Though spring is approaching, many parts of the country are still in full-blown winter mode. And while a warm cup of tea and cozying up on the couch is lovely, nothing warms you from the inside out quite like a big bowl of comfort food. However, these dishes are often made with hearty ingredients—many of which aren’t the best for our overall health. “Comfort foods often bring us short-term satisfaction but may not meet all our nutritional needs,” says Rachel Gargano, MS, RD.
But that doesn’t mean comfort foods are off the table completely. There are plenty of ways to health-ify classic comfort dishes, and there are a handful of comfort food meals that are already healthy in their own right. Read on as we discuss what makes a comfort food recipe more or less healthy than the next—as well as some delicious recipes to try!
- Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS, chief registered dietitian at Live it Up
- Megan Huff, RD, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition by Megan
7 Comfort Foods That Are Actually Good for You
With these guidelines in mind, we’ve gathered seven better-for-you comfort food recipes—many of which are twists on the classics. That said, there’s a place for everything. “It’s ok to consume the ‘unhealthy’ version of comfort foods every once in a while—that’s what it’s for!” Gergano emphasizes. “You can still indulge while maintaining a balanced diet, as moderation is key.”
Ginger Chicken Soup With Vegetables
Photography: Carson Downing, Food: Lauren McAnelly, Props: Breanna Ghazal
While chicken soup is undoubtedly comforting—and already plenty healthy—there are also ways to boost the nutrition in this dish. This ginger chicken soup is the perfect example as it uses low-sodium broth and adds in a bunch of extra veggies. “Use a lower sodium broth and add flavor with herbs or spices to help increase flavor while reducing the amount of salt used,” Gargano suggests. Scallions and ginger step in as these major flavoring agents, and ginger just so happens to strongly boost the immune system through the array of plant compounds that it contains—ideal for peak cold and flu season. This recipe also packs a punch when it comes to fiber and micronutrients with its inclusion of turnips, frozen peas, and parsnips (in addition to the chicken soup classics: onion, celery, carrot, and garlic).
Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Few things beat an ooey-gooey grilled cheese on a cold winter (or early spring) day. However, the cheese, butter, and white bread used to make it typically disqualifies grilled cheese from being considered a “healthy” food. This veggie-filled spin on the classic includes spinach and artichokes, upping the fiber and micronutrient content. To boost this recipe even more, opt for whole grain bread in place of Italian bread and dairy-free butter in place of mayonnaise.
Slow-Cooker Squash Lasagna
While the first cheese pull of fresh lasagna is beyond impressive, the dish is usually lacking in veggies (except tomato sauce) and full of saturated fat-laden ground beef, cheese, and white sauce. This slow-cooker version, however, is a fantastic alternative, as it employs fiber and vitamin A-rich winter squash and iron-rich spinach instead of ground meat, yielding a lower saturated fat, vegetarian dish. For an even healthier version, look for whole wheat or gluten-free lasagna noodles. “These pasta alternatives are higher in protein and fiber, making them a more nutritious choice while still serving as a base for your favorite pasta dishes,” Huff says. Also, you can swap some or all of the ricotta in this dish with low-fat cottage cheese for boosted protein, a healthy dose of probiotics, and lower saturated fat content.
Herby Chickpea, Spinach, and Rice Stew
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Hearty stews are comfort food staples across the country but are often full of fatty red meats, cheeses, and butter, while not packing enough veggies. This herby chickpea, spinach, and rice stew is the perfect solution to deliver a rich, unctuous flavor with next-to-no saturated fat, low levels of sodium, and plenty of veggies. Plus, it boasts fiber, protein, and unsaturated fat with chickpeas, spinach, onion, and olive oil. A garnish of Greek yogurt is an improvement over the sour cream many would use in this kind of recipe. “Swapping Greek yogurt for sour cream is a smart move, as it is lower in saturated fat and higher in protein,” Huff explains.
Za’atar Chicken and Rice
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
One-skillet dishes like chicken and rice are easy and comforting. However, many recipes are made with creamy soup concentrates, loads of cheese, and processed meats like bacon or sausage. What makes this za’atar chicken and rice recipe a nutritional step above these classics is its exclusion of dairy and use of phytonutrient and fiber-rich ingredients including za’atar, pomegranate, almonds, and garlic. To boost the nutrition of this dish even more, use boneless, skinless chicken breast in place of the skin-on thighs the recipe calls for and brown rice instead of white rice.
Orange-Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
If beef and broccoli or orange chicken are two of your go-tos, this orange-glazed crispy tofu and broccoli is a fantastic healthy alternative. In a mash-up of the two classic recipes, this dish brings the sweet flavor of orange chicken and the savory combination of beef and broccoli—with no saturated fat in sight—as a vegetarian alternative. While this recipe does use soy sauce and brown sugar, the amounts are way lower than you’d find in any dish from a traditional restaurant. Plus, it employs the use of oven baking instead of frying for the crispy tofu, cutting down the total fat content of the dish.
Hearty Black Bean Chili
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
A steaming bowl of chili is one of the best ways to warm up after a long day in the cold. And you won’t even realize you’re enjoying a meat-free alternative with this fiber, protein, and veggie-rich black bean chili. While the protein (and fiber) is mostly provided by black beans, the addition of quinoa in this recipe bumps these numbers up even more as a plant-based source of complete protein. To keep the sodium to a minimum in this dish, opt for low-sodium canned black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and corn.
Signs of a Healthy Comfort Food
When it comes to sussing out a healthy comfort food recipe, it’s all about assessing the dish’s overall balance. Ideally, we want to see the three major macronutrient groups: protein, (complex) carbohydrate, and (unsaturated) fat. “Protein helps us be more satisfied and reduce hunger levels after a meal,” Gargano says. This nutrient is also crucial for tissue and muscle growth, repair, and maintenance in the body. “General sources of protein include chicken, beef, turkey, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and greek yogurt,” adds Megan Huff, RD.
Meanwhile, fiber (or complex carbohydrate) also promotes satiety while helping to lower cholesterol levels, promote healthy digestion, and feed the healthy bacteria in the gut microbiome. “Plus, most fiber sources—like whole grains, vegetables, and fruit—are packed with micronutrients and phytocompounds that are so important for health and longevity,” Gargano says. Nuts, seeds, and legumes are also super sources of this macro.
Then there’s unsaturated fats which, too, promote fullness after eating while reducing inflammation throughout the body as well as cholesterol levels. Sources of heart-healthy unsaturated fats include nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, fatty fish, and oils of any of these foods.
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