Comfort Food

Over the years, I have heard lots of people talk about comfort foods. I'd listen to the people and wonder to myself what exactly made a food a comfort food. I didn't get it, and I certainly didn't understand it. Generally speaking, food is something I view as fuel. I run (skip, prance, tap dance, leap, and wander) around the house all day. I graze on food almost constantly from the time I wake up until I go to sleep. If by comfort food these people mean that feeling that you're not going to die from feeling hungry, then I got what they meant.

I gave up candy (all candy) for Lent. Today is day seven of no delightful sugary confections. I've had days where I wonder why I chose to do this to myself. I could have easily forgone cookies or some other tasty treat, but instead I cut right to the core and placed candy, deliciously tart and tangy candy, off limits. I'll live. I keep reminding myself off all the other equally sugary foods that are tart that I can still have, like fruit. Anyway, I've come to realize that the candy I consumed in copious amounts was comfort food. Imagine that! I had comfort foods all along and I didn't even realize it.

From my candy fast, I've come to realize that other comfort foods lurk in the background. Since Ash Wednesday, I think I've consumed a baked potato loaded with butter just about every day. (I love butter!) When I was a kid, I lived on (or tried to at the very least) potatoes (baked or french fries), bread (generally rolls and crackers), fruit and candy. Now that candy is temporarily out of the picture, I've come to find that I'm hitting my old standbys.

I have to say that I'm just really surprised to discover that I actually have comfort foods. I'm even more surprised that I don't really miss the candy all that much. I just wish that I didn't find myself standing at the pantry several times a day instinctually reaching for candy only to realize what I'm doing at the last second. I really need to put some notes up in the pantry reminding myself that it's Lent before I accidentally eat candy.