Food. That’s right, after every atrocious test grade posted on Blackboard, messy breakup with a loser not worth anyone’s tears (let alone texts) and the “perfect storm” of a week that comes at least once a semester (you know, the week where your huge long-term project and portfolio are due, you’ve got two exams on Tuesday and another at eight a.m. the next morning, and your body decides its going to contract strep on Monday) there is always one thing everyone knows will never bail.
Herein lies the perpetuation of the concept of “comfort food.” That even when no person or no thing is around to soothe your sorrows, there’s always a metaphorical shoulder to lean on. Who could ever abandon that? Even better, comfort foods are usually some of the most easy-to-obtain foods on the market. When you’re upset, you generally don’t have any desire to indulge in things like fresh fruit or four-course fine dining meals. Nine times out of ten, the delicacy you desire can be found at a local gas station or right at home in your fridge (i.e., a king-sized Butterfinger, pint of Ben & Jerry’s, or home-made green bean casserole). That’s the beauty of it.
Just like everything else in the world, the “to each his own” theory applies. No matter what race, culture, or background a person comes from, it’s basic fact that they have their own individual, default comfort food. Whether it’s a 10 year old girl who didn’t get as many Valentines as she anticipated in her elementary school mailbox, or a 68 year old man who just found out that his favorite flavor of Metamucil has been discontinued, odds are they know exactly what they’ll drown their sorrows in as soon as they get home. So grab a bowl of that 2000 calorie mac and cheese, a pound of meat loaf, or whatever it is that makes you feel alive again and dig in. The concept of comfort food has such a wide recognition over time that we can only assume it’s effective, otherwise we probably would’ve kicked obesity decades ago.
Nevertheless, the moral of this entry is: indulge. If you’re having a rough week, don’t be afraid to cave in at the mention of Insomnia Cookies. There’s always next week to count calories like a maniac and hit Strom like there’s no tomorrow. You might as well enjoy it before your metabolism decides to turns against you and adopts a snail pace.
Also, here’s a list of 25 top recipes for comfort foods (as if you need any help): Top 25 Comfort Foods and Recipes
