8 Foods People Call Comfort Food That Others Find Completely Unappealing

Comfort food is supposed to make people feel good. It is the dish you crave after a long day, when you are feeling under the weather, or when you just miss home. But one person’s comfort food can be another person’s worst nightmare.

What feels warm and familiar to one family can seem bland, odd, or downright unappetizing to someone who didn’t grow up with it. Much of it comes down to memory, region, and what was on the table during childhood. Here are eight foods that many people call comfort food, while others find them completely unappealing, and why both sides feel so strongly about them.

1. Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole was a weeknight favorite in mid-century America. Egg noodles, canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup, and peas were baked together, often topped with crushed potato chips or breadcrumbs. It was cheap, filling, and could be made with pantry staples.

People who grew up with it often find it deeply comforting. They remember Friday dinners during Lent or busy weeknights when Mom needed something easy. Others can’t get past the combination of fish and creamy sauce and wouldn’t touch it if they were paid.

2. Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is thick, green, and hearty. It is usually made with dried split peas and a leftover ham bone, simmered for hours until it becomes almost like porridge. Many families made it after a holiday ham to use up every last bit.

Fans say there’s nothing better on a cold day, especially with crusty bread. The soup is also filling and full of fiber. But others are put off by its color and texture, and some have even compared it to baby food.

Split pea soup also has a long history. Dried peas were cheap, kept well, and could be cooked into a filling meal with almost nothing else. For many families, a pot simmering on the stove after a holiday was a sign that nothing would go to waste.

3. Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a simple dessert made with rice, milk, sugar, and often cinnamon or raisins. It has been made in American homes for generations, often to use up leftover rice. Many diners still keep it in the dessert case.

For some, it brings back memories of a grandmother’s kitchen or a cozy winter evening. Its soft texture and warm spices are deeply soothing. Others find the texture strange and the raisins unwelcome, making it one of the most divisive desserts around.

4. Creamed Corn

Creamed corn has a sweet, soft, and almost soupy texture. It can be made from fresh corn kernels scraped from the cob, or poured straight from a can. In many Southern and Midwestern homes, it was a regular side dish at Sunday dinner.

Those who love it think of it as the ultimate comfort side, especially with fried chicken or ham. Others say it looks unappetizing and has a mushy texture that is hard to enjoy. Many prefer their corn simply buttered and still on the cob.

5. Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed peppers were a common family supper in the 1950s through the 1970s. Green bell peppers were filled with ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce, then baked until tender. Some cooks topped them with melted cheese.

For many families, they were a warm, satisfying meal that made a little meat go a long way. Others remember the bitter taste of green peppers and the soft, sometimes soggy texture. Plenty of kids ate the filling and quietly left the pepper behind.

6. Grits

Grits are a beloved breakfast staple across the South. Made from ground corn, they are cooked slowly with water or milk until creamy, then finished with butter, salt, or cheese. They are also the base of shrimp and grits, one of the region’s most famous dishes.

To Southerners, grits are pure comfort, and many have eaten them since childhood. Outside the South, though, many people find them bland or gritty, especially if they have only tried instant versions. The way they are made makes a big difference, and fans insist that properly cooked grits can win almost anyone over.

7. Fried Bologna Sandwiches

Fried bologna sandwiches were a cheap and satisfying lunch for many families. A thick slice of bologna was fried in a skillet until it puffed up in the middle, then placed on white bread with mustard or cheese. Some people cut a small slit in the slice to keep it flat.

Fans say it is one of the best sandwiches ever made, full of nostalgia and salty flavor. It is still a popular menu item in some Appalachian diners. Critics see it as processed meat at its worst and can’t understand why anyone would choose it.

8. Mayonnaise Sandwiches

A mayonnaise sandwich is just what it sounds like: soft white bread spread with mayonnaise, sometimes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. In the South, many people add sliced summer tomatoes, which turns it into a seasonal favorite. During hard times, it was an inexpensive lunch that filled hungry kids.

For those who grew up eating them, these simple sandwiches are a reminder of childhood and family. Others find the idea of a sandwich with nothing but mayonnaise completely baffling. It is one of the clearest examples of how comfort food depends on where and how you were raised.

Why Comfort Food Is Personal

Comfort food is less about the dish itself and more about the memories that come with it. Researchers have found that people often turn to familiar foods when they feel lonely or stressed. One psychology study suggested comfort foods may help people feel more socially connected, which explains why the same dish can mean so much to one person and so little to another.

Even soldiers far from home have been served unexpected comfort foods to remind them of family. Many of these dishes also show up on lists of foods boomers loved with a passion. Which comfort food do you love that others can’t stand?