10 Old-Fashioned Comfort Foods That Taste Like Being a Kid Again

I don’t know about you, but food has always been strongly tied to my emotions and memories. So many positive experiences in my life have been with family and friends around a table or snacking in one another’s company. It’s a beautiful part of life— one that we too often take for granted.

When I think of food that takes me back, and evokes the kind of memories I cherish, it’s not fancy food that comes to mind, but rather simple, comforting recipes that anyone can make. I think that’s because these kinds of things are the very definition of home-style cooking, which is what most of us ate growing up.

When I think back to all those experiences and all that food, there are so many great memories that I don’t want to forget. All you have to do is close your eyes, think back, and connect with the food memories of your youth. I hope this list inspires some good emotions to bubble up to the surface.

Roasted marshmallows

The best part about roasted marshmallows isn’t eating them, it’s the whole process of gathering around a fire with family or friends and slowly watching the marshmallow turn golden brown. And of course, don’t forget when they catch on fire and turn into a blacked, burnt, sweet mess.

Corn on the cob

I must be a messy eater because I can’t eat corn on the cob without getting it stuck in my teeth and all over my face. But it’s one of those foods where making a mess is just part of the fun. It’s too delicious to slow down, and too satisfying to put down, and so you just keep eating until it’s all gone.

Fried chicken

It doesn’t matter if someone in your life made this from scratch or you only ever had fried chicken from a fast-food joint— this one is firmly locked into the memories of my lifetime list. It’s just a delightful combination of flavors and textures that compliment so many different sides and work equally well for a casual picnic or an important celebration.

Donuts

If you’re like me, donuts were the ultimate Friday treat growing up. If your parents brought home a box of donuts on a Friday morning, it changed the whole tone of the day, and if they brought them home Saturday morning, then the whole weekend was off to a great start. Donuts are one of those foods where even seeing them makes me feel good inside because I associate them with so many great memories.

Tomato soup & grilled cheese

Tomato soup and grilled cheese are basically yin and yang— they balance each other perfectly. The creamy, cheesy sandwich benefits from dipping in the tomato soup, and the rich, smooth texture of the soup balances the crunch and chew of the bread. When you have both on your plate, then you know there is nothing else to worry about. You are taken care of.

Pancakes

Growing up, one of the highlights of my week was that my mom (or sometimes my dad) would make pancakes for us on the weekends. If we didn’t have pancakes, then maybe we had waffles, but either way, I associate these foods with leisurely mornings with my family and syrup running down my lips. A truly great, family-friendly meal.

Mac & cheese

Mac and cheese isn’t just food, it’s a masterclass in simplicity. You don’t need a wide range of flavors or fancy techniques to create something delicious. You just need to match your starch with just the right cheese, and lock in just the right texture, and what you get is pure magic. If you haven’t had mac and cheese in a while, maybe it’s time to add it back into your rotation.

Root beer floats

There aren’t that many foods from my childhood that I still eat regularly, but root beer floats is one of those exceptions. Root beer floats are one of my all-time favorite desserts, and I love how they look, they taste, and how they remind me of so many fun, happy memories in my life. They are nostalgic both to think about and to enjoy right now in this moment.

Peanut butter & jelly

Many meals don’t scale well in size, but that’s not true with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If you’re really hungry, you can just make two or three of them, and it’s the exact same experience as enjoying just one. In that sense, they are the perfect lazy-day meal because you don’t have to do any extra work if you want something more filling.

Mashed potatoes

What’s the best part of a Thanksgiving meal? In my opinion, it’s the side dishes, and in particular, the king of all side dishes: mashed potatoes. This delicious starchy dish is one of those cases where the simpler it’s made, the more pure and delicious it tastes. Yes, you can get fancy with it, and sometimes that’s nice, but in the end, I just want a big pile of mashed potatoes on my plate.

Snickerdoodle cookies

Snickerdoodle cookies are one of those recipes that seem like a mystery unless you’ve made them yourself. They taste like sugar cookies but have a unique tangy taste and a slightly different texture. For the uninitiated, these truly are one of life’s simple pleasures— to enjoy a soft, chewy cookie that is both similar to something you’ve had and yet so uniquely different that it makes you smile.