There is usually a moment in early autumn when a salad suddenly stops looking quite as appealing. The evenings become cooler, daylight disappears earlier and, without consciously deciding anything, many of us start thinking about soup, warm bread, pasta or something slowly cooking in the oven.
Our food preferences naturally change throughout the year, and autumn is perhaps one of the easiest seasons to notice it.
During summer, lighter and fresher foods often feel more appealing. We eat more salads, fresh fruit and meals that require very little cooking. As the temperature drops, warm and more substantial food starts to feel satisfying again.
There are several reasons for this, and some of them are surprisingly simple.
Temperature is an obvious one. When we are cold, warm food provides an immediate feeling of comfort. A bowl of soup on a rainy October evening feels very different from the same bowl in the middle of July. We experience food through temperature, smell and texture as much as through taste, so something warm and aromatic can feel particularly appealing when the environment around us changes.
Our routines change too. Autumn usually means spending more time indoors, returning to regular working hours and having fewer long evenings outside. For many people, cooking becomes part of the evening again. Soups, curries, stews and roasted vegetables naturally return to the kitchen.
Photo by TIVASEE
Then there is the emotional side of food.
Comfort foods are often connected with memory. A particular soup might remind us of childhood, while the smell of something baking can bring back memories of home or family. These associations can make certain foods feel reassuring, especially during darker and colder months.
There is nothing particularly problematic about this. Food has always been more than a collection of nutrients. It is connected with culture, family, pleasure and the way we experience different seasons.
What sometimes creates difficulty is the idea that comfort food must automatically be unhealthy.
A satisfying autumn meal can also be an incredibly nutritious one. Lentil soup with vegetables, a chickpea curry, roasted root vegetables with chicken or fish, porridge with apples and cinnamon, or a vegetable stew with beans can provide exactly the warmth we are looking for while also offering protein, fibre and a wide range of nutrients.
Autumn is actually a wonderful time to bring more variety into the diet. Pumpkins, mushrooms, beetroot, cauliflower, cabbage, apples, pears and many varieties of squash are coming into season. Adding herbs, spices, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds gives us even more opportunities to create meals that are both nourishing and satisfying.
Photo by Denys Gromov
The way we build our meals can also influence how satisfied we feel afterwards. Including a source of protein, vegetables or other fibre-rich foods, carbohydrates and some healthy fats usually creates a meal that keeps us comfortable for longer. This can be particularly useful during busy working days when a light lunch is followed by an afternoon spent searching for biscuits in the office kitchen.
There is also no reason every meal has to be nutritionally perfect. Sometimes comfort food is simply food we enjoy, and enjoying it is part of a healthy relationship with eating.
As autumn settles in, perhaps we can allow our food to change with it. This might mean replacing a cold breakfast with warm porridge, making soup for lunch, roasting vegetables in the evening or bringing back a favourite family recipe.
Seasonal changes give us a natural opportunity to vary what we eat throughout the year, and autumn happens to be particularly good at reminding us how enjoyable a warm, satisfying meal can be.
Main – Photo by Jana Ohajdova
About the Author: Elena Cholovska
