KANSAS CITY -- With many people stuck at home during the pandemic, families began to eat together again, spending more time preparing their own meals, or ordering take-out. As a result, many Americans rediscovered their love of comfort foods. And the highest-rated comfort food in the U.S. is pizza, according to a Treadmill Reviews Study.

Technomic reports 46% of restaurants having success with comfort foods.

In a study conducted by One Poll and Farm Rich, 2 in 3 Americans reverted to consuming more comfort food since the start of the pandemic, and 69% of people say they’ll continue to enjoy the same amount of comfort food that they are now post-pandemic.

“Food is a common denominator in what gives us comfort during these stressful times,” says Ciera Womack, Farm Rich senior marketing director.

Comfort foods include familiar flavors, textures, or dishes that never go out of style and are perceived as classic or nostalgic. Generally enjoyed in larger portions, they tend to be high in calories, and often qualify as doughy, sweet, salty, or rich in umami flavor.

Spanning cuisines around the world, what grants these foods a comfort factor is the sense of physical or emotional security they bring to people, especially during uncertain and difficult times, like a pandemic.