Why do people turn to comfort food?

In every culture, certain foods hold a special place in people's hearts, not because they are fancy or full of flavours, but because they bring comfort when someone needs it.

Known as comfort food, these dishes hold ties with personal memories, family traditions, and a sense of belonging. Whether it is a plate of Khichuri with Beef Curry or a bowl of Mac and Cheese, these familiar and straightforward meals make us feel safe and cared for.

The term comfort food first appeared in a 1966 newspaper article in the Palm Beach Post. It talks about the food that gives emotional support in hard times.

Comfort food is personal. It is not about healthy ingredients or appearance. Instead, it is all about the comfort it brings.

Dr. Brian Wansink, a former researcher at Cornell University, found that comfort foods are strongly connected to memories, emotions, and social bonds.

Memories and Nostalgia

Our brain reacts differently to the foods that are linked with happy memories. When we eat something from our childhood, the brain's reward system lights up, especially areas like the amygdala and hippocampus, which control emotions and memory.

A study in the Appetite Journal (Troisi & Gabriel, 2011) showed that comfort food helps people feel less lonely by reminding them of good memories and warm social bonding.

Stress and Hormones

Comfort food often has high levels of fat and carbohydrates, which may temporarily lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This is why people usually turn to comfort foods during anxiety, breakups, or emotional exhaustion.

Comfort food around the world

What people consider comfort food varies from country to country, culture to culture. The history, traditions and lifestyles of the people of that region shape it.

Asia

In Bangladesh, khichuri with beef curry and mashed potatoes is a popular rainy-day favourite. In Japan, bowls of miso soup or ramen bring warmth.

In India, a plate of dal-chawal or freshly made paratha with pickles is deeply tied to family and simplicity. Meanwhile, in Thailand, tom yum soup delivers comfort through its balance of spice and sourness.

Africa

In Africa, comfort food is deeply woven into communal life and ancestral roots. In Nigeria, jollof rice is both celebratory and calming, eaten in times of joy and ordinary moments alike. In Ethiopia, injera with lentil or meat stews brings a strong sense of identity. In South Africa, bobotie, a curried meat dish, brings comfort through layers of flavour passed down generations. In Ghana, waakye (rice and beans with condiments) is both street food and soul food.

America

In the Americas, comfort food reflects both colonial histories and local creativity. In the United States, dishes like mac and cheese, fried chicken, and grilled cheese sandwiches are often tied to childhood or family bonding. In Mexico, tamales, pozole, or arroz con leche (rice pudding) are loaded with meaning and memory. In Brazil, feijoada, a hearty black bean stew, is often cooked for family gatherings and Sunday lunches. And in Colombia, ajiaco, a chicken and potato soup, brings warmth on chilly Bogotá evenings.

Europe

In Europe, comfort food carries the flavours of history, season, and region. In Italy, homemade pasta, risotto, or rustic lasagna are not just meals, but family rituals. In Germany, sausages with potatoes or sauerkraut bring comfort, especially during the colder months. In France, onion soup or a croque monsieur offer warmth with elegance. Meanwhile in Russia, pelmeni and hot bowls of borscht are both survival food and sources of emotional calm.

Does everyone experience the same with comfort food?

While the feeling of comfort is shared, the way people experience and choose comfort food can vary depending on gender, class, and even upbringing.  

A 2015 study published in Health Psychology found that women are more likely to seek comfort food when they feel sad or lonely, often choosing sweeter items like ice cream or chocolate. Men, on the other hand, tend to reach for warm, savoury meals like steak or casseroles.

Even access plays a significant role. A 2017 article in Appetite noted that people who grew up with food insecurity often find comfort in filling, high-calorie meals because those foods made them feel safe and full.

So, while comfort food is universal, it is deeply personal in form.

Migrations and change

When people migrate to new countries, they don't just bring clothes or memories, but also bring recipes. Comfort food often travels with them, acting as a quiet reminder of home. But in a new land, cooking those familiar meals sometimes requires a change in the recipe.

For example, a Bangladeshi family in the UK might not find the same fresh fish or lentils they used back home. So they adapt using frozen hilsa, canned lentils, or even local spices. These small changes allow them to recreate the taste of their roots while adjusting to a new kitchen and culture.

Comfort food during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people all over the world related to food. With lockdowns, job stress, and isolation, many found comfort in cooking and eating familiar, home-cooked meals.

In Bangladesh, people also turned to simple and filling foods like khichuri, biriyani, shingara, muri, dal puri and others.

Many people reported feeling safer when cooking with their families or recreating dishes their mothers or grandmothers once made.

Comfort food in the pandemic became more than just a craving; it became a way to cope with anxiety, loneliness, and the loss of routine.

Comfort food: A changing perspective

For a long time, comfort food was seen in a negative light, something to feel guilty about. People often thought it was just unhealthy food consumed under stress or sadness. But that view is slowly changing.

Today, many nutritionists, psychologists, and chefs argue that comfort food plays a vital role in mental and emotional well-being. Instead of labelling it as' junk,' they see it as part of self-care.

Comfort food is more than taste; it's memory, emotion, and connection. It's about who made it for us, the stories behind it, and how it made us feel. These meals help us cope with stress, find joy in simple moments, and hold on to parts of our past.

Whether it's your mother's curry, a bowl of noodles, or rice and daal, it reminds us we belong somewhere.

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