Some Simple Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids with Braces

Everyone knows that it’s important to steer clear of certain snack items like gum, gummies, hard or sticky candy, and nuts when you have braces. And really, that’s not so bad from the parents’ standpoint, since so much of the off-limits stuff is junk food anyway. So, what should you offer for snacks? Take a look at these simple healthy snack ideas for kids with braces.

Of course, it’s still important to properly brush after eating, because any food—including the ones below—can get stuck in or around braces.

Braces-Friendly Snacks for Kids

• Yogurt and soft fruit parfaits offer protein, calcium, vitamins, fiber, and more. Mix some berries, bananas, or other preferred soft fruit into yogurt, and you’ve got a nutritious, satisfying snack. Of course, you can include harder fruits like apples and pears as long as you cut them up into small pieces; mostly, you just don’t want your kid biting into a whole or large piece of hard fruit.

• Smoothies are another fun, refreshing, nutritious variation on yogurt and fruit, and because you’re pureeing it, you can include harder fruits without any worry if you like. You could also use ice cream if you want to make it seem more like a dessert. Either way, smoothies are usually a hit with pre-teens and teens alike. And, as an added bonus, a nice cold smoothie can soothe mouth soreness from new or recently adjusted braces.

• Sauteed apples or pears are another option for giving kids fruit that is otherwise a bit of a risk to braces. Cut them up into slices and sautee them in some butter and cinnamon until they’re soft. It’s like having pie filling.

• Soft veggies and dip are other options for healthy snack ideas for kids. Slices of cucumber and bell pepper are fun to dunk in something like ranch dressing or hummus. You don’t have to stick to soft raw veggies, either; you can also boil or steam vegetables like broccoli until they’re soft.

• Hard boiled or deviled eggs are packed with protein and other nutrients, and they’re satisfying, too. Conveniently, you can prepare a few days’ worth of these snacks at the same time, to.

• Pita or corn chips and guacamole delivers plenty of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats from the mashed avocado, and it’s a fun snack to eat. Serve whole wheat pita to make this even healthier.

• Corn chips with salsa isn’t exactly health food, but it does have nutritional value and isn’t high in sugar. When you want a snack for your child that seems more like junk food than some of the others here, this can be a good option.