There’s something magical about mom’s cooking that can’t be replicated. These comfort foods carry more than flavor as they bring us back to our childhood home. With just one bite, you’re instantly transported back to mom’s kitchen, sitting at the table while she bustles around making everything better. We’re bringing 10 comfort foods from your childhood that only mom could make right.
10. Spaghetti and Meatballs
Mom’s spaghetti with meatballs is a weekly celebration at your home. She’s spent hours trying to perfect those meatballs, all slightly different sizes. You would remember the sauce that simmered on the stove in the evening. As you eat with your siblings, she’ll pretend not to notice the sauce on your shirt as you twirl the spaghetti.
9. Scrambled Eggs
How did she make something so simple taste so extraordinary? Her scrambled eggs were creamy, fluffy clouds that never seemed dry or rubbery like the ones you attempted to make. Maybe it was the way she stirred them constantly, or that pat of butter she added at the end, or simply the fact that she made them for you when you stumbled into the kitchen on Saturday mornings, still in pajamas.
8. Tuna Casserole
It sounds something like a kid won’t eat, but mom’s tuna casserole was comfort food at its finest. Remember the egg noodles with tuna and cream of mushroom soup. Those crispy potato chips on top that got golden in the oven. It was the kind of meal that made everything feel okay, even when nothing else did. Also, it’s budget-friendly, which proves that the best comfort food doesn’t need fancy ingredients.
7. Banana Bread
When was the last time you ate a banana bread? Remember those overripe bananas on the counter that weren’t going to waste under mom’s watch? She’s transformed them into the most delicious banana bread. It’s moist and tender with just the right amount of sweetness. Sometimes she’ll add some chocolate chips and nuts, but the bread is perfect as it is.
6. Mashed Potatoes
At mom’s house, it was never the instant kind. Mom’s mashed potatoes are all made with real potatoes and mashed with butter and milk. Somehow, they’re always at a perfect temperature. She made them for every holiday, every Sunday dinner, and whenever you needed something that felt like a warm hug on a plate.
5. Fried Chicken
Of course mom wouldn’t miss out everone’s favorite fried chicken. You tried, but somehow, can’t perfect the soaked chicken in buttermilk. You tried to also seasoned it with flour in hopes of frying it to perfection. You can’t forget how crispy and flavorful it was that even at an adult age would still make you happy.
4. Pot Roast
Sunday meant pot roast, slow-cooked until the meat practically fell apart at the touch of a fork. The house would smell incredible all day as it cooked low and slow. It would come in carrots, potatoes, and onions that became melt-in-your-mouth. Mom would make gravy from the pan drippings, and the whole meal felt like a celebration. Don’t you ever wish having a pot roast when you get home after a busy day?
3. Meatloaf
Everyone jokes about meatloaf, but mom’s was different. Hers was moist, flavorful, and came with that slightly sweet glaze on top that caramelized just right. Served with mashed potatoes and green beans, it was the definition of a home-cooked meal. She made it on Thursdays, as the smell would fill the whole house.
2. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This is the ultimate dinner duo. The sandwich with its golden crust and stretch cheese works well dipped in tomato soup. It has the exact right temperature that is hot enough to warm you up, but never so hot it burned your tongue. Together, they were the hearty meal you share with the entire family while telling them about your day.
1. Chicken Soup
Not just any chicken soup, her chicken soup. The one with the perfect balance of vegetables, shredded chicken. Most importantly, it’s the broth that somehow tasted like a warm hug. She made it when you were sick, sad, or just because it was cold outside. You’ve tried to recreate it a hundred times, but yours always tastes like soup. Hers tasted like love in a bowl.