Cooler weather often has us craving comfort foods—hearty chili, pot pies, or lasagna to warm you up from the inside. And if we’re feeling a little down, we often turn to sweets for a bit of comfort. Comfort foods are typically high-fat, high-carb, high-calorie foods, often sweet, providing temporary pleasure that makes us just feel better.1
There are psychological reasons we’re drawn to them, too. Not only do they make us feel better by triggering the brain’s reward system, they can also evoke a sense of nostalgia—think about grandma’s macaroni and cheese—and they’re associated with special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings—creamy mashed potatoes and warm, buttery rolls.
Comfort foods can make us feel good in the moment, but later we might regret eating them, since they’re not always good for us. Is it possible to have good-for-you comfort foods? We think the answer is, “Yes.” This month we’ve put together a week of crave-worthy comfort foods that won’t bring you down.
Download The Printable Meal Plan
A New Take on Comfort Foods
Let’s take a look at how to make comfort foods healthier, but still satisfying.
Swap out the ingredients:
Making a few tweaks can help you make your favorite comfort food recipes healthier:
- Pasta: switch to a whole-grain version instead or try spiralizing zucchini. If it’s lasagna you’re after, swap the pasta sheets out for zucchini or eggplant. Then, choose a low-fat cheese and make a filling with your favorite vegetables and exotic mushrooms. You’ll reduce the calorie count and increase the nutritional value.
- Meat: try out a leaner meat option like bison instead of a steak or use ground turkey to make Sloppy Joes.
- Burgers: go out on a limb and try a hearty plant-based option -- you may be pleasantly surprised.
- Creamy sauces: when you’re after that decadent alfredo, swap the heavy cream for evaporated skim milk and use olive oil instead of butter.
- Ice cream: reach for a sorbet instead -- it’s lower in fat and calories, but watch the added sugar amounts.
- Chocolate: enjoy small portions of dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
Choose a different cooking method
Another way you can make comfort foods healthier is to switch up the cooking method. Craving salty chips? Rather than reaching for a bag of chips that have been fried and heavily salted, try using an air fryer recipe like this one for Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Chips. Steaming, baking, or grilling are other excellent ways you can modify cooking methods to make comfort foods healthier.
Below, check out Day of 1 Healthy Recipes For Comfort Foods:
Download the printable week-long meal plan here!
So there you have it. Comfort foods can be healthy and still give you that comforting feeling or take you back to childhood memories. Just follow our simple suggestions and try out our free 7-day meal plan, developed by a Registered Dietician, for satisfying comfort foods you’ll feel good about. From a Cafe Mocha Protein Shake to satisfy a chocolate craving, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili recipe to warm you up—all of the comfort and none of the guilt—to a Slow Cooker Veggie Pot Pie that will take you back to childhood while being healthy for your heart, we’re sure your comfort food cravings will be cured.
*A health-promoting diet focuses on a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats from nuts and plant oils. Limit intake of both saturated fat and added sugars to less than 10% of your daily calories, and sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but your calorie and other nutrient needs may vary. For dietary guidance specific to you, consult a healthcare provider.
