Some days, a dude’s gotta eat. You know what I’m saying?
You just can’t wait to get home, soak in a hot shower, pull on some Avengers pajama pants and eat. Not just anything. Not a fist full of Saltines or – yuck – kale chips. You need scrumptious, on a day getting your arse handed to you on the soccer pitch or you forget to wear a belt all day long.
It’s not just after a rough ride that you’d like a plate of mouth-stuffing goodness.
Hell, when the Rockies bullpen holds a lead, or I get to work in less than an hour, or I see tons of commercials with Erica Piccininni in them, or your scrappy soccer team gives the conference champs all sortsa hell and high water, well, that makes you hungry, too.
I don’t take comfort food lightly.
My love affair with cheeseburgers and pizzas is well-documented. Here are five other comfort foods I turn to in times of trouble, or when good stuff’s double, even. What about you? What kinds of foods dance the dance of love with your taste buds?
Frosted Flakes
Jerry Seinfeld might have made it famous, but I made it real: Late-night cereal. Man, it was like clockwork: 11 p.m.? Hello, bowl of Frosted Flakes. Oh dang – milk left over? Let me add some more flakes. Oops! Too many flakes. Better add milk.
Yadda yadda yadda … hey, who ate the rest of the box of Frosted Flakes?
Graham crackers
I labored to explain why my A1C hadn’t looked so good at the doctor’s office. “I get exercise,” I explained, “with disc golf, and you know, flipping pancakes for the kids. I eat graham crackers all the time, and I saw on The View that they’re super low glycemic …”
Doc just shook her head with her eyelids closed.
Like, shook it diagonally, which means, not just no, but oh, hell no. Was it dang beautiful Paula Faris and her chocolate brown eyes and cinnamon irises who said it? Ah hell, she didn’t say anything about graham crackers. It’s on me.
So I eat them in moderation.
Pad Thai
So good you want to slap your mama. I feel like I got started late in life on this like if I knew Pad Thai in college, I’d have gone to class. If I knew it early in my journalism career, maybe I’d have had better sources. Or maybe coulda been a 5 or even a 6.
When I eat Pad Thai, I fork it on slowly and just watch all the goodness slide onto the fork and I’m sure to wear my glasses so I can just, you know, watch it. Delicious.
Salad
It sounds liberal, but hear me out: I Libertarian the hell out of it, with cashews and bacon, croutons and turkey. Wontons, even. Yeah. The more crunch, the better. And don’t discount it because I put Thousand Island or ranch dressing all over it, either.
Just because I’m eating plants doesn’t mean it has to taste like lawn cuttings.
Warm tortillas
A warm tortilla (or three) is like a beacon through the fog. Wrapped around melting cheese. Folded up, spread with butter inside, or maybe dipped in a concoction of peanut butter and syrup.
Tortillas, homemade and big as my face, full of chorizo or beans or hell even grilled chicken. You add a warm tortilla, you’re 13 steps closer to heaven.
If a dude’s gotta eat, a dude’s gotta do it right.
Just a dad ... 
Hmmm – chocolate is probably my go to comfort food. I love chocolate. Not good for the waist line or the cholesterol but its great for comfort. Then there is chips/crisps – I love them too. And then I also love hot chips (you probably call them french fries but I’m Australian so its chips) With gravy. Good stuff. I also love Thai food – and Indian … and Chinese… and Italian… to be honest. I love food. Which is why I have a continuing battle with my weight. Having written this I am now hungry. We are going out tonight to the markets so there will be lots of good food. I’m ready to go NOW.
Philipa (Ozzypip)
Quilter and blogger
Blogging her way through an A to Z quilt
Ozzypip Quilts
During crowd-sourced posts around here, chocolate reigns. Comfort trumps cholesterol, I think.
You’re on the right track with crisps and chips, and their delicious cousin, the hush puppy.
I’ve tried to slow it down and really savor what I indulge in, to minimize the impact. Most times, I do okay.
I hope that your trip to the market gives you something that winds up in an A to Z post soon!
I look forward to checking out your words. Thanks for visiting!
My go to food… especially at night, when the kids are asleep and the house is quiet is peanut butter M&Ms. You can not just bite into a handful; but, you must let them linger until the candy coating is gone and then just smush the rest into a flavorful ball of chocolate and peanut butter. Ahhhhhh! When my daughter did not make the HS soccer team a few weeks ago; we both sat down with a jumbo bag (yes, under the circumstances, I did share) and sank into a coma of deliciousness and sadness.
Some foods just beckon us, Angela. You’ve found your food boo, and even have the routine down.
I’m sorry to hear your daughter didn’t make the team – they’re missing out! I know for sure sadness’ best spice is deliciousness. Sometimes, deliciousness just overpowers it into oblivion, even.
I’m a traditionalist. Potato chips and dill dip. Not dill chips! or any other outrageous flavor either. For a meal I’m making on a cold day, it’ll be stew or chili,in the summer, steak and salad. Thanks for sharing. Find me here. LINK
I’m with Ozziepip, chips but with sour cream and sweet chili sauce to dip them in. Garlic king prawns or homemade satay chicken pies (my son in law’s satay can’t be beaten) 😀
Wow, that sounds indulgently delicious, Lyn. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, and I think nothing at the cafe will do now.
There’s not much I DON’T like, but in the interest of trying to be healthier I’m trying to limit my comfort food to one serving a day. I’m experimenting with things like cocoa-dusted raisins (surprisingly good) and vegetables dipped in salsa (maybe more of an acquired taste, but it still works for me. Salt and spice rules). And, it will soon be warm enough to indulge in a nightly bowl of frozen watermelon chunks (which tames the ice cream monster that’s hiding inside my stomach).
One a day would be perfect, Kathy. I’d give both the raisins and veggies a shot. Watermelon makes my tongue swell, which I hate, because I love some watermelon.
Bummer about the watermelon! Frozen grapes are good, too.
I have zero ill effects from frozen grapes, Kathy. Zero.
Dark chocolate is great comfort food for me.i love salad too. Also italian and mexican food. Actually any food that my taste buds agree upon is comforting for me
jaishwrites – F for??? (flashfiction)
I’ve never had a taste for dark chocolate, so more for you, my friend. Now, Italian and Mexican food, scoot over. Food in many glorious forms has the superpower to comfort.
I love Pad Thai and tortilla too…..delish! (๑╹ڡ╹)╭ ～ ♡
Together??
Hehe…yes, why not? (•‾⌣‾•)و ̑̑
I’m down.
I used to like cheerios and eat them without milk, didn’t really care for frosted flakes, as they really don’t taste all that good without some fruits
these days for me chocolate and basically junk food is comfort food, well, not sure I would call them that but they do produce a sense of comfort but mostly they just add joy to my day.
have a lovely day.
I never thought of adding fruits to Frosted Flakes, Lissa, but need to try that. I think the notion of comfort food is just that – they put us at ease.
It can be decadent as double chocolate cake, or simple as string cheese.
Loved your G post, by the way!
Mmm…pad thai…I may have Friday dinner inspiration now (meaning, take-out, of course)
My comfort foods are potato-based, which has left me scrambling some since I haven’t had fries but maybe three times since December. This cauliflower-as-potatoes trend just isn’t the same.
I’ve never tried to make Pad Thai – seems like why should I when takeout is so perfect?
Is your fries deficit by design, Holly? Cauliflower as anything trends are something I avoid wholeheartedly.
Pad Thai has my heart skip a few beats. Spaghetti does that too, but only when I make it my way.
Food is just wonderful.
Mine too, Morgan. How did I live for so long without knowing that feeling! What is your way of spaghetti?
Food *is* just wonderful, and in its best form, it’s beyond that description, even.
You know what’s really good? If you like peanut butter and bananas try slathering a tortilla with peanut butter and then add sliced banana to it. MM MM GOOD!
You’re making me hungry over here, especially with that last one! Love me some warm tortillas with melted butter and/or cheese! And graham crackers. My husband is a big fan of frosted flakes. Lately it’s been his favorite snack, with no milk. Me, not so much…
Oh, I feel like a copy cat because your comfort foods are my comfort foods. I would add to the list macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and salted caramel. Yum! That was a fun–and delicious–post to read.
Comfort foods are, what do they call it, Deb? Creative commons. That’s it! I feel like you and I could create a list of 500.
all of my comfort foods are mostly savory carbs – mac n’cheese, grilled cheese, patsa, bread, rice, potatoes, chips, combos, chex mix……..oh no –
I just imagined all those things spread out on a table before me, beth. I’m going to need a moment.
OMG! There is nothing like warm tortillas right??? We live in Texas where we can actually get homemade ones from local restaurants and even the grocery store! I LOVE them! But my ultimate comfort food is Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn on the cob and green beans with warm homemade rolls and a HUGE “summer” sliced tomato! Ok.. Now I’M hungry! LOL!
Nothing, AT ALL, like warm tortillas. Jealous of your Texasosity that affords you such luxuries, but simultaneously thankful for you, and willing to live vicariously through you.
I love how specific your comfort food description is. I’m headed to a meeting, not thinking as much about online content as I am friend chicken. If I’m being honest.
he he he he… sorry! I had chicken for lunch but it wasn’t the same! I am ALWAYS specific when it comes to food!! 😉
Specific is the way to go, CW! Sounds delicious.
You’ve made me hungry. Pizza is probably my go-to comfort food. Cookies don’t hurt, though.
I remain hungry, Erika. Pizza on a Friday night is as essential as meditation on a Wednesday afternoon.