Presidents of the United States – past and present – have always had the weight of the world on their shoulders. But even though they make decisions every day that affect millions of lives, they’re still normal people just like us, and they have always liked to chow down.
From jelly beans to fried chicken, their favorite dishes show that even the most influential leaders have their weaknesses.
Here’s a scrumptious rundown of the favorite foods of 20 U.S. Presidents.
George Washington needs no introduction, but in case you slept through history class, he was a Virginia native who held the distinction of being the first U.S. president, which he did from 1789 to 1797. His favorite food was hoecakes, otherwise known as cornmeal pancakes, which he liked slathered in honey and butter.
Massachusetts native John Adams was President of the United States from 1797 to 1801. He ate a wide variety of foods, but according to the New York Times, his favorite first course was Indian pudding, a baked pudding made with cornmeal.
Thomas Jefferson was president from 1801 to 1809 and a member of the Democratic-Republican Party (yes, that was a thing). His favorite food was macaroni and cheese, which he first ate when traveling in Europe.
Like Thomas Jefferson, James Madison was also a Virginian and a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. He served as president from 1809 to 1817, and his favorite food was vanilla ice cream.
James Monroe was president from 1817 to 1825 and the third and final Virginian member of the Democratic-Republican Party to hold the land’s highest office. His favorite food was reportedly fried chicken, and we totally feel where he’s coming from on that one. He was also a big fan of baked tomatoes and eggs that his wife Elizabeth would make for him.
Democrat Andrew Jackson, who hailed from Tennessee, served as president from 1829 to 1837. His favorite food was leather britches, otherwise known as green beans and bacon.
Abraham Lincoln was president from 1861 to 1865, a fraught time in the nation’s history.Historian Helen Dupre Bullock said Lincoln wasn’t a big eater, which his lanky frame would seem to suggest. However, when he finally sat down and ate something, he enjoyed chicken fricassee with biscuits.
Ohio Republican Ulysses S. Grant was president from 1869 to 1877. Whatever his favorite foods might have been, that’s not nearly as interesting as the fact that he started every day with a cup of black coffee and an entire vinegar-soaked pickle.
Chester A. Arthur was president from 1881 to 1885, and to this day, he remains the only U.S. president whose name was a significant plot point in the “Die Hard” franchise. His favorite meal was mutton chops with a glass of ale, and he even hired a French chef to prepare his meals at the White House.
Grover Cleveland was the only president in U.S. history to serve two non-consecutive terms, from 1885 to 1889 and 1893 to 1897. He didn’t like the food made by the French chef he inherited from Chester A. Arthur, writing, "I must go to dinner, but I wish it was to eat pickled herring, Swiss cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find."
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt was President of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He was a big game hunter who ate what he killed, but when it came to food furnished by others, he enjoyed steak and gravy.
William Howard Taft weighed over 350 pounds at the time of his inauguration, making him the heaviest president in U.S. history. The Ohio Republican was president from 1909 to 1913, and his runaway favorite food was steak. He ate a 12-ounce one every morning for breakfast, and sometimes ate it three meals a day.
Woodrow Wilson was president from 1913 to 1921. His favorite food was Virginia country ham, but despite its high salt content, his doctor let him keep eating it anyway, even when the stress of the presidency began to affect his health negatively.
Dwight D. Eisenhower served as president from 1953 to 1961. His favorite foods included beef stew and steak, although he was also said to enjoy quail hash, something you don’t see on a lot of restaurant menus these days.
John F. Kennedy was a Democrat who served as President of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. His favorite food was New England fish chowder, which is not surprising for a Massachusetts native.
Richard Nixon was president from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. His favorite food was cottage cheese with ketchup, and wherever you may stand on the political spectrum, we think you’ll agree that’s gross.
Ronald Reagan was president from 1981 to 1989, and anyone who was around at the time can tell you that his favorite food was the jelly bean. According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, he started eating them as a way to quit smoking.
George H. W. Bush was Ronald Reagan's vice president before serving as president from 1989 to 1993. During that time, we learned that he really enjoyed crunchy fried pork rinds, occasionally adding a sprinkling of Tabasco sauce.
Bill Clinton was president from 1993 to 2001, and his food preferences when he was in office were totally relatable. Today he eats in a very health-conscious way, but when he was leader of the free world, he was quite fond of the jalapeño bacon burger.
Joe Biden has been president since 2021. While everyone with eyes knows by now that he loves vanilla ice cream, some of his aides told Axios in 2023 that he also loves ”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.”