Generally speaking, you likely won't find braces to be an uncomfortable experience and you probably won't have to adjust your lifestyle in any type of dramatic way. There are, however, a few key types of foods you'll want to avoid. These include: Chewy foods like bagels, licorice or pizza crust. Crunchy foods like popcorn, chips and hard candies. Sticky foods like caramel candies or chewing gum. Hard foods like nuts and hard candies. Anything that requires you to bite into it, like corn on the cob or fruits like apples.