Comfort Food

I've been to several workshops on Stress Management over the years and I'm not alone in attendance. They are always one of the most popular sessions around. The topic is appropriate for almost everyone and it also gives conference attendees a chance to focus on something besides the career topic (in my case education). It truly is a break which is always like a sigh of relief. Besides that, most of the people who attend these sessions are looking to have some fun at a workshop and there's usually lots of laughter and good-natured discussion.

One session I was at several years ago brought up the topic of comfort food for stress relief. I had never consciously thought about comfort food being a stress reliever but since that session I've thought about it quite a bit and realized how true it is. The workshop stated that the top 4 comfort foods were chicken soup, mashed potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches and mac & cheese. I don't know where the session presenters got that particular list of 4, but in searching the internet, these 4 appear over and over again on the top 25 comfort foods. In addition, those foods would definitely make my list of comfort foods.

I asked myself what makes a comfort food. Is it the taste? texture? smell? Maybe. But I think it's more than that. For instance, chicken soup. Is there anything more soothing than chicken soup when you're sick? On a cold day, I want a cup of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. It doesn't matter to me how blustery it is outside, the hot soup and gooey sandwich warms me inside and out. Mac and cheese? Well, I've made several recipes from scratch but for pure comfort, it has to be Kraft Mac and cheese. Every bite is satisfaction.

Why do some foods provide us with comfort? How does that happen? After all, food is what we eat when we're hungry. We have to have sustenance to survive. So, how do we get from sustenance to comfort?

For me, I think it's because food elicits memories associated with the food. Like chicken soup when you're sick, I eat chicken soup and am immediately transported to having my mom, dad or Nanna take care of me as a little girl. I felt loved and cared for. Now, when I'm under the weather, my hubby fixes me a bowl of chicken soup and I have that same feeling of being comforted, loved and taken care of all over again. I feel better immediately.

Thanksgiving dinner is another comfort food for me. The smell of a turkey roasting brings back so many memories of sitting around the table with friends and family laughing, talking and sometimes, crying. But they are all good memories. My family is loud, rambunctious, has wildly divergent views on topics but at Thanksgiving we all get together and have fun. Everybody pigs out on turkey, mashed potatoes and, for me, the best is cornbread dressing. We play charades and then eat dessert. There are numerous conversations going on at the same time, confusion and lots of dishes to clean up, but it's still fun. We are family and that's enough.

Bread--is there anything that smells as good as bread baking? It makes my mouth water waiting to take a bite warm from the oven with butter and honey or jam. Mm...mm...good!

What's comfort for you?

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