By Isabel Vorst | Intern

As winter closes in and students are stuck indoors, home can feel farther away than usual. Without the bustle that warmer weather brings, sometimes it seems there is less to look forward to. An appreciation for the small things, such as food that feels like home, brings joy to many Baylor students.

During the winter months, people typically gravitate toward food that brings them warmth or promises emotional comfort. According to a study by the University of New South Wales Sydney, among the top choices are chocolate, chips, bakery goods, pizza and pasta.

College students, especially, might feel a stronger sense of nostalgia or emotional tie to these foods, since they are experiencing being away from home — and mom’s cooking — for the first time. Here is a list of comfort foods, some more familiar than others, that students are indulging in this winter.

“Grandma’s chicken casserole”

Houston sophomore Susannah Reavis said the Marie Callender’s frozen chicken casserole reminds her of home. Her family has been calling this meal of rice, chicken and vegetables, “grandma’s chicken casserole” for years.

“I have so many memories of sitting around the kitchen table, and how excited my sisters and I would get for ‘grandma’s chicken casserole’ night,” Reavis said. “It was the coziest thing.”

Waco’s hot spot, Magnolia Table, also offers a gourmet chicken pot pie option with a unique twist — instead of a traditional crust, it is topped with a biscuit.

Pot roast

Pot roast is a hearty meal that’s easy to prep and can be left in the oven for several hours while you go about your day. Just wash and chop potatoes, carrots and onion, and fill the dutch oven halfway with beef stock, then add a seared chuck roast and slow cook for several hours until tender.

A similar option to pot roast is beef stew, which is Cypress freshman Iliana Trahan’s favorite winter meal.

“It reminds me of my mom’s cooking,” Trahan said. “It’s very warm and comforting.”

Ramen

Another hearty meal that warms you from within is ramen. With a variety of preparation styles and numerous add-ins, the options are virtually limitless.

Woodinville, Wash., junior Zach Miyazaki’s favorite method of ramen preparation is tonkotsu shoyu, a combination of a rich, creamy broth cooked with pork bones, which is tonkotsu, and a savory shoyu tare, aka a soy sauce base.

“It’s quite an intensive process,” Miyazaki said. “I enjoy Japanese food because it feels very light and fresh.”

Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi Bar in Waco offers a variety of ramen options, including garlic tonkotsu ramen.

Congee

Chinese congee, or rice porridge, was Spokane, Wash., freshman Oliver Ling’s favorite comfort meal. This dish is made by boiling rice in a large amount of water or broth that breaks down the consistency of the rice to form a creamy soup texture. This is a versatile meal with many add-ins such as ginger, scallions and soy sauce and proteins such as chicken, pork or egg.

“I really just have a bunch of memories of coming home after a long day and eating congee around the table with my family, particularly in winter because it’s great for cold weather,” Ling said. “It is in my opinion the perfect comfort food.”