Nutrition Diet: What did Marilyn Monroe like to eat?

October 5, 2025 •

3 min read

In a 1952 interview with Pageant magazine, Marilyn Monroe described her "absolutely bizarre" breakfast of raw eggs whipped into warm milk. This candid glimpse into her habits reveals a high-protein, surprisingly simple diet that offers a compelling answer to the question: What did Marilyn Monroe like to eat?

Quick Summary

Marilyn Monroe's diet included a unique raw egg and warm milk breakfast, simple broiled meat with raw carrots for dinner, and regular hot fudge sundaes. Her high-protein focus allowed for sweet indulgences.

Key Points

High-Protein Focus: Her core daily diet centered on high-protein foods, including a distinctive raw egg and milk breakfast and broiled meats for dinner.
Love for Simple Carrots: Marilyn's dinner almost always included a side of raw carrots, which she reportedly never grew tired of.
Classic Dessert Indulgence: She routinely treated herself to a hot fudge sundae after evening drama classes, believing her protein-rich diet justified the sweet treat.
Contrasting Cookbooks: Private recipes found in her cookbooks, such as beef bourguignon and a complex stuffing, suggest her culinary interests were more sophisticated than her simple everyday diet.
A Mix of High and Low: Her eating habits spanned from extremely simple, functional meals to indulgent treats and complex recipes like chili and French soup.
Functional and Practical: Much of her diet was shaped by the need for quick, functional meals that could be prepared with limited cooking equipment, a reality of her early career.

Marilyn Monroe's radiant Hollywood image was meticulously crafted, yet her personal life, including her eating habits, provides a fascinating glimpse into the woman behind the glamour. While her public persona suggested a certain mystique, her dietary revelations were surprisingly practical, if a little unusual. A 1952 interview with Pageant magazine and the later auction of her personal cookbooks offer the most detailed insights into what she ate and how she thought about food. The picture that emerges is one of a disciplined, protein-focused diet punctuated by well-earned indulgences.

The 'Bizarre' Bodybuilder-Style Breakfast

For breakfast, Monroe consumed a mixture she herself called "absolutely bizarre". Each morning, she would warm milk, whisk in two raw eggs, and drink the combination while getting ready. She also took a multivitamin, stating she doubted a doctor could recommend a more nutritious breakfast for a busy working woman. This high-protein start was ahead of its time, though modern advice would caution against raw eggs due to salmonella risk.

A Simple, High-Protein Dinner

Monroe's dinners were described as "startlingly simple". She would typically purchase and broil a cut of meat like steak, lamb chops, or liver in her hotel room. She paired this with raw carrots, which she enjoyed so much she joked about being "part rabbit". This provided a high-protein, low-carb meal, aligning with some modern trends, though carrots are starchier than some low-carb diets prefer. It was a functional and quick way to eat after work.

The Hot Fudge Sundae Indulgence

A notable detail of Monroe's diet was her fondness for hot fudge sundaes. She admitted to Pageant she often stopped at Wil Wright's ice cream parlor for a sundae after evening drama classes. She felt her simple, high-protein meals during the day justified this treat. The elaborate sundaes, served with various toppings, highlighted her belief in balancing moderation with enjoying sweet pleasures.

The Broader Picture from Her Cookbooks

The auction of Monroe's personal cookbooks revealed a wider range of culinary interests than her everyday diet suggested. Handwritten recipes for dishes like chicken or turkey stuffing, beef bourguignon, and marrow bone soup indicate a deeper engagement with cooking and a more varied palate. These findings offer a more complete view, suggesting she also enjoyed more elaborate meals beyond her simple routine.

Other Notable Foods She Enjoyed

Chili: She was a fan of the chili at Barney's Beanery in Los Angeles, which even named a dish after her.
Onion Gratin Soup: While in Japan, she enjoyed this soup so much she ordered it multiple times.
Eggnog: In addition to her morning eggs, she sometimes had eggnog before bed.
Rice Pudding: This was another comfort food dessert in her personal collection.

Monroe's Diet vs. Modern Nutritional Approaches

Comparing Marilyn Monroe's reported diet to current nutritional science reveals both practical choices and the evolution of dietary knowledge. Here’s a look at the differences:


Aspect	Marilyn Monroe's Diet (1952)	Modern Nutritional Recommendations
Breakfast	Raw eggs and warm milk.	Cooked eggs or other varied protein sources, whole grains, fruits/vegetables.
Protein Sources	Broiled steak, lamb chops, liver.	Lean meats, fish, diverse plant-based proteins, and poultry.
Carbohydrates	Raw carrots, minimal grains.	Emphasis on complex carbs (whole grains, legumes) and diverse vegetables.
Desserts	Hot fudge sundaes.	Moderation of added sugars, focus on naturally sweet foods like fruits.
Approach	Simple, very high protein, functional eating, balanced with indulgences.	Balanced macronutrients, portion control, nutrient density, varied diet.

A Nuanced Nutritional Legacy

Marilyn Monroe’s diet shows her as both practical and self-aware. She found a routine suited to her busy life, focusing on accessible, high-protein foods that kept her energized. This allowed for occasional treats, a concept akin to mindful eating today. While raw eggs are not currently recommended, her focus on protein and balance remains surprisingly relevant. Her food choices, like her public image, blended simple reality with a touch of glamour.

For further reading on the intersection of celebrity, diet, and history, consider this article on how Golden Age Hollywood shaped modern eating habits: The Diets of Old Hollywood Stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Marilyn Monroe's breakfast consisted of two raw eggs whipped into a cup of warm milk and a multivitamin pill.

Yes, Marilyn Monroe's daily diet focused heavily on protein, with meals of broiled steak, lamb chops, or liver, which she said allowed for her indulgences.

Marilyn Monroe's favorite dessert was a hot fudge sundae, which she often enjoyed at Wil Wright's ice cream parlor.

For dinner, Marilyn Monroe typically ate a simple meal of broiled meat, such as steak, lamb chops, or liver, with a side of raw carrots.

Yes, even as a famous star, Marilyn Monroe would often cook her own meals in her hotel room using a hot plate and electric oven.

The recipes found in her personal cookbooks, which included dishes like beef bourguignon and complex stuffing, suggest that she was interested in and capable of more elaborate cooking.

In her 1952 interview, Marilyn Monroe mentioned skipping lunch, but it's likely her habits changed over time, with her cookbooks revealing more varied options.