Favorite foods of political candidates

If you live in the US, you can’t escape from constant news about the US Presidential race. The first real contest of the primary season took place last night in Iowa, so the race is only going to get more heated. While many of the news stories may raise your blood pressure, this one should be less divisive: a report on the favorite foods of many top candidates.

Bernie Sanders, the junior Senator from Vermont, is pretty traditional. He likes eggs for breakfast and has expressed a fondness for pork chops. His self-professed secret kitchen skill: “I’m pretty good on the grill,” he says. On the other side of the aisle, Donald Trump is more of a snacker. On the campaign trail, Trump apparently enjoys cherry-vanilla ice cream and See’s candy, according to Us magazine. He said he’s been losing weight on the campaign trail, saying that after he is finished speaking at an event he often has no appetite. 

Ben Carson is the only vegetarian in the crowded field of candidates. He’s eschewed meat since at least 1990. Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush may belong to the same political party, but they don’t agree on at least one food: avocados. Cruz passionately despises them, but Bush says that his secret cooking talent is making a “mean guacamole.”

Hillary Clinton is a fan of spicy food. Former White House chef Walter Scheib told Slate that during her time in the White House, “Clinton went wild for sweet potatoes spiked with fiery red curry paste. After that, Scheib always kept the White House kitchen stashed with assorted hot sauces.” More recently, she told People magazine  that her favorite thing to eat on the campaign trail is jalapenos. “I started during the ’92 campaign, and I believe they keep me going!” she said.

Photo of Goat cheese-stuffed jalapeños with ranchero sauce from Cooking Light Magazine