You Know What the World Needs? Delicious Comfort Food

Whether it's the stress of our jobs, stress at home, or just the weather that can be weighing down on us, it makes me think about the things that I want to make me happy. When I'm stressed out, I admit, I love to turn to food. I have to be careful about how much of certain foods that I pick because I'm trying to watch my weight, but comfort foods are like a gentle hug from your mom or grandma.

You're probably like me. some of the most wonderful memories that I have of loved ones often can surround food. I think of my mom's wonderful gumbo, and my grandmother's chocolate chip cookies. One summer when I was eight years old, I went to visit my grandma and grandpa for three weeks. I don't know how much weight I gained, but think it was several pounds. The reason? My grandma baked each day. She would bake chocolate chip cookies, different loaves of bread, oatmeal raisin cookies, and walnut cookies with dates. It was one of my favorite summers ever because of all the wonderful treats she baked for us.

Naturally, I tie food to love, and I think many of us in South Louisiana do the same? Heck, people all over the world likely do the same thing. You can be feeling really blah about the world, but then you have a bowl of ice cream, and suddenly you feel much better. My mom's homemade chicken soup always made me feel better when I was sick as a kid. Heck, even Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup does the trick. Not only might you get some dopamine, but you might also get just a good feeling from the food according to Psychology Today.

Here's a quote from a Psychology Today report,

Eating food high in fat, sugar or salt activates the brain's reward system. For example, chocolate has a strong effect on mood, generally increasing pleasant feelings and reducing tension.

Yep, that applies to me!

I think the big secret to getting the most out of comfort foods is to not go overboard. You can't eat them all the time, and sometimes just talking to someone can make you feel better without all the calories. Here are some of my favorite comfort foods. What are some of yours?