Sick Day Comfort Food: 15 Gentle Meals Mom Made When You Were Under the Weather

Sick day comfort food is the gentle, cozy kind of cooking that moms and grandmas made when we were stuck in bed with a cold or the flu. Think chicken noodle soup in the big bowl, buttered toast and weak tea, cool applesauce, and soft rice porridge. None of these dishes are medicine, but they are warm, mild and easy to eat, and they may help you feel cozy and cared for. Each slide below has the story, a simple ingredient list and easy steps. One important note: this is comfort food, not treatment. If you are sick, especially with a high fever, trouble breathing, or symptoms that get worse or do not go away, please see a doctor or call your health care provider. Now grab a blanket, and tell us which bowl your mom always made..

The Classic Tray of Sick Day Comfort Food

Remember the tray? Soup in the big bowl, toast cut in triangles, a cup of tea and maybe a little dish of applesauce, carried right to your bed. Nothing on it was fancy, but it said someone was taking care of you. You can make the same tray today for a sick kid, a partner or yourself. Which item on the tray did you always eat first..

You will need: 1 bowl of warm chicken noodle soup, 1 slice toast (buttered, cut into triangles), 1 cup weak tea with lemon, 1 small dish of applesauce, a glass of water, a napkin and a spoon.

How to make it: 1. Warm the soup until steaming but not too hot. 2. Toast and butter the bread and cut it into triangles. 3. Make a mild cup of tea and add a lemon slice. 4. Spoon applesauce into a small dish. 5. Arrange everything on a tray with a glass of water. 6. Add a napkin and deliver with a hug.

Chicken Noodle Soup, the King of Sick Day Comfort Food

No list of sick day comfort food starts anywhere else. A warm bowl of chicken noodle soup is easy to eat, the broth helps you get some fluids in, and the steam feels good when your nose is stuffy. Grandma always said it was “Jewish penicillin,” but it is comfort, not medicine. Curious why so many families swear by it? Read why chicken noodle soup may help you feel better. Wide egg noodles or thin ones?

You will need: 8 cups chicken broth, 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, 2 carrots (sliced), 2 celery ribs (sliced), 1 small onion (diced), 2 cups egg noodles, 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper, fresh parsley.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a big pot and soften the onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. 2. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. 3. Add the noodles and cook 6 to 8 minutes. 4. Stir in the chicken and heat through. 5. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 6. Top with parsley and serve hot.

Chicken and Rice Soup for Tired, Achy Days

Some moms made rice instead of noodles, and honestly it might be even cozier. The rice cooks right in the broth until it turns soft and a little thick, so every spoonful feels like a hug. It is mild, filling and easy on a tired appetite. Make a big pot, because the leftovers taste even better the next day. Did your family make it with white rice or brown rice?

You will need: 8 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup long grain white rice, 2 cups cooked chicken (diced), 2 carrots (diced), 1 celery rib (diced), 1 small onion (diced), 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, a pinch of thyme.

How to make it: 1. Warm the oil in a pot and cook the onion, carrot and celery 5 minutes. 2. Add the broth and thyme and bring to a boil. 3. Stir in the rice, lower the heat and simmer 18 to 20 minutes. 4. Add the chicken and simmer 5 more minutes. 5. Taste, add a little salt, and serve warm.

Rice Porridge With Ginger, Sick Day Comfort Food From Asia

In many Chinese, Filipino and Korean homes, the go-to sick day comfort food is rice porridge, called congee, lugaw or juk. Rice simmers in lots of water or broth until it breaks down into a silky, soothing bowl. A few slices of fresh ginger add gentle warmth. It is soft enough to eat even when you do not feel like chewing. Did you grow up with rice porridge too?

You will need: 1 cup jasmine rice (rinsed), 8 cups water or chicken broth, 4 thin slices fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 green onion (sliced), a few drops of sesame oil (optional).

How to make it: 1. Put the rice, water and ginger in a heavy pot. 2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. 3. Cook 60 to 75 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not stick. 4. Add more water if it gets too thick. 5. Remove the ginger and stir in the salt. 6. Top with green onion and a drop of sesame oil.

Buttered Toast and Weak Tea on a Little Plate

It is the simplest sick day comfort food on this list, and maybe the most remembered. Plain toast with a thin swipe of butter, cut into triangles or “soldiers,” next to a cup of weak tea with a splash of milk. Moms reached for it because it was easy to eat and easy to make while also taking care of everyone else. Quick poll: A) triangles, B) rectangles, C) soldiers or D) whole slice?

You will need: 2 slices white or whole wheat bread, 1 to 2 tsp soft butter, 1 tea bag (black or decaf), 1 cup hot water, a splash of milk, a little sugar or honey if you like.

How to make it: 1. Toast the bread until light golden. 2. Spread a thin layer of butter while it is warm. 3. Cut into triangles or strips. 4. Steep the tea bag in hot water for just 1 to 2 minutes for a mild cup. 5. Add a splash of milk and a little sugar. 6. Serve on a tray with a napkin.

Homemade Applesauce, Smooth and Gentle

Cold, smooth applesauce was a treat you only seemed to get on sick days. It is sweet, soft and refreshing, and homemade tastes so much brighter than the jar. You only need apples, water and a pinch of cinnamon, and the kitchen smells amazing while it cooks. Serve it cool from the fridge or slightly warm. Chunky or completely smooth, how did your mom make it?

You will need: 6 apples (peeled, cored and chopped; try Gala or Fuji), 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 to 2 tbsp sugar (optional), 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Put the apples, water and lemon juice in a saucepan. 2. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until very soft. 3. Mash with a potato masher, or blend for a smooth sauce. 4. Stir in the cinnamon and sugar to taste. 5. Cool, then chill. 6. Keeps 5 days in the fridge.

Steamed Cauliflower With a Mild Cheese Sauce

This one surprises people. One Southern home cook’s video of steamed cauliflower with a smooth cheese sauce drew more than 24,000 reactions on Facebook, with fans calling it gentle and easy to eat. The cauliflower is steamed until very tender, then covered in a mild, creamy sauce. It is soft, warm and a nice way to get a vegetable in when your appetite is low. Would you try it?

You will need: 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets), 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup mild cheddar (shredded), 1/4 tsp salt, chives (optional).

How to make it: 1. Steam the florets 10 to 12 minutes until very tender. 2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour for 1 minute. 3. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick, about 4 minutes. 4. Take off the heat and stir in the cheese and salt. 5. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower. 6. Add chives and serve warm.

Plain Mashed Potatoes, Soft Sick Day Comfort Food

Sometimes you just want something soft and plain, and that is when mashed potatoes save the day. Skip the garlic and the heavy toppings: a little butter, warm milk and a pinch of salt are all you need. This sick day comfort food is mild, filling and easy to eat a few spoonfuls at a time. Some families even stirred in a spoon of broth. Butter on top or gravy on top?

You will need: 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cubed), 3 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup warm milk, 1/2 tsp salt, chives (optional).

How to make it: 1. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water in a pot. 2. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes until fork tender. 3. Drain well and return to the warm pot. 4. Mash with the butter. 5. Stir in the warm milk a little at a time until smooth. 6. Season with salt and serve warm.

Egg Drop Soup in About 10 Minutes

When nobody has the energy to cook, egg drop soup is the fastest sick day comfort food around. You heat broth, thicken it a little, then drizzle in beaten eggs while stirring so they turn into soft, silky ribbons. It is light, warm and ready in about 10 minutes. A little ginger and green onion make it smell wonderful. Have you ever made it at home, or only ordered it from your favorite takeout spot?

You will need: 4 cups chicken broth, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water, 2 thin slices fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 green onion (sliced), a drop of sesame oil.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the broth with the ginger for 5 minutes, then remove the ginger. 2. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer 1 minute until slightly thick. 3. Stir the soup in a slow circle. 4. Drizzle in the eggs in a thin stream while stirring. 5. Turn off the heat. 6. Add salt, green onion and sesame oil.

Saltine Crackers and a Mug of Warm Broth

Before any real meal, there was often this: a mug of warm broth with a stack of saltines on the side. Sipping broth is a cozy way to stay hydrated, and the salty crackers are easy to nibble. Homemade or store-bought both work. Many of us still keep a sleeve of crackers in the pantry just for flu season. Do you dunk your crackers or eat them on the side?

You will need: 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 thin slice fresh ginger (optional), a pinch of salt, a few saltine crackers.

How to make it: 1. Pour the broth into a small pot. 2. Add the ginger slice if you like. 3. Warm gently until steaming, about 3 to 4 minutes. 4. Remove the ginger and taste for salt. 5. Pour into a big mug. 6. Serve with saltines on a small plate.

Soft Scrambled Eggs, Cooked Low and Slow

When your appetite starts to come back, soft scrambled eggs are a gentle next step. Cooked over low heat, they stay creamy and tender instead of dry and rubbery. They take 5 minutes and pair perfectly with a slice of toast. The trick is patience: low heat, a little butter and steady stirring. Quick poll: A) soft and creamy, B) firm and fluffy, C) with cheese or D) with ketchup?

You will need: 3 eggs, 1 tbsp milk, 1 tsp butter, a pinch of salt, chives (optional), 1 slice buttered toast.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt in a bowl. 2. Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over low heat. 3. Pour in the eggs and let them sit 20 seconds. 4. Stir slowly with a spatula, pushing the eggs from the edges. 5. Take them off the heat while still a little glossy. 6. Serve with toast and chives.

Banana Oatmeal, a Gentle Sick Day Comfort Food Breakfast

Warm oatmeal with mashed banana is a soft, naturally sweet breakfast for the morning you start to feel a little better. The banana melts right into the oats, so you need little or no sugar. This sick day comfort food is filling without feeling heavy, and kids usually love it. Add a little peanut butter later when you feel more like yourself. Do you like your oatmeal thick or runny?

You will need: 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 2 cups milk or water, 1 ripe banana, a pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, sliced banana for the top.

How to make it: 1. Mash half the banana in a saucepan. 2. Add the oats, milk and salt. 3. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. 4. Stir in the cinnamon. 5. Spoon into a bowl. 6. Top with the rest of the banana, sliced.

Pastina in Broth, Italy’s Sick Day Bowl

Ask an Italian American what they ate when they were sick, and many will say pastina. These tiny star-shaped noodles cook in broth in a few minutes, then get a little butter and parmesan stirred in. Some nonnas even whisk in an egg. It is soft, warm and so comforting that grown-ups make it for themselves on rainy days. Did a nonna ever make this for you?

You will need: 3 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup pastina (tiny star pasta), 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, a pinch of salt, black pepper (optional).

How to make it: 1. Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot. 2. Stir in the pastina. 3. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring so it does not stick. 4. Turn off the heat. 5. Stir in the butter and parmesan until creamy. 6. Season and serve in a warm bowl.

Honey Lemon Ginger Tea (Not for Babies Under 1)

A warm mug of honey lemon ginger tea is the drink moms and grandmas have handed out for generations. It may help you feel cozy and is a nice way to keep sipping fluids. One important rule from the CDC and pediatricians: never give honey to a baby under 12 months old. For older kids and adults, it is a sweet, soothing cup. Do you like yours with lots of lemon or lots of ginger?

You will need: 1 cup hot water, 4 thin slices fresh ginger, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 to 2 tsp honey (only for kids over 1 year and adults), 1 lemon slice.

How to make it: 1. Put the ginger in a mug. 2. Pour in the hot water and steep 5 to 10 minutes. 3. Take out the ginger if you want a milder cup. 4. Stir in the lemon juice. 5. Let it cool a little, then stir in the honey. 6. Add a lemon slice and sip slowly.

Creamy Potato Soup, the Feeling Better Sick Day Comfort Food

We saved the coziest for last. Creamy potato soup is the sick day comfort food for the day you finally feel like eating a real meal again. Soft potatoes, mild cheese and a splash of cream make it rich but gentle. This list is about comfort, not cures, so if you are very sick, getting worse or worried, call your doctor. The CDC’s flu treatment page explains when to contact a health care provider.

You will need: 4 cups potatoes (peeled and diced), 1 small onion (diced), 2 tbsp butter, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 cup milk or half and half, 1/2 cup mild cheddar (shredded), salt, chives.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a pot and soften the onion 5 minutes. 2. Add the potatoes and broth and simmer 15 minutes until soft. 3. Mash about half the potatoes right in the pot to thicken it. 4. Stir in the milk and warm gently without boiling. 5. Stir in the cheese and season with salt. 6. Serve with chives and crackers.