Here's What Jill Biden Typically Eats In A Day
Jill Biden is perhaps the most grounded First Lady to grace the White House. As a public figure, working teacher, mother, and wife, she knows what it's like to balance career, home, and everything else with grace and humility — not to mention how to manage life in the very public eye. Nevertheless, behind the scenes, Dr. Biden is the real deal: loving, warm, and nurturing. She cares about her family and prioritizes her health so that she can be the best for them, her students, and herself.
For Biden, staying well and feeling balanced starts with a healthy diet and moderate exercise. Despite her many obligations, these lifestyle choices are non-negotiable constants in her day-to-day dealings. "I make it a priority in my life," she told Self. And though someone else will definitely be doing the grocery shopping and meal prep for Biden now that she's the First Lady, you better believe there will be plenty of fruits and vegetables at the ready to keep her fueled and full. What's more, there will be pasta and red sauce.
Want to know what Dr. Jill Biden typically eats in a day? Read on for all the tasty nuggets and nutritious tidbits.
Jill Biden appreciates healthy cooking, but likes to just throw it together
Jill Biden exudes quiet confidence and easy charm; there 's nothing overtly persnickety about her personality or demanding about her attitude. Rather, her demeanor appears calm, kind, and forgiving.
Biden's diet befits this approachable benevolence, and — what's more — her kitchen style does too. She admits to being a "throw it together" kind of cook, with no big production or fuss required. "I've been making these recipes for so long that I just do it from scratch and from memory," she told Parade. Biden elaborated that, sometimes, she likes to bulk up a family favorite dish with lots of vegetables to make it heartier and healthier.
When asked if her husband, now the Commander in Chief, likes to help out with kitchen duty, Dr. Biden showed a bit more territoriality: "No, it is my turf," she continued. "Sometimes he'll come in and say, 'Oh, what are you doing? Let me help you.' And I just try to get him out of the kitchen because I like doing it by myself." Can you picture it?
Jill Biden embraces moderation as the key to healthy eating
Jill Biden believes that you shouldn't deny yourself — or your kids — anything when it comes to maintaining a balanced diet. Rather, she thinks it is important to approach your daily food consumption with a healthy, open attitude, and a willingness to occasionally, well, treat yourself. She told Self that as a child, they rarely had unhealthy cookies or snacks available in their home. "My mother never bought soda... I think that has sort of carried through," she explained. "My children aren't junk food eaters, they eat pretty healthy. But if they want things like chips or whatever, I think everything in moderation. I don't think you should cut it out completely, I don't think that's practical."
Biden elaborated that her grandchildren love to munch on healthy veggies and hummus dip, and that she credits her kids for setting a good example. "It's all in choices parents make for their children," she continued. "We have to start that responsibility and then pass on those good eating habits. And I've tried very hard to do that."
When she's on the go, Jill Biden snacks on almonds
"I'm a pretty healthy eater," Jill Biden shared in an interview with Parade. Of course, life as a politician's wife, doting mother, and full-time educator comes with its many demands, and carving out the time and effort to plan better and snack smarter is not an easy ask for anyone with a busy schedule — let alone the President's partner.
But now, as the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Biden's day-to-day routine is inevitably even more erratic and demanding than it was before. Fortunately, she's fostered some tried and true habits to maintain a nutritious, balanced diet whilst on the go. "I try to find fresh fruits and vegetables, though that's not always easy," she continued. "I take almonds with me, I hydrate, I try to exercise."
As noted by CNN, even while on the campaign trail, Dr. Biden prioritized her active lifestyle, frequenting barre classes or cycling. No wonder she carried a snack with so much of a punch!
Jill Biden has a famous chicken parm recipe
Dr. Jill Biden is Italian, so of course she has a few incredibly delicious recipes up her designer sleeve. To that end, one of Biden's go-to meals that she loves to prepare for her family, according to Parade, is chicken parmesan. She shared her original recipe with the publication, and it is chock full of all the usual ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic cloves, cherry tomatoes, seasoned breadcrumbs, and, obviously, all the cheeses!
Additionally, Biden regularly serves this decadent dish with rigatoni and a green salad. Of course, now that she lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as the First Lady, Biden most likely won't be whipping up this meal on her own. She can, of course, ask the White House Executive Chef to make it for her. As reported by Ms. Magazine, the First Lady is responsible for hiring — and potentially even firing — this all-important culinary role. In other words, whatever Biden wants, Biden gets; bring on the chicken parm.
Dr. Jill Biden will indulge in French fries -- and other guilty pleasures
Even the healthiest of eaters enjoy the occasional indulgence — and Jill Biden is no exception; she has her guilty pleasures, too. "I love French fries," she exclaimed in an interview with Parade. She also told the magazine that she had a delicious order of her salty snack of choice while campaigning for her husband at the Blue Daisy Cafe in Ruthven, Iowa.
What's more, as reported by the The Washington Post, the First Lady shares this "guilty pleasure" with Michelle Obama; they both also enjoy the occasional martini. But if she is going to imbibe, she's more likely to have some vino instead. "It's always fun to just turn on a little music, have a glass of wine and cook," she continued. And, according to CNN, that glass of hers will more than likely be filled with wine of a red variety than white. Of course, her husband, on the other hand, is notably a non-drinker. He was quoted by The New York Times as saying "there are enough alcoholics in my family;" thus, he abstains and famously opts for ice cream over alcohol.
Jill Biden's fridge and pantry are stocked with the typical staples
If you want to know how truly down to earth someone is, look inside their refrigerator and peek into their pantry; the basic food a person always has on hand can reveal a lot about their personality and their culinary preferences.
There are no skeletons in Jill Biden's kitchen; a voyeur might find her stocked essentials very vanilla, if you will. According to Parade, Dr. Biden always keeps lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Of course, she'll have staples for her Presidential partner as well, so peanut butter, jelly, and ketchup are must-haves. "He's pretty much a basic eater," Biden revealed. Additionally, Chris Freeman, a D.C. caterer, told the The Washington Post that whilst living in the Vice Presidential residence, the Bidens frequently had other basics on hand, such as low-fat yogurt, sliced cheese, diet soft drinks, and Special K cereal. We'll go ahead and assume that the ever-present ice cream was for the President, and that the Special K was for the First Lady.
Additionally, Biden appreciates a "sturdy turner" to make her famous fried-egg sandwiches. Breakfast sandies? You can't get more grounded than that.
Jill Biden loves her Sunday suppers with a big pot of red sauce
In an interview with Parade, Jill Biden reflected on her childhood with warmth and nostalgia. Notably, she remembered her epic afternoons nursing a giant simmering pot of marinara with her grandmother. "Her cooking was the best — the red sauce and the meatballs and the pasta," she recalled. "It was fun!"
Sunday night dinners with Italian sauce (or gravy) was a tradition that Biden grew up loving, and according to La Cucina Italiana, her family would drive every week from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to feast with extended family. She said in her memoir that she "could never get enough of the tastes and smells."
Fortunately for Dr. Biden, her husband has a seemingly insatiable appetite for pasta and sauce. According to The Washington Post, while on a speech circuit — pre-Presidential run — his regular contracts ensured that he be served "angel hair pomodoro and a caprese salad, topped off with raspberry sorbet with biscotti." So there's never a shortage of red sauce when the Bidens are around.
Every Christmas Eve, the Bidens have a make-your-own sundae bar
Everyone has their own special Christmas Eve traditions. Some people bake cookies, others enjoy a Buche de Noel. The Bidens? They indulge in a make your own ice cream sundae bar. Jill Biden elaborated, and even demonstrated her scooping style on the Rachael Ray Show; and — don't tell Joe and the kids — but Dr. Biden uses her bare hands to roll ice cream into perfect balls for them. She then re-freezes them so they look perfect for an after-dinner presentation.
Dr. Biden even revealed how she makes the dessert extra delightful for her hubby: "Joe likes vanilla ice cream, and I roll his in coconut... You turn it into a little snowball ... He likes chocolate chips." She also freezes plates and writes each family member's name in chocolate sauce (and then re-freezes) for a personalized touch. "Then when you get it, you feel special," she added. Talk about going the extra mile!
A favorite treat of Jill Biden's: oatmeal cookies loaded with extras
According to the Boston Globe, even Jill Biden's cookie of choice is relatively healthy — at least by most dessert standards. She likes a big, thick, and hearty oatmeal cookie that is chock full of dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and other texture-enhancing extras.
What's more, Dr. Biden is a smart cookie who knows that serving these sweet treats can be a delicious gesture. On her first official public outing as the First Lady, she handed out good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies to members of the National Guard who'd been working tirelessly to protect the Capitol. Of course, she was just the delivery person — and not the actual pasty chef. "The White House baked you some chocolate chip cookies — I can't say that I baked them all myself — I wanted to give everybody a cookie as just a small thank-you for your service and your family's service and all you've done for your nation," she said, as reported by People.
Dr. Jill Biden carb-loads before running marathons
According to The Washingtonian, Jill Biden has eaten carb-heavy pasta meals at the family-style Italian restaurant Carmine's in both Washington D.C. and New York before running marathons.
Yes, Biden is an avid runner and athlete. She told Runner's World about her training regimen and love of the sport. "I started when I was, what, 40, so I've been running almost 20 years," she revealed. "And I've been pretty consistent with it... I've had things in my life happen where I've had to slow down a little bit, but I've always gone back to it." Indeed, whilst balancing her work as a teacher, her work behind-the-scenes in politics, and her personal life, Biden has managed to carve out time to train and run 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons — so, yes, carb-loading is warranted.
But she's not really in it for the pasta. "Running creates a sense of balance in my life," she continued. "And it really calms me down. It's a great feeling to just get out and lose myself in a run. I think that's why I continue to run because...once you get that, you kind of crave that time for yourself."
Thanksgiving meal is a big deal at Jill Biden's house
In a video shared on Jill Biden's Twitter feed, then President-elect Joe Biden shared how his large family usually gathers in Nantucket for a huge Thanksgiving event and joyous Turkey Day feast. Of course, 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic threw a monkey wrench in that plan. The Bidens, instead, had a much quieter and more low-key celebration at their home in Delaware. Nevertheless, Dr. Biden said that "there's still so much to be thankful for." The meal may have been less elaborate and the company much more intimate, but reflection, gratitude, and hope remained strong.
When Joe Biden served as Vice President, he and Jill also hosted an annual Thanksgiving meal in their home at the Naval Observatory for injured military servicemen that included cozy foods like chili and cornbread, as noted by the The Washington Post. In an archived article from the White House blog, Dr. Biden wrote, "It was the Biden family's small way of saying thank you to these heroes, and we could not have been more honored to share a table with this group."
Joe and Jill Biden will dine out (eventually)
Now that the Bidens are in the White House, restaurants around the D.C. area are clamoring for their patronage. Of course, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor dining may not be at the top of the priority list for the President and First Lady.
Still, based on the local eateries they frequented during the Obama administration, there's much speculation about a few of the hot spots they may — eventually — choose to grace with their presence. Joe and Jill were spotted at Italian restaurant Masseria in 2018, per Politico. Those Bidens really do love their pasta, after all. Still, their love of Italian food doesn't mean they won't occasionally make room for some fine French fare; according to the The Washington Post, Jill and Joe have also dined at Le Diplomate.
Additionally, restaurant workers in Delaware laud the Bidens as "good tippers and gracious guests." So what does Jill order when she's eating out? When the couple went to Bardea Food & Drink in Wilmington, Dr. Biden ordered the spicy branzino. That sounds delicious.
Jill Biden has said that food is love
Jill Biden told Parade that "food is love." She elaborated that serving food was a veritable ice breaker when she first met Joe Biden's young sons, Hunter and Beau Biden. As she grew into her role in their lives, it was a way to "give them security and love." She reflected on those days: "I loved to cook, and because they were such great eaters and so appreciative, I baked and cooked all the time," she recalled. "It was an important part of establishing my relationship with them."
Of course, as a working mother, Jill understood that not every meal had to be a special event. In a video she made in partnership with Tasty, Biden recounted the hustle. "I had all my kids at home, I was teaching full time," she revealed. "I was going to grad school — if I couldn't get that dinner on the table the kids ate too much junk."
Still, Jill talked about how children like the routine that comes with sitting around the dinner table. "It means a lot to kids those traditions those things you do over and over again in your family," she added.