Comfort Food

Comfort Food: Just Like Mom Used to Make Ah, comfort food. That culinary incarnation of your favorite blankie from your childhood. It’s the warm, go-to hoodie of the food world that always seems to have your back when things seem to be starting to spiral out of control. Why do we, as people, long for the soup that Mom made us when we were allowed to stay home sick from school and watch The Price is Right instead of going to algebra class? What is it about that feeling that is evoked in us when we remember coming home with a good report card and find our favorite meal on the table as a reward?

Food, as powerful as any one thing, has the ability to stir feelings of nostalgia, security & psychological comfort. When life seems to throw us a big curveball, say like when a pandemic is upon us, we tend to crave items that minimize the negative aspects of this change or disruption. But is this craving hard- wired into our collective DNA or are we making a conscious choice to grab that fourth slice of pizza in order to “eat our feelings?”

Kelly Brownell, a researcher at Duke University, theorizes that “People have this belief that high-calorie foods are the path out of difficult times.” While comfort foods create a sense of belonging in many people, studies have shown that there is much more of a choice involved in reaching for that piece of ricotta cheesecake that was once thought. In times of disruption of routine or intense change, many people seek to try something new, be that foods, workout plans, social routines, etc. As much as someone may want that plate of perfectly al dente pasta, they may want to break the cycle that could be considered a rut by not falling into the same-old-same-old that lead them right back to where they started. Far more people, however, want that feeling of wellbeing that can only come from diving into a meal that reminds them of the family dinners of days past.

Since meticulously prepared Italian staples such as pasta and pizza are perfect examples of the sentimental favorites that wrap around you like your favorite blanket, why not let us take care of that longing for you? Call us at 919.890.0143 or visit us at www.farinaraleigh.com and use our new online ordering portal to schedule your next “feel good” dinner. Trust us. We won’t judge you for adding that second slice of tiramisu…

References o https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/why-comfort-food- comforts/389613/ o https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/understanding-the- power-of-comfort-foods/