Comfort food

For the Noah Ashenhurst novel, see Comfort Food (novel).

Chicken soup is a common classic comfort food that is found across various cultures, and is widely regarded as a folk remedy for the common cold and flu.

Comfort food is traditionally eaten food (which often provides a nostalgic or sentimental feeling to the person eating it),<ref>"Comfort Food." (definition). Merriam-webster.com.

Reasons

• There are several reasons why people turn to comfort foods. One of the main reasons is stress.
• According to a study published in the journal "Appetite" in 2011, stress can lead to an increase in the consumption of high-fat and high-sugar foods. This is because these foods can trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that promote feelings of pleasure and relaxation.
• Another reason why people turn to comfort foods is emotional eating.
• Emotional eating is when people turn to food as a means of coping with negative emotions such as sadness, anger, or anxiety. According to a study published in the journal "Obesity" in 2016, emotional eating is associated with an increased risk of obesity and related health problems.
• Comfort foods can also be a way to cope with boredom. People may turn to food as a form of entertainment when they are feeling bored, and this can lead to overeating and weight gain.

How to have them on a balanced diet?

Despite their unhealthy reputation, comfort foods can have a place in a balanced diet. It's important to recognize that everyone needs to take a break from their diet sometimes, and to allow yourself to indulge in a comfort food from time to time. The key is to practice moderation and balance. For example, instead of eating a whole pizza, you can have a slice or two and pair it with a salad or a glass of water.

Use alternative versions

It's also worth noting that there are healthier versions of comfort foods that can be made at home. For example, instead of deep-fried chicken, you can try baking or grilling it. Instead of using store-bought, high-sugar, and high-fat macaroni and cheese, you can make your own with whole-grain pasta and a homemade cheese sauce made with low-fat milk.

Sample recipes

Here are some recipes for healthier versions of comfort foods:

Healthy Baked Macaroni and Cheese:

• -8 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni
• -1 cup of low-fat milk
• -1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• -1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
• -1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• -1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
3. In a saucepan, combine the milk and flour and cook over medium heat until thickened.
4. Stir in the cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
5. Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and mix well.
6. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Herbs:

• -4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• -2 cloves of garlic, minced
• -2 tablespoons of olive oil
• -1/4 cup of chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley)
• -1/4 teaspoon of salt
• -1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• -1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
3. Brush the mixture over the chicken breasts.
4. Grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.

Both of these recipes are healthier versions of classic comfort foods that are still enjoyable and satisfying. The baked macaroni and cheese uses whole wheat pasta and low-fat milk to reduce the fat and calorie content, while the grilled chicken is a lean protein source that is flavored with herbs and lemon for added taste.

Comfort foods by country

Bangers and mash is a British comfort food.

Bubur ayam (chicken congee) is an Indonesian comfort food.

Solyanka

Macaroni and cheese is an American comfort food.

Fried chicken is another American comfort food.

Australia and New Zealand

Main articles: Australian cuisine and New Zealand cuisine

Comfort foods from Australia and New Zealand include:

Apple pie Baked rice custard Bread and butter pudding Braised lamb shanks Brown sugar, yogurt, honey, and banana porridge Busted flan Butterscotch apple dumplings Casserole (beef or chicken) Chicken soup Chocolate chip cookies Dropped pie Golden syrup pikelets Honey and oat slices Hungarian lamb goulash Lamb and vegetable soup or Irish stew Lamingtons Mashed potatoes Meat pie Pavlova Pea and ham soup Pie floater Pumpkin soup Roast meat (beef, chicken, or pork with crackling) Roast potatoes Sausage and mash Shepherd's pie Smashed pie Smashed crab Spaghetti and meatballs Steak and kidney pie Sticky date pudding Sweet potato soup

Britain

Some classic British comfort foods are:

Bangers and mash Cottage or Shepherd's pie Custard Fish and chips Full English breakfast Cauliflower cheese Cornish pasty Crumbles:

• • Apple crumble
  • Blueberry crumble
  • Rhubarb crumble

Lancashire hotpot Mushy peas Potatoes:

• • Chips
  • Crisps
  • Jacket potato
  • Mashed potatoes

Puddings:

• • Bread and butter pudding
  • Jam Roly-Poly
  • Rice pudding
  • Spotted dick
  • Sticky toffee pudding
  • Treacle pudding
  • Yorkshire pudding

Roast meats:

• • Roast beef
  • Roast chicken

Pies:

• • Fish pie
  • Pork pie
  • Steak and kidney pie

Scotch egg Stottie cake Soups and stews:

• • Beef stew with dumplings
  • Cawl (Wales)
  • Cock-a-leekie soup (Scotland)
  • Irish stew
  • Potato, leek, and Stilton soup

Toast variations:

• • Baked beans on toast
  • Cheese on toast

Toad in the hole

Indonesia

Popular Indonesian comfort foods include:

Bubur ayam (chicken congee) Bakmi or Mie Ayam Bakso Indomie Mi goreng Nasi goreng Soto ayam (chicken soto)

Philippines

Some comforting Filipino dishes are:

Adobo Arroz Caldo Batchoy Binignit Champorado with tuyô Chicken Sopas Halo-halo Kare-kare Lomi Pancit Puto Sinigang Suman

Poland

Traditional Polish comfort foods include:

Pierogi Barszcz z uszkami (clear beetroot soup with forest mushrooms tortellini) Boczek (Smoked pork belly) Bigos Budyn waniliowy z malinami Kotlet schabowy Flaki Golonka Gulasz Grzybowa (Mushroom soup) Jagody ze smietana Kapusniak (sauerkraut soup) Kopytka Łazanki Makaron ze smietana i truskawkami Mielone z ziemniakami i mizeria (pork meatballs, mashed potato, fresh cucumbers with sour cream) Nalesniki z twarozkiem Ogorkowa Placki ziemniaczane Rolady z kluskami i modra kapusta Rosol (Chicken soup with fine noodles) Sernik Sledz w oleju (Pickled herring) Zupa pomidorowa with rice or noodles Szczawiowa served with boiled egg Zurek

Russia and Ukraine

Comfort foods from Russia and Ukraine include:

Bliny Borscht Caviar Dressed herring Kotlety (meatballs) Kasha Kholodets Kvas Napoleon Okroshka Olivier salad Ponchiki / Pampushky Pelmeni Pirozhki Rassolnik Shashlik Shchi Solyanka Syrniki Ukha Vareniki

United States and Canada

North American comfort foods include:

Apple pie Baked beans Banana pudding Beef stew Brisket pot roast Chicken and dumplings Chicken pot pie Chicken soup Chili con carne Chocolate chip cookies Crispito Corn on the cob Fried chicken Gelatin dessert Green bean casserole Grilled cheese sandwich Hamburgers Hot dogs Ice cream Macaroni and cheese Mashed potatoes Meatloaf Peanut butter and jelly sandwich Potato salad Pumpkin pie Shepherd's pie Spaghetti Tomato soup Tuna casserole And many more...

Main articles: Cuisine of the United States and Canadian cuisine

External links

• Media related to Comfort food at Wikimedia Commons