We all have our favorite foods – meals that we prefer more than anything else we might consume – and while there are some things that we would prefer to never ingest again, there are others that we would happily enjoy at almost every meal. Presidents are no different. Each one has proclaimed his love – or lack thereof – for a certain food. There are even those known to be food enthusiasts, Presidents who have a refined interest in food and don’t merely eat to live but live to eat.
Key Points
- Many presidents are adventurous eaters.
- Certain presidential favorites have become synonymous with them.
- Every president does not view foods the same way. What one leader loves, another disdains.
One such foodie was the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. Not only was he an adventurous eater but he was known to truly enjoy many different cuisines, from regional American specialties like Philly cheesesteaks (with the traditional Cheez Whiz), to top-dollar sushi, as when he visited the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo.
But his favorite foods are half-smokes (a spicy sausage popular in the D.C. area) and broccoli. This may seem ironic considering George H.W. Bush, one of his predecessors, proudly proclaimed his disdain for the leafy green when he stated “I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid. And my mother made me eat it.”
Every president has had favorite things to eat, and many of them are relatively standard fare – Ronald Reagan, the 40th president, had a notorious addiction to jelly beans – and it seems most presidential tastes don’t lean toward “gourmet.” This list reveals that even the most powerful people in the world enjoy comfort food. (Can you answer these real “Jeopardy” clues about U.S. presidents?)
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of favorite foods of every modern president by consulting multiple sources, including three books not available online: “The Presidents’ Own White House Cookbook,” edited by Robert Jones; “Favorite Recipes of Our First Ladies,” edited by John Carter and Sharon Carter; and “A Treasury of White House Cooking” by François Rysavy and Frances Spatz Leighton.
Online sources included Food and Wine and Food Timeline, and numerous president-specific sites, one of which was the FDR Library and Museum, and others. The form in which each president’s name is given and his years in office come from the Library of Congress Chronological List of Presidents, First Ladies, and Vice Presidents of the United States.
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Eggs were a big favorite with McKinley and he ate them at every meal in various forms – from fried and scrambled to omelet casseroles. He also liked to indulge in hot lobster salad and red flannel hash.
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
Roosevelt was partial to meats of all kinds – roast game birds, chicken, especially fried chicken with gravy, and steak. He also had a particular love of greens, particularly fiddleheads and dandelions, and “fat rascals”, which were currant biscuits.
William H. Taft (1909-1913)
Taft enjoyed modern dining but was particular about steak, which he would eat every morning for breakfast. He also fancied hashed brown potatoes.
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
- Favorite Food: Chicken salad, strawberry ice cream
Wilson wasn’t known to consume much at mealtimes but he enjoyed specific dishes. Chicken salad was an oft-requested lunch favorite in addition to homemade ice cream
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
- Favorite Food: Knockwurst with sauerkraut, chicken pot pie
Harding dined frequently on
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
- Favorite Foods: Cornmeal muffins, veal curry, pickles
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
- Favorite Food: Corn soup, baked Virginia ham
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
- Favorite Food: Grilled cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs
The Roosevelts preferred to dine on plain food and weren’t fond of fancy dishes. They enjoyed a variety of soups, from broths to creamy concoctions, and the president was quite fond of a variety of cheeses, including grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as scrambled eggs.
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
Although Harry Truman once stated that he didn’t pay attention to what food was put before him and simply ate it as a result of his army days, he did have certain dishes that he enjoyed. He claimed to be a meat and potatoes man, enjoying chicken and dumplings and well-done steak.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
- Favorite Food: Beef stew, corn pudding
There were many dishes that Dwight D. Eisenhower enjoyed. From beef stew and corn pudding to his favorite desserts, prune whip and apple pie. He also had a penchant for garlic.
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
John F. Kennedy appeared to thoroughly enjoy a bowl of soup – whether it was clam chowder or lobster stew – and had a particular taste for quiche.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
- Favorite Food: Texas barbecue, black-eyed peas
Johnson’s favorite foods reflected where he came from – Texas – and included a range of country cooking. He enjoyed Texas barbecue, black-eyed peas, and homemade ice cream.
Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974)
Richard Nixon had a few favorites but topping the list was his rather interesting favorite food – cottage cheese with ketchup. He also enjoyed meatloaf and spicy pepperoni salads.
Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)
Gerald Ford had a particular fondness for two dishes – waffles with ice cream and strawberries and German apple pancakes but indulged only on occasion. He typically ate English muffins for breakfast. His favorite vegetable was cabbage which he enjoyed with pot roast.
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Jimmy Carter was known for his peanut farming background and one might think this is his favorite indulgence. This would be incorrect though. Carter enjoyed grits so much that they named the family dog after the Southern dish. Gumbo and red beans and rice were also favorites.
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
There may be no other president synonymous with a specific food as there is with Ronald Regan. While we all know how much he loved jelly beans, he also had a particular fondness for apples, hamburgers, monkey break, fudge brownies, and macaroni and cheese.
George Bush (1989-1993)
The world knows that George H.W. Bush despises broccoli, as well as many other vegetables but what people may not know is that pork rinds, especially when topped with hot sauce, are one of his favorite foods. He also enjoys beef jerky and hot dogs.
Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
Bill Clinton had a love of many foods from cheeseburgers, chicken enchiladas, and pork rinds to cinnamon rolls and Egg McMuffins. Among one of his favorites was a jalapeño burger. Interestingly, he now eats a mostly vegan diet.
George W. Bush (2001-2009)
George W. Bush has a particular fondness for huevos rancheros, which White House Chef Walter Scheib said was a favorite Sunday breakfast dish. Although he also quite enjoys cheeseburger pizza and Texas barbecue.
Barack Obama (2009-2017)
Obama is known to enjoy a variety of foods and while he has stated his favorite is broccoli, there are others, like nachos, apple pie, and hot dogs known as half-smokes, that he enjoys just as much.
Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
Donald Trump has always had an affinity for fried and fast food, whether it’s Big Macs or Filet-o-Fish from McDonald’s, fried chicken from KFC, or taco bowls, and he’s known to wash it all down with multiple diet cokes.
Joseph R. Biden (2021-)
Joe Biden has an incredible love of ice cream and has even gone on record declaring his fondness for this frozen dairy goody. But when he isn’t enjoying this frosty treat, he enjoys pasta with red sauce.