I introduced my children to macaroni and cheese last night for dinner. I was convinced they would slurp it up with big eyes and loud murmuring “yums.” I was very disappointed. My daughter touched her pile of yummy goodness with her little finger and then looked at me, as if to say, “so, where is my dinner?” My son at least ate most of his macaroni and cheese, but did so with a rather unimpressed look on his face. “What gives?” I thought to myself! Macaroni and cheese was my favorite food as a kid. It was my comfort food.

I got to thinking about comfort food. So I googled the term. Wikipedia defines “comfort food” as “foods consumed to achieve some level of improved emotional status, whether to relieve negative psychological affect or to increase positive. More generally, comfort food can be defined as food that brings some form or measure of comfort, sense of well-being or easy satisfaction.” Comfort foods generally are accompanied by a nostalgic element or even a cultural association. For me, macaroni and cheese is a nostalgic food of my youth, although I did partake of it during my pregnancy as well. My more frequent (or rather daily) comfort foods, such as dark chocolate, ice cream and tea, fall under the “improvement-of-psychological-affect” definition. And they really do, for at least a few moments and sometimes longer.

As I watched my kids eat (or not eat), I was wondering when we begin to realize that certain foods actually do comfort us. Young children obviously do not have the consciousness of it, although they clearly are comforted by their bottles and cups of milk. When did my comfort food develop from the simplicity of macaroni and cheese to the complexity of a good dark chocolate? Who knows. For the moment, I am wondering what to do with the pot of macaroni and cheese in my refrigerator. I guess I will have to eat it. Perhaps I should do so while sitting in my pajamas and watching episodes of the Road Runner cartoons. Ah – the comforts of my youth!