20+ Healthy Comfort Food Recipes

Now you don’t have to sacrifice your health to enjoy delectable, heart (and belly) warming foods. With these Healthy Comfort Foods you can satisfy your taste buds and feel great too!

They’re all gluten-free and mostly low carb.

Comfort Foods are those foods that make us feel good when we eat them. It’s the way they taste, the way they feel in our mouths, and sometimes it’s the memories they bring back from our childhood. They can be main dishes, sides, beverages, and yes, of course, desserts.

The problem, of course, is that so many comfort foods, while they might seem “comforting”–they wreak havoc on our blood sugar, and our guts…and inevitably on our health.

For me, some of my favorite comfort foods from my childhood are–cold cereal (from the box!), homemade cookies (especially chocolate chippers and peanut butter blossoms), spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, chicken nuggets, and ice cream. And ice cream.

And ice cream.

Did someone say ice cream?

NUMMERS.

I used to work in an ice cream parlor. BAD idea.

And then when my husband and I were dating, our favorite “frugal date” was to go to Mickey D’s and get soft serve cones. Multiple ones. We even knew which workers gave out the tallest cones…..mmm hmmm…..yup, we were that frugal and intent on getting the biggest dessert for our buck.

Spaghetti and meatballs were a big fave for me too. My mom would have the spaghetti sauce simmering all day…and would let me try some spooned onto white bread (yikes!) for a treat when it was almost done.

Then cookies.

I just loved baking. All. the. time.

I didn’t like the cleaning up part, though…just the baking and eating. Much to mom’s chagrin.

Peanut Butter Blossoms were my all time favorite cookie….and chocolate chippers…and…

Anyhow, as our diets changed over the years due to candida, thyroid disease, and more, these foods just moved out of my life, or I had to work to replace them with a healthier alternative.

I know that there are some healthy eating plans like Whole30, that recommend abstaining from healthier versions of comfort foods. And actually, that’s the way we eat most of the time around here these days.

Lots of healthy meat, veggies, some fruit, and occasional grains, but very little to no processed foods and our meals have been very basic for months.

However, earlier when our food sensitivities started, and today even, when I get in the mood to have fun with my food, I like having fun in the kitchen and making interesting dishes for my family and others. I’m not sure what’s changed–but my cravings have seriously diminished.

As in basically gone.

I see the benefit of both ways of eating. I think that eating basic foods can bring one closer to the reality of life–that food is made for living—we don’t live for food. Plus we have more time to focus on other things if we aren’t always thinking about our next meal and wondering what we’ll make or obsessing about how wonderful it’s going to be.

At the same time, I think it’s great to be able to celebrate creativity in the kitchen and enjoy culinary pleasures. And to have fun enjoying good food even if it’s a bit extravagant at times.

Plus, I think that when one is starting out trying to eat healthier, that having copycat versions of their favorite recipes can be a huge help and can even be the difference between staying on a new path and going back to eating junk food.

So with that in mind, I’ve created a roundup of healthy comfort foods, in the hopes that they will be a help to you, regardless of where you are on your healthy eating journey.

All are gluten free and are also dairy free and egg free or have easy substitutions. And if you are eating low-carb you should be able to substitute for most of them as well to meet your needs.

I hope that these healthy comfort foods are a help to you.

Healthy Comfort Foods

Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets – dairy & egg free with gluten & grain-free options

Instead of heading out to Mickey D’s, you can make these delicious baked chicken nuggets in your own home. They freeze well and taste amazing. In fact, whenever I make them, my husband says, “How long do these take to make?” which is his nice way of saying I don’t make them near as often as he’d like.