Foods That Will Go Down in History as the Presidents’ Favorites

Although John Adams upped sticks and (partially) moved to Washington D.C. for his presidential run, there’s no doubt about the fact that he was a Massachusettsan through and through. He loved his home state more than anything, which is why it may not come as a surprise to learn that his favorite food was New England delicacy. A New England boiled delicacy, to be exact. And who doesn’t love a one-pot meal?

Often called the “Father of the Constitution”, James Madison was kind of a big deal. As the fourth president of the United States he had a lot of work on his plate. Unfortunately, it seems as though he didn’t have a lot of food on his plate. As the smallest president in history (by both height and weight), it’s believed that he spent more time working than eating. However, historians have guessed his favorite food. 

William Henry Harrison will forever be known for a few things – the shortest presidency in U.S. history, being the first president to die while in office, and his love of squirrels. Squirrel stew, to be exact! It’s well documented that William Henry Harrison loved squirrel stew so much that he handed bowls of the stuff out to potential voters while he was rallying for his presidency, and it was his favorite food. 

While all of the former presidents on this list will go down in history for their time in the Oval Office, George Washington stands out from the crowd – and not just because he didn’t actually live or work in the White House. As the country’s very first president, he set the standard for the men that followed him. And according to reports, he loved a dinner party as much as the next guy. 

From a young age, Andrew Jackson knew he had a big future on his horizon. This confidence and talent led him to the White House, where he served as the seventh president of the United States. And while this high life led to a taste for the finer things, he never seemed to forget his roots. Because of this, his favorite food was a mixture of high-society chow and humble ingredients. 

Thomas Jefferson may have been one of the Founding Fathers of America, but what many people don’t realize is that he had a real fondness for France. As a child, he became fluent in French, and this led to a job as the 2nd United States Minister to France. He was also a staunch believer in the French Revolution and even owned a second home in the country across the pond. 

When Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States in 2009, he also became the first African-American president in history. This sparked a huge movement in the political world and proved to black people across the country that they could have a chance like him. But while you could spend ages discussing the ins and outs of his policies, one thing we need to discuss is Obama’s favorite food. 

John Quincy Adams had an illustrious political career before he became the sixth president of the United States in 1825. Because of that, we really don’t blame him for taking a step back and retiring when his time in the White House ended. He probably needed a good ol’ lie down! While he moved to live a quieter life in Massachusetts after his time in office, he still kept himself busy in his gardens. 

Before he became the President of the United States, Martin Van Buren spent a lot of his time traveling – especially while serving as the minister to Great Britain. As a result, he traveled to and from the United Kingdom on a regular basis, learning their ways and eating their food. It was during these trips that he was introduced to the classic British Christmas dish, a boar’s head covered in a crown of holly. 

Arguably one of the least well-known former presidents of the United States, James K Polk still made a big difference as the 11th president of the United States. But while luck and talent landed him in the White House, bad luck ultimately led him to an early death at just 53 years old. So, what happened? Well, when his presidential run came to an end, James and his wife decided to travel around the Southern states. Seems harmless, right?

Zachary Taylor became the second president in American history to die in office, and as a self-proclaimed foodie we bet he was pretty annoyed to die from stomach disease. In fact, some conflicting reports even suggest that the large amount of milk and cherries he consumed a few days before his death actually contributed to his passing. But at least his favorite food didn’t cause his health to decline so quickly. 

One thing everyone seems to know about Donald Trump – whether they’re lovin’ him or not – is that he’s the biggest fan of McDonald’s. He’s regularly spoken out about his love for the golden arches and appreciates the efficiency that fast food provides. As if that wasn’t enough, he regularly ordered mass amounts of McDonald’s for state visits and important White House events. But does he have a favorite McDonald’s order? 

Chester A. Arthur was an American president who got the job by default when his predecessor passed away unexpectedly. And while his political dealings have put him in the history books, there’s no doubt about the fact that his eating habits should also be mentioned. After all, it’s not every day you come across someone who eats a turtle for their evening meal! We don’t think we ever have, actually. 

As a rule, only those who were born in the United States can become president. And while Millard Fillmore was born in the U.S., his ancestral roots can be traced back to England. As a result, it’s believed that many of the foods he ate growing up were influenced by English cuisine – like his favorite, the resurrection pie. This meat pie was regularly served at his table both before, during, and after his stint in the White House. 

Although many Americans mock the British for their Yorkshire puddings, what they often fail to realize is that there’s a popular American alternative that’s still extremely popular in the southern states. In fact, it was considered to be former president James Monroe’s favorite food. Do you know what it is? It’s spoonbread, of course! This savory bread-like recipe is made from cornmeal, eggs, butter, and milk, and so soft it can only be eaten with a spoon.

Arguably one of the most famous presidents in the history of the United States, most people assume they know a lot about the guy. And while we all know that he led the U.S. through the American Civil War and used his humble beginnings to advocate for change, do you know what food he used to eat? Of course, the almond cake his wife used to bake for him is famous, but it’s been noted that his favorite food was actually corn cakes.

George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009, and it’s fair to say that he had big shoes to fill after his father held the job before him. But whether you agreed with his politics or not, you can’t deny that he had good taste in food. After all, Bush’s favorite food of all time was a cheeseburger pizza – but he didn’t order it in. 

Timing was a little off for Herbert Hoover when he made his way into the Oval Office. Although he had previously had a successful career as a mining engineer (and was ultimately very rich as a result), he served the country as the 31st president of the United States just as the Great Depression was starting. So, he couldn’t be seen to be spending too much money in a time when people had so little. 

The 14th president of the United States was Franklin Pierce. and while he was born and raised in New Hampshire, he had a deep love and devotion to the American South. In fact, his ties to the south made him very unpopular in his home state – but he didn’t seem to mind, as long as he had a plate of fannie daddies in front of him. Of course, you probably wouldn’t call them that anymore. 

Rutherford B. Hayes will forever be known as the 19th president of the United States – and being president allows you certain privileges. And while most people would use that power to turn the Oval Office into a ball pit, add a golf course to the grounds, and fill the kitchen with the most delicious food known to humankind, it seems as though Hayes was a simpler man. He didn’t drink alcohol, and his favorite food was corn! 

James Buchanan was a wordly man who brought his knowledge and experience of the world to the White House – and this could be seen in his favorite food. After all, James’ favorite food was sauerkraut, despite him not having any German roots at all! His ancestors could be traced back to both Scotland and Ireland, where sauerkraut is relatively unknown. But there was something about the fermented cabbage that just tickled his pickle. 

Sure, many of the presidents on this list are known for making positive changes to the country we know and love to date – but do any of the others have a pudding pie named after them? We don’t think so! After assuming the presidential throne due to the untimely death of his predecessor, John Tyler wasn’t the most popular president out there. Many claimed that he didn’t deserve the right to rule their country. 

Dwight Eisenhower was so much more than just a president. He was also a former military hero, family man, and impressive cook. Yes, whenever Dwight had the chance, he would make his way into the White House kitchens and whip up a meal for himself. His favorite? His famous beef stew, of course. He didn’t just make this beef stew for him and his family to enjoy by themselves, though. 

If you were to look at a map, you’d see that former presidents of the United States were born all over. But over the course of history, a fair few presidents have been born and bred in Virginia – and Woodrow Wilson was one of them. He was extremely proud of his Virginian roots, which is why it might not surprise you to learn that his favorite food of all time was Virginia country ham. 

Many chefs dream of one day being able to cook for the rich, famous and influential. And while only a teeny-tiny percentage of chefs will be able to cook for presidents, Will Patterson managed to land a job (and keep it) to cook for Presidents Ford, Clinton, and Bush. While in the White House, he learned how to make the favorite dish of former president Andrew Johnson, who served from 1865 to 1869.

Ulysses S. Grant was a military man before becoming the United States president. He served as the commanding general that led the Americans to victory during the American Civil War, and we all know that military men are used to humble food. From rations to container food, they spend years of their lives eating easy-to-cook, filling meals with very few ingredients. Perhaps that’s why Ulysess’ favorite food was the humble rice pudding. 

James Garfield was a man who wore many hats – both literally and metaphorically. Over the course of his lifetime, he was a preacher, lawyer, Civil War general, representative of the United States House of Representatives, and the President of the United States. Doing all of that must have been hungry work – but what was his choice of food? Well, it’s been noted that James Garfield loved to chow down on a steaming hot bowl of squirrel soup.

Lyndon B. Johnson was a big personality. The Texas native made himself known in the White House – and rumors suggest that he may have ruffled a few feathers along the way. This was the case when Johnson decided that he didn’t want to eat the food that the White House chef, Henry Haller, was cooking for him. Johnson wanted a taste of home, and he wanted to taste the classic barbecue flavors of his home. 

Grover Cleveland was able to retire with a successful smirk on his face. After all, he’s still the only U.S. president to this day who served two non-consecutive terms in the Oval Office. And while he had access to some of the finest chefs in the world while he sat at the top of the food chain, it seems as though this New York native preferred classic dishes over gourmet creations. 

Christmas at the White House is a prestigious affair. The whole place is decked out in decorations and numerous Christmas trees are given pride of place in the house and on the grounds. But what you might not realize is that we have Benjamin Harrison to thank for that. He was the first president to put his festive foot down and add a Christmas tree to the White House. In fact, he was utterly obsessed with Christmas! 

William McKinley will forever be known as the 25th president of the United States – and for having countless schools named after him. But we’re going to bet our bottom dollar that most kids wouldn’t pick his favorite food from the school cafeteria if they were hungry. That’s because William’s favorite comfort food was red flannel hash, which is a dish made from a mixture of beets and potatoes (hence the color). 

Sure, he might not be the most famous president in history, but Calvin Coolidge still had the honor of sitting in the Oval Office and living in the White House. A major perk of that is having your own private chef, and Ling P. Quan was the man tasked with feeding President Coolidge during his stint. And while his favorite savory dish was veal curry, he would always prefer sweet things. 

Although Joe Biden’s presidency has ended under sad circumstances, there’s no doubt about the fact that his time in office has got people talking. And while questions around his age have circled for a while, we’re here to talk about his food preferences. So, what’s his favorite food? Ice cream! He’s particularly partial to the Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, too, and reportedly has the White House freezer stocked with the stuff.

Presidents… they’re just like the rest of us. And while Theodore Roosevelt had a very different life to the rest of us, it seems as though fried chicken is the great equalizer when it comes to presidents and regular Joes. Like many other Americans, Theodore Roosevelt loved nothing more than sitting down with a plate of fried chicken after a long day – and he apparently paired his with mashed potatoes and white gravy. 

William Howard Taft was born for the presidency. Like many former presidents before him, he graduated from Yale University before working his way up the political ladder to become the 27th president of the United States. But did you know that he was also the heaviest president of the United States? Yes, Taft was 332 pounds at his heaviest – and that might have had something to do with his favorite food. 

Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States, although he only served from 1921 until 1923 when he passed away before the end of his term. And while he ran the country during the Prohibition era, Harding made no secret of the fact that he was against the alcohol bill – and it’s been reported that he would hold secret parties in his home, along with some of his favorite food.

Gerald Ford was dealt a tough hand when he became president. Sure, he signed up to take on the job, but he probably didn’t anticipate to be dealing with such a poor economic standard when he did. As a result, money was tight in the White House, so their meals were changed accordingly – but Ford didn’t seem to mind. He was a humble man who preferred the simpler meals. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt landed the best job of all time when he became the ​32nd president of the United States. And it seems as though the American people loved his work, too, as he’s the only president in history to have served more than two terms in office. But while he excelled as a leader, it seems as though FDR struggled when it came to the distinction between work relationships and friend relationships. 

As Jimmy Carter grew up on a peanut farm, he grew up understanding where food came from and how to make even the most humble of ingredients taste delicious. And while his palate changed as the years went by and he worked his way up the political ladder, it seems as though the 39th president of the United States still preferred these simple, home-cooked meals. He’d even make them for his family. 

Although Harry S. Truman was happy to serve as the vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt, it’s widely regarded that he never really dreamt of becoming president himself. Despite this, he became the 32nd president of the United States and moved into what he called the “Great White Jail.” And while the new power and freedom could have gone to his head, Truman preferred to stay humble – even with his food. 

Did you know that the Constitution states that you have to be 35 years or older to become president? Of course, Ronald Reagan was within this age frame when he became the president of the United States – but just because your age states you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to eat like an adult! After all, Ronald Reagan was obsessed with jelly beans and would eat them all day, every day. 

John F. Kennedy is known for a few things. Of course, he’s known as the 35th president of the United States, but he’s also known as the youngest-ever president, a military man, a family man, and the man who was assassinated in one of the most infamous crimes of all time. But one thing you might not know about JFK is that he wasn’t really a foodie. In fact, he would reportedly go days without eating. 

During his time in office, Bill Clinton obviously had to deal with a lot of stress. Running one of the most powerful countries in the world isn’t an easy business, after all. But he’s noted that this stress also affected his eating patterns in the White House, as he would often fuel his body with fast food. His favorite food, however? Chicken enchiladas! The cheesier, the better, according to sources. 

Richard Nixon is generally considered to be one of the most infamous presidents of the United States. Sure, he did some great things, but the Watergate scandal will always hang over his legacy. But aside from his infamous political decisions, it seems as though this man made some infamous foodie decisions too. After all, who willingly chooses to eat cottage cheese on a daily basis? Well, Nixon did just that. 

George H. W. Bush was the kind of man that most people looked up to – and not just because he was the former head of the CIA. He had an aura about him that made people stop and listen, but he also seemed strangely normal for a man who had achieved so much. This meant that everything he did influenced the rest of the world – and that included his food preferences.