Former First Lady Michelle Obama, known for her passion for healthy eating and promoting nutritious meals, opened up about her unexpected childhood distaste for breakfast. On the inaugural episode of “Your Mama’s Kitchen” — an Audible podcast spearheaded by journalist Michele Norris and produced under the Obamas’ media banner, Higher Ground — Michelle detailed her peculiar eating habits.
Growing up, Michelle wasn’t a fan of breakfast. “My brother, an avid breakfast eater, thought I was nuts. He relished our hearty breakfasts with eggs, toast, bacon, and more. Everyone seemed to love breakfast, but not me,” she recounted. Instead, Michelle’s breakfast of choice was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a compromise she struck with her mom, given the protein content in peanuts.
It wasn’t until college that the former First Lady developed an appreciation for eggs. “Now, I adore any egg dish, especially eggs benedict,” she quipped.
However, she doesn’t often revert to her childhood sandwich preference, largely because her daughter, Malia, had a peanut allergy growing up. Instead, she holds dear other nostalgic recipes from her South Side Chicago upbringing. One special dish is “red rice,” a family recipe passed down from her South Carolina ancestors. The dish comprises rice tinted red from tomato sauce and loaded with bacon, sausage, and shrimp.
Beyond food, Michelle emphasized the pivotal role the kitchen played in shaping her values and ethos. “Our kitchen table was the heart of so many important conversations about life, values, and compassion,” she reminisced.
The podcast series focuses on guests’ early food memories and how they influenced their lives. Future episodes will feature personalities like Kerry Washington, Gayle King, and Matthew Broderick.
A strong advocate for wholesome food choices, Michelle Obama championed the “Let’s Move” initiative during her time in the White House and recently starred in “Waffles + Mochi,” a children’s cooking show. She attributes her commitment to nutrition and healthy living to her own childhood experiences.
“Your Mama’s Kitchen” episodes will be available exclusively on Audible for the first two weeks and subsequently on other podcast platforms.