What Did John F. Kennedy Eat for Breakfast?

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the JFK Presidential Library, President Kennedy’s day often began with a hearty, traditional American meal consisting of eggs, crisp bacon, toast, marmalade, and coffee. This consistent morning ritual provided him with the energy to face the demands of the presidency and served as a small but reliable constant in his tumultuous life.

Quick Summary

JFK's regular breakfast included eggs, oven-broiled bacon, white toast with orange marmalade, orange juice, and coffee with hot milk. His food choices were deliberately simple and consistent, driven largely by ongoing health issues and personal preference for straightforward fare. The meal was a daily routine that reflected his disciplined nature.

Key Points

Consistent Routine: John F. Kennedy ate a surprisingly unvarying breakfast of eggs, oven-broiled bacon, toast, and marmalade almost every day.
Eggs and Bacon: His usual plate included either poached or soft-boiled eggs, and bacon that was always oven-broiled to a crisp to avoid unhealthy frying.
Orange Marmalade: Kennedy preferred orange marmalade on his toast over other jams or jellies, a specific and consistent habit.
Health-Driven Diet: Kennedy's food choices were dictated by chronic health issues, including Addison's disease and colitis, which required a carefully managed diet.
Waffle Indulgence: While he stuck to his routine, JFK would occasionally indulge in the White House's famous from-scratch waffles with butter and maple syrup.
Historical Context: His last meal on November 22, 1963, was his standard breakfast, an ordinary detail before a tragic and historic event.
Jacqueline's Role: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy actively managed his diet, providing specific instructions to the chef regarding his preferences and restrictions.

A Consistent and Unpretentious Morning Meal

Despite his family's wealth and status, President John F. Kennedy maintained a surprisingly simple and consistent breakfast routine throughout much of his adult life. His breakfast menu was well-documented, reflecting both his unpretentious tastes and the dietary needs necessitated by his chronic health conditions, including Addison's disease. His diet was carefully managed to avoid greasy or highly spiced foods, making a classic, bland breakfast a perfect fit.

The Standard JFK Breakfast

Kennedy's typical morning meal was ordered by his valet and became a predictable part of his daily schedule, whether at the White House or traveling. His preferences were specific and unwavering:

Eggs: Poached or soft-boiled, often a 'five-minute egg'.
Bacon: Crisp and consistently oven-broiled, as he avoided fried foods due to his health issues.
Toast: White toast, sometimes specified as Pepperidge Farm brand, with butter and orange marmalade.
Beverages: Freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee served with hot milk, not cream.

Jacqueline Kennedy's Influence on His Meals

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy played a significant role in managing her husband's diet, especially due to his health needs. As far back as 1958, she hand-wrote meal preferences for their chef, Tania Herbst, specifying the details of his meals and his aversion to fried foods. This hands-on approach ensured his dietary regimen was strictly followed, protecting his health while still providing meals he enjoyed.

The Occasional Treat: White House Waffles

While his daily breakfast was a model of consistency, Kennedy was known to make an exception for the White House's famous from-scratch waffles. This was a special occasion indulgence, and the recipe itself became a popular request for the Kennedy family to share with the public. Adorned with melted butter and maple syrup, these fluffy waffles were a favorite deviation from his usual reserved fare.

Comparison: JFK's Breakfast vs. Other Presidential Habits


Feature	John F. Kennedy's Breakfast	Other Notable Presidential Breakfast Habits
Regularity	Extremely consistent and predictable; ate the same meal almost every day.	Varied widely. Many presidents had specific preferences but not necessarily the same daily routine.
Main Dish	Eggs (poached or soft-boiled).	Favorites included pancakes (Thomas Jefferson), corn muffins (Calvin Coolidge), and various types of breakfast meat.
Dietary Restrictions	Heavily influenced by health conditions like Addison's disease and colitis, necessitating bland and non-fried foods.	Often driven by personal preference, not strict medical necessity, though some presidents also had health concerns.
Sweeteners	Orange marmalade on toast.	Other presidents favored jam or jelly, or perhaps no topping at all.
Beverage	Coffee with hot milk, and fresh orange juice.	Common presidential beverage choices included coffee or juice, but specific preparations varied.

The Poignancy of a Final Breakfast

Kennedy's routine breakfast is forever tied to history due to the simple meal he consumed just hours before his assassination on November 22, 1963. That morning in Fort Worth, he had his customary soft-boiled eggs, oven-broiled bacon, toast with orange marmalade, orange juice, and coffee with hot milk. This final, ordinary meal highlights the stark contrast between the quiet simplicity of his private life and the sudden, public tragedy that followed. For more details on the Kennedy presidency and his life, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum serves as an authoritative source of information.

Conclusion

John F. Kennedy’s breakfast was more than just a meal; it was a reflection of his disciplined nature and a necessary component of managing his hidden health challenges. His preference for a simple, classic, and consistent morning routine speaks volumes about the man behind the public persona. From the meticulously prepared eggs and oven-broiled bacon to the occasional treat of waffles, his breakfast provides a compelling culinary and historical footnote into the daily life of one of America's most iconic presidents.

Frequently Asked Questions

John F. Kennedy's typical breakfast consisted of poached or soft-boiled eggs, crisp oven-broiled bacon, white toast with orange marmalade, fresh orange juice, and coffee with hot milk.

He preferred his bacon oven-broiled rather than fried because of his medical conditions, which included colitis, making him sensitive to greasy and fried foods.

Yes, on special occasions, JFK would deviate from his routine and enjoy the White House's famously fluffy waffles with melted butter and maple syrup.

While not necessarily a picky eater in the traditional sense, his food choices were simple and consistent, largely influenced by the medical necessity of managing chronic health issues.

He liked white toast, sometimes specifically the Pepperidge Farm brand, and always topped with orange marmalade.

His final breakfast, eaten just hours before his assassination, was his standard meal, a simple and ordinary start to a day that would tragically change history forever.

Yes, Jacqueline Kennedy was involved in managing her husband's diet, providing specific instructions to chefs about his meal preferences and restrictions.

Yes, JFK privately suffered from multiple health problems, most notably Addison's disease and colitis, which necessitated a bland and non-fried diet.