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

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!"
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?
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
Smallest Finger Foods (Fox News)
New York-based caterer sparks national trend by miniaturizing comfort food, proving size may not matter after all
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.
Marvelous mistakes: When food goes wrong, sometimes it's so right (Milwaukee ...
Most new foods and recipes are the result of tireless tinkering by cooks or food companies seeking fresh flavors, textures or combinations. But some recipes and foods are discovered purely by accident.
Chef suggests dishes from Ireland (Louisville Courier-Journal)
The cooking of the British Isles has long been the subject of jokes ? like "the most popular form of Irish cuisine is McDonald's shamrock shake" ? but as recent visitors to England, Ireland and Scotland have discovered, the foods in those long-maligned places has been improving by leaps and bounds.
WATCH: Vaginal Births After C-Sections Declining (ABC News)
ABC's Dr. Tim Johnson looks at the potential implications for patients. United States - Timothy Johnson - Government - Health - Conditions and Diseases
WATCH: Want a Body Like Brooklyn Decker's? (ABC News)
The Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model has tips for getting in shape. Brooklyn Decker - Sport Illustrated - Sport - Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - Andy Roddick
Retro recipes (The Independent Weekly)
Old cookbooks are like vintage clothes - worth keeping.