Comfort Food - Recipes by Cooking Style | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What's your go to comfort food best answer? ›

Fried chicken: a classic comfort food because of its crispy texture and the positive memories of picnics and gatherings. Mac and cheese: macaroni noodles in cheese sauce are simple to cook and perfectly balance carbs and proteins. Kebab: meat, veggies, spices, sauces — all mixed on a plate or rolled in a flatbread.

But what exactly makes them so irresistible? According to research, our cravings for comfort food are deeply rooted in psychology. These foods often trigger feelings of nostalgia and emotional comfort, providing a sense of security and familiarity in times of stress or sadness.

Foods containing complex carbohydrates are thought to boost serotonin in the brain, contributing to a calming effect, the Mayo Clinic explains. To get more of these, look to whole grain bread and cereal, as well as quinoa and brown rice. In particular, the experts recommend eating oats and oatmeal to get complex carbs.

Southern Comforts

Everyone knows that fried chicken and fluffy biscuits are Southern staples. But what about Country Captain (a stew-like chicken dish), Hoppin' John (made with black-eyed peas), and Louisville Hot Brown (a gratinéed turkey sandwich)?

More people are starting to cook at home, pulling out old recipes and trying to put their own twist on things. Social media has been exploding with consumers' comfort recipes, such as lasagna, congee, homemade bread and cinnamon buns, mac & cheese, and chickpea stew.

Nearly as versatile a food as rice, potatoes are loved by everyone no matter where they live. They can take many forms: from French fries to mashed potatoes to gnocchi, potato lovers can rest easy knowing their favorite delicacy is incredibly easy to find and eat.

Comfort foods, the study found, actually do make us feel less sad. So what were the top seven items on my poll? Mac and cheese hit the No. 1 spot, followed by beef stew, apple pie and ice cream, chicken and dumplings/chicken pot pie, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, bread pudding and fried chicken.

For instance, the flank steak with cheesy hash brown waffles will be an immediate favorite, along with the pierogi and meatball skillet, French bread pizzas, and creamy cauliflower soup. For Ree Drummond, chicken pot pie is the one comfort food that just can't be beat.

What is a comfort food for sick people? ›

Hydrating foods like broth, juice and herbal tea. Soups like chicken noodle, vegetable-based or legume-based. Ice pops. Fruits and vegetables with zinc and/or vitamin C, including citrus fruits, berries, carrots, cantaloupe, kiwi, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes.

One thing that all comfort foods have in common is that they fill you up. Have you ever heard of a comfort food that leaves you feeling slightly unsatisfied and a little hungry? Of course not! Pizza is a fantastic comfort food because it's hot and delicious, but it also fills you up completely.

If you call something comfort food, you mean it is enjoyable to eat and makes you feel happier, although it may not be very good for your health. For me, spaghetti bolognese is the ultimate comfort food.

Comfort food is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone and may be characterized by its high caloric nature associated with childhood or home cooking. The nostalgia may be specific to an individual or it may apply to a specific culture.

Defined as food that gives emotional comfort to the one eating it, these tend to be favorite foods of childhood, or linked to a person, place or time with which the food has a positive association.