Comfort Foods for Troubling Times  

I ruined my diet this week. I prepared a favorite dish – tuna noodle casserole. Another night I made baked ziti lathered in three cheeses. I went out to lunch and stuffed myself with fish and chips. 

Comfort foods. 

I have no one to blame but myself for slipping off the healthy food wagon. I have no excuse. 

Except the fact that the world has gone crazy and I cannot do anything about it. 

War in Israel shocks me. Ukraine fights to remain independent. Republicans in Congress illustrate Mark Twain’s infamous quote: Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself. I am reading Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, a historical fiction novel about poor black children and women deceitfully sterilized. It underscores the evils that bigotry has wrought in our country.

I am sad, I am concerned, I am nervous. I cannot control external events.

But I can eat.

Growing up life often focused on food. Friday night dinner we ate clam chowder and fresh fish until the Catholic Church allowed meat on Fridays and our local fish store closed. (We were not Catholic, but liked fish.) On Sunday mornings we gorged on fresh bagels and lox with a shmear of cream cheese. We devoured dinners at Grandma and Grandpa’s – soups, stews, roasts, and homemade desserts. Comfort foods. 

Is there such a thing as healthy, low-calorie, minimal salt and sugar, comfort food? Can a creamy, luscious macaroni and cheese ever be part of a healthy diet? Pancakes or bagels? Pizza? Grilled cheese? A large, juicy hamburger loaded with toppings and a side of fries? 

I enjoy cooking, although my skill level lies well below expertise. Sometimes my fare tastes great, other times not so much. I favor simple dishes. If a recipe contains a long list of ingredients my eyes glaze over and I turn the page. I limit baking to brownies and chocolate cakes, which make their appearance coincidental with company that consumes the goodies. If within reach I would eat sweet concoctions until they disappeared. 

Comfort food: the food we love, with an awesome, can’t resist aroma, puts a smile on our face and fills our tummy. In a world gone mad, comfort food grounds us. The food generates cheerful memories and reminds us of simpler seasons in our lives. Our thoughts turn to what we hope will be a calmer and more peaceful, less stressful era to come.