Comfort Food

What is comfort food?

Well that may seem like an easy answer but there is much more to it than the obvious answer. We all know that the meaning of comfort food is food that makes us feel comfort, peace, and relaxation during hard or troubling times. We all know that this comfort food can make things seem better, even in the worst of situations. What we may not know is the differences between the comfort foods and what comfort each one can bring. For every occasion, there seems to be a different comfort food that we turn to. Also, everyone is different, so there might be some comfort foods that we didn't even know existed. The overall message of comfort food is that our bodies crave certain kinds of foods during certain points in our lives so that those foods will send a message to our brains releasing endorphins. We all know that endorphins can make you feel better and more relaxed, so if that's what you're looking for, you need comfort food.

So let's look at some of the common comfort foods and what they might represent. First on the list is macaroni and cheese, an American staple in many households that is often served with chicken or hamburgers. Macaroni and cheese has always been considered to be comfort food. Maybe it's the delicious well-cooked noodles, or the cheesy sauce the noodles are coated in, but this side dish seems to be a favorite for many people. Macaroni and cheese seems to be the common comfort food for when we are upset or worried about something or someone. This popular dish seems to put our minds at ease about the person or situation by bringing us back to a time where all we had to worry about was enjoying macaroni and cheese. This side dish seems to do wonders with easing people's minds, allowing them to think of possible solutions to the problem at hand.

Second on this list is mashed potatoes with or without gravy. This side dish is often served with chicken or noodles. We seem to crave mashed potatoes as our comfort food when we are not feeling well or feel drained of energy. This side dish uplifts our spirits, puts some energy in our steps, and makes our cold somehow feel so much better. Third on the list is regular noodles in broth. Like mashed potatoes, we use this side dish when we are sick with a cold or even the flu. It seems to help calm the stomach down, make us feel better, and even soothe the throat. Next, an all too familiar comfort food is fried chicken. This main entrée has been served in many homes over the years and has also become one of the many favorite comfort foods. Fried chicken is a good food to eat when you are having a family gathering, when in a rush, or when you just want to spend more time with your loved ones at a picnic. It is also good to eat after you have healed from a cold as well. Next, is a cooler treat we all like to turn to, ice cream. Ice cream releases special endorphins that can help us feel better about certain romantic relationships, hardships, or even the loss of a job. This special treat has that knack for making people who eat it feel much better.

Next on the list is pizza. We all know this classic that has been served in many households for years. We often use pizza as a comfort food for when we are angry, mad, or really down about something. This popular food seems to help people forget about what they were originally mad about and look at the situation in a different light. The next comfort food is chocolate. This delightful treat helps us feel better when we have trouble with relationships, when we are feeling down, or when dealing with a woman's monthly cycle. This treat seems to help ease light pains, make us feel better about failed relationships, and help better understand what other solutions there might be available. Then we have pie, the delicious treat that many of us turn to when we are feeling low, upset, or sad. There are so many different types of pies that everyone can find a way to eat the treat and feel better about themselves. Maybe it's the sugar, but these treats definitely help. There are a few other comfort foods that people like to eat in difficult times, including lasagne, spaghetti and meatballs, and cornbread. Finally, on this list are hamburgers. People have been grilling these delightful meat delicacies for many years. People also look to them as a way to deal with loneliness or for a gathering with people you care about.