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Nutritional Comparison of Many Comfort Foods

Comfort Food Breakdown

April 4, 2008

Who doesn't love comfort food? You know, special foods you make when you are sad that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Comfort foods are usually warm and soft, and are also high in carbs, sugars, or fats. They're not necessarily the healthiest food we can eat, but because we have such emotional ties to comfort foods, they're definitively not something we should avoid.

Indulging in comfort food is good for the soul, but since it's not usually good for your waistline, you may want to know their nutritional value. If you're curious to know how many calories are in one of your Grandma's famous chocolate chip cookies, then read more

Food, Serving Size	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
1 slice of cheese pizza	272	9.8	33.6	1.8	4.1	12.3
1 cup of homemade mac 'n cheese	330	12	39	1	9	14
1/4 pint of Ben & Jerry's (cookie dough)	270	15	32	0	24	4
1 cup mashed potatoes	237	8.8	35.5	3.2	3	4.2
1 chocolate chip cookie (about the size of a small plate)	400	21	53	2	36	4
1 large order of McDonald's French Fries	570	30	70	7	0	6
1 brownie (1/20 of box mix)	170	8	22	1	15	2
Cheeseburger	300	12	33	2	6	15
Milk chocolate (1.5 oz bar)	230	13	25	1	22	3
1 hotdog with bun	315	18.5	29	.5	9	10
Grilled cheese	420	27	26	1	0	16
1 cup tomato soup	151	1.4	33.7	3	20.4	4
Meatloaf (3 oz)	188	12.9	9	.8	2.3	11.3

Are there other comfort foods you love that weren't on this list? Tell me about them in the comment section below.

27 Comments

mod16 4 years

i would not count a cup of tomato soup as a comfort food

picture_perfect 4 years

ew mashed potatoes as a comfort food? gross.

heartbreakerx62x 4 years

I always crave comfort foods! Sugar, I need to find some ways to comfort myself that don't involve food! Any suggestions?

soapbox 4 years

I think the grilled cheese have way more calories because:2 slices of regular sliced bread- roughly 160 calls2 slices of american cheese- roughly 200, depending on brand1 pat of butter- 40 calories (But who uses one pat?)So add that up and it's roughly 400.

soapbox 4 years

I think the grilled cheese have way more calories because: 2 slices of regular sliced bread- roughly 160 calls 2 slices of american cheese- roughly 200, depending on brand 1 pat of butter- 40 calories (But who uses one pat?) So add that up and it's roughly 400.

lilCROAT03 4 years

sundays= comfort food days. mondays = hell on a treadmill day.

almostloli 5 years

comfort food. amazing.. haha. eating em with your loved ones, getting warm and comfortable, then eat the comfort food! :D

bluepuppybites 5 years

I come from a background where we ate comfort foods like staples! I know now that you can't eat these everyday, but it sure is hard to resist them.

bigestivediscuit 5 years

I never realized (or mostly ignored) how many calories and fat are in some of these things. I've always been pretty slim so I usually eat whatever I want and burn it off later, but lately I've noticed I've been getting a little portly, so I've limited myself to having any of these comfort foods only on a Sunday!

joannabanana88 5 years

How does grilled cheese have more than a cheeseburger, when a cheeseburger contains the same ingredients PLUS more?

Spectra 5 years

Wow, I had no idea grilled cheese had so many calories! What about spaghetti and meatballs? That's one of my all time FAVORITE comfort foods.

supermommie 5 years

Do the mashed potatoes come with anything? No butter, no nuthin? I might go for the mac-n-cheese then. SM

supermommie 5 years

Do the mashed potatoes come with anything? No butter, no nuthin? I might go for the mac-n-cheese then.SM

j2e1n9 5 years

I get so much pleasure from eating I dont think its healthy. My comfort foods are pizza pizza pizza and bread bread bread. :WOOHOO: carbs!

FoxyJo 5 years

My comfort food...Mexican food!!! OMG!! I love a great burrito, taco, chilli verde anything! That's why I have to go to the gym...I can't give Mexican food up!! It's in my blood :)

ibiteback 5 years

grilled cheese can be low-cal if you use light whole wheat bread (or regular whole wheat), fat-free/lowfat cheese and either Brummel and Brown (a yogurt based butter subsitute) or cooking spray. The calories probably come from all that butter and full fat cheese.

rpenner 5 years

I wish I could find chocolate cookies the size of a small dinner plate! :)

gigill 5 years

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches is my ultimate comfort food combo. Glad to see they are on the list...not glad to see how many calories they contain! :(

Ikandy 5 years

didnt know tomato soup had that many carbs...

pamela6116 5 years

a homemade ragu ala bolognese. (tomato meat sauce). with tons of cheese on top. no pasta, just the meat and cheese. piping hot. spicy, hot, cheesy, filling. yum.

pamela6116 5 years

a homemade ragu ala bolognese. (tomato meat sauce).with tons of cheese on top. no pasta, just the meat and cheese.piping hot. spicy, hot, cheesy, filling. yum.

joghog 5 years

I recently lost a close friend to cancer, and have been hitting the comfort food hard. I didn't think it possible, but have gained 5 pounds in about 3 weeks! Now I know just how bad these foods are, and will think twice before eating another cookie. Oh... and get back to running... =0)