Food does more than just provide us with necessary vitamins and minerals. It also plays an important societal role, bringing friends and family together, giving us an excuse to gather, to spend time with one another, to try new things, or indulge in old-time favorites. The foods we eat can also affect our mood.

When people talk about comfort foods, it often refers to the foods we crave when we’re having a bad day or need a mood-booster. Comfort foods can include meals we ate as children and favorite snacks or desserts. These foods trigger the reward center in our brains and release hormones that make us feel content and satisfied.