Instant mashed potatoes really do become your best friend, suspicious or not.
Had to laugh at that—those instant mashed potatoes got me through my first week after getting my partials. I remember thinking, “Is this really food?” but hey, when you’re desperate, you’ll eat just about anything that doesn’t hurt. Tried blending up beef stew once and it was... well, let’s just say the dog seemed more interested than I was.
I do think texture is half the battle. For me, scrambled eggs were a lifesaver—soft enough to eat but still felt like real food. Yogurt was another go-to, though after a while even that got old pretty fast. Rice, though? Couldn’t do it. Got stuck everywhere and made things worse.
Funny how you start craving stuff you never cared about before, just because you can’t have it. But yeah, it does get easier after those first awkward days. You just learn to get creative and lower your standards for what counts as a meal for a bit.
Rice, though? Couldn’t do it. Got stuck everywhere and made things worse.
Rice is the absolute worst, isn’t it? I tried it once, thinking “how bad can it be?” and then spent 20 minutes trying to fish little grains out of every possible crevice. Total regret.
Honestly, I found the texture thing makes or breaks those first days. For me, it was all about soups—especially pureed ones. Tomato soup, blended chicken noodle (sounds weird but works), even pureed veggies with a bit of cream. At least you can season them so you don’t get that bland “hospital food” vibe.
Yogurt is a classic, but after day three I was basically over it. If you want something with a little more substance, cottage cheese worked better for me—less sugar, more protein, and you can add some herbs or even a bit of soft fruit.
I always thought I’d miss crunchy stuff, but weirdly, it was things like toast and apples that I craved most when I couldn’t have them. Guess you always want what you can’t eat. The upside is, you do get creative… and develop a new appreciation for the humble potato.
Rice is like the glitter of the food world—once it’s in your mouth with braces, you’ll still be finding it hours later, no matter how much you rinse. I’m totally with you on the soup thing. I got weirdly obsessed with butternut squash soup for a while—it was the only thing that didn’t hurt or turn my mouth into a food trap. Cottage cheese, though... I tried to get on board, but the texture just wasn’t for me. Funny how mashed potatoes suddenly become gourmet when they’re basically your only option.
Rice is like the glitter of the food world—once it’s in your mouth with braces, you’ll still be finding it hours later, no matter how much you rinse.
That’s so true. I tried eating sushi after getting braces and regretted it immediately... rice everywhere. If cottage cheese isn’t your thing, maybe try Greek yogurt? It’s smooth but not lumpy, and you can add a little honey or fruit for flavor. And yeah, mashed potatoes suddenly become a five-star meal when chewing is off the table.
Greek yogurt is a good call, but I swear even that managed to sneak behind my wires somehow. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid, but every time I ate something “safe,” I’d still be poking at my teeth for hours. Anyone else have trouble with scrambled eggs? They’re supposed to be soft, but the little bits always find their way into weird places.
Has anyone tried those protein shakes or meal replacement drinks during the first week? Kinda feels like cheating, but I was so over chewing by day two. Also, is it weird that cold stuff feels amazing on sore teeth? Ice cream was my best friend for a while, even if it meant dealing with brain freeze... Wondering if there are any other foods that secretly work better than mashed potatoes during the braces adjustment period?
