How to Eat Breakfast After Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

I’m pureeing a mountain of sweet potatoes and stocking the fridge with applesauce and yogurt. No, I’m not preparing breakfast for a baby; my boyfriend got his wisdom teeth out this morning. Along with the puffy chipmunk cheeks and general post-surgery discomfort, people who’ve just had their wisdom teeth removed can’t even numb the pain with their favorite comfort foods. Unless their favorite comfort foods are mushy and/or liquids, of course. If you’re not me (I actually happen to love mushy food) figuring out what to eat for breakfast after getting your wisdom teeth out—and better yet, what will actually taste good—can prove tricky. Here are a few ideas that will keep you full while your mouth heals.

High in nutrients and carbohydrates, sweet potatoes are filling and taste truly delightful. The fastest way to prepare sweet potatoes for someone who just had their wisdom teeth pulled is to scrub a sweet potato, halve it, and place both halves in a microwave-safe bowl. Fill the bowl with water until it’s just over halfway covering the potato. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, flip the potatoes over, then repeat. When the potato is cooked, pull it out of the water and let it cool slightly. Scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender with a good splash of milk or water as well as salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Alternatively, make the potato taste like pumpkin pie by adding cinnamon and a splash of maple syrup.

With plenty of good fats, avocado is an optimal breakfast choice, Unfortunately, you’ll have to forgo the toast right after surgery. Scoop 1 or 2 avocados into a food processor or blender with salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and puree.

If you already eat yogurt for breakfast, you’re in luck. Yogurt and drinkable yogurts are perfect for a post-surgery mouth. Just avoid any brands that come with big chunks of fruit, chia seeds, or granola.

Tastes like dessert, is actually fruit. Applesauce is a killer breakfast for those recovering for oral surgery—it’s mushy and sweet.

Keeping in mind the whole ice cream for every meal post-surgery trope, pudding is actually a really great choice for those who’ve just gotten their wisdom teeth removed. You can be healthy-ish and make avocado chocolate pudding (it’s probably a lot tastier than the aforementioned solo pureed avocado) or just embrace the dessert vibes and make instant pudding. Do avoid rice pudding though, you don’t want anything getting stuck in the areas of your mouth that used to house teeth.

As they’re often intended to be a meal for anyone, smoothies—particularly those with a dose of protein—are perfect for a sore mouth. Instead of ice, toss an avocado or frozen banana in the blender to thicken the smoothie while also giving yourself a few more calories. This is a meal after all. PS: smoothies don’t have to be sweet.

You can’t go wrong with any soup after getting your teeth pulled, provided it’s pureed and not too hot (temperature and spice-wise).Also, it may sound like one of those weird trends, but bone broth is also a great choice, as it’s chock-full of protein, immune-boosting minerals, and healing compounds like collagen.

No joke. Baby food is actually a great thing to eat post-oral surgery. Because it’s intended to be a meal, baby food is packed with vitamins and fiber. Of course, since you’re probably at least 4 or 5 times larger than the average baby, you’ll need more than just 1 jar of strained spinach to serve as a meal. Also, it’s probably no surprise that the fruit ones taste better than the vegetable ones, but go with whatever looks good to you.