Popcorn was my weakness, too. I tried to sneak a few pieces at the movies once—bad idea. Ended up spending half the night fishing out those little hulls and worrying I'd snapped something loose. After that, I just gave it up. Apples, though... I never got used to the cubes. I started making applesauce instead and honestly, it was way less hassle. Rice cakes never did it for me either—just tasted like crunchy cardboard.
Rice cakes never did it for me either—just tasted like crunchy cardboard.
Totally agree on the rice cakes. I tried to convince myself they were a “fun snack” but honestly, I’d rather gnaw on my own shoe. My downfall was caramel candies... thought I could just suck on them, but nope, got stuck and spent 20 minutes in front of the bathroom mirror with a toothpick. Ended up switching to pudding cups—zero excitement, but at least my braces survived.
Rice cakes are just sad, honestly. I tried the “put some peanut butter on it” trick, but then my ortho warned me about sticky stuff and that was the end of that experiment. I totally get what you mean about caramel candies—those things are basically dental traps. I lost a bracket to a rogue Milk Dud once and had to explain to my dentist that it wasn’t “technically” my fault. Not worth the stress or the extra appointment.
Pudding cups are fine, but after a while, they just taste like hospital food to me. I actually switched to Greek yogurt (the plain kind, since the flavored ones seem to cost double for half the protein). Sometimes I’ll toss in some bananas or berries if I want to feel fancy. It’s not exactly exciting, but at least it doesn’t break the bank or my braces.
Did anyone else have issues with popcorn? That was the one snack I really missed. Tried those “hulless” puffs, but they’re just weirdly chewy and kind of expensive for what you get. Ended up making air-popped corn and just picking out the softest bits... probably not ortho-approved but it kept me sane during movie nights.
Honestly, the biggest shock was how much more groceries cost when you’re trying to find soft foods that aren’t just sugar bombs or pre-packaged junk. Anyone figure out budget-friendly options that aren’t soup every night? I got tired of mashed potatoes real quick.
Totally with you on the grocery bill—soft foods get expensive fast. I started making big batches of lentil or chickpea salad (just cook them until really soft) and mixing in canned tuna or eggs. It’s super cheap, filling, and you can change up the flavors with different herbs or a squeeze of lemon. Also, scrambled eggs with spinach became a go-to when I was over mashed potatoes. Not thrilling, but at least it’s not soup every night.
Also, scrambled eggs with spinach became a go-to when I was over mashed potatoes. Not thrilling, but at least it’s not soup every night.
Honestly, I kinda hit a wall with eggs and lentils after a week or two. They’re solid options for sure, but I started noticing my energy dipped—maybe just me, but I needed more variety. Here’s what I swapped in:
- Oatmeal (not instant): If you cook steel-cut oats with extra water, they get super soft and you can add nut butter or mashed banana for calories/protein. Way less boring than it sounds.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken: If you shred it up and mix with a little broth or Greek yogurt, it’s soft enough for braces and way more flavorful than plain eggs. Plus, if you buy the store brand, it’s not that pricey per serving.
- Steamed sweet potato: Peels off easy, mashes right up, and you can top with cottage cheese or avocado for something different.
I actually had a rough time with chickpeas—no matter how long I cooked them, the skins got stuck in my brackets. Maybe my technique was off? Lentils were easier texture-wise but didn’t stick with me as long.
One thing I totally gave up on: bagged salad mixes. Even if I chopped everything tiny, raw veggies were just too much hassle. Switched to frozen spinach or zucchini—just steam and blend into pretty much anything.
Not sure if anyone else had issues with certain foods getting wedged everywhere, but that was the most annoying part for me. Didn’t matter how careful I was... something always found its way into the wires.
Anyway, just wanted to throw out a few alternatives in case anyone else gets tired of the usual suspects. Variety helped me stay sane (and not blow my budget on overpriced soft snacks).