Link to EveryDay Health article
Hail to the Snack! 10 U.S. Presidents' Favorite Munchies
Which ones craved salt? Which ones had a sweet tooth? Here's a
look at the sometimes odd — but always presidential — preferred snacks
of our commanders in chief.
You know how you feel the need to nosh when you’re under
stress?
Imagine how much stress eating our nation’s presidents are doing. From
weird (cottage cheese and ketchup) to decadent (Big Macs) to downright
nutritious (almonds), take a look at the top cravings of our commanders
in chief.
Credit: (2) Gilbert Stuart; (3) Pete Souza
Hail to the Snack! 10 U.S. Presidents' Favorite Munchies
Which ones craved salt? Which ones had a sweet tooth? Here's a
look at the sometimes odd — but always presidential — preferred snacks
of our commanders in chief.
You know how you feel the need to nosh when you’re under
stress?
Imagine how much stress eating our nation’s presidents are doing. From
weird (cottage cheese and ketchup) to decadent (Big Macs) to downright
nutritious (almonds), take a look at the top cravings of our commanders
in chief.
George Washington: Hazelnuts
According to
The President’s Cookbook by Poppy Cannon and Patricia Brooks, George Washington was generally disinterested in food, but he loved to snack on
nuts. “He would buy hazelnuts and shellbacks by the barrel,” according to the book, and according to
The Village Voice, he regularly carried around a handful of nuts.
Barack Obama: Chocolate Caramels
Although President Obama is an otherwise health-conscious head of state, he has been known to
splurge
on Fran’s Chocolate Smoked Sea Salt Caramels. Like Reagan, Obama even
included the chocolate-caramel treats at his inauguration. Not
surprisingly, Fran’s Chocolates has had a significant boost in
popularity following Obama’s sweet admission. Just a year after Obama
declared himself a fan, the company saw a sales increase of 50 percent,
according to
The Seattle Times.
Thomas Jefferson: Vanilla Ice Cream
Perhaps
the first “foodie” president, President Jefferson sought out local
cuisines and collected recipes during his travels, according to the U.S.
Library of Congress. During one trip to France, Jefferson picked up a
recipe for vanilla
ice cream.
When he returned to the States, Jefferson would often serve the cold
treat to guests at Monticello, his home in Charlottesville, Va.
William Howard Taft: Almonds
Perhaps
best known for his overwhelming physique (weighing in at 332 pounds),
President Taft had a surprisingly healthy favorite snack: salted
almonds, according to
The President’s Cookbook.
While he frequently enjoyed lavish meals at the White House, Taft
couldn’t go for long without nibbling on his beloved almonds. He even
carried a stash to tide him over whenever hunger struck.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Fruitcake
The snack of choice for the mostly modest and traditional President Roosevelt was the classic
fruitcake.
FDR’s housekeeper, Henrietta Nesbitt, said that the president loved the
cake because it was a food “he could dig into,” according to the
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Richard Nixon: Cottage Cheese and Ketchup
Scandal-plagued
President Nixon had an unusual snack favorite: cottage cheese and
ketchup. According to the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba
Linda, Calif., Nixon liked to eat the odd combo for breakfast. However,
he sometimes substituted other
cottage cheese
toppings, like pepper or fruit, for the ketchup. As part of his last
meal at the White House, he enjoyed a plate of cottage cheese and
pineapple slices, according to
The New York Times.
Ronald Reagan: Jelly Beans
When Ronald Reagan was preparing for his presidential inauguration in 1981, he made sure his favorite
sugary sweets
made an appearance. Three and a half tons of Jelly Belly beans were
shipped to the White House for the event. After the ball, Reagan
regularly kept jelly beans on hand to munch on and offer to visitors.
George H.W. Bush: Pork Rinds
President Bush first revealed his affinity for pork rinds in an interview with
USA Today during his 1988 presidential campaign, causing popularity for the
crunchy snack
to skyrocket. In fact, pork rind manufacturer Rudolph Foods Company had
to have its employees work overtime to keep up with the demand,
according to
The New York Times.
Bill Clinton: Big Macs
During
his two terms, President Clinton elevated junk food to a presidential
level. His go-to indulgence: McDonalds’ Big Mac. Clinton was even known
to take burger runs to satisfy his
cravings.
During one of his regular jogs through Washington, D.C., Clinton —
complete with his secret service entourage — stopped at a nearby
McDonald’s for a Big Mac. The detour was later famously mocked on a 1992
episode of
Saturday Night Live.
George W. Bush: Pretzels
President
Bush’s fondness for pretzels was revealed under rather unfortunate
circumstances when he the White House medical team had to rush in to
save the president from choking on one in 2002. While the president was
watching Sunday night football, a piece of
pretzel
became stuck in his throat, causing him to lose consciousness for a few
seconds, fall and injure his face. The good-natured Bush recovered
quickly and even joked about it the next day at an appearance, saying,
“If my mother is listening, Mother, I should have listened to you:
Always chew your pretzels before you swallow.”
Barack Obama: Chocolate Caramels
Although President Obama is an otherwise health-conscious head of state, he has been known to
splurge
on Fran’s Chocolate Smoked Sea Salt Caramels. Like Reagan, Obama even
included the chocolate-caramel treats at his inauguration. Not
surprisingly, Fran’s Chocolates has had a significant boost in
popularity following Obama’s sweet admission. Just a year after Obama
declared himself a fan, the company saw a sales increase of 50 percent,
according to
The Seattle Times.
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