I’ll bet you know at least one kid or teen in braces. What can they eat when their teeth hurt? And how can parents prepare meals that help avoid breaking off a bracket?

If your child has braces, tender yet tasty recipes are a must. How can you make them feel better on a tender-teeth day and satisfy their craving for “forbidden food?” Here are a few tips and a recipe for a special twist on easy-to-eat pizza:

1. Drink or eat something very cold, such as a fruit smoothie or frozen yogurt  – this delays the movement of today’s heat-responsive wires.
2. Try microwaving a frozen item instead of popping it in the toaster or oven. For example, frozen waffles come out tender instead of crunchy.
3. Eat leftovers! Many crispy items soften up overnight, especially in the refrigerator.

What about a pizza you can eat with a spoon? Served in squares, this dish is so different and yet so satisfying you’ll love it when just the thought of dealing with a traditional pizza crust gives you pause. Stock your kitchen with pouches of grated cheese and boxes of cornbread mix, and you’ll be ready to add whatever toppings strike your imagination.

Cornbread Pizza

By Pamela Waterman

INGREDIENTS

2 (8 ½-ounce) boxes dry cornbread mix

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 jar or can (about 26 ounces) spaghetti sauce, any flavor

1 teaspoon oregano

1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Toppings of your choice, such as chopped green peppers, sliced mushrooms, olives and onions

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 boxes of dry cornbread mix, 2 eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Grease a 9”x13” pan, and also grease 6 muffin-pan cups (or line them with cupcake papers). Spoon batter into the 6 muffin cups, about half-way, as this is extra batter. (You’ll have muffins for another meal – they’re great with chili.) Then spread the remaining batter into the 9”x13” pan and spread the spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with oregano. Bake the pizza and the muffins at 375 degrees for 15 minutes and remove both from oven. Sprinkle the pizza with the Mozzarella cheese and any other toppings, then bake it an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares.

Pamela Waterman is the author of The Braces Cookbook series of comfort-food recipes for tender teeth, along with books and articles about hands-on projects for children and teens. She had adult braces just a few years ago, and shares her experiences at www.BracesCookbook.com.

Tags: braces, cornbread pizza, diet, family, home, kid pizza, kid-friendly meals, meals for braces, Pizza