When people are asked to define comfort foods, the answer is variable. There are as many variations to the answer as there are individuals who are asked the question. What makes something a comfort food while others are not? Is it related to diet or type of recipe? Is it related to region or country?

At a restaurant, a waitress was asked the question of what she thought of when she was asked about comfort foods. She did not hesitate to answer, "Oh, meat loaf and potatoes, green beans. Stuff like that." When asked to describe how she came to her answer, she said, "These are the things that I had growing up at family meals." It appears she related to meals that she had at home with family.

Comfort foods remind people of home and family. It is food that gives them comfort, a sense of family and home. People think of family gatherings, holidays, and special occasions. It does not necessarily have to do with a secret family recipe (although the secret might be that eating gives members of the family a warm feeling of home). It is not surprising that everyone has an image of a family meal.

Yahoo! News Search Results for Comfort Foods
Yahoo! News Search Results for Comfort Foods

Skid Row to Hip in Toronto (New York Times)
Rawlicious, a ?living foods? cafe in the Junction section of Toronto. The area is enjoying a post-industrial revival.
Green adds another level of comfort (Centennial Citizen)
When Mike Miller?s employees and other tenants in the building began complaining about the shoddy lighting conditions in their offices and hallways, he did what many business owners are starting to do: He went green.
Creating comfort food from family recipes (The Times of Northwest Indiana)
For decades, Sarah Starewicz's family has enjoyed recipes that originated in Poland and Lithuania. Now this fledgling entrepreneur is making those Eastern European dishes available through her new business, Buscia's.
America's best ice cream shops (MSNBC)
Summer?s ultimate treat is served with old-world panache at these gourmet parlors.
Whoopie pies rule in Bath (The Times Record)
BATH ? The Maine that?s celebrated during Bath Heritage Days is known for a lot of things that, for the most part, you can?t get anywhere else.
Stainless Steel Sink Simply the Best (Turks.US)
Because of the important role of the kitchen sink in every individual?s life, it is just right to make careful plans in choosing the right type of sink materials. Kitchen sink is the most used part in the kitchen. This needs for a careful choosing of kitchen sink to be used before you purchase it.
It?s Carolina Mountain Ribfest Time (The Hendersonville Times-News)
Special to the Times-News The Carolina Mountain Ribfest will return to the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center Fairgrounds for three days this weekend.
Tierra Sana turns to Forest Hills residents for advice (YourNabe.com)
For Forest Hills resident Victor Fiallo, Tierra Sana was meant to become a community cornerstone where residents could congregate, listen to musicians and poets and eat healthy foods that helped people migrate away from preservatives.
Lacombe Crab Fest (St. Tammany News)
Lacombe Despite the sizzling heat, hundreds of crab and seafood connoisseurs flocked to John Davis Park in Lacombe for the annual Lacombe Crab Fest.
Boost your mood foods and a nutrition stimulus plan for families (WDBJ 7 Roa...
As Americans tighten their belt during the economic downturn, they can also reduce their waistline choosing healthy, nutritious food for their family.