The Most Popular Southern Comfort Foods

Do your cravings match up with prevailing food hankerings in your region? E-conolight, an indoor/outdoor lighting company, apparently pondered the same question and decided to look into it. To do so, they "identified over 100 foods that people classify as 'comfort foods,’ then used Google Trends to identify which of those comfort foods the residents of each state searched for most in 2020. In this survey of America's southern states, there are predictable outcomes (we're looking at you, fried chicken.) in the results, as well as some surprises. 

Related: Surprising Comfort Food From Every State

In a year when more Americans embraced comfort foods, Alabamans were searching for this feel-good dish typically made with hominy or stone-ground cornmeal, cheese, spices, and more. 

Proving that chicken and, well, carb-laden things are a popular item to eat when you need a little pick-me-up for the soul, denizens of this southern state (and one other — can you guess which?) searched for chicken and dumplings over all other comfort foods in 2020.  

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Honestly, we have no idea what to make of this development. Did we expect to see key lime pie or conch fritters? Sure. But corned beef and hash in the Sunshine State? Mind. Blown. 

Related: Best Brunch in Every State

Another state all aboard the fried chicken train, which leaves two to go. Both are in the South, but which states will they be? 

Just like Arkansas peeps, Kentuckians apparently have a love for this dish. And this concludes the chicken and dumplings portion of this list (meaning you won't see it show up again). 

Another southern state with a love of fried chicken? No surprises here. 

Related: 20 Chef Secrets for Crisp, Juicy Fried Chicken

Another state, another love of grilled cheese. Maybe it's the fact that you can do so much to make this simple sandwich more remarkable? At any rate, three grilled cheese states down, three to go. 

Related: 19 Ways to Make an Ordinary Grilled Cheese Extraordinary

Jambalaya might be thought of as a quintessentially New Orleans dish, but given the relative proximity of the two states and the amount of shrimp processed in the Magnolia State, again — no huge revelation here. 

Given that Travel + Leisure once named Raleigh, North Carolina, as one of "America’s Favorite Cities for Brunch," perhaps it's not too surprising that residents here searched for chicken and waffles above all other comfort foods.  

It might not be the biggest pecan-producing state in the union, but Oklahoma has plenty of pecan trees with which to make these coveted pies. 

Related: 22 Classic Pie Recipes

Grits make another showing here in the Palmetto State, but this time with seafood instead of cheese. 

If you're not from the Volunteer State or thereabouts, you might not have ever heard of chess pie. If you have a sweet tooth, though, you're missing out. The pie contains mostly humble but delicious ingredients such as cornmeal, sugar, flour, butter, milk, eggs, and more. 

Related: 25 Simple Depression-Era Desserts That Actually Are Indulgent

Rounding out the last of our states craving fried chicken is the Lone Star State, where foods like fried chicken are taken to art-form status. 

Related: Best Fried Chicken in Every State

Closing out the much-craved grilled cheese portion of this list is Old Dominion, otherwise known as Virginia.

We're not sure meatloaf stands out as a favorite comfort food, but hey, if it's good enough for a publication like Bon Appetit to pay homage to it, who are we to judge? 

Related: 36 Secret Ingredients That Made Grandma's Food Amazing