Super Bowl Sunday is coming up! I know for most people, the snacks and commercials are almost as important as the game itself. If you’re one of our El Dorado Hills braces patients, you might be worried you won’t be able to indulge. The good news is, while, yes, you will have to make some minor adjustments, most of your game-day snacks are still on the table.
The Snacks You Can and Can’t Eat With Braces
As you know, there are foods to avoid with braces, including anything really hard, chewy or sticky. I know those can feel like pretty broad categories, so let’s cover some of the common Super Bowl snacks to give you more clarity.
Can you eat popcorn with braces?
Unfortunately, no, popcorn is something you can’t eat with braces. Not only can a hard kernel lead to a bent wire or broken bracket, the hulls can get stuck between your teeth, under your gums or in your braces, leading to inflammation and even infection. I’ve seen some pretty gnarly infections and mobility from popcorn hulls, so steer clear of popcorn until your braces come off.
Can you eat chicken wings with braces?
Chicken wings are fair game as long as you take the meat off of the bone before eating. Biting into the meat while it’s on the bone puts your braces at risk. An even better substitute would be boneless wings or chicken tenders.
Can you eat chips with braces?
You can’t eat hard chips like kettle-cooked potato chips, Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos or tortilla chips. However, softer varieties, such as certain baked chips, cheese puffs and snap pea crisps are safe to eat with braces. Be sure to eat them one at a time and take small bites.
Can you eat Takis with braces?
Here’s a philosophical question to ponder, “Should anyone really eat blue Takis?” 🤣
But, blue or not, no, you can’t eat Takis with braces. They’re hard enough to cause breakage and they tend to get really packed in around your brackets.
Can you eat pizza with braces?
Absolutely. You can eat pizza with braces. Skip the crust if it’s really crunchy. For a softer, chewier crust, break it into bite-size pieces before eating it.
Can you eat pretzels with braces?
You should avoid most hard pretzels during treatment, especially thicker ones. If you’re a pretzel lover, eating the thin pretzel sticks is okay as long as you eat them in small bites. Soft pretzels, on the other hand, are fair game. Again, break them into small pieces and chew with your back teeth. Pair them with some queso or some spicy mustard and you’re on your path to becoming a foodie.
Can you eat burgers with braces?
Yup. Burgers are a braces-friendly food. Just be sure to cut them up into small pieces and enjoy them on a soft roll. If you’re feeling extra healthy, go protein style à la In-N-Out with some lettuce instead of buns to avoid the buns in your braces.
Can you eat chocolate with braces?
This is another yes. Plain dark or milk chocolate (without nuts or caramel) is extremely braces-friendly. In fact, chocolate is smile-friendly in general since it eventually melts in your mouth and doesn’t sit on the teeth for long periods of time feeding cavity-causing bacteria. Remember, that having sugars frequently is one of the main causes for cavities. It’s actually safer for your teeth to have your sweets all at once, rather than spread out over the day, although it might not be so good for your tummy.
Can you eat raw veggies with braces?
When faced with a veggie platter, avoid big pieces of raw carrot and other really crunchy vegetables. Slices of bell pepper, cucumbers and tomatoes are all great options. Waffle-cut, sliced carrots are much easier on your braces and your jaw joints.
7 Braces-Friendly Snack Ideas for Superbowl Sunday
Aside from those given a greenlight above, here are some other Super Bowl snack ideas for braces patients.
1. Jalapeño Poppers
Every Super Bowl menu needs something spicy and cheesy. Jalapeño poppers fit the bill. Even better? They’re soft enough to eat with braces. Try this version from Spend With Pennies.
2. Stuffed Soft Pretzels
While plain soft pretzels are excellent, Half-Baked Harvest has a recipe for spinach and artichoke stuffed soft pretzels that are perfect for game day. As noted before, break or cut your pretzel into small pieces and chew with your back teeth.
3. Baked Onion Rings
You can eat onion rings with braces, whether they’re homemade or store-bought. If you’re going all out for the occasion, these oven-baked onion rings are delicious and easy to make.
5. Mac and Cheese Bites
When patients ask what to eat with braces the first week of treatment, mac and cheese is always one of our recommendations. It’s soft, filling and a fantastic option for when your teeth are feeling tender – or even when they’re not. To make mac and cheese worthy of a Super Bowl snack, try Feel Good Foodie’s technique of baking it a muffin tin to create mac and cheese bites.
4. Buffalo Chicken Dip
Get the taste of buffalo chicken wings without the bones or mess with a classic buffalo chicken dip. This recipe gives you the option of using a pre-made rotisserie chicken or two cans of chunk chicken for simplicity’s sake. Nix the hard chips or crunchy raw vegetables in favor of cubes of bread or a softer veggie like bell peppers for dipping.
6. Smoked Garlic Hummus Dip
You can just buy hummus but making it is actually surprisingly simple. One Green Planet’s smoked garlic hummus recipe combines garlic with smoked paprika to add a lot of flavor. Since hard pita chips are one of the foods to avoid with braces, use soft pita or naan bread cut into wedges to dip into the hummus.
7. Fall-Off-The-Bone Wings
Since you’ll want to take the chicken off the bone to eat it, making wings that are so tender they just fall off the bone themselves will save you a bit of effort. The Virtual Caterer’s baked chicken wings recipe is a five-star favorite.
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