Cold and Flu Season Comfort Foods: Cozy Recipes for Sick Days
Cozy soups, easy comfort foods, freezer meals, and thoughtful recipes to make for your family or take to someone who's sick.
There’s something about cold and flu season that makes me want to fill the freezer. Maybe it’s because I’ve learned over the years that when somebody gets sick, the last thing anyone wants to think about is what’s for dinner. And here in Texas, sickness isn’t the only reason I like having homemade food tucked away. Storms, unexpected company, busy weeks, and those days when life simply gets away from you are all good reasons to keep a few ready-to-go meals on hand.
I’m a big believer in making food while I feel good so I don’t have to worry about it when I don’t. Soups are especially good for this. At any given time, you’re likely to find several little containers of homemade soup stacked in my freezer. I portion them into individual servings, which means I can pull out exactly what I need without thawing an entire pot.
It might not be the prettiest picture you’ll ever see on Backyard Texas Grill, but this is what practical food prep looks like at my house! Those little containers have rescued me more times than I can count.
Soups That Feel Like a Hug
When somebody says “sick-day food,” chicken noodle soup is probably the first thing that comes to mind, and for good reason. It’s warm, comforting, simple, and exactly the sort of thing I want when I’m under the weather.
Recently, when my granddaughter was sick, I made her a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup and delivered it along with homemade focaccia and cookies. Sometimes feeding people is simply how we take care of them.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
But chicken noodle certainly isn’t the only soup worth keeping around. Depending on what sounds good, a creamy tomato soup, hearty vegetable soup, chicken and rice, or another favorite can be just as comforting.
Fill the Freezer Before You Need It
One of the best things you can do for your future self is cook a little extra today.
When I make a big pot of soup, I rarely expect to eat the whole thing that week. Instead, I portion the leftovers into small containers and freeze them. Individual portions are particularly handy because they thaw faster, they’re easy to stack, and I can choose a different soup every day if I want.
A few things I like to keep tucked away include homemade soups, chili, cooked beans, casseroles or casserole portions, and other foods that reheat well.
My Favorite Soups to Freeze
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice: My go-to when I'm feeling under the weather. Maybe it's the spices. Maybe it's the hot creamy chicken broth. This soup is comfort in a bowl!
Quick and Hearty Taco Soup: There's a lot to be said for a little spice when you're congested. This will warm you up and clear those sinuses, all at the same time.
Grandma's Tomato Soup: Friends, there are no words to describe just how good this one is.
Homemade Chicken and Noodle Soup: The world celebrates a good chicken soup, especially when folks are under the weather, and this is a great one. Best of all, it's simple!
Homemade Chicken and Drop Dumplings: Nothing says "Get well" like a steaming bowl of chicken and dumplings. It's perfection!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup: It's warm, it's creamy, it's hearty. . .and it's just what the doctor ordered.
Pasta Fagioli: You don't have to go to your favorite Italian restaurant to enjoy this hearty soup. Now you can make it at home.
This isn't complicated meal prepping with a spreadsheet and an entire Sunday spent cooking. It's simply getting into the habit of making a little more than you need and putting some away for later. . .just in case.
A Few Freezer-Prep Tips
Let hot foods cool before packing them for the freezer. Use containers in sizes that make sense for the way you'll actually eat the food, and leave a little room for soups and other liquids to expand. Label everything with the name and date because, trust me, frozen tomato soup and frozen chili can look remarkably similar through a frosty container.
I especially like single-serving containers for soup. If I'm sick, I don't want to wrestle with a giant frozen block of food. I want to grab one little container, heat it up, and crawl back under my blanket.
Soft, Cozy Foods for Days When Nothing Sounds Good
Soup isn't always the answer. Sometimes you want something warm, soft, mild, and filling. These cozy meals are so easy to put together and they bring such comfort. Best of all, they are all easy to make and simple to store. Nothing says "feel better soon!" than a warm bowl of comfort food!
Here are some of our favorites.
This is where old-fashioned comfort foods really shine. Here are some of my favorites when I'm feeling poorly:
Chicken and Rice Casserole: Nothing says southern comfort like a big bowl of creamy chicen and rice.
Hamburger Gravy: Warm. Filling. So easy and delicious. Really hits the spot when you're feeling under the weather.
Goulash: This is currently our #1 recipe on Pinterest. . .and for a reason. It's hearty and delicious, and perfect when you're not feeling great.
Turkey Pot Pie: You don't have to wait till Thanksgiving leftovers to make this one. A simple rotisserie chicken will do.
Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese: Just like grandma used to make. . .the perfect pick-me-up when you're under the weather.
Loaded Mashed Potatoes: They don't have to be made in a cast iron skillet, but oh my. . .when you bake them up this way you'll certainly fall in love!
These are also good choices when you're cooking for a household where one person is sick but everybody else still needs dinner.
What to Take to Someone Who's Sick
There is a special kind of kindness in showing up with food when somebody doesn't feel well.
You don't need to prepare an elaborate meal. In fact, simple is often better. A container of homemade soup, something to go with it, and a little treat can be more than enough.
A simple care package might include:
- Homemade soup in individual containers
- Bread, rolls, focaccia, or crackers
- A mild casserole or easy main dish for the family
- Cookies, brownies, or another small sweet
- Disposable bowls or containers
- Simple reheating instructions
If you're delivering food to a family, remember that the person who's sick might only want soup and crackers, but everyone else still has to eat. A casserole or another hearty dish for the rest of the household can be incredibly helpful.
Make It Easy on the Person Receiving It
This is one of those little things that matters. Whenever possible, take food in containers that don't need to be returned. Nobody who is sick—or taking care of someone who is sick—needs another task on the to-do list.
Portioning soup into individual containers also makes it easy for someone to refrigerate or freeze whatever they don't need immediately. If you've made something that requires special reheating, jot the directions on a piece of masking tape, a label, or a little card.
Don't Forget a Little Something Sweet
No, dessert isn't medicine. But sometimes a homemade cookie makes a lousy day feel a little less lousy.
When I delivered soup to my granddaughter, I tucked cookies into the delivery, too. It's such an easy addition, particularly if you already have cookie dough, baked cookies, brownies, or another treat in the freezer. Here are some of our favorites:
Easy Cowboy Blondies: Simple to make, easy to transport, always a loving gift.
Cast Iron Peach Dump Cake: This is our number one dessert. . .for a reason!
Delicious Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce: Does anything say "comfort" like a warm, sweet bread pudding? I think not!
Lemon Icebox Pie: I'm not kidding. . .there are healing powers in this pie. (Ask me how I know!)
Texas Sheet Cake Cookies: Just like the cake. . .only easier! And they really hit the spot when you're under the weather.
Pig Pickin' Cake: Despite its funny name, this cake truly does have healing capabilities!
Classic Banana Pudding: Nothing says "I'm thinking of you" like a big bowl of banana pudding!
Texas Sheet Cake Skillet Brownies: This is such a yummy and simple cast iron brownie recipe and it's perfect when you're not feeling great.
Choose treats that travel well and don't require the recipient to do anything other than open the container and enjoy them.
Comfort Foods for the Whole Family
Sometimes you're not delivering food to someone else. You're the one who's sick.
That's another reason I love having meals in the freezer, especially vintage favorites. If I wake up feeling awful, I know there are things I can heat without standing in the kitchen cooking from scratch.
And if you're preparing ahead for cold and flu season, storm season, or simply the unexpected, don't feel as though you have to fill your freezer in one weekend. Make one extra meal here and there. Freeze two servings of soup instead of finishing the pot. Double a casserole when it's convenient. Before long, you've built yourself a little collection of homemade emergency meals.
A Well-Stocked Freezer Is a Gift to Your Future Self
I think we sometimes picture food prep as something that has to be organized, complicated, or Instagram-worthy. Mine isn't.
It's little containers of soup stacked in my freezer.
It's an extra serving of something I cooked last week.
It's knowing that if I get sick, a storm rolls through, or somebody I love needs a meal, I don't necessarily have to start from scratch.
And there's something very comforting about that.
Whether you're filling your own freezer or carrying a warm meal across town to someone you love, I hope these recipes give you plenty of ideas for cold and flu season—and all of those other days when a little homemade comfort food is exactly what's needed.
Thanks for Stopping By!
If you're feeling under the weather we hope you're up and running soon. If you make any of these delicious comforting foods and enjoy them, let us know in the comments. Or, better yet, leave a review! And before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards. We love it when folks share our recipes.
