Random US President’s Favorite Food (45 items)

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  (#1) Harry S. Truman

  • Dec. at 88 (1884-1972)

  Harry Truman never encountered a meal he enjoyed more than his mother’s fried chicken, though he also developed an affinity for meatloaf later in life, as long as it did not contain onions.
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  (#2) Thomas Jefferson

  • Dec. at 83 (1743-1826)

  Thomas Jefferson, after spending time in France, brought back a number of new foodie favorites with him when he returned to America - including ice cream and french fries.

  His top Franco-dish, however, appeared to be macaroni and cheese - or as he called it, “nouilly á maccaroni.”
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  (#3) William Howard Taft

  • Dec. at 73 (1857-1930)

  William Taft is infamous for being the heaviest president, and his daily diet might explain why.

  Among other foods, Taft would eat a 12-ounce steak with breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, and sometimes he’d have two with dinner.
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  (#4) Theodore Roosevelt

  • Dec. at 61 (1858-1919)

  Teddy Roosevelt liked to regularly eat meat of any variety, but he loved nothing more than fried chicken.

  Said to be able to take down more than a whole chicken in a single sitting, Roosevelt probably would have been a big fan of KFC and Popeyes had they existed in his day. He once stated that “the only way to serve fried chicken is with white gravy soaked into the meat.”
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  (#5) Barack Obama

  • 57

  Barack Obama once claimed his favorite food was broccoli, but those who worked with him will attest that it’s actually cheeseburgers.

  Unlike a few other recent presidents, Obama typically prefers burgers of a higher quality than what the average fast food joint offers.
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  (#6) John Quincy Adams

  • Dec. at 81 (1767-1848)

  John Quincy Adams enjoyed fresh fruit so much that he made a point of planting fruit trees around his presidential grounds - and lamented having not been wise enough to plant more when he was younger.
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  (#7) Franklin Pierce

  • Dec. at 65 (1804-1869)

  Franklin Pierce was the first president born in New Hampshire, and he brought a taste for classic New Hampshire-style fried apple pies with him to the White House.
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  (#8) Abraham Lincoln

  • Dec. at 56 (1809-1865)

  Honest Abe Lincoln was a simple man with simple tastes - including corned beef, cornbread, and corn pone - but his notoriously shy appetite could be tempted by a plate of chicken fricassee (chicken simmered in sauce).

  Mary Todd Lincoln described it as his absolute favorite dish, and there’s been heavy speculation about whether or not it was also his final meal.
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  (#9) John Adams

  • Dec. at 91 (1735-1826)

  John Adams was said to have a particular affinity for New England cheese - something he required to be well-stocked during his presidency.

  He particularly enjoyed the cheese combined with bacon and potatoes, a taste that remains in the modern American comfort-food diet.
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  (#10) Martin Van Buren

  • Dec. at 80 (1782-1862)

  Martin Van Buren loved apples, particularly combined with some other delicacy.

  He liked apple-themed dessert items best of all, including apple doughnuts and Dutch apple cake. 
• 

  (#11) Zachary Taylor

  • Dec. at 66 (1784-1850)

  George Washington is the president most closely associated with cherries, but perhaps it should be Zachary Taylor.

  He enjoyed the fruits so much that he was still asking for them right before he passed, and he managed to eat copious amounts of them before ultimately perishing.
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  (#12) William Henry Harrison

  • Dec. at 68 (1773-1841)

  William Henry Harrison perished after 30 days of his presidency, but not because of his diet (the real cause was pneumonia).

  Harrison favored fresh vegetables, and he bragged in several letters about the superior state of his garden.
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  (#13) Millard Fillmore

  • Dec. at 74 (1800-1874)

  Millard Fillmore had a mundane palate. He was said to enjoy soups and stews, and his last words were reportedly in reference to a bowl of soup: “The nourishment is palatable.”

  It is perhaps more accurate to say that Fillmore enjoyed soup as much as he enjoyed anything else than to call it his favorite. 
• 

  (#14) Calvin Coolidge

  • Dec. at 61 (1872-1933)

  Calvin Coolidge had a sour reputation, and eating habits to match; he was said to constantly nibble on various foods, and most frequently pickles.

  He and first lady Grace Coolidge were also early American adopters of Chinese cuisine, thanks to a live-in steward who hailed from China.
• 

  (#15) Ronald Reagan

  • Dec. at 93 (1911-2004)

  Ronald Reagan first started eating jelly beans as he attempted to stop smoking, and he soon had an uncontrollable jelly bean habit that necessitated keeping a jar on hand at all time.

  His fondness for the candy led to an unofficial partnership with the Jelly Belly candy company during his time in the Oval Office.
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  (#16) George Washington

  • Dec. at 67 (1732-1799)

  A Mount Vernon of literature has been written about America’s first president, and not all of it agrees on the identity of his favorite food. His own digital library describes him as being excessively fond of fish, but it also has an entire page dedicated to his love of hoecakes and honey.

  Washington’s proclivity for desiring cherries, however, appears to be a tad overblown, though he certainly enjoyed them. 
• 

  (#17) William McKinley

  • Dec. at 58 (1843-1901)

  William McKinley was noted for his enormous breakfasts, which often included what came to be known as the “McKinley Omelet,” a casserole-like version of the classic morning dish. 
• 

  (#18) Bill Clinton

  • 72

  Bill Clinton caught a lot of flack for his unhealthy diet, which included jalapeño cheeseburgers and chicken enchiladas slathered in Velveeta cheese.

  A particular favorite, however, was the Egg McMuffin, so Clinton and the Secret Service regularly made impromptu morning trips to McDonald's.
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  (#19) James Buchanan

  • Dec. at 77 (1791-1868)

  James Buchanan liked his butter and he liked it best from Philadelphia - so much so that he regularly had a locked brass kettle of it delivered to the White House from Philly.

  The kettles were eventually used to pass secret messages. 
• 

  (#20) Gerald Ford

  • Dec. at 93 (1913-2006)

  Gerald Ford is known for his controversial pardoning of Richard Nixon, but he didn’t ruffle many feathers with his rather ordinary favorite dish: pot roast and red cabbage.
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  (#21) Grover Cleveland

  • Dec. at 71 (1837-1908)

  Grover Cleveland loved corned beef and cabbage so much that he preferred it over the finer cuisine whipped up by White House chefs.

  On one occasion, Cleveland reportedly smelled corned beef and cabbage being cooked for his servants, and insisted on having that for dinner instead of the presumably fancier food that had already been prepared for him. He then announced it was “the best dinner [he’d] had in months.”
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  (#22) Franklin D. Roosevelt

  • Dec. at 63 (1882-1945)

  FDR had relatively simple tastes, even as president, preferring to dine on the same dishes ordinary Americans regularly enjoyed.

  His favorites included such mundane meals as scrambled eggs and hot dogs, though it is unknown whether or not he ever combined the two. 
• 

  (#23) Rutherford B. Hayes

  • Dec. at 71 (1822-1893)

  Rutherford Hayes only allowed himself a single cup of coffee with breakfast each day, but he also greatly enjoyed his daily serving of cornmeal batter cakes.

  That was as sweet as it got for Hayes, known for being somewhat uptight.
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  (#24) Herbert Hoover

  • Dec. at 90 (1874-1964)

  Herbert Hoover thought marshmallows cooked on top of a sweet potato was the height of deliciousness, so much so that he left his own recipe for the treat in the presidential archives. 
• 

  (#25) Warren G. Harding

  • Dec. at 58 (1865-1923)

  Warren G. Harding kept some habits in the White House considered unsavory, including drinking and gambling.

  While engaged in those activities, Harding insisted on passing around bowls of knockwurst and sauerkraut, making him an early adopter of pub-style finger food.
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  (#26) George W. Bush

  • 72

  George W. Bush’s most frequent request from the White House kitchen was reportedly the monstrosity known as the cheeseburger pizza: beef, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on top of a simple margherita pizza. 
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  (#27) John F. Kennedy

  • Dec. at 46 (1917-1963)

  JFK was never reported to have much of an appetite, but he always saved room for a bowl of soup with his lunch, and more often that not he chose New England fish chowder, or more accurately, “chowdah.”

  Seafood was also a dinnertime favorite for the president. 
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  (#28) Jimmy Carter

  • 94

  Jimmy Carter is credited with kickstarting the Golden Age of Grits in the United States due to his well-publicized love of the simple staple food.

  Carter’s daily consumption of grits became a large part of his down-to-earth campaign for president, and he didn’t stop eating them once he reached the White House.
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  (#29) Ulysses S. Grant

  • Dec. at 63 (1822-1885)

  Ulysses S. Grant had his own recipe for a simple rice pudding that included a special lemon favor.

  The dish was said to be a favorite of Grant's during his military campaigns and time in the White House. 
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  (#30) Lyndon B. Johnson

  • Dec. at 65 (1908-1973)

  Visitors to the LBJ Ranch were greeted with the president’s own deer sausage, which has been described as extremely spicy.

  Heat appeared to be a big part of Johnson’s palate, as he also greatly favored Mexican cuisine. 
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  (#31) John Tyler

  • Dec. at 72 (1790-1862)

  John Tyler was said to eat a form of sugar pie so much - and to serve it to guests so often - that the treat became known as “Tyler’s Pudding-Pie.”
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  (#32) Chester A. Arthur

  • Dec. at 57 (1829-1886)

  It’s easy to remember Chester A. Arthur’s preferred dish: he wore an infamous set of mutton chops on his face, and that also happened to be his favorite food.

  He was a light eater overall, typically chowing down on just a single chop for dinner on many nights. 
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  (#33) James Monroe

  • Dec. at 73 (1758-1831)

  James Monroe maintained an affinity for Virginia spoon bread for much of his life, despite traveling the world.

  This delicacy, made largely from cornbread and said to have a pudding-like consistency, takes its name from the utensil required to eat it.
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  (#34) Donald Trump

  • 72

  Donald Trump’s fondness for fast food is notorious, and he claims it’s an ingenious plan to avoid tampering because fast food is pre-made and ordered through a drive-thru, which would make food-tainting difficult.

  His most frequent stop appears to be McDonald's, where he’s said to order two Big Macs and two Filet-O-Fish but no fries. 
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  (#35) Dwight D. Eisenhower

  • Dec. at 79 (1890-1969)

  Dwight Eisenhower enjoyed corn pudding so much that it was referred to as President’s Corn Pudding on the official White House menu during his time there, along with Ike’s Vegetable Soup and Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge.
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  (#36) George H. W. Bush

  • 94

  While campaigning for president, George H.W. Bush caused a stir (and a spike in sales) when he admitted to a fondness for pork rinds, especially when paired with Tabasco sauce for added flavor.

  His favorite food, however, wasn’t nearly as notorious as his least favorite, which he made perfectly clear when he stated, “I am the president of the United States and I am not going to eat any more broccoli!” 
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  (#37) Andrew Johnson

  • Dec. at 67 (1808-1875)

  Andrew Johnson most enjoyed the Southern delicacies of his youth, including a dish called Hoppin’ John, a rice and pea-based construction.
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  (#38) Andrew Jackson

  • Dec. at 78 (1767-1845)

  Andrew Jackson was known as Ol’ Hickory, but his food tastes ran a little sweeter than that. His favorite treat was a French dish known as blancmange, a gelatinous dessert thickened with cornstarch and milk.

  Jackson also famously served a 1,400-pound wheel of cheese at one White House party.
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  (#39) James A. Garfield

  • Dec. at 50 (1831-1881)

  After contracting dysentery during military service, James Garfield had to stick to a diet he knew worked, and that included regular servings of squirrel soup, a personal favorite.

  He continued to eat squirrel soup even while occupying the White House, to some notoriety. 
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  (#40) James K. Polk

  • Dec. at 54 (1795-1849)

  Most presidents have a favorite type of pie, but James K. Polk is alone in preferring a sweet and savory vinegar pie - and he’s likely to remain that way.
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  (#41) Benjamin Harrison

  • Dec. at 68 (1833-1901)

  Benjamin Harrison’s favorite food is tough to pin down, but his family seemed to greatly enjoy holiday-style feasts while living in the White House, including a repast at which terrapin (turtle) was part of the meal. 
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  (#42) Richard Nixon

  • Dec. at 81 (1913-1994)

  During Nixon's incomplete stay in the White House, he had a habit of eating cottage cheese with ketchup for breakfast almost daily, one of the many ways cottage cheese found its way into his regular diet. 
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  (#43) James Madison

  • Dec. at 85 (1751-1836)

  James and Dolley Madison are often credited with popularizing ice cream in the United States, and it was definitely a staple of their presidential menu.

  Dolley Madison made her own, and her specialty was oyster ice cream, made with oysters she snagged from the Potomac. 
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  (#44) Woodrow Wilson

  • Dec. at 68 (1856-1924)

  Woodrow Wilson was plagued with health issues throughout his presidency, which may be why he favored a boxer’s breakfast of two raw eggs and grape juice.

  Some believe this food choice was doctor-recommended. 

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