Michelle Obama Ditched a Lifelong Habit for Daughter Malia That Very Few Know About

Michelle Obama gave up a long-standing breakfast habit for her daughter, Malia Obama, who has a peanut allergy. During an interview on NPR's Your Mama's Kitchen podcast in 2023, the former First Lady revealed that she used to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every morning as a substitute for breakfast foods she didn’t enjoy. Growing up with her older brother, Craig, an athlete, meant her family had hearty breakfasts, but Michelle didn’t particularly enjoy them.

“I was kind of a picky eater. I didn't like breakfast-anything. And my brother, who ate breakfast all the time, thought I was crazy,” she shared. “We had big breakfasts...it was everything — cereal followed by scrambled or fried eggs followed by lots of toast and bacon and link sausage...Breakfast was big...everybody in the whole household, on the whole planet, loved breakfast food except for [me]...I despised breakfast."

Michelle stuck it out with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until she went to college. She explained, "It was sort of a compromise that I made with my mother because it's got peanuts, that’s protein, a little bit of oil. Nothing’s wrong with bread if we’re having toast, why can’t I have it in a sandwich form and jelly? Everybody was having jelly on their toast.” She revealed that eventually, she did start liking eggs in college, as per The List.

Over time, her culinary tastes expanded. "I'm big into all of it now," she once assured. "Give me eggs Benedict. Any eggs, anyway." But, when her daughter Malia developed a peanut allergy, the Obamas got rid of peanut butter from their home for good. When NPR host Michele Norris asked if she still indulges in her childhood go-to breakfast, the former First Lady remarked, “I think I kind of OD’ed on it. I don’t do it as much anymore.”

While Michelle’s preference for peanut butter sandwiches faded out, Barack Obama’s love for classic cheeseburgers remains just as strong. Throughout his time in office, Obama was known for his frequent burger runs. During his presidency, Barack was often seen enjoying them at various burger joints. Time Magazine reported that he dined outside the White House over 120 times. Obama’s preference was a medium-well burger with cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, lettuce, and tomato.

Some memorable burger moments include his visits to Five Guys and Ray's Hell Burger, where he ordered for himself and his staff. In 2010, Obama even shared a burger with Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, as a diplomatic gesture. He continued his burger adventures at Good Stuff Eatery and Shake Shack, sometimes joined by Joe Biden. In Minnesota, Obama tried the Jucy Lucy, a local specialty with melted cheese inside the burger.