“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are,” is an adage that has been warning us since it was originally published in 1825 by the father of modern French cuisine, the chef Brillat-Savarin.
The food preferences of current and former US presidents reveal a lot about their personalities, lifestyles, and cultures—and by extension, even their politics. Some presidents enjoyed simple, hearty meals that reflected their humble origins or busy schedules, while others indulged in exotic, sophisticated dishes that showcased their cosmopolitan tastes or diplomatic skills.
Close aides to Joe Biden, and first lady Jill are very involved in his daily food choices as they try to keep the 80-year-old president healthy and energetic in the runup to the 2024 election. How do his food choices stack up against those of former presidents?
George Washington had a penchant for cherries, which may have inspired the famous (but false) story of him chopping down a cherry tree as a boy.
Thomas Jefferson, the third president, was a cosmopolite and true foodie who introduced many new foods to America after his travels to France and other countries. He loved “French vanilla ice cream”, which he made himself from a recipe he brought back from Paris. The wealthy landholder and amateur botanist also grew his own vegetables and fruits at Monticello, his Virginia estate.
Not surprising those who have ever seen a portrait of the lanky and ascetic-looking Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president was not very interested in food and often ate sparingly. He preferred simple foods like apples and coffee, which he sometimes had for dinner!
Quirky and contrarian Richard Nixon, the 37th president, had a peculiar habit of eating cottage cheese with ketchup for lunch every day. He was the first president to visit China in 1972, where he tried various Chinese dishes. None of them included ketchup.
Some former presidents have been known for their abysmal eating habits: Bill Clinton had a notorious appetite for fast-food burgers, especially from McDonald’s, until he was forced to abandon these life-threatening choices after undergoing heart surgery in 2004, when he became a vegan and switched to a plant-based diet.
Populist Donald Trump’s diet reflects that of the majority of America where obesity has become an epidemic. His diet is infamously unhealthy and full of zero-nutrition junk food. McDonald’s burgers, fried chicken, steak with ketchup, and Diet Coke. He rarely eats fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. He also skips breakfast and snacks on junk food throughout the day and racks up a whopping 12 Diet Cokes by evening.
Trump’s addiction to junk food was so extreme that he even served McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and Dominoes junk foods to the Clemson Tigers when they visited the White House– while wearing his long coat indoor to hide his much-commented-on corpulence.
How does mild-mannered, moderate, middle-of-the-roader President stack up on his diet? You guessed it, “think beige.”
Some Biden aides have long noted that he eats “like a child.” His favorite dishes include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, BLT’s, pizza, cookies, spaghetti with butter and red sauce, and ice cream that he occasionally makes into a full sundae, according to current and former Biden aides.
A teetotaler, he often drinks orange Gatorade.
First Lady Jill does her best to modify her husband’s unsophisticated and uninspiring choices. The president, like many other husbands, may have to go along with it, but he doesn’t have to like it.
An anecdote that Joe’s sister Val recounted in her memoir, Growing Up Biden, gives a glimpse into the tug-of-war that goes on daily in the Biden household.
In September 2021 Val went to the White House for a private dinner, and the first lady selected their entree: salmon in a pastry shell with a medley of vegetables. Simple yet nutritious.
“Damn, she makes me eat this healthy stuff all the time,” said the president, who’s not a fan of salmon, or vegetables. With the first lady out of sight, Biden had some lemon pound cake and finished a carton of Breyer’s chocolate chip ice cream for dessert, Val recalled.
Yet while his diet may be less than stellar, Biden works assiduously trying to stay in shape, even though fitness is harder at 80. “The difference in age, if I let it go for a week I feel it,” he said. “I used to be able to go for a week and nothing would change.”
Despite the widespread discussions about his age—mainly pushed by his rival Donald Trump, who is only 3 years younger–current and former aides say Biden is extraordinarily energetic for his age.
This may actually be working against him, as in denying his limits, he “creates a cycle in which he wears himself out, then appears fatigued during public events — which can increase concerns about his age, even when he’s taking on a rigorous schedule” according to sources.
“He is his own worst enemy when it comes to his schedule,” a former Biden aide said.
The same could be said about his nutrition, but thankfully his wife looks after him.
