Bennett Rea, a 35-year-old TikToker, embarked on an unusual culinary journey by eating like Joe Biden and Donald Trump for an entire day each. Rea, who runs the account CookinWithCongress on TikTok, has garnered a significant following by exploring the diets of famous politicians. For his latest experiment, he meticulously researched both presidents’ eating habits through news articles and books, including Alex Prud’homme’s “Dinner with the President” and Corey Lewandowski’s “Let Trump Be Trump.”
Rea started with Joe Biden’s diet, which he found to be plain but unsatisfying. For breakfast, Biden keeps it simple with a bowl of Special K cereal and his go-to drink, orange Gatorade. Lunch consists of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with an apple and more Gatorade, while dinner features angel hair pasta with red sauce. Snacks include protein bars, Fig Newtons, and Haagen-Dazs vanilla chocolate chip ice cream.
Rea described Biden’s diet as bland and childlike, lacking in protein, and leading to feelings of hunger and a sugar rush from the Gatorade. He remarked, “[Biden] is probably from the generation that considers Fig Newtons to be cookies.” For dinner, Rea found the angel hair pasta unappealing, stating, “Dinner is angel hair pasta, which is the most unlikable of pastas cause it’s basically just edible dental floss.” He also missed his usual caffeine intake, as Biden rarely drinks coffee, leaving Rea feeling bored and unfulfilled.
Viewer comments varied, with one stating, “Angel hair is the best pasta,” while another was shocked by the drink choice: “Orange Gatorade???” Some appreciated the simplicity: “Idk what the problem is with any of this. This is all pretty good food and it’s affordable and easy. I love it.” Others enjoyed the nostalgic menu: “Special K, Fig Newtons, PB&J, and angel hair pasta? Count me in!” Another viewer added, “Fig Newtons are cookies but a mature cookie, a cookie you eat as you hold a conversation with someone over the age of 70 but still a cookie.” Finally, one viewer appreciated the normalcy, saying, “I like the normalcy of POTUS. It’s calming, respectful, and safe.”
@cookinwithcongress I ate exactly like President Joe Biden for an entire day, did it make me feel ready for high stakes debates, domestic turmoil and tackling inflation? #presidents #biden #weirdfood #congress #gatorade ♬ USA – The Star Spangled Banner – American National Anthem (Instrumental) – Glocal Orchestra
Next, Rea switched to Donald Trump’s diet, which is notoriously unhealthy. Trump typically skips breakfast, but for lunch, he often consumes a well-done steak with ketchup and sometimes a side salad with Roquefort dressing. Dinner consists of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, a small chocolate shake, and Diet Coke. Snacks include Doritos or Lay’s chips and more Diet Coke, with Trump reportedly drinking up to 12 cans a day.
Rea described the experience as akin to a “Supersize Me” experiment, referencing the famous documentary where Morgan Spurlock consumed only McDonald’s for a month. “I definitely hit my sodium goals for the day,” he remarked. Reflecting on his overall experience, he added, “My taste buds are pretty happy. My stomach was a little upset a few times. I’m pretty scared about tomorrow morning.” The diet left him feeling uncertain and uneasy: “I kinda can’t tell whether I feel like playing tackle football or fighting a cop or just kinda like lying down in darkness.” He noted that Trump’s diet was extremely high in salt, protein, and fat, exceeding recommended daily amounts and leaving him with a sense of unease and physical discomfort.
Viewer reactions included, “Well done steak with ketchup is heinous,” and “‘Skips breakfast’ is a nice way to say ‘sleeps until 11am.’” Some found the diet hard to watch, with one commenting, “My body hurts just watching this,” while another added, “Money can’t buy class.” Notably, one viewer remarked on the Diet Coke consumption, saying, “You know he’s not drinking the mini cans lol,” referencing Rea’s choice of mini cans while attempting to replicate Trump’s Diet Coke habit.
The experiment left Rea feeling that neither president’s diet was suitable for a typical person, highlighting the peculiar eating habits of the two leaders. His TikTok videos documenting the experience have amassed millions of views, with many viewers expressing surprise and amusement at the diets of Trump and Biden. Rea plans to continue his series by exploring the diets of other past presidents, including Barack Obama and Theodore Roosevelt.
