Comfort Food Doesn't Have to Be Unhealthy

Comfort food gets a bad reputation because people associate it with deep-fried everything and mountains of cheese. But comfort is about warmth, familiarity, and satisfaction — not about maxing out calories. You can make a hearty chicken soup loaded with vegetables. A lentil stew with warm spices. Baked sweet potatoes with black beans and salsa.

The trick is not to replace comfort food with sad salads, but to expand your definition of comfort. A bowl of warm oatmeal with cinnamon and banana is comforting. A rich tomato soup with crusty bread is comforting. You do not have to choose between feeling good and eating well — you can do both at the same time.