Presidential Breakfasts

So not all the research that went into O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die dealt with Cold War top-secret missions. Case in point: presidential breakfasts. A real perk of being the Commander in Chief is the personal staff at your disposal. This includes culinary chefs ready and waiting to prepare anything you might desire. So, naturally, I wondered what the hell these presidents have eaten for breakfast over the years…

Yeah, I actually spent time researching this. And since ol’ Ronnie Reagan plays a pivotal role in my novel, we’ll start with him. So what did Reagan — the 45th president of the United States — eat for breakfast? This might seem somewhat cliché for the decade and all… but his go-to was bran cereal. If you grew up back then, you probably remember just how popular bran cereal was — not with kids, mind you. Hell no. I was a Frosted Flakes aficionado, through and through. But I certainly remember my grandparents chowing down on it every morning. Looking back, it was like people had just discovered ‘fiber’ and all of the benefits of having it in their diet. Topped with skim milk and fresh fruit, both Ronald and Nancy washed it all down with decaf coffee… now that’s a Morning in America.  

As for the other past presidents, let’s take a look:

Jimmy Carter — most often, Mr. Carter kept it simple: fruit and buttered toast. But when Mr. Carter cut loose, he’d devour a plate of country-styled ham with a serving of grits. In fact, Jimmy Carter loved grits so much he named his dog after them. 

Gerald Ford — another light eater during the week, Ford would go wild with strawberry pancakes on the weekends, topped with… sour cream? That sounds strange. Do people really put sour cream on pancakes?! 

Richard Nixon — yogurt, cottage cheese, and fruit. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? But get this… he’d top that cottage cheese with KETCHUP. And I thought sour cream on pancakes was weird? Just imagine ketchup on cottage cheese. Do you see that mental image? It’s terrifying.

Lyndon B. Johnson — this man was from Texas. He ate steaks —breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

John F. Kennedy — Mr. Kennedy enjoyed poached eggs on toast with a side of crisp bacon. Pretty simple. Nothing unsettling. And I’m betting it was quite delicious. 

Well, there you have it, folks. Thanks for reading. Feel free to start a conversation below and subscribe to my mailing list so you don’t miss my next post! Thanks!

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