"A pie called macaroni," squirrel soup, and cottage cheese ketchup?!
This isn’t Hell’s Kitchen.
These are the favorite foods of U.S. Presidents.
George Washington was known for many things, and while he did like cherries, his favorite
meal actually came at breakfast.
"At the top of his breakfast likes, were hoecakes - not hot cakes - hoecakes.
Basically a cornmeal pancake."
Hoecakes were popular among many southern states in the 18th century.
The hoecakes were fried and served with copious amounts of honey, which was exactly how Washington
liked them.
It's estimated that President John Adams drank about a gallon of cider every day, and even
took barrels of it with him when he traveled.
Adams wasn't alone in his love of cider, as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were
also big fans.
According to PBS, Adams particularly loved to drink his cider while eating a simple dinner
prepared by his wife Abigail.
According to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson is credited with popularizing several now
classic dishes in America from his time in Europe.
As for his favorite food?
Jefferson loved macaroni and cheese so much that he had a pasta machine at Monticello
and had pasta shipped from Europe regularly.
Federalist senator Manasseh Cutler even wrote about eating, quote, "a pie called macaroni"
at the President's House in 1802.
James Madison was instrumental in ratifying the Bill of Rights and also took part in shaping
the American political system as we know it today.
When it came to food, Madison was helped by his wife Dolley, who according to Food Timeline,
was known as an excellent cook.
One of Madison's favorite foods was Virginia ham, which was often served at large dinner
parties and was a staple of many southern dishes.
James Monroe, the fifth president, was born in Virginia and grew up eating southern food,
including spoon bread, a type of cornmeal pudding popular in the American South and
which likely has its origins amongst American Indians, according to TasteAtlas.
It's made with milk, cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking soda and is usually served as a
side dish.
John Quincy Adams was the sixth president and son of President John Adams.
He was known for his love of fruit, which, according to Food Timeline, was unusual for
the time.
In the early 1800s, fresh fruit was not as readily available as it is today, so it was
a treat.
Adams, however, wanted to make it more accessible and so was responsible for planting various
fruit trees at the White House during his time in office.
Andrew Jackson was born in South Carolina and grew up eating southern food, including
one of his favorites: leather britches, and no, he wasn't eating pants.
These are green beans cooked with bacon, according to The Village Voice.
He was even known as the quote, "Cheese President" because he would keep wheels of the stuff
at the White House and served it often at parties.
Oysters were a popular Southern dish in the 1800s and were a favorite of Martin Van Buren,
who was born in New York but his family had Dutch roots, which may also explain his love
of these mollusks, according to Presidential Power.
Although there aren't many other specifics about what he liked to eat, Food Timeline
reports that he enjoyed other Dutch dishes and boar's head, but was not a fan of sweets.
Burgoo is a stew made with various types of meat, vegetables, and spices, and can be either
thick or thin, depending on the recipe.
According to The History Chef, it was likely a favorite of Willaim Henry Harrison because
it was filling and could be made to feed a crowd by adding more water or broth.
This could have been fitting for the many gatherings he held during his election campaign
and his 31 days at the White House before dying of pneumonia.
Although John Tyler lived simply, he loved food.
According to Food Timeline, he was known to have a sweet tooth and puddings were some
of his favorite desserts.
This may have been in part because puddings can easily feed a crowd, which would have
been helpful for Tyler's large family.
He had seven children with his first wife, Letitia, and another seven with his second
wife, Julia.
James Polk, the 11th U.S. president, was born in North Carolina and grew up eating cornbread,
also known as "corn pone."
According to The Daily Beast, cornbread was a staple of the Polk household.
The former president's wife, Sarah, was extremely frugal and likely made corn pone often because
it was cheap.
Calas-tous-chauds, which means "hot rice cakes" in Creole, was a favorite of Zachary Taylor.
Book of Days Tales reports that the 12th U.S. president was born in Virginia but grew up
in Kentucky, where he developed a taste for Southern food and sweets.
These rice cakes are deep-fried and often served with molasses or syrup.
They are similar to beignets, which are also popular in the South.
According to Food Timeline, Millard Filmore was responsible for having the first iron
cook stove installed in the White House, and apparently had a particular love for a good
soup or stew.
A simple mixture of meat, potatoes, and vegetables seemed to do the trick, and these kinds of
soups were served often during Filmore's time as president.
The Independent reports that his last words were even reportedly, quote, "the nourishment
is palatable," referring to a bowl of soup he had just been fed.
Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, was born in New Hampshire and
grew up eating the specialties of New England, but according to Yesterday's Island, his favorite
dish was fried clams.
Pierce wasn't well known for a love of food, and rarely bothered to host dinners at the
White House, so there is little other evidence of his tastes.
James Buchanan liked many different foods, so it's hard to track down his true favorite.
According to Lancaster History, fish, strawberries, and ice cream were all enjoyed by the former
president.
However, one of Buchanan's favorite things to eat was cabbage.
He particularly loved sauerkraut, which is made from fermented cabbage.
Abraham Lincoln was a man of simple tastes.
According to "Through Five Administrations," a book written by a former bodyguard to President
Lincoln, he never stopped enjoying things that a typical farmer's boy would like.
This included foods like hoecakes, as well as old-fashioned bacon.
As someone who was taxed to the limit during his presidency, Lincoln enjoyed simple, hearty
foods that would have kept him full and energetic.
According to The History Chef, Hoppin' John is a dish made from rice, pork, and black-eyed
peas that's popular in the south and was one of Andrew Johnson's favorites.
History reports that Hoppin' John is traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring good luck
for the year ahead but according to the Miller Center, it didn't work for Johnson, who had
one of the worst presidencies in history.
Ulysses S. Grant was born in Ohio and later fought in the Civil War.
He was known for his wartime endeavors, but he also had a soft spot for sweets.
According to The Clermont Sun, Grant loved rice pudding so much that some people described
his passion for the stuff as a kind of mania.
This dish was made with milk, rice, sugar, eggs, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Rutherford B. Hayes was born in Ohio, and his favorite food was a midwestern meal of
cornmeal pancakes, made with cornmeal, flour, milk, eggs, and baking powder.
Hayes wasn't a big drinker, however, and banned alcohol in the White House during his time
there.
He was the first president to do this, but the teetotaling didn't last long.
According to Food Timeline, James Garfield was very fond of squirrel soup.
Although it might sound a little bizarre, squirrel was a relatively common protein in
the 1800s and the soup was made with squirrel meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and
spices like thyme and pepper.
Unfortunately, Garfield was plagued with poor health for most of his life, so he may not
have been able to keep this dish down very often.
Chester Arthur had the unique distinction of sharing his favorite food with his signature
look.
Arthur's most requested meal, according to Food Timeline, was a dinner of mutton chops
and a glass of ale.
This president was also known for his bushy sideburns, commonly referred to as mutton
chops.
Whether these two were related, we'll never know.
According to The Miller Center, one of Grover Cleveland's favorite foods was pickled herring,
which is a popular dish in Scandinavia.
Cleveland also enjoyed other types of seafood, including oysters and lobsters.
He was known for his hearty appetite, and would often eat large meals, although he wasn't
a fan of the fancier dishes cooked at the White House.
One of Benjamin Harrison's favorite foods was corn, which is no surprise given his roots
in the Midwest.
According to The History Chef, Harrison and his wife Caroline were known as being big
fans of corn and ate the vegetable often.
They likely enjoyed it in dishes such as corn muffins, stewed corn, and corn fritters.
There's not a lot known about William McKinley's dietary habits.
According to Food Timeline, he was known to enjoy both meat and fish but didn't have any
particular favorites.
This is likely because McKinley was a relatively private person who didn't share much about
his personal life with the public.
However, we do know that he was born in Ohio and liked to eat food from his home state.
One of Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt's favorite foods was fried chicken.
According to Ancestry, Roosevelt also liked gravy and would often pour it over his fried
chicken, which is how his mother reportedly prepared it.
Roosevelt was known for his love of the outdoors and hunting, and so may have also enjoyed
game meat.
According to The Washington Post, William Howard Taft loved steak and would often eat
it for breakfast, along with potatoes.
Perhaps due in part to his love of this carb-heavy meal, Taft was also the heaviest president
in history, weighing in at over 330 pounds.
Taft went on a diet in 1911, but it didn't seem to affect his weight much.
According to The Daily Beast, Woodrow Wilson didn't have many favorite foods but he often
requested chicken salad, made with chopped chicken, mayonnaise, and diced fruit or vegetables.
Wilson was known for being a very private person and didn't share much about his personal
life with the public, making it hard to uncover his favorite dishes.
Warren Harding enjoyed a good chicken pot pie made with chicken, vegetables, and a flaky
pastry crust.
According to Food Timeline, Harding also liked German foods such as sauerkraut and frankfurters,
as well as scrambled eggs and corn muffins in the morning, served with what was hopefully
metaphorical gallons of coffee.
Pork apple pie may sound unappealing, but when you know how well apples and pork go
together, it doesn't seem so far-fetched.
According to Food Timeline, President Calvin Coolidge's mother used to make these pies
for him.
While it's unknown how much he ate such pies as an adult, he claimed that he had never
eaten anything as good as his mother's recipe.
Herbert Hoover loved a popular Thanksgiving side dish: sweet potatoes and marshmallows.
Although it's hard to track down a lot of information on this, the U.S. National Archives
does list "Herbert and Lou Hoover's Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes" as a White House Thanksgiving
dish.
We assume Hoover enjoyed this combo enough to have it recorded in history.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt shared a favorite food with many other Americans.
According to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, FDR had a particular fondness for
grilled cheese sandwiches.
We can't blame him for finding this dish so good, as it's still one of the most comforting
meals of all time.
According to the U.S. National Archives, fried chicken was one of Harry Truman's favorite
foods.
NPR reports that he apparently found so much comfort in the dish that it was what he ate
on the eve of the Korean War.
Truman also enjoyed other American comfort foods like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but
he hated onions and claimed a dish co\er: Million dollar fudge
Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, has a sweet story behind
his favorite food.
According to KARK, Dwight D. Eisenhower's wife Mamie used to make fudge that was so
good, her husband submitted it as a recipe for a cookbook compiled by the Women's National
Press Club in 1955.
Eisenhower nicknamed the dessert "Million Dollar Fudge," undoubtedly because that's
what he thought it was worth.
John F. Kennedy, born in Massachusetts, had a strong affinity for New England foods.
According to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, his favorite food was New England
fish chowder.
He seemed to have a particular fondness for soups and many kinds of seafood.
He wasn't a big eater though and often had to be reminded to eat dinner.
Lyndon Johnson was a Texas man through and through.
He was known for bringing Texas barbecue to the White House during his time as president.
According to Food Timeline, the president's favorite meal was a large spread featuring
Texas beef barbecue with gravy, smoked beans, corn, potato salad, coleslaw, dill pickles,
sweet onions, sourdough biscuits and fried apple pies.
Richard Nixon's infamous Watergate scandal wasn't the only thing that had people raising
their eyebrows.
"Little known to many people, is President Nixon's love of cottage cheese with ketchup."
That's right - according to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, the former president's
favorite breakfast consisted of cottage cheese topped with ketchup and black pepper.
While the combo might make some gag, VICE reports that cottage cheese was a staple in
many homes in the 1970s, so it probably wasn't the strangest meal of the era.
Gerald Ford had a favorite food that we can surely all get behind: waffles.
He enjoyed breakfast food, according to Food Timeline, and often started his day with fresh
fruit, juice, English muffins, and jam.
His favorite meal was Sunday breakfast, which consisted of golden brown waffles topped with
strawberries and sour cream.
Jimmy Carter is from Georgia, so it's no surprise that his favorite food is grits.
According to The History Chef, grits were on the menu as soon as the Carters moved into
the White House.
This southern staple was even served to important visitors to the White House, many of whom
liked the dish after trying it.
The White House chef made sure the grits were prepared well, served hot, and mixed with
plenty of butter and cheese.
Ronald Reagan was well known for his love of jelly beans.
According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the president first started snacking
on jelly beans in 1966 to help himself get over his smoking habit.
The Herman Goelitz Candy Company regularly sent Reagan shipments of jelly beans during
all eight years he held office in the White House.
"I spent for 8 years about once a quarter, I would go to the White House to make sure
that they had all the beans they needed."
He always had a jar to snack on in the Oval Office and even brought them to meetings.
His favorite flavor was black licorice.
George H.W.
Bush was a man of simple taste when it came to food.
Bush's favorite snack was pork rinds, which he was known to eat often, much to the dismay
of his wife Barbara.
He liked to top them with Tabasco sauce for a spicy, crunchy treat.
Bush was also well known for his intense dislike of broccoli.
Bill Clinton had a few favorite foods, but one dish, in particular, stood out: chicken
enchiladas.
According to Food Timeline, Clinton loved eating foods that weren't very good for him,
including jalapeño cheeseburgers, barbecue, and cinnamon rolls.
However, AARP reports that the former president eventually decided to go vegan for his health.
George W. Bush developed a taste for Tex-Mex cuisine while living in Texas.
The president's wife, Laura, told ABC News that they both missed good Mexican food more
than anything else while living at the White House.
The former president also liked biscuits, chicken pot pie, and BLTs.
Barack Obama wasn't shy about his love for nachos.
"Nachos."
"That's one of those where I have to have it taken away.
I have the guacamole coming out of my eyeballs."
According to the New York Times, other foods the now-retired president enjoys include chili,
chocolate, trail mix, and roasted nuts.
He also reportedly enjoys eating healthy and eats plenty of vegetables every day.
Donald Trump's guilty pleasure is affordable fast food.
According to Business Insider, the former president is a big fan of McDonald's and often
orders the chain's Egg McMuffins, Big Macs, and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches.
He also enjoys KFC and Pizza Hut, though he reportedly doesn't eat the crust.
In terms of beverages, he's known to down Diet Coke.
"TWELVE Diet Cokes right?"
"That's 144 ounces of President fuel!"
Joe Biden: Ice cream
President Joe Biden has made his stance on his favorite food very clear.
"My name is Joe Biden and I love ice cream."
After some laughter from the crowd, he insisted that he wasn't kidding, saying -
"I eat more ice cream than three other people you'd like to be with, all at once."
According to Eat This, Not That, President Obama confirmed that his former VP still loved
this sweet treat in 2020.