According to students, food can be a vehicle for comfort in hard and happy times alike, a way to share cultures and a way to exhibit Christ-like love to people.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines comfort food as “food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal.” Students shared that comfort foods are a source of genuine joy and happiness, especially when most students are far from home.
JJ Fang, a freshman from Taiwan studying business management, said comfort foods reminded her of her mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Welfare Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Through this mission, she was able to give tours of the Bishop’s Storehouse and educate people on how the Church provides food and services to people.
She also mentioned how preparing food, especially from her culture, is a great way for her to share her culture and spread love to others. Fang said one of her comfort foods is mango shave ice, which is a pile of shave ice drizzled with chunks of fresh mango topped with mango ice cream.
Fang said, “[Sharing food] is how I connect with people … It’s important to make people happy. When people are happy, and at ease, they are more willing to open up to you. When they are happy, they want to share important things with you.”
Seina Hamano, a freshman from Japan studying intercultural peacebuilding, commented that sharing food can take away awkwardness in conversation and it is a way to meet new people. She said her comfort food is sushi because it allows her to “treat” herself.
“Sometimes … it is kind of hard to get to know people because we may be shy or something. But there can always be free food, which helps us become friends with everyone and to start conversations.”
Leata Wilson, a junior from New Zealand studying exercise and sports science, said most of her family gatherings are centered around food, and food facilitates the best conversations. She also shared that her comfort food is popcorn because it reminds her of good times spent with friends at the movie theater.
“I know that whenever we get together with friends, we always have some kind of food. Food just makes it complete.”