Finding Comfort in Food

As Easter draws nearer, I thought I’d reflect on something that brings many people great comfort: food.

For Audrey, one of her favorite foods was ice cream. She was so passionate about ice cream, in fact, that she once wrote an article for Spectrum about trying different flavors.

As we prepare for the upcoming break, I asked some of my friends what their favorite comfort foods are at this time of year.

One of my roommates, Lindsey Rodgers, mentioned her grandmother’s mashed potatoes, which are a special side dish just for holidays. Many of my friends chose chocolate, especially since Easter is often filled with goodies like chocolate bunnies and eggs. My sister went along a similar dessert path, but, like Audrey, picked ice cream as one of her favorite comfort foods. (If you want a recommendation that combines both chocolate and ice cream, she suggests Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy.)

For me, my favorite comfort foods veer away from the sweet side. My family is Italian, so one of my most comforting foods is pasta with homemade sauce. Whether it’s creamy pesto or classic marinara, my family makes some of the best sauce around. For Easter, my mother and grandmother always make sauce from scratch, and knowing that it was made with love—and sometimes with my help—makes it taste all the better.

And this may seem basic, but bread is another staple comfort food for me. Whether it’s an appetizer, part of a meal, or something to clean up my pasta sauce with, bread is definitely a go-to item for me—especially if it’s homemade or garlic bread!

Have you ever thought about fruit as a comfort food? I’m one of those people who has a few servings of fruit every day. My roommates always see me snatching some fruit from 63’s or the Market every time I walk past just to keep up a steady supply. In this way, healthy food is my comfort food.

To be honest, food wasn’t always a comfort to me. I went through a time in middle school when everything I ate made me feel sick, except for very bland items like bread and crackers. For someone who’s grown up eating a lot of rich foods and desserts, this change was very sudden for me, and it made me feel awkward and upset to have to limit what I ate and turn down my family members’ homemade meals.

At that point in my life, it was hard for me to find joy in eating. While I still don’t have the same tastes I once did, I’ve learned to enjoy food again and find comfort in even the most unlikely places.

This spring season, I invite you to reflect upon what brings you comfort in your own life. You don’t have to write a whole article about it—although I would love to read it if you do—but if food is on your list, know it’s on mine, too.

About the author

Manager of Audrey's Corner

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