Nutrition is undeniably an important part of making food choices. The way we eat can have a major impact on our physical health—research suggests that eating more plant-based, whole foods can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. However, food isn’t just about nutrition; it’s also about joy, pleasure, comfort, and feeling good.
For centuries, humans have gathered around the dinner table for sustenance, connection, and celebration. Think of Christmas or Hanukkah, or a summer cookout. Even enjoying your favorite snack on a simple midweek evening can bring happiness and help you relax.
Studies show that certain foods, such as chocolate, fruits, and vegetables, can boost our dopamine levels—a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. In fact, on TikTok, some users are creating their own “dopamine menus,” which include tasks like reading, walking, and eating their favorite foods.
“Pleasure of any kind, including pleasure from food, leads to a release of dopamine in the brain,” Aleta Storch, RDN, MHC told Healthline. “Dopamine is often referred to as the ‘feel good hormone’ because it activates the reward pathways in the brain, which helps to promote happiness, calmness, motivation, and focus.”
So with that in mind, we’ve created a list of our favorite joyful, non-guilty pleasure recipes below to help you relax, cultivate calm, and embrace joy on your plate.
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Should food bring joy?
For decades, diet culture has emphasized restriction, but research shows eating this way long term can harm our mental health. It can lead to disordered eating, and, in turn, increase the risk of eating disorders. It also promotes feelings of shame and guilt around food.
“In many cases, diet culture will promote restrictive diets to achieve or maintain a particular look,” Danielle Kelvas, MD explains for Within. “These can include dietary restrictions around limiting caloric intake, limiting types of foods, or even an entire food group. Adhering to these types of rules and ideas around food and eating can lead to adopting extremely rigid eating patterns and enforcing an unhealthy relationship with food.”
This is why many experts agree that alongside getting enough protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, joy is another essential component of our diets.
“Food is nourishment in a lot of different ways,” Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, told Well+Good. “It is actual nourishment for our bodies, but it also nourishes our soul a little bit, and we should be eating foods we like, foods that feel good to us.”
7 (non-) guilty pleasure recipes
The concept of feel-good food is subjective—what brings joy to one individual may not bring joy to another. However, below we’ve rounded up 10 recipes that we think are real crowdpleasers.
Brittany Berlin
1 Vegan Shortbread Millionaire Bars
With layers of buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and thick chocolate, this tasty recipe for plant-based millionaire bars aligns perfectly with the idea of eating for joy. It’s satisfying, decadent, and delicious.
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2 Vegan Balsamic Strawberry French Toast
French toast is a classic brunch favorite, adding a balsamic strawberry compote elevates it to the next level. It’s perfect for a celebratory meal, a leisurely weekend, or just on those days when you’re craving something a little extra special.
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3 Vegan Chorizo and Sundried Tomato Gnocchi Bake
Gnocchi is inherently comforting, but when it’s combined with savory vegan chorizo and tangy sundried tomatoes, it becomes a hearty, satisfying, indulgent dish perfect for midweek. As a one-pan bake, this recipe is also simple and rewarding to cook, too.
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Hannah Kaminsky
4 Easy Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
This peanut butter cheesecake recipe ticks all of the boxes. It’s creamy, velvety, rich, and indulgent. It’s the perfect holiday or celebratory dessert, but it’s also just a delicious weekend treat. When it comes to cheesecake, there’s no excuse needed.
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Francesca Bonadonna
5 Vegan Buttery Lemon Pasta With Cashew Cream
Pasta is always a good idea, especially when it’s mixed with velvety cashew cream and zesty lemon. This dish is especially delicious when served with grilled tempeh or breaded tofu, and why not throw in some garlic bread, too?
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Lauren Toyota
6 Supreme Vegan Nacho Fries With Tofu Bacon Crumbles
Crispy fries, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and tofu bacon crumbles are a rich, indulgent, and flavor-packed combination. This recipe is ideal for sharing with friends and family in front of a movie or at your next game night.
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7 Fried Vegan Avocado Wedge Tacos
For a crispy, flavorful taco filling, consider making these fried avocado wedges with a blend of spices like cayenne, paprika, and cumin. The crispy exterior of the wedges contrasts beautifully with the creamy inside, which makes for a delicious mouthfeel.
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Bosh!
8 Vegan Gooey Chocolate Frying Pan Biscoff Brownies
You can’t go wrong with gooey chocolate, cookie butter, and caramelized hazelnuts, as this delicious frying pan brownie recipe beautifully demonstrates. They’re the perfect mix of chewy, crispy, and crunchy, and you’re guaranteed to want to make them again and again.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
