National Comfort Food Day

As its name suggests, comfort food provides comfort and solace. It often evokes memories and nostalgia related to foods cooked by loved ones when one was young. Comfort foods are subjective to the individuals eating them, but preferences are greatly influenced by region and culture. While comfort foods may be eaten when people are happy, they are often eaten in response to emotional stress, with the aftereffect being guilt. But today comfort foods are eaten because it is National Comfort Food Day!

The expression "comfort food" dates at least to 1966, when it was used by the Palm Beach Post: "Adults, when under severe emotional stress, turn to what could be called 'comfort food'—food associated with the security of childhood, like mother's poached egg or famous chicken soup." The most famous comfort foods in the United States in the 1970s were chicken soup and potato dishes. The expression was elevated with the 1979 publication of Judith Olney's Comforting Food. More comfort food cookbooks followed, and comfort food began being marketed as such in restaurants.

Comfort foods may be savory or sweet. They are often smooth and creamy, carb- or fat-heavy, loaded with sugar or salt, and are usually high in calories. In America, some of the most beloved comfort foods include:

• apple pie
• beef stew
• biscuits and gravy
• cake
• casseroles and hot dishes
• cheeseburgers
• chicken and dumplings
• chicken pot pie
• chicken soup
• chili
• chocolate
• chocolate chip cookies
• chowders
• cornbread
• corned beef and cabbage
• french fries
• fried chicken
• green bean casserole
• grilled cheese sandwiches served with tomato soup
• hot dogs
• ice cream
• macaroni and cheese
• mashed potatoes
• meatloaf
• peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• pizza
• popcorn
• potato chips
• pot roast
• pumpkin pie
• red beans and rice
• shepherd's pie
• spaghetti
• steak
• tamale pie
• tuna casserole

How to Observe National Comfort Food Day

Eat one or more of the comfort foods listed in the holiday's description, or make something from the following:

• Comforting Food, the first cookbook dedicated to comfort food.
• "101 Easy Comfort Food Recipes You'll Want to Dig Right Into"
• "103 All-Time Best Comfort Food Classics"
• "36 Healthy Comfort Food Recipes That Satisfy"

You could also learn about and make a comfort food that's common in another part of the world.

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