Cleft Palate Diet: for Toddler, Preschool or School-Age Children

Cleft Palate Diet: for Toddler, Preschool or School-Age Children

Jump to:
For toddler, preschool, or school-age children

How should I feed my child?

  • You will need to feed your child with care so the surgery repair may heal.
  • Right after surgery, your child must eat very soft foods.  Use an infant spoon for a young child. Do not use a plastic, disposable spoon with an infant or toddler.  Do not let a young child feed themself. 
  • Cup: Check the cup before you use it.
    A sippy cup should have a short spout.  It must be vented so your child does not have to suck.  A vented cup lets the fluid run out when the cup is held upside down.
    If the cup has a no-spill valve, take it out. You may need to poke a very small hole in the lid across from the spout so the liquid flows freely.
    An open, uncovered cup may also be used. 
    Do not let your child use straws.

Foods allowed after surgery

  • Yogurt and pudding
  • Soft ice cream, sherbet, or milkshakes
  • Instant breakfast drinks and smoothies
  • Soft scrambled eggs and boiled eggs
  • Sliced cheese
  • Cooked noodles and pastas
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Spaghetti and ravioli with sauce
  • Pancakes
  • Applesauce and soft canned fruits in small pieces
  • Soft cooked vegetables in small pieces
  • Soft cooked meats in small pieces
  • Soups and broths like chicken noodle and tomato soup

Avoid these foods for 6 weeks after surgery. These foods may injure your child’s surgical site as it heals.

  •  Snack chips (potato chips, corn chips, cheese puffs)
  • Any type of hard candy, suckers, taffy
  • Popsicles (Requires sucking)
  • Peanut butter
  • Rice, which can stick to the stitches
  • Popcorn or pretzels
  • Crunchy or hard crusts or coatings on food
  • Crackers or crunchy cereals
  • Hard or crunchy fruits or vegetables like apples, celery or carrots

For more health and wellness information check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents