Foods for new braces? Also, what are some packable lunch ideas for kids with new braces?

Things that can be eaten with a fork and isnt too crunchy! Rice bowls, etc

Cottage cheese, mac & Cheese, applesauce, soup, Israeli couscous,watermelon, pancakes.

Yogurt, egg salad, hummus, overcooked orzo. One of my kids had almost no issues with spacers and or tightening, while the other was in pain for days. Do. Not. make the mistake I made with my son when I gave him creamed spinach after he got his expander. It was a long night with the water pick after that.

Peas, oatmeal. baby food, hummus with a spoon, cannelini beans, muhamara with a spoon, avjar, custards, onion bisque (see epicurious)pureed roasted vegetables?

My daughter looked online and found this thread at chowhound: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/333752

I thought I'd share for anyone who searches out this same topic here at food52.

As SeaJambon said, they do get more comfortable - after a while, my son (who wore braces for approx. 97 years) didn't even notice them, except the day or two immediately after a tightening. Seems so barbaric when you think about it!

One thing I would rec: pack a toothbrush/small t-paste in their school bag/backpacks. Not that it got used daily at school, but it saves embarrassment when lunch leaves unwelcome souvenirs amidst the wires all afternoon.

We went through this -- twice. Once with Herpst (sp?) and once with "standard". The Herpst device is definitely more painful, especially after tightening. When our oldest went through that, each tightening meant a few days of smoothies until the pain settled down. During the bulk of the time the braces are on, this turns out to be easier than you might imagine.

After the initial installation and/or tightening pain passes, most sandwiches are fine, just go with softer bread (seeds get stuck in the braces and are a pain). Most fruit is okay -- even apples if you slice them. Yogurt as an after-school snack is always a player in our house. Bananas are -- of course -- fabulous. Even most "regular" meals (soups, casseroles, whatever) work out just fine. Avoid corn on the cob (it can be eaten just fine, but think about how it naturally sticks in your teeth when you eat it, then multiply by all the snag points in braces and you understand why it should be avoided -- corn off the cob is fine). And avoid most sticky candies, but syrup on pancakes is fine (and pancakes are another easy to eat).

Hope that helps! From your note I'm guessing this is your first experience and it just started -- it really does get easier and "normalizes". Pretty soon it will hardly make any difference to your meal planning, except at tightening. And the beautiful smile when it all comes off is worth it!