Comfort Food-20 Popular Choices

There are many foods that can be used for pleasure or comfort. Depending on what part of the world you grew up in; what your family of origin experience was; and what your relationship with your mother was as a child, will determine what you consider a comfort food.

In the United States some of the top comfort snacks include potato chips, (salty), and ice cream, (sweet). Although it is shown that more women go for this sweet / salty combination, it is not exclusively gender based. As for chocolate, again, more women than men consume chocolate when emotionally spent, while men will usually look for a full bodied ‘meat and potato’ meal to fill them up.

My experience growing up with an Italian mother was that no matter how hot it got during the summer or no matter how cold in the winter soup was frequently part of our meal. If we were ill she would serve homemade chicken noodle soup. The most prominent snack and dessert foods in our home were potato chips, ice cream, and chocolate chip cookies. It’s no wonder I crave those when a bit of nostalgia creeps in.

But, food preferences are based on the region you grew up in as well. I never experienced grits or hushpuppies until I came down south. If you ask a family in New York for a comfort food on their list it will be different from a person living in San Diego, California or New Orleans, Louisiana. Well, you get the picture. One man’s epicurean delight is another man’s junk food.

Popular Snacks and Desserts

1. Ice cream

2. Chocolates

3. Cookies

4. Potato chips and dip

5. Salsa and chips

Here are twenty food ideas that frequent the top of the comfort food list. If any of them catch your eye, perhaps you’d like to add that to this week’s menu during this cold snap that has spread across our nation:

1. Soup-a favorite combo is: tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich.

2. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

3. Pot Roast

4. Chicken Pot Pie

5. Macaroni and cheese-and anything else to go with it.

6. Pancakes with warm maple syrup.

7. Chicken and Dumplings Casserole

8. Spaghetti and meatballs

9. Steak and mashed potatoes

10. Sweet potato pie (or casserole)

11. Shepherd’s pie

12. Country fried steak

13. Pan fried pork chops

14. Lasagna

15. Jambalaya

16. Corned Beef and cabbage

17. Bratwurst and sauerkraut

18. Stews

19. Chili

20. Chowders