Soothing the soul with food when your body doesn’t feel well. Everyone has their go to ‘comfort foods’…sometimes they are healthy, but most of the time they are NOT. Where does this need come from? Is it based on the foods you ate as a child or does it come from a special happy memory food event? For my Italian husband, it is anything smothered in red spaghetti sauce and a chunk of bread to sop it all up. This could fall into both categories of childhood foods and happy food events.

For me, comfort food can be anything from chocolate and wine to couscous, steak and broccoli to a nice big honey chicken almond salad. I often take notice when I need to fill up with comfort foods. It makes me stop and think about my current situation, but I think subconsciously I am sensing the feeling I had when I ate that food last.

One prime example occurs every time my son has needed surgery for his cleft lip and palate. It is high stress for me and my husband, but we outwardly must remain strong for our son. We often head to the cafeteria for a ‘snack’ as soon as the doctor brings him back to prep for surgery. Neither of us feel particularly hungry, but that doesn’t stop us. On our last trip to the hospital cafeteria, we sat down looking at the pile of foods we had picked out for our ‘snack’. For my husband…a slice of pizza, a stromboli, breadsticks, a side of extra meatballs and sauce and a yogurt. For me…sushi, yogurt, a fried chicken sandwich and a coffee. WHAT? WHY? We just looked at each other and laughed. We were so stressed out…did the food help? I like to think it did.

Does this work the opposite way? I haven’t put much thought into it before now. Does a negative food event affect your opinion of an event the next time you have that food. An example…you are eating a taco salad and you are given some bad news. In 5 years you attend a dinner party where they serve taco salad. Do you subconsciously feel the ‘bad feelings’ even though the dinner party ids going very well? Do you leave early? Does your relationship with the host become strained because of the ‘old’ feelings? I plan to look at this in my life…and hopefully fill my life with more positive food events!!