As we near the holiday season, most people are probably stocking up on ingredients to make their favorite dishes and snacks. Whether they warm you up, bring back good memories or just taste good, it seems like everybody has at least one meal that comes to mind when they hear, “comfort food.”

Comfort meals can be pretty unique to the person, which is part of what makes them so amazing. They can be as expensive or as cheap as you want them to be, because all that matters is that they make you happy! The entire point is to bring you a warm feeling, even if the weather isn’t quite so hot. This is the main reason why a go-to comfort food is crucial to have during the holiday season.

“The gooey butter cake that my aunt makes for Christmas is to die for. It always warms me up, and the melt in your mouth consistency makes for a perfect dessert,” junior Paige Hunt said.

However, Hunt isn’t the only person who has a special Christmas meal. Junior Patrick Klassen and his family traditionally eat the same thing every year, but the meal isn’t quite as traditional as you think.

“Every year, my family always makes shrimp pasta on Christmas Eve. It may not be the most normal thing to eat during the holidays, but it is always so good, and eating it at other times throughout the year always makes me think of the Holidays,” Klassen said.

Junior Tori Larner and her senior sister Taylor have a signature autumn snack. Once the leaves begin to fall, the Larner sisters make sure to stock up and prepare their favorite apple treat.

“Apple crisps are my all time favorite comfort food. They’re so sweet and they really give me fall vibes. My sister and I sometimes go apple picking and use the apples that we got to make them, which is super fun. The ones you make yourself always taste much better,” Larner said.

Sure, all of these gourmet dishes sound great, but what about the simpler comfort foods? A big price tag or fancy name doesn’t always translate to the perfect comfort food, and daily snacks can be an easy fix when needed.

“Goldfish crackers are the best comfort food in my opinion just because they remind me of when I was little. I have so many good memories that I associate with them, and with so many different flavors, you can never go wrong with them,” sophomore Gia Danhoff said.

Regardless of what kind of food it is, our favorite foods are always there to make us feel better. If you don’t have one already, there are plenty to choose from! While it’s always fun to try new things, sometimes you really can’t beat the classics, and that’s what comfort foods are all about!