What kind of diet did Einstein eat? The surprising evolution of his eating habits

December 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Despite a common myth, Albert Einstein was not a lifelong vegetarian, but transitioned to a plant-based diet just one year before his death. To understand what kind of diet did Einstein eat, one must look at the surprising evolution of his palate, from simple comforts to a principled stance.

Quick Summary

This article explores the evolving dietary habits of Albert Einstein, from his early life fondness for sausages, eggs, and Italian dishes to his later-life adoption of vegetarianism for ethical and health reasons. His chronic digestive issues influenced his food choices over the years.

Key Points

Not a Lifelong Vegetarian: For most of his life, Einstein ate meat, including pork, sausages, and liver, though he eventually transitioned to vegetarianism.
Health Issues Drove Changes: Chronic digestive problems led doctors to place him on restrictive diets, influencing his later choice to eliminate meat.
Ethical Convictions Shaped His View: Long before becoming a vegetarian, Einstein expressed moral guilt about eating meat, believing a plant-based diet was beneficial for humanity.
Favorite Foods Were Simple: His preferred meals included fried eggs with mushrooms, Italian pasta dishes, and strawberries for dessert.
Late-Life Conversion: He adopted a strict vegetarian diet only in the last year or so of his life, aligning his practice with his long-held principles.
Not an Unthinking Eater: An anecdote about him ignoring expensive caviar while deep in thought suggests food was a functional, rather than distracting, element of his life.

Einstein's Early Diet: The Simple Tastes of a Genius

For most of his life, Albert Einstein's diet was far from strictly plant-based. Biographers and his own letters reveal a man with simple, often humble, tastes who enjoyed a variety of foods, including meat. In his early and middle years, especially during his time in Germany and Switzerland, his meals reflected Central European and Italian influences from his upbringing.

The Breakfast of a Theoretical Physicist

According to accounts from his housekeeper, Einstein's breakfast was a consistent and simple affair. He often enjoyed two fried eggs and mushrooms, with his fondness for mushrooms extending to other meals as well. Honey was another morning staple, which he consumed in such large quantities that his staff bought it by the pail. He typically paired this with toast or rolls and washed it down with black tea or decaf coffee, as he was not a heavy coffee drinker.

Meaty Appetites and Italian Favorites

Einstein was not averse to meat during much of his life. Historical records mention his enjoyment of German roast pork and lentil soup with sausages. He also ate mutton chops and calf's liver, famously critiquing the cooking method of a friend's wife when they prepared the latter. He was reportedly particular about his steak, preferring it well-done and quipping, “I'm not a tiger”. His childhood in Milan also fostered a love for Italian cuisine, with pasta dishes like spaghetti and fettuccine with mushrooms or tomato sauce being frequent meals.

The Role of Health and Ethics in His Diet

Einstein's journey toward vegetarianism was influenced by two major factors: chronic health problems and evolving ethical convictions. Throughout his life, he was plagued by severe digestive issues, including stomach ulcers and jaundice.

Doctors' Orders and Digestive Distress

In his late 30s, his doctors put him on a strict four-week diet of bland foods like rice, macaroni, and German zwieback bread to address a "chronic stomach malady". Later in life, when his health worsened in his seventies, his physician finally recommended that he cut out meat, fat, and fish entirely. This marked the beginning of his shift toward a meatless diet for medical reasons.

A Conscience-Driven Shift

Even while eating meat, Einstein had expressed moral discomfort with it. In a letter dated August 3, 1953, he confessed, “I have always eaten animal flesh with a somewhat guilty conscience”. His philosophical support for vegetarianism predated his practice of it by decades, as he noted in a 1930 letter that he was an "adherent to the cause in principle". He believed a vegetarian lifestyle could positively influence the human temperament and benefit mankind. This ethical stance and medical necessity converged in the final years of his life.

His Final, Plant-Based Year

In the year leading up to his death in 1955, Einstein wrote about his successful transition to a vegetarian diet. In a March 1954 letter, he stated, “So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, but am feeling quite well this way”. This final stage of his life saw him aligning his daily practice with the principles he had long championed.

Early-life omnivore vs. Late-life vegetarian


Food Category	Early-Life Diet	Late-Life Diet
Meat/Fish	Consumed regularly (sausages, roast pork, liver, occasional steak)	Eliminated completely
Eggs	A favorite for breakfast, often fried with mushrooms	Likely continued, as it's not excluded in his later notes
Dairy	Enjoyed dairy products, such as whipped cream with strawberries	Likely continued, as vegetarianism allows dairy
Fruits & Vegetables	Included, with a particular love for strawberries and mushrooms	Emphasized more heavily, making up the bulk of his meals
Carbohydrates	Enjoyed pasta dishes, rice, and bread	Maintained as staples, as per his medical diets
Alcohol	Drank very little, if at all	Eliminated entirely based on doctors' advice

A list of Einstein's favorite foods

Fried Eggs and Mushrooms: A consistent breakfast favorite.
Honey: Reportedly consumed in large quantities.
Italian Pasta: Loved spaghetti and fettuccine with tomato sauce or mushrooms.
German Roast Pork: A classic German dish he enjoyed before his diet was restricted.
Strawberries: His favorite fruit, often with whipped cream.
Lentil Soup with Sausages: A simple, hearty meal.
Orange Cake: His favorite dessert.

Conclusion: More Than Just Food

What kind of diet did Einstein eat? It was not a single, unchanging regimen, but rather a reflection of his life's progression, shaped by both personal enjoyment and profound conviction. From a varied omnivorous diet in his younger years, motivated by convenience and simple tastes, he moved toward a vegetarian lifestyle in his final years. This transition was driven by a combination of health necessities stemming from chronic digestive issues and a deep-seated ethical belief in the compassion for all living beings. Ultimately, Einstein's dietary journey shows that even a genius's habits can be a complex blend of practicality, health, and philosophy. For more details on the evolution of his dietary choices, the International Vegetarian Union has documented some of his letters and thoughts on the topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Albert Einstein was not a lifelong vegetarian. He ate meat for most of his life but adopted a vegetarian diet in the final years due to both health issues and long-standing ethical concerns.

He became a vegetarian for two main reasons: chronic digestive health problems led his doctor to recommend eliminating meat, and he held long-standing ethical beliefs against eating animal flesh.

Albert Einstein's favorite breakfast was two fried eggs with mushrooms. He was also known to consume large quantities of honey.

Before becoming a vegetarian, Einstein ate various meats, including German roast pork, mutton chops, calf's liver, and sausages. He preferred his steak well-done.

Einstein's diet was inconsistent in terms of health. He enjoyed simple, hearty foods but also suffered from chronic digestive problems, which eventually led to a more restricted, plant-heavy diet late in life.

Einstein was a strong supporter of vegetarianism in principle for many years before practicing it. He cited both aesthetic and moral reasons and believed it would benefit humanity.

There is no evidence to suggest a direct link between Einstein's diet and his genius. His diet was varied and evolved over time, and his major scientific breakthroughs occurred long before his conversion to vegetarianism.