What do you think of when someone says “comfort food?” Pasta? Casseroles? Ice cream? Gooey cheese? For me, it's creamy chocolate pudding, fresh bread hot from the oven, and dark chocolate. Others may crave cheese pizza or crispy French fries.
I would guess that for most of us on a gluten-free diet, the foods that suggest “comfort” revolve around those we have to avoid such as pasta, bread, crispy fried foods, and so on.
But, according to an online study from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts and reported in a recent issue of www.mediapost.com, there are some subtle but interesting generational, ethnic, and gender differences when it comes to comfort foods.
Nearly half of us prefer baked goods, sweets, and desserts over salty, savory treats when it comes to comfort foods and it's probably not surprising that more women than men choose sweets as comfort food. Ice cream, chocolate, and brownies come out on top here. I can certainly identify with these preferences.
If main dishes are cited as comfort food, it's usually roasted meats; for side dishes, it's macaroni and cheese and potatoes. Favorite snacks are chips, popcorn, and cheese.
Some interesting generational findings: Boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) crave foods from their childhoods like braised meats, casseroles, and ice cream. Gen Xers (born from mid-1960's to 1970's) cite commercial, fast-food fare such as hamburgers and burritos and mention branded foods more often such as packaged cookies, candies, and snacks. Gen Yers (born from early 1980's to 1990's) also like burritos but also mention fresh fruit and sushi and are not as likely to define their favorite foods along brand names.
What does all this mean for our gluten-free diet? Not surprisingly, different age groups probably prefer different types of gluten-free foods. I often notice that people older than 40 ask me for recipes that they enjoyed during their childhood or young adult years, rather than the more contemporary fare that today's younger people seem to like. They mention that getting back to normal once they're placed on a gluten-free diet means resuming the diet they once enjoyed, not necessarily eating new types of foods. Once they get those old, favorite foods back in their diets they're more willing to accept new foods.
So, the more diversity and variety we have in the availability of gluten-free foods, the more different types of gluten-free people can enjoy the foods they like. That's why I welcome new cookbook authors and manufacturers who address the wider age groups that now make up the gluten-free community. All of us deserve access to our favorite foods.
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