17 Comfort Foods For Deep Winter
Brighten your path through the deep, dark winter doldrums with some of these comfort food recipes, including popular favorites like pie and mac ‘n’ cheese!
So, most of the holidays have come and gone. Yet, it’s still dark and cold out. Many of us must still trudge through snow, slush, and ice to live our lives. I don’t know about you, but I tend to see a sunset around 4:30 each evening around here. If I’m not careful, the sight of the sun dipping below the horizon at such an ungodly hour is enough to cause outright despair.
Okay, maybe I’m a bit melodramatic. But, surely, some of you feel it, too? Once the shine and sparkle of the holidays wear off, many of us still have a good three months of wintry weather to endure. It doesn’t help that 2016, whether in our imagination or in hideous reality, has been an absolute mess of a year. For many of us, it’s been heartbreaking.
Luckily, we’ve got some coping mechanisms. Warm socks. Cuddly house pets. That extra-thick comforter for your bed. A Netflix binge of something charming and ultimately life-affirming (for me, that’s Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting, if you need a recommendation). If you’re a fan of cooking (or, okay, eating) there’s also the glorious land of comfort food.
“Comfort food” is just what it sounds like — food that is meant to comfort. It might remind you of your childhood or your homeland. It’s often full of fat, salt, and carbs – which, I would argue, is okay in measured doses. At any rate, we’re not going to judge you if chipping ice off your windshield makes you wish for a pile of mashed potatoes. An occasional “treat yo’ self” is good for your soul, and you’re not likely to die from the effects of consuming a little butter.
That said, because I don’t want to give everyone here a heart attack, I’ve included healthier versions of each recipe. So, if you’re worried about uploading unadulterated butter and salt into your system, check out some of the variants. No judgment if you want to go the full-butter route, though.
What follows is a compilation of comfort food recipes for you to test out this winter. Some may be infinitely familiar to you, while others may be new. All the more opportunity to stretch your culinary skills!