Why Comfort Food Makes You Happy

It’s getting close to that time when the temperature drops, leaves change colors, heat goes on in the house, and the comfort food recipes are pulled out!

It’s one of our favorite times of the year at Bektrom Foods. We love a good soup, mac n cheese, or rice side for dinner while curled up in a blanket by the fire. Why do so many people love this time of year and all of the comfort foods that come with it? In this article, we’re going to explain the science behind the many reasons why comfort food makes you happy.

Comfort Food & Nostalgia

Often, comfort foods are associated with childhood memories. As you grow older, family traditions are ingrained in your mind, and many people carry those traditions into their own families as time passes. Your great-great grandma’s buttercream frosting that has been passed on for decades, your mom’s homemade spaghetti recipe on the first day of fall. Whatever it may be, nostalgia exists in those foods for you.

Your Brain When You Eat Comfort Foods

Let’s explain these nostalgic feelings further. Research suggests an actual link between your taste buds and your memories. You may notice this phenomenon more prominently in foods you don’t like. For example, maybe you ate a particular food that made you sick, and now you try to avoid it. However, foods can provide comfort and positive nostalgic memories as well.

Your taste and smell senses affect the olfactory bulb in your brain. The olfactory bulb is closely linked with the hippocampus, which houses memories. Because of this link in your brain, emotion, memories, and foods are closely related. This creates nostalgia and categorizes certain foods as “comfort foods” for you.

Additionally, dopamine is released when you eat foods that lead to a positive recollection of memories. Dopamine is released in the brain any time you experience a pleasure. So, when you eat foods that you associate with positive feelings, it makes you feel good.

The Social Connection Aspect

There’s something so lovely about eating a warm, cozy dinner with loved ones. Cooking for family and friends is often considered an expression of love. Quarantine may have made it more difficult to eat together over the past year and a half. However, studies show that comfort foods can reduce loneliness. So, if you’re feeling lonely, indulge!

Also, if possible, try to increase the time spent cooking with your family in the kitchen! Cooking with your family strengthens relational connections and reduces loneliness for all. Plus, it has other benefits like improving your child’s measuring and math skills.

Some of Our Favorite Comfort Foods At Bektrom Foods

Loretta Pancakes – our light and fluffy pancake mix are convenient and straightforward to make. Add water, top with maple syrup, and enjoy! Add chocolate chips for an extra yummy breakfast entree.

DBYD Yellow & Chocolate Cake – Don’t Break Your Diet cake products are low on sugar but do not taste! Made with 75-80% less sugar, we use a special house blend plant-based sugar replacer in our products that satisfies comfort food cravings.

Loretta Lasagna Dinner – can you say YUM? Our lasagna pasta dinner is a naturally flavored Italian-style sauce dinner that serves as the perfect comfort food for when the weather starts getting chilly.

Deluxe Shells n Cheese – our Loretta mac n cheese dinner is made with real cheddar cheese, no artificial flavors, and no synthetic coloring.

Loretta Chicken Rice – our rice blend in savory chicken flavors makes the perfect side dish. Or, add veggies and a chicken breast and enjoy as an entree.