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Comfort foods are familiar and emotionally satisfying dishes that provide a sense of psychological comfort in times of stress or distress. They are not necessarily chosen for their nutritional value but for the positive emotions they evoke, offering a sense of reassurance and relief during challenging or emotionally charged moments.
Author and reviewer
Editorial responsibilityReferences and further reading
- “The psychobiology of comfort eating: implications for neuropharmacological interventions.” PMID: 22854304. View source
- “Comfort Foods in the Twenty-First Century: Friend or Foe?” PMID: 39661555. View source
How to cite this entry
Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. (2026). Comfort Foods. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/comfort-foods/Know a term that belongs in the Encyclopedia?
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