How American presidents eat their meat throughout history, from Washington to Trump

Americans reflect on leadership, history and the men who shaped the nation on Presidents Day.

But beyond the speeches and debates, there is one thread from the Founding era to the modern White House: the steak.

Although steak was sometimes served at state dinners, it was often prepared for the first family’s private meals at the White House or Camp David, according to Adrian Miller, a James Beard Award-winning culinary historian and author based in Colorado.

Knowing what these dinners look like provides a window into the president’s “personality and soul,” Miller told Fox News Digital. “The American people simultaneously want our president to be different and like us.”

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“Moderators are more sympathetic when they share what they like to eat, especially childhood food,” added Miller. “Americans are outraged by presidents who seem to favor foreign cuisine over local specialties.”

From beef pies to barbecues on the White House roof, here’s how nine presidents ate their steaks, according to cookbooks, memoirs, contemporary reports and historical records.

George Washington

Long before today’s steakhouses, America’s first president reportedly loved beef and kidney pie, which was a popular Anglo-American meal in the 18th century, according to historical accounts.

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In Washington’s era, steak was often baked into hearty pies rather than used as the free-cut American cuts of today.

Because of Washington’s chronic dental problems and dentures, a soft fix could be very helpful for him.

Theodore Roosevelt

An avid outdoorsman, the 26th president embraced hearty, campy cooking.

During his famous 1903 Yosemite trip to camp with naturalist John Muir, Roosevelt reportedly enjoyed grilled steaks and outdoor snacks.

President Theodore Roosevelt is reported to have embraced heart cooking, outside. (TW Ingersoll via Getty Images)

Roosevelt likes straight fare. He later became instrumental in revolutionizing the meatpacking industry after reading Upton Sinclair’s iconic novel “The Jungle,” which helped lead to the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.

William Howard Taft

President Taft used to eat a 12-ounce steak for breakfast, accompanied by toast, fruit and coffee, according to memoirs published by White House housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray.

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Taft was the heaviest US president ever – but even when he tried to eat, he only reduced his meat intake to six ounces, although it was a sign of his times.

In the early 1900s, steak symbolized prosperity during an era of expansion and industrialization.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The first meat burning records date back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, according to Miller.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, seen at left with former President Herbert Hoover in 1954, preferred rare stews. (Bettman)

“Backyard grilling had become popular in the 1950s, so home cooks were probably more inclined to donate at that time,” he said.

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Eisenhower loved grilling so much that he had a grill placed on the roof of the White House, outside the Solarium on the third floor, according to Miller.

Former White House Executive Chef François Rysavy wrote in his memoir that Eisenhower loved exotic stews, and he cooked them himself – brushing them with oil and garlic before throwing them over hot coals.

John F. Kennedy

President John F. Kennedy’s life was shaped by his diet. Suffering from chronic stomach problems, he reportedly loved light, lightly spiced food.

President John F. Kennedy reportedly preferred light, slightly spicy foods because of his chronic stomach problems.

Danish journalist Inga Arvad, who had an affair with Kennedy in the early 1940s, prepared a beef meal for him with tender vegetables such as peas, carrots and mashed potatoes, according to archived documents.

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Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan loves authentic American cooking, including the steaks served at his California ranch, Rancho del Cielo.

While official White House meals can be lavish, Reagan reportedly preferred light meals in private, including steak with a side of chili, according to reports.

President Ronald Reagan takes a bite of a McDonald’s Big Mac during a campaign stop in 1984. (Bettman)

Midway through his presidency in 1985, after doctors discovered a malignant polyp and traces of blood during a routine checkup, Reagan was advised to avoid rare steak and other red meats.

Instead, he was urged to eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet as he continued to undergo medical tests, according to reports at the time.

George HW Bush

President George HW Bush, who has long been associated with Texas, was known to enjoy steakhouse food.

During a 1992 campaign in Oklahoma City, he ordered a T-bone steak “hot but rare” at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, according to reports at the time.

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Steak remained a part of Bush’s life even after he left office.

His son and President George W. Bush recalled in a eulogy that, during his hospital stay, a steak from Morton’s the Steakhouse was brought to him.

President George HW Bush enjoyed ribs at the White House barbecue in 1992. (Maureen Keating/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)

Bill Clinton

Before adopting a more plant-based diet, President Bill Clinton was known to enjoy steak.

Former White House executive chef Walter Scheib wrote in his memoirs that in his interviews, Clinton requested a large porterhouse steak with creamy béarnaise sauce and onion rings, especially when first lady Hillary Clinton was visiting.

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Scheib said the president’s plate “always comes back clean.”

Donald J. Trump

In March 2017, during his first Washington, DC, dinner in office, President Donald J. Trump dined on BLT Prime at his hotel.

He ordered a $54 dry-aged steak that was served with ketchup, according to the Washington Post.

President Donald J. Trump prefers his steak cooked all the way. (Stephen Lovekin/Hill & Knowlton Wire Photo)

The president prefers his meat so well-done that it “will shake on the plate,” his longtime boss told The New York Times.

“For almost everyone in the world, it’s perfectly okay to choose your meat cooked everywhere,” according to a column in Eater in 2017.

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“Totally and completely fine. Fully one-quarter of Americans choose their meat well done or medium,” the piece said.

In 2007, Trump launched Trump Steaks, a short-term business with the tag line “World’s Greatest Steaks.”