found that cold foods like yogurt or even ice cream helped soothe things a bit, but I had to watch out for anything too sugary, since your mouth is extra sensitive and you don’t want to risk infection.
Mixing in fruit or honey is a great tip, though I’d say go easy on seeds or anything with tiny bits that could get stuck. I made the mistake of adding chia seeds once and instantly regretted it. If you’re feeling adventurous, pureed soups are good, but buying a bunch gets expensive fast. Homemade ones let you control the texture and ingredients, which helped me feel less anxious about what I was eating.
The anxiety around trying new foods is real. I remember sitting there, staring at a bowl of oatmeal, wondering if it would be the thing that set my healing back. It’s frustrating, but honestly, slow and steady wins the race. Your mouth will tell you what it’s ready for, and sometimes it’s just not worth pushing it for the sake of variety.
Glad you found a way to make pizza work—sometimes it’s about small victories, right?
The anxiety around trying new foods is real. I remember sitting there, staring at a bowl of oatmeal, wondering if it would be the thing that set my healing back.
That line hit home for me. I was honestly so paranoid after my extractions—felt like every bite was a gamble. I actually tried to eat pizza by microwaving it until it was practically soggy, thinking it’d be soft enough. Big mistake. The cheese turned into this weird rubbery sheet and the crust was still too much for my sore gums. Ended up just scraping off the sauce and cheese, which felt kind of pathetic, but hey, desperate times.
Cottage cheese and mashed potatoes were my budget-friendly go-tos too. I wanted to try those fancy protein shakes everyone talks about, but they’re so pricey. Homemade soup was a lifesaver, but even then I was nervous about tiny veggie bits getting stuck. It’s wild how much you overthink every texture and ingredient.
Honestly, I wish I’d been less hard on myself about variety. Like you said, slow and steady. Sometimes just eating without pain feels like winning the lottery.
It’s wild how much you overthink every texture and ingredient.
Seriously, I felt like some kind of food detective, poking at everything like, “Will you betray me, mashed potato?” I totally get the pizza struggle—tried the same thing and ended up with a chewy cheese frisbee and a crust that could double as a doorstop. Not my finest culinary moment.
I kept reading about those protein shakes too, but my wallet was like, “Nope.” Ended up blending up Greek yogurt with a banana and some peanut butter. Not exactly gourmet, but it did the trick and didn’t break the bank.
Did anyone else get weirdly obsessed with soup thickness? I’d be standing there, stirring, adding a splash of water, then panicking that it was too thin and would hurt more. There’s a fine line between “soothing broth” and “why does this taste like sadness?”
Curious—did you ever try any of those baby food pouches? I was tempted but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Would love to know if they’re actually worth the embarrassment.
