We’re officially in the heart of the cold, winter months. In Seattle, the air is a biting cold and rain seems imminent on a daily basis. Walking in the cold for five minutes makes your hands hurt. Even if you’re not in Seattle, everyone has their favorite foods and drinks which they turn to for comfort during the cold.

University students along the West Coast offered their favorite winter time foods and drinks in response to polls and follow-up questions posted on Instagram.

What’s your favorite winter food or drink?

First-year Forensic Psychology major Kirsten Brown at Seattle University: 

“Fried Tofu Pho—I really love it, it’s really good. It’s crunchy with vegetables and lots of flavor! There are many different ways to make it, but whatever version is good! It’s definitely a comfort food.”

First-year Pre-major Martin Kungys at American River College: 

“Ramen or pho. It’s just the best. Fun to make and so much variety.”

Third-year Criminal Justice and Spanish major Danielle Miller at Seattle U: 

“Honestly Kraft Mac and Cheese is the way to go!”

In Winter, do you like hot or cold food and drinks? 

Poll: 25 voted ‘Hot,’ 12 voted ‘Cold’

First-year Creative Writing major Archer Hobson Fehlhaber at Seattle U: 

“I’m a really big Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate drinker. It’s my favorite holiday drink.”

First-year Political Science major Hyeri Shim at Seattle U: 

“My favorite winter drink is earl grey tea mixed with milk and lots of honey. It’s a simple and soothing comfort drink for me to make at home to start off on a busy day or whenever I just need to warm up from the winter chill.”

Ice cream or soup? 

Poll: 15 voted for ‘Ice Cream,’ 9 voted for ‘Soup’

Second-year History major Jaryd Veserat at Loyola Marymount University: 

“Soup, because it fills the soul, and toast. I love soup and bread in the winter just because you can stick the bread into some thick soup and have both at the same time. The bread’s fluffiness combined with the warm soup creates a great fuzzy feeling in your stomach. Ideally, I’d want a bread bowl with soup, so that I get the best of both worlds.”

First-year Biochemistry major Isaias Iniquez-Sandoval at Sacramento State: 

“Ice cream because who else is going to eat ice cream? It’s all about the nature of rebellion. Ice cream truly is the comfort food of summer, so I don’t understand why ice cream is regarded differently in the winter. Ice cream symbolizes school-free days, good friends and unbearable brain freezes, so in an effort to make that somewhat year round, I eat ice cream. Sure, soup and hot liquids are the go-tos in winter, but no one ever mentions vanilla gelato in the cold. It’s a different weather, yet the same great flavor [and] the same great times.”

Do you like to cook frozen food? 

Third-year Kinesiology major Srinidhi Nanduri at Seattle U: 

“I love Trader Joe’s Gingerbread snap bars during the winter season. I usually make butternut squash and bell pepper soup or hot Indian ramen. Nothing feels better.” 

Danielle Miller:

“I love the Joe’s Diner Mac and Cheese that is frozen and you microwave for a few minutes!! So fast and easy and gooey and warm and delicious! I got an instant pot as well, so I’ve been trying new soup recipes, like a baked potato soup or chili in there! It makes it fun and easy to cook while also having very little clean up!”

Do you have any favorite old family recipes?

First-year Psychology major Audrey Chung at Seattle U: 

“Congee is a rice porridge dish that my mother makes for me when it’s cold out—it’s a comfort food. She takes ginger paste and chicken stock for the broth. She also makes rice during this time. When she finishes the rice, she’ll put it in the same pot with the chicken stock and ginger. She’ll mash the rice really well, so that the dish becomes more of a liquid. She’ll add some green onions and chives, as well as cilantro. We sometimes add some pan-seared chicken for more substance.”

First-year Nursing student Audrey Graham at Seattle U: 

“My grandma’s peas.”

Boba vs. Starbucks? 

Poll: 17 voted ‘boba,’ 10 voted ‘Starbucks’

First-year Ancient Greek and Roman Studies major George Sicner at the University of California, Berkeley: 

“They’re both so insanely overpriced but boba just feels more relaxing to drink. It’s also so satisfying to poke a hole in the plastic covering with a straw.” 

First-year Pre-major Van Roeder at Seattle U: 

“For the winter, Starbucks has warmer drinks and spices, which I like more than boba. It’s so cold, it’s comforting to have these warm flavors and hot drinks.”

Is it harder to find the motivation to cook during winter? 

Poll: 8 voted ‘Yes,’ 14 voted ‘No’

First-year Pre-Business major Alice Sampson at Seattle U: 

“I find it hard to find motivation during the winter for anything and cooking is one of those things. Even though I still cook when it’s cold, I don’t like moving when it’s really cold. I find it a lot easier to be able to find something to heat up or eat a quick soup or even have hot chocolate or hot coffee. When it’s summer or warmer outside, it makes me want to do more and it kind of makes me feel more creative honestly.”

First-year Science and Psychology major Iman Khawane at Seattle U: 

“No, it’s harder to want to go out and get groceries or go out to eat, but it’s easy to stay in and cook. It makes me feel warm when it’s pouring rain and freezing cold.”

Whether it be age-old family recipes or a new favorite picked up during college, these students try to find comforting ways to stay warm and nourished this season while bringing familiar flavors from home to their dorm rooms.