Top 25 Comfort Foods and Recipes

What are comfort foods? They are foods that soothe the psyche by reminding us of comforting childhood memories. For most of us, these foods are far from gourmet and generally epitomize home cooking. They invoke feelings of nostalgia, safety, and security.

In a recent reader's poll, we took a stroll down memory lane to revisit favorite American comfort foods. The responses showed distinctive trends relating to age, childhood regional location, and ethnic upbringing. It comes as no surprise that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and grilled cheese ranked highest, but who needs a recipe for those? Those two aside, the next highest on the list were meatloaf, mashed potatoes, brisket pot roast, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and surprisingly, good ol' tuna casserole.

Here are the top 25 comfort foods, each linked to an appropriate recipe either traditional or updated. They are listed in alphabetical order for the sake of convenience. Did your favorites make the list? Voice your opinion on our message board.

Top 25 American Comfort Foods and Recipes

• Apple Pie
• Baked Beans
• Banana Pudding
• Beef Stew
• Brisket Pot Roast
• Chicken & Dumplings
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Soup
• Chili
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Corn on the Cob
• Fried Chicken
• Gelatin
• Green Bean Casserole
• Hot Dogs
• Ice Cream
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Mashed Potatoes
• Meatloaf
• Potato Salad
• Pumpkin Pie
• Shepherd's Pie
• Spaghetti
• Tomato Soup
• Tuna Casserole

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