In the winter, there are many strategies to combat the cold temperatures. Lighting the fireplace, layering clothes when you need to go out, and using space heaters and blankets are all common tactics. Another strategy is incorporated into something everyone does anyway: eating.
According to UnityPoint Health, there are many factors aside from illness and infection that can temporarily increase body temperature including the consumption of hot foods and drinks.
Here are six dishes to help warm you up this winter:
Casserole
Casserole is a very broad term for a dish baked in the oven in a wide, deep pan. The versatility of the dish means the likelihood of finding one that appeals to an individual’s palette shouldn’t be too difficult. Some examples of casseroles include lasagna, green bean casserole and baked ziti.
Gumbo
Gumbo is a very popular dish in south Louisiana that can vary in the main source of protein. According to Stanley Dry, food columnist and author of Louisiana cuisine cookbooks, the most common type of gumbos are made with seafood, chicken or sausage, but that “merely scratches the surface of gumbo cookery.”
Soup
This liquid dish can be eaten as a side or a main dish, but either way, soup is a common winter food because of its warmth. According to the Historical Collections of the National Library of Medicine, generations of people have consumed soup in the winter for a couple of reasons: to “warm up one’s insides” and to prevent various illnesses associated with cold weather. Like casserole, soup is very versatile and can be made based on the individual's preference.
Chicken pot pie
A savory variation of the popular holiday dessert, chicken pot pie makes for a warm meal in the winter. The flaky crust typically holds a mixture of chicken and vegetables in a sauce of broth and milk. Pot pies can be made or bought in individual sizes or in the size of a normal pie to feed a group or family.
Stew
Stew is a dish containing both solid and liquid ingredients that are cooked in a closed container over low heat. Stew is different from soup because soup is liquid-heavy while stew contains more solid ingredients. Some examples of stews are chili and goulash.
Pasta
There are recipes for cold pasta as well as warm, so opting for a warmer, heartier pasta recipe can help keep you more comfortable when it’s chilly outside. Pasta is another warm meal that has countless recipes. You can make it as simple or complex as you want with recipes ranging from just butter and noodles to eggplant parmesan dishes.
Staying comfortable until the end of the winter season can become easier when you take your meals into consideration and use them to maintain your warmth. A hot bowl of chicken noodle soup is going to feel a lot warmer on a cold, windy day than a sandwich or a salad.
Contact Ella Howell with comments at ella.howell@bsu.edu.
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