This is the Best Rainy/Snowy Day Meal, Hands Down

We're on track for another Miracle March here in the Sierra Nevada, with feet upon feet of heavy, wet snow dumping in Truckee and even a respectable foot or so down in northern Nevada. Today, the snow has turned to rain in Truckee (sob) and down in the Reno valley, and we're all basically soaked to the bone. On days like this, there's only one pairing we want - the ol' soup and sandwich combo. Here's why it's the best rainy/snowy day meal, hands down.

It's Kind of a Classic

When you think of classic combinations in the world of food, a few things automatically come to mind. Peanut butter and jelly. Bacon and eggs. Milk and cookies. Soup and a sandwich. And while the classic classic is tomato soup with a gooey grilled cheese, any soup and sandwich combo fits the mold. Today, for example, the soup selections at Full Belly Deli included turkey chili, roasted red pepper and gouda, sausage jambalaya, pork green chili and broccoli cheddar. Choices, much? Pairing that with a half (or whole, you big eater you) sandwich makes for a meal that'll stick to the ribs.

It's the Definition of Comfort Food

When the weather is wet and cold, we want something hot and toasty to heat us up from the inside. Call it biology. Soup and a sandwich - especially when it's a steaming bowl paired with a hot, gooey sandwich (on crisp bread) - is the definition of comfort food. Those are foods we crave for a few different reasons, including:

• Nostalgia - We have an association between wet, snowy weather and soup and a sandwich. Just like mom used to make!
• It just feeds good - Food high in things like sat, fat or sugar can trigger the brain's reward system, so if you're craving a buttery grilled cheese sandwich, that's probably what's going on.
• Special occasion - And hey, sometimes an especially rainy day can feel like something kind of special.

It's Fast & Easy

If you aren't whipping it up yourself, soup and a sandwich (especially from Full Belly Deli) is fast, easy and it travels well. So order over the phone, pick it up on the way home, change into your favorite pair of sweats, and enjoy that classic comfort food as the rain or snow comes down.