Amid rising emotional stress, individuals increasingly turn to food as a coping mechanism. This study investigated the sensory, emotional, and imagery attributes of foods chosen under stress, and how sensory cues influence emotional and mental imagery responses that guide food selection. An online survey was conducted with 1000 Koreans to identify stress-relieving foods and evaluated their sensory, emotional, and imagery qualities using a check-all-that-apply format. Multiple factor analysis and K-means clustering were conducted. Results show that stress-relieving foods were not limited to sweet or fatty snacks but included spicy and savory dishes (e.g., ramen, fried chicken), and notably, beverages such as coffee and tea. Strong flavors and resistant textures were linked to high-arousal emotions (e.g., enthusiasm, adventurousness) and stimulating and unhealthy imagery, whereas mild, soft characteristics were associated with low-arousal, soothing emotions (e.g., calm, satisfied) and comforting imagery. Interestingly, sweetness, though frequently selected, showed weak associations with emotional or imagery attributes, suggesting context-dependent meaning. Sour and fizzy attributes were tied to health-related imagery, while bitter and coffee-flavored profiles evoked calming and luxurious imagery. These sensory-emotional-imagery clusters suggest that food-based stress coping is shaped not only by hedonic pleasure but also by learned and embodied associations. The findings expand the conceptualization of “comfort foods” to include a broader range of emotionally meaningful sensory experiences. This integrative understanding provides valuable implications for developing tailored dietary interventions, promoting emotionally adaptive food choices, and designing stress-relieving food products. Future studies should address individual differences and cultural contexts in stress-related eating to deepen practical applications.
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