The Best Comfort Foods When Sick | Goldbelly (2024)

Published on January 8th, 2024

GET WELL SOON WITH THESE FOODS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER

Sniffles? Running nose? Just feeling blah? We hate being sick.

When we’re sick and want to get well soon, we love to lounge on the couch, snuggle up with a blanket, and snack on our favorite comfort foods.

We reach for tasty foods that are filled with hydration, nourishment, and feel-good ingredients. Sick of being sick? Try these comfort foods and get well gifts that will make you and your loved ones feel better fast.

What is Good Comfort Food When You’re Sick?

Good comfort foods when you are sick are your favorite foods that are hydrating, nutrient-rich, and palate-pleasing. Which foods are the best comfort food varies by person as everyone has their favorite foods that satisfy and soothe.

The best comfort foods when sick include:

• Breads
• Fruits
• Grits
• Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Munchies
• Popsicles
• Pot Pies
• Soups
• Tea
• Vegetables

Read More: Care Package Ideas for a Sick Friend

Tartine Bakery’s Country Loaf

Whether you have an upset stomach or just want to carbo load on the couch, bread is a classic comfort food. From toast to grilled cheese to peanut butter & jelly, simple sandwiches are a popular comfort food when sick.

Bread is part of the BRAT diet. The BRAT diet consists of easily digestible, doctor-recommended foods that you may eat when you have an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast.

The famed San Francisco bakery bakes one of the most famous breads ever. Tartine Bakery’s Country Loaf is made from flour that is fresh-milled from single-variety grains.

Read More: Favorite Fall Breads for all the Cozy Fall Feels

Frog Hollow Farm’s Organic Mixed Fruit Box

An apple (or berries or a banana) a day may keep the doctor away. Fruits are important 365 days a year, but even more so when you’re not feeling well. Pick fruits high in antioxidants like Vitamin C, which aids in recovery.

Fruits high in vitamin C include:

• Grapefruit
• Kiwis
• Oranges
• Strawberries

Some of the best fruits to eat when sick are:

• Bananas: bananas are packed with potassium and fiber, which help replenish electrolytes.
• Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
• Grapes, Oranges, and Melons: Juicy fruits are hydrating.

Get fresh-from-the-farm organic fruits from Brentwood, California’s, Frog Hollow Farm. Their Organic Mixed Fruit Box includes 5 lbs. of seasonal fruit.

Commander’s Palace’s Three-Course Shrimp & Grits Dinner

Grits are warm and comforting. From eggs and cheesy grits for breakfast to spicy shrimp & grits for lunch or dinner, grits are a great option when you’re not feeling well.

It’s important to avoid greasy foods and processed foods when you’re sick as these are hard to digest. Grits taste indulgent and adding spice can help break up congestion caused by colds.

When you’re too sick to dine out, get a taste of New Orleans delivered straight to your door with Commander’s Palace’s . The award-winning restaurant’s dinner kit includes:

• Creole cream cheese grits
• Garlic bread
• Pecan pie
• Shrimp
• Turtle soup or seafood gumbo

World Famous House of Mac’s Five Cheese Truffle Mac & Cheese

Go ahead and mac this side dish the main event when you’re sick. The combination of gooey cheese and soft noodles is comforting, soothing, and oh-so-tasty.

Hip hop legend Derrick “Chef Teach” Turton opened World Famous House of Mac in 2018 and the rest is delicious history. This Miami, Florida, mac ‘n’ cheese joint makes super creamy mac ‘n’ cheese like with penne pasta and Cheddar, Jack, and Monterey cheeses.

Milwaukee Pretzel Company’s Bavarian Soft Pretzel Bites

We get it. The last thing you want to do when you feel sick is make a meal. Sometimes, even microwaving a meal is too tiring. When hunger hits, enjoy some munchies like salty crackers, crispy or soft pretzels, and plain popcorn.

Milwaukee Pretzel Company makes exceptional Bavarian pretzels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Matt and Katie Wessel’s Bavarian Soft Pretzel Bites are perfectly poppable. Each 1 in. by 1 in. pretzel is crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and bursting with flavor.

La Newyorkina’s Fruity Popsicles

Whether you have a sore throat, a cold, or the flu, a refreshing popsicle or paleta hits the spot. Juicy popsicles are hydrating and a nice break from tea or water. Plus, they’re fun to eat and spark joy.

Fany Gerson makes her perfect paletas (Mexican popsicles) in small batches in Brooklyn, New York. La Newyorkina’s Fruity Popsicles are made in Mexican-inspired flavors like:

• Coconut
• Cucumber Lime
• Mango Chile
• Mixed Berry
• Passion Fruit
• Pink Limeade

Dangerously Delicious Pies’ Chicken Pot Pie

Why is chicken noodle soup such a popular cold remedy? Cysteine, the amino acid in chicken, helps loosen secretions, thin out mucus, and promotes coughing that helps clear your nose and throat. If you’re tired of soup, reach for a freshly baked chicken pot pie.

Since 1999, Dangerously Delicious Pies has been hand making savory and sweet pies with locally-sourced ingredients in Baltimore, Maryland. Dangerously Delicious Pies’ flaky Chicken Pot Pie is packed with:

• A touch of cream
• Candied carrots
• Corn
• Fresh herbs
• Peas
• Roasted chicken
• Redskin potatoes

2nd Ave Deli’s Matzoh Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup is known as the “Jewish Penicillin” thanks to its powerful and healing broth, easily digestible matzo balls, and hydrating vegetables. 2nd Ave Deli’s Matzoh Ball Soup is a kosher chicken consomme soup brimming with handmade matzoh balls, noodles, and carrots.

Soups are packed with flavor, ingredients, and nutrients that will make you get well soon. The seasonings, veggies, and broths are hydrating and boost the immune system. Proteins like chicken and turkey and carbs like noodles and rice provide the energy you need to fight illness.

The best comforting soups include:

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Matzo Ball Soup
• Pho
• Ramen

Read More: Best Soups For a Cold

Madame ZuZu’s Emporium’s Artisanal Tea Sampler

Tea is a tea-rrific beverage in sick times and well times. Tea is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Any hot tea (black, green, white, or herbal) creates steamy vapors that serve as a natural decongestant.

Add ginger to relieve nausea. Add honey to soothe a sore throat. Honey also has antibacterial properties.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and his wife, fashion designer Chloe Mendel founded Madame ZuZu’s Emporium in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2012. Their Artisanal Tea Sampler includes a quartet of teas:

• Crema Earl Grey
• Lemon Berry Meritage
• Soothing Sunshine Ginger Turmeric
• French Kissed Moroccan Mint

Norwich Meadows Farm’s Farmer’s Choice Box

Everyone knows vegetables are healthy, but they are critical when you have a cold or flu. Veggies are packed with germ-fighting, immunity-boosting vitamins like vitamin C.

Some of the best vegetables to eat when sick are:

• Kale: Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins and fiber. Adding kale to a smoothie is an easy way to add more green foods to your diet.
• Lettuce: Another leafy green, lettuce is not only packed with good-for-you nutrients but also aids in hydration.
• Spinach: Dark green vegetables are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Adding spinach to a soup is an easy way to eat more greens.

Veg out on the couch with vegetables straight from farms and farmers markets. Norwich, New York’s Norwich Meadows Farm ships its perfect produce to New York City’s top chefs and you. Their Farmer’s Choice Box includes 20 servings of in-season organic produce.

Read More: Comforting Winter Meals

Under the weather? Get well soon with the best get well gifts shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!