Soft Food Diet

The dentist mentioned in an earlier consultation that for a little bit I might need to go on "kind of a soft diet".

I used to be a CNA and had a small idea as to what he was talking about, but it almost sounded....well....optional.

"No bagels, soft bread was ok. Don't eat an apple with your front teeth. Your teeth will feel loose," the dentist had said.

By the time I returned home, it was 1:30 pm and I was hungry. The fridge, which had held many options just a few hours earlier, now had much less to offer me. Carrots, apples, celery, could not even be considered. I didn't even want to see what peanut butter would do to my braces.

My neighbor told me that I would loose weight. My husband agreed. I was skeptical. But now, looking in the fridge and having no inspirations, I was beginning to think I would starve.

I nibbled on some left over mac n cheese. It got stuck in my braces. I brushed my teeth and had to use one of the special brushes the dentist sent home with me to get a piece of noodle out. I made a strawberry smoothie with a scoop of protein powder. It was delicious, but I wasn't looking forward to eating smoothies for the next couple of weeks.

I found the last package of graham crackers. Stuffing them into a glass, I poured milk on them and waited for them to be soggy and then drank the result. Not bad I thought. When you are hungry, even soggy is acceptable.

By the late afternoon with dinner looming, I was ready to have some help. I googled "Soft Food Diet" and came up with many options. Most, however, didn't exist in my home.

But I put together a crust-less quiche, chopped up pears, and chopped up hard boiled eggs for dinner. and hoped my family would get enough to eat.

Tuesday, tired of oatmeal and out of graham crackers, I braved the grocery store with 5 children in tow. My goal: Buy food I can eat.

Jam, Jello, Potato Rolls, Yogurt, milk, eggs, cottage cheese, popsicles, avocados, french bread, thin sliced ham, bananas, graham crackers, melon, frozen potato soup, grapes, and of course ice cream.

I was starving when I made it home and pulled off a chunk of french bread only to find, even the soft stuff inside was hard to mash with just my front teeth. I tried the potato rolls with only slightly better results.

Each bite brought pain shooting. My molars aren't touching and won't touch for a couple of weeks. My front teeth are tender from the tight wire and putting them together without food in them is painful. Trying to tear food with them is more painful.

I can't say I wasn't warned. But at the time, well, I thought my experience might be different. Of course.

Food choices that have been successful so far are: avocados, cottage cheese, ice cream, popscicles (although the red one stained my rubber bands red), soft bananas, cream of potato soup, quiche, chopped apples and chopped canned pears, chopped hard boiled eggs, strawberry shakes with protein powder in them and chocolate bars (just let them melt in your mouth and then swallow!).