With rising grocery prices and hectic schedules, many Americans are leaning towards simple, budget-friendly meals that are steeped in tradition and comfort. Comfort food, often referred to as “Grandma-style cooking,” seems to be making a comeback in kitchens across the country. This trend, sometimes labeled “non-nostalgia,” highlights a desire for heartfelt food, especially during the colder months.
Experts suggest that this shift is a reaction to years of complicated food trends and an ongoing search for the latest culinary fads. Emmy Clinton, a recipe developer from Colorado, notes, “When life feels overwhelming, we tend to gravitate toward familiar, uncomplicated meals that offer comfort.” She describes this style of cooking as representing safety and memories that help simplify life.
Clinton herself enjoys making pot roast, stating, “You’ll find countless pot roast recipes, but they all share that fundamental grandma wisdom—use simple ingredients and just let it cook.”
Some think the trend also springs from a declining culture of family dinners. Dorina Lantera, an Italian-American entrepreneur from Washington, D.C., is focused on reviving communal meals. Inspired by the “Roseto Effect” from Roseto, Pennsylvania, she emphasizes the human need for connection, noting that people are craving traditional meals that unite them around the table. Her specialties include lasagna and comforting soups.
Many agree that the emotional aspect is significant. California chef Jessica Randhawa, who founded the food blog The Forked Spoon, says that returning to her family recipes helped her process the loss of her parents. “Cooking in this way has brought healing for me, allowing me to share family traditions and flavors with my son,” she adds.
Her experience mirrors a broader trend where recipes that resonate with nostalgia are getting the most engagement from home cooks. Here are five comforting recipes to try this winter.
1. Chicken and Gyoza
According to Laney Smith, founder of TheVintageCook.com, contemporary cooks are embracing the same simplicity that defined family meals in the 1960s. “Families wanted real food but also time together,” she observes. “They didn’t want complex recipes with countless ingredients or hours spent cooking after a long day.”
Her chicken and gyoza recipe requires just rotisserie chicken, Bisquick mix, milk, and chicken bouillon powder. “You can whip up a hearty meal in about 30 minutes,” she shares. The technique involves simmering a rotisserie chicken in chicken broth and dropping spoonfuls of the batter on top to create fluffy dumplings.
2. Chili Dog
Smith also offers a simple twist on classic hot dogs with her chili dog recipe, which combines hot dogs and chili for an easy, budget-friendly meal. “Cooking that respects people’s time and budgets is definitely making a comeback,” she notes. Her six-ingredient hot dog chili recipe uses straightforward, affordable ingredients. “People love this because it’s reminiscent of the food from their childhoods,” Smith adds.
3. Cream-Braised Mushroom Pork Chop
For Randhawa, certain recipes shouldn’t be altered, especially her father’s. Her cream-braised mushroom pork chop dish features pan-seared pork chops simmered in cream of mushroom soup. “It’s pure, nutritious comfort food that’s easily relatable,” she explains, insisting on using canned soup for authenticity.
4. Split Pea Soup
Split pea soup has personal significance for Randhawa, as it’s a dish her mother enjoyed growing up in Iowa. Following her mother’s passing, she began frequently preparing this healthy soup as part of her grieving process. It’s made with leftover ham bones and vegetables, creating a nutritious meal that carries family history.
5. Meat Sauce Pasta
Finally, Randhawa continues the legacy of her family’s meat spaghetti sauce, a straightforward mix of ground beef, Italian sausage, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings. “Even though my son never met his great-grandmother, I’m grateful he enjoys her recipes,” she says.
