There are many answers to the definition of comfort foods. 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 ingredients?

Marie was a waitress at a French restaurant. She was asked what she thought of when I asked her what comfort foods were. After she put down a plate of garlic roasted Italian bread, parmesan cheese, and olive oil, she volunteered that oven-roasted chicken came to mind. That is what her grandmother served every Sunday evening when Susie was a child. Grandmother's Sunday chicken is what Susie thought of as a comfort food.

Familiarity is a word that is used to describe one's comfort level. This also applies to things that one eats. Foods that one recognizes, things that bring memories of family and home, are important characteristics of comfort foods. It is not the ingredients per se. It is the setting in which the food item is served. Family meals often are cited as part of the answer to the question of what are comfort foods.

Yahoo! News Search Results for comfort foods
Yahoo! News Search Results for comfort foods

Rocco DiSpirito rehabs fatty comfort foods (Lifewise on Canoe)
Rocco DiSpirito used all of his culinary tricks to slash calories from the 150 fatty foods Americans love in his new book, "NOW eat THIS!"
Smithfield Foods sees profit in 3Q, tops forecasts (AP via Yahoo! News)
Smithfield Foods Inc., the nation's largest hog producer and pork processor, reported a profit on Thursday for its third quarter after more than a year of losses.
Ground beef an all-star of comfort foods (Honolulu Advertiser)
There are so many delicious meals to make with ground beef. No doubt you have a favorite spaghetti sauce or chili recipes that use ground beef. Meatloaf and meatballs are the kind of comfort food that's perfect for a Sunday Night Supper. And what about a delicious, hearty combination with fresh Island eggs and locally grown greens for a Sunday brunch?
Smithfield Foods sees profit in 3Q, tops forecasts (Bay News 9 Tampa Bay)
Smithfield Foods returns to 3rd-qtr sales rise overseas, beats Wall Street forecasts
WATCH: More of Rocco's Low-Cal Meal Makeovers (ABC News)
Chef Rocco DiSpirito whips up some comfort foods under 350 calories. Rocco DiSpirito - United States - Business - Hospitality - Food Service
Rosebud returns to its Italian roots (The Beacon News)
The Rosebud eatery in downtown Naperville has returned to its Italian roots.The restaurant, which has been in Naperville since 1993, revamped from Rosebud Burgers and Comfort Foods to Rosebud Italian Specialties and Pizzeria, said general manager Jay DeMarco. The new menu is full of Italian favorites and specialties, from the appetizers down through the entrees.
Smallest Finger Foods (Fox News)
New York-based caterer sparks national trend by miniaturizing comfort food, proving size may not matter after all
Sign in to MassLive.com (The Republican)
Spring sampler returns to Young Building %%by%%By KEITH J. O'CONNOR%%eby%%%%bodybegin%%"People find warmth and comfort in handmade work and are drawn to it, especially in these economic times," said potter Robert Fishman.
Almost like home (The Columbus Dispatch)
In 1970, Jules and Nita Sokol opened a restaurant on Parsons Avenue and greeted their first guests with a friendly "howdy, folks." The menu was simple, consisting mostly of burgers, fries and chili. This year, the next generation of the family continues the tradition - albeit with a broader menu of comfort foods - marking the chain's 40th anniversary.
WATCH: Do Osteoporosis Drugs Cause Fractures? (ABC News)
New research links osteoporosis drugs and broken bones. Osteoporosis - Health - Conditions and Diseases - Musculoskeletal Disorders - Pharmacy