The eating habits of America's founding era have drawn renewed interest as some modern dietary movements emphasize whole, minimally processed foods. Known informally as the "1776 Diet," the culinary practices of colonial Americans were shaped by necessity, regional agriculture, and the blending of European traditions with Indigenous ingredients. While not a formal diet plan, the foods consumed during the nation's founding offer a window into the daily lives of early settlers and the foundations of American cuisine.
Corn, introduced to European colonists by Indigenous peoples, became a staple ingredient in many colonial dishes. Cornmeal was used to make hasty pudding, a thick porridge similar to polenta, and johnnycakes, simple griddle cakes that were popular from New England to the South, according to History Facts. The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) notes that beans, squash, and potatoes were among the other crops that became incorporated into colonial cooking. Cornmeal johnnycakes, roast pork, and cream cheese are distinctly early-American foods for which the CSPC has recipes on its website.
Regional customs and available crops greatly influenced what colonists ate. Rice and okra grew well in the South, where French and African influences also shaped eating habits. Dutch, English, and German immigrants largely settled the north and established the region's culinary traditions. Seafood such as rockfish and crab dominated the diets of early Maryland settlers, according to NPR. Meat was a status symbol, local food historian Joyce White told the publication. Beef was prized, and chicken was often saved for egg production. "If it's your pig or cow coming from your plantation, you don't want to waste it," White said.
Thomas Jefferson was known for his decadent tastes and a fondness for French wine and macaroni and cheese, NPR reported. Records show that black-eyed peas, turnip greens, and ham were also part of the Founding Father's diet. Salted and preserved fish and meats, including bacon, sausage, liver pudding, and offal, were staples of working-class people's diets, while the upper classes indulged in such luxuries as white flour and sugar.
The amount of alcohol colonists consumed was "staggering," Adrian Miller, author of "The President's Kitchen Cabinet," told NPR. "They were very open about how much they were drinking," he said. George Washington wrote a recipe for "small beer" in a journal he kept as a young colonel in charge of the Virginia militia during the Seven Years' War, Fox News Digital previously reported. The New York Public Library houses the journal. "Small beer," according to the library, derives its name from the small amount of alcohol it contains. It was quick to make, safer to drink because the brewing process helped eliminate bacteria in the water, and it was an "everyday, mainstay beverage," the library reported.
Interest in these traditional foods has resurfaced in recent years as some Americans seek diets centered on whole, minimally processed ingredients. Advocates of the Make America Healthy Again movement, for instance, have promoted organ meats, or offal, as some of the cheapest and most nutrient-dense foods people can eat. Stews that evolved as ingredients became available were also common in America's early days.
While the 1776 Diet has some positives — such as emphasizing whole foods, home cooking, and fewer ultra-processed foods — it is not one nutrition experts recommend following too literally. "Colonial Americans often ate foods like salted ham, organ meats, and other preserved meats out of necessity," registered dietitian Lisa R. Young, adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, told Fox News Digital. "Today, we know it's best to limit processed and cured meats because they're high in sodium and saturated fat, and organ meats, while nutrient-dense, are best eaten in moderation due to their high cholesterol content."
Young recommended focusing on the healthiest aspects of the 1776 diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, fish, and lean proteins. "Of course, you can emulate the Founding Fathers' diet for the week of the 250th anniversary," she said. "What you eat for a day or a week won't matter much in the scheme of things." She also noted that some of the Founding Fathers drank a lot of ale, often in the morning, and cautioned, "We shouldn't emulate that."
