Canadians reveal top comfort foods to cope with winter

A new survey asks Canadians, “as the cold and dreary weather approaches, which foods will they seek out for comfort.” For the fourth year running, soup led the way against all other comfort foods. The Culinary Comfort List, a survey of 1,502 Canadians by Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, saw several dishes maintained their spots as Canadian mainstays for comfort – for both relief and winter survival through uncertain and chilly times.

Here were the top findings for this year:

• Soup solidified its top spot, growing in popularity year-over-year as the ultimate comfort blanket. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Canadians chose a hearty bowl to warm their souls during those long and dark, winter evenings. Women (72%) were much more likely than men (58%) to pour a bowl of soup as the days get shorter and the nights get longer.

• Chili remains at second place on this year’s list (39%). Canadians seem to turn to the slow cooker favourite as the temperature drops.

• Spaghetti and meatballs are falling behind. For the first year, only one-third (34%) look to this Italian-American innovation.

“It’s no secret that our culinary affection turns to hearty comfort food in those frosty Canadian days,” says David Rocco, International Celebrity Chef. “Amidst the chill, cheese stands as the ultimate comfort ingredient, infusing warmth and nostalgia into every dish”

“Parmigiano Reggiano is the ultimate comfort, versatile cheese,” says Nicola Bertinelli, president of Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano. “It can be grated into soups; shaved onto classic and modern pasta dishes or melted into mom’s magical one-pot dishes. Add to that, if you save the rinds, they act as flavour bombs for your soups.”

As winter approaches, the Farmer’s Almanac is expecting a cold and dreary season. There is no better way for Canadians, who are encouraged to stay warm. These are the findings of a survey conducted by The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium from December 11th to 13th, 2023 among a representative sample of 1,502 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.