The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Vegan with Braces

Posted on September 28, 2010 by The VRG Blog Editor

I'm getting braces in a couple of weeks. My orthodontist gave me a booklet about what to eat when my mouth hurts and there's not much I can eat (I'm vegan). What do you suggest?

  • Soy yogurt
  • Mashed potatoes (make these easily by microwaving a potato, removing the peel, mashing it with a fork, adding unsweetened soymilk until it's a consistency you can eat, and flavoring it with soy margarine and salt and pepper to taste. Try this same idea with a sweet potato.
  • Applesauce
  • Canned peaches or pears
  • Smoothie made with soymilk, silken tofu, soft fruit (like berries), and frozen bananas. You can add maple syrup or another sweetener or peanut butter to taste. See what flavor you can invent!
  • Soups – try Amy's canned soups or homemade lentil, vegetable, or other soup. Many non-veg soup recipes can be adjusted to use vegetable broth or stock in place of animal broth, soymilk in place of cow's milk, and beans or tofu cubes in place of meat.
  • Soft pasta or couscous
  • Scrambled tofu
  • Hummus or other bean dips (eat with a spoon instead of dipping crackers or raw veggies until your mouth feels better)
  • Refried beans
  • Vegetarian baked beans
  • Oatmeal or other hot cereal
  • Juice pops (freeze juice in small cups with a popsicle stick holder)
  • Frozen desserts
  • Pudding – look for a simple pudding recipe where you can substitute soy or rice milk for cow's milk; instant pudding mix does not seem to work with soymilk
  • Fruit or vegetable juice
  • Ramen noodles (look for a brand without animal-ingredients). Add small cubes of tofu and/or frozen mixed vegetables to the cooking water.

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Click here for more Teen FAQs.

0 to “Vegan with Braces”

  1. Molly says:

    Don’t you need to poke holes in a potato before microwaving? If you leave the peel on when mashing, you retain valuable fiber, and the texture doesn’t change much.

    If making a smoothie, you can add handfuls of spinach, kale, swiss chard, romaine lettuce or other greens so that you’re still getting good nutrition. Frozen greens, frozen broccoli and other frozen veg are a good option for soft food that is nutritious.

    Sautéed zucchini (in vegetable broth rather than oil) is very easy to eat and healthy. Season any way you want!

    You can make low-fat guacamole using 1 avocado and 1 cup frozen green peas, season as you would standard guacamole.

    Make sure to eat plenty of green vegetables, as your body will need the extra nutrition to help speed the healing process.



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