It's my favorite (and most delicious) time of the year!
Preparing holiday meals is an extremely important tradition in my family -- it has been since I was a little girl. During the holiday season, we'd always make tons of veggie casseroles and cornbread for our extended family. I used to love the smell of everything browning and bubbling in the oven. I still do.
I recently partnered with Del Monte (the makers of premium canned vegetables and so much more) to share with you some fun stats on what Americans love to eat during the holidays . They just published their Del Monte Comfort Food Index, which ranked the Top 10 Holiday Comfort Foods.
1. Potatoes (mashed or scalloped): 84% (percent who feel "comfort" by eating the food)
2. Pie: 82%
3. Baked goods (cookies & muffins): 81%
4. Macaroni & cheese: 75%
5. Cake: 71%
6. Casserole: 69%
7. Stews and hearty soups: 68%
8. Meatballs (with or without pasta: 65%
9. Sweet potatoes (mashed or cut): 61%
10. Cornbread: 60%
Throughout the holiday season, we have pretty much all of these dishes on the menu. We love potatoes in our household, but casseroles are always a huge hit too. Who doesn't love casseroles?
Going through the Del Monte America’s Recipe site, I discovered some recipes I'd like to try out for this year's feast.
Cheddar Corn Casserole may be the ultimate holiday comfort food. You can also add ham or turkey to it to make it a complete meal.
Another guaranteed holiday hit is Green Bean Casserole. In fact, it's not surprising to hear that 57% of Americans find it comforting and nostalgic to eat green bean casserole. (I'm certainly one of these folks.)
And... Pie. I could probably eat a fruit pie everyday. Del Monte's Peach Slab Pie recipe is so easy to make, I'm excited to try it! The crust is mixed into the pan, it doesn't get simpler than that.
So, just how important is comfort food during the holidays? Very important. The survey also found:
>> 46% of Americans agree that their family "shows love and comfort through food."
>> 44% of Americans look forward to the food more than presents during the holidays. (Totally true in my family!)
>> 62% of Americans say that they are "traditional and like to make or eat classic comfort recipes in the same way every year."
>> 38% of Americans say they "like to change things up and prefer modern twists on favorite comfort foods."
Looking for more quick and delicious versions of comfort food? Check out some of my new faves which match the top 10 comfort foods:
1. Potatoes (mashed or scalloped): 84% (percent who feel "comfort" by eating the food)
2. Pie: 82%
3. Baked goods (cookies & muffins): 81%
4. Macaroni & cheese: 75%
5. Cake: 71%
6. Casserole: 69%
7. Stews and hearty soups: 68%
8. Meatballs (with or without pasta: 65%
9. Sweet potatoes (mashed or cut): 61%
10. Cornbread: 60%
Find more of Del Monte's top-rated, family-approved holiday recipes here: Del Monte America’s Recipe site.
I'd love to hear which of these recipes you want to add to your holiday dinners! Let me know in the comments below.
Disclosure: Promotional items were received for participation in the campaign.
