A favorite American comfort food and easy meal, a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
FEW COMFORT FOODS rival simple grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.
Grab two pieces of white bread, add slices of Velveeta cheese, slap the bread together, butter one exterior side, flip, then butter the other side, and toast in a frying pan over low heat until the bread browns and the cheese begins to melt.
Even my teenage son can prepare a grilled cheese sandwich.
Add a bowl of Campbell’s tomato soup, and you have the perfect comfort food that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and like a kid again. At least that’s my description of a comfort food.
What would you add to this list? Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spaghetti, Tator Tot hotdish, chili, chocolate cake? I expect answers will vary depending on where you grew up, maybe even your economic status.
When my oldest daughter was in college a few years ago, she helped organize Grilled Cheese Night in her Winona State University dorm. I found this a bit humorous. But the event was popular and, probably, because the grilled cheese reminded students of home.
Which leads me to wonder…with so many families eating out or grabbing ready-made foods on the go, what will today’s youngsters consider comfort foods? Chicken nuggets, Hot Pockets, frozen pizza, a Big Mac?
Share your thoughts. What are your favorite comfort foods? And, more importantly, why?
A grilled cheese sandwich oozes with Velveeta.
© Copyright 2010 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
There’s nothing in the world like grilled cheese and tomato soup, but I do love mac and cheese. I never make it at home, but I can give you the names of the best places to find it in and around DC. I’ve got my finger on that pulse. Everyone makes it different!
Yeah, there’s just something about mac and cheese that comforts. The mac and cheese of my youth was made with Velveeta cheese. Sad to say, but now I buy the boxed variety. I wonder, how many ways can you prepare mac and cheese?
My mom used to make a dish called Hong Kong Casserole. We would ask for it always.
Hong Kong casserole? Hmmmmmm. I wonder if, in Minnesota, we would call that Oriental Hotdish? See, here we have hotdishes, not casseroles. My mom always made a hotdish with noodles, tomato juice and hamburger. To this day it’s a favorite of mine. Thanks for sharing.
Grandma’s noodle, tomato juice and hamburger hotdish topped with cheese is what came to mind right away as comfort food. It’s not complete without a piece of buttered white bread though (must have learned that from Grandpa).
Tara, we think alike. Did you read my response to the comment from Messy@Bungalow’56? I chose Grandma’s hotdish too as a favorite comfort food. It’s easy to make and always reminds me of Grandma (my mom) and growing up on the farm. I’m glad to hear her hotdish is cherished by you, the next generation. As for the white bread, well, I toast mine, butter it and sprinkle it with garlic salt.
Audrey,
I agree with you and Tara. Mom’s hotdish without the mushrooms (even though as an adult I love mushrooms). Also Dad’s pancakes, full of oil from frying. I really miss them. The best part was that he made them and was so proud. Also Mom’s hot fudge pudding cake.
That tomato juice/hamburger/noodle hotdish is definitely a comfort food. As for Dad’s pancakes, I never thought of those, but maybe because I dislike pancakes. And, YES, definitely, Mom’s hot fudge pudding cake is a comfort food and one of my favorite desserts.