Braces lunch is all about texture

For braces or sensitive teeth, pack lunch around soft, moist foods and skip anything crunchy, sticky, or chewy.

The easiest way to think about it: if biting into it would make your teeth complain, it doesn’t go in the box. That rules out chips, raw carrots, apples (unless sliced super thin), popcorn, nuts, and anything with caramel or chewy candy. Not because those are bad foods, but because they are a pain with braces and a real risk of popping a bracket.

Good options are things you can eat with almost no jaw effort: scrambled eggs, pasta with a soft sauce, rice bowls, mashed potatoes, baked or shredded chicken, tuna, soft sandwiches on plain bread or tortillas, yogurt, banana, applesauce, berries, and avocado. A thermos of soup is a lunchbox lifesaver. Just avoid the stuff that gets lodged in brackets—corn on the cob, bagels, sticky rice, and crusty bread.

Cutting everything into small pieces helps more than you would think. A soft lunch doesn’t have to be plain: hummus, smooth sauces, soft cheese, and dips add flavor without making anyone chew harder.

The braces are doing their job; your lunch box shouldn’t join in.