There is just something about your favorite comfort food. While I won’t binge on them constantly, I enjoy some good down-home southern home cooking from time to time. Personally for me when I think of comfort foods I think of things like mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, or a grilled cheese sandwich. But those are just a few of the endless examples. The Oxford Dictionary defines comfort foods as “food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.”
The researchers over at E-Conolight analyzed Google search data to determine the most popular comfort foods in each state. And by popular they mean the most searched for. And there were some fantastic foods that made the list including chicken and dumplings, cheese grits, pot roast, stuffing, and chili. In fact, reading this list has made me hungry for lunch. And not the salad I was planning on having either. But what did the data show as the most popular comfort food in North Carolina? It’s a good one that combines both sweet and salty and honestly what more can you ask of a food?
Keep reading to see which foods the Carolinas and neighboring states love. Want to see more? You can read the full E-Conolight article here.
North Carolina
Chicken & Waffles. Maybe I just didn’t get out much but I feel like in the last 10 years or so is when chicken & waffles became a thing. I love a good waffle and I love fried chicken. But for a while, I was very hesitant to try this combination. It just sounds so weird, mainly the syrup on fried chicken part. But as soon as I finally tried it, I get it. This combination is so good and an absolute staple on brunch menus for a reason!
South Carolina
Could there be a better comfort food representation of South Carolina than shrimp & grits? When this meal is good it’s GOOD. Especially in Charleston and other coastal towns. In the south we know how to really cook grits and this meal is the perfect blend.
Virginia
Any combination of carbs and cheese is the perfect comfort food. And a grilled cheese certainly fits that description. Want to take it up a notch? Add bacon or another meat, tomato, or tomato soup to dip it in. I’m comforted just by the thought of this delicious meal.
Georgia
Is there a better southern delicacy than fried chicken? It’s a classic for a good reason. When you find a restaurant or even better a family member who makes the best fried chicken, it’s a blessing!
Tennessee
Full disclosure I had no idea what Chess Pie is and had to Google it. But thanks to Cooking Classy, I learned that it is “a custard-style pie with a crisp browned topping”. This dessert typically consists of a traditional pie crust with filling consisting of eggs, milk or buttermilk, flour, sugar, and often vinegar or lemon.
