Michelle Obama spent much of her time in the White House working on a healthy-eating task force to combat childhood obesity. She also was the executive producer of Netflix’s Waffles + Mochi, a children’s cooking show. But that doesn’t mean she’s always been a good eater. On the first episode of Michele Norris’ Audible podcast Your Mama’s Kitchen, which is co-produced by the Obama’s media company Higher Ground, the Former First Lady opened up about her childhood aversion to breakfast.
Michelle Obama revealed she ate the same breakfast “every morning for most of my life,” on the first episode of “Your Mama’s Kitchen,” an Audible podcast hosted by journalist Michele Norris.
“[I ate] peanut butter and jelly every morning until I went to college. That was all I really liked,” she told Norris. “I was kind of a picky eater.”
On the podcast, Michelle Obama shared that she didn’t like any breakfast foods, unlike her brother who loved breakfast. She described their big breakfasts, which included cereal, scrambled or fried eggs, toast, bacon, and link sausage. While her brother enjoyed these hearty breakfasts, Michelle despised breakfast and opted for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every morning until she went to college. She considered it a compromise with her mother, who believed the sandwich provided the necessary protein and oil.
While Michelle Obama ate the same breakfast for most of her life, she eventually expanded her palate and started enjoying eggs in college. She now enjoys various breakfast options, including eggs Benedict. However, she admitted that she doesn’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as much anymore, partly because her daughter, Malia, was allergic to peanut butter as a child.
Michelle Obama’s childhood aversion to breakfast highlights her journey to healthy eating and her commitment to promoting nutritious food choices for children. During her time in the White House, she implemented the Let’s Move initiative, which aimed to combat childhood obesity and promote healthy eating. She continues to advocate for healthier food options through her new company, PLEZi Nutrition, which focuses on nutritious food and drinks for kids.
Michelle Obama’s experiences in the kitchen and her conversations around the table with her family have shaped her personal and professional life. She believes that these conversations about fairness, honesty, compassion, and how to treat others are essential for personal growth and development.
