Comfort foods are almost always high in fat, calories or sodium.
Eating too much of them can of course lead to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.
American Dietetic Association spokesperson Marisa Moore suggests some healthy but subtle modifications.
First the mac and cheese, "You can start with a lower-fat milk, that will help to cut back on the calories. Or you can add vegetables to it," she says.
As for chili, "A heart-healthy chili is actually very easy to make. One thing to do is sort of volumize with veggies- you can add beans, mushrooms, carrots- those are great ways to increase the fiber," she adds.
And for spaghetti and meatballs, "Instead of using beef, you might use a lean ground turkey. / you might switch up your pasta option and use a spaghetti squash/when you flake the spaghetti squash."
The same texture as pasta but with fewer calories and fewer carbs.
