Elvis Presley’s diet and eating habits might be nearly as famous as his music. The singer died from a heart attack in 1977 at the untimely age of 42, so some people believe his alleged drug use and poor food choices caused his demise. This list of his favorite foods will show you the true horror of his meal plan.
Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
Now, this might seem like a quick snack that has the potential to be super healthy and equally as filling. This was considered an Elvis Presley classic.
Everyone knew Elvis loved the classic peanut butter and banana sandwich combo. Many say this was Elvis’s favorite go-to food.
He wouldn’t stop at just peanut butter and banana, though. Sometimes the King would throw a couple of slices of bacon on there too.
Fool’s Gold Loaf
If you think you have a thing for peanut butter and jelly, you have no idea how much your obsession pales in comparison to Elvis Presley’s.
And when it came to his specialized version of the childhood classic, no distance was too far to travel in order to get it. Nothing is too much for the King.
This hollowed-out sourdough loaf was stuffed with an entire jar of jelly, an entire jar of peanut butter, and a whopping pound of bacon. That’s a lot of bacon!
“Party Meatballs”
Who doesn’t make a beeline straight for the snacks at any party? We certainly do, and we especially love a host who has meatballs on deck.
If Elvis was attending a party, there better be some party meatballs on the appetizer table. Make sure if you were around the King to have some of these.
Needless to say, those meatballs wrapped in meat probably had a nice little crunch. The King probably was able to take down a lot of these.
Fried Breakfasts
Now, we can’t blame the King of Rock and Roll for indulging in a decadent breakfast. It’s the best and most important meal of the day! Always remember.
We can’t imagine indulging every day of the week (well we can, but it doesn’t sound pretty). Presley, however, certainly had no qualms with indulgences.
Note for his future wife: Elvis loves enormous breakfasts complete with sausage, bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, home-baked rolls, and coffee.
Hot Dogs with Sauerkraut
Hot dogs just seem like the ultimate summer barbecue food staple. We’re not so sure we love everything that goes into most hot dogs (it’s like a meat mashup).
Unlike the iconic singer, though, we don’t believe hot dogs are appropriate as hospital food.
Langston told the BBC network in 1995 that Presley instructed her to disguise the food as clothing. The chef followed the directions nevertheless.
Sodas
Even if you know how unhealthy sodas can be, chances are you still crave them every so often. And sodas sound like heaven.
Keeping a never-ending supply of sugary sodas in your fridge all the time, though, sounds like the worst temptation.
His favorite kinds were Pepsi, Nesbitt’s Orange, and Shasta Black Cherry. He tried to slim down by eating nothing but bananas and jellied Shasta Black Cherry.
Burnt Bacon Sandwich
We’re back to bacon. And truly, we want to know if it’s possible to have too much of the salt-cured pork. Elvis loved his bacon.
It was like the gift that could keep on giving, and the singer could eat it during any meal of the day. If Presley didn’t have bacon with his breakfast…don’t ask.
In fact, one of the King’s go-to sammies had nearly burnt bacon. Presley liked the bacon crumbled atop a spread of mayonnaise.
BBQ Bologna
The King could never be accused of having a pretentious palette. And we would definitely admire his preference for simple foods if the foods were actually simple.
Yes, Elvis Presley loved bologna and BBQ sauce, but he made them too rich (at least in our opinion).
Presley sometimes craved BBQ bologna, though. He liked bologna with vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper, and salt while it cooked in the oven for about an hour.
Cheeseburgers
Can’t you just picture Elvis Presley chowing into a juicy cheeseburger? The mental image, alone, is enough to make you long for your own.
The singer completely lost his appetite in the days before his death, though. So he didn’t eat any of the burger. In fact, Presley passed soon after Langston left.
Apparently, the ghost wanted to stay in her house. Langston gave her permission, but then the ghost smiled and vanished. Spooky, spooky, spooky!
Coconut Cake
Now, this dessert won’t appeal to everybody. Some people can’t get behind the somewhat grainy texture of coconut flakes. Elvis Presley doesn’t subscribe…
His mother’s version of the dessert held a special place in the King’s heart, though. Apparently, Elvis would eat the dessert every night.
Packed with sugar, milk, and eggs, his mother’s recipe certainly wasn’t meant for any dieter.People say he always kept a bag of shredded coconut in his pantry.
“Just Pretend” Harvard Texas Caviar
This recipe from Graceland’s Table: Recipes Fit for the King of Rock and Roll details how to make Presley’s Southern version of the fancy fish egg dish.
Chopped green bell pepper, onion, tomato, avocado, and a can of tomato soup with a cup of added sugar. It’s like salsa on steroids.
Everyone loves this dish because of how fresh it is. Apparently the king inhaled this dish, eating lots and lots of it. Another one of the dishes that the king helped.
Spanish Omelettes
He loved a good, fried breakfast, so we’re hardly surprised Elvis Presley had a penchant for omelets. They combine every good part of breakfast into one.
We’re a little surprised the singer didn’t add a side of overly crisp bacon to his omelets, but he took this menu item as is. Another one of the kings favorites.
A 1960s rumor claimed Presley consumed so many Spanish omelets that he caused an egg shortage. He did enjoy eating large quantities of food.
Fried Pickles
A truly southern snack, fried pickles make a lot of people scratch their heads. It’s slightly hard to grasp how (or why) anyone would fry a pickle in the first place.
They’re crunchy (just like good bacon), and the taste is hard to duplicate. Consequently, Presley would eat fried pickles despite veggie-hatred.
The sour snack held a special place in his heart, though. The crispier they were, the better. In fact, some say Presley preferred fried dill pickles…
Sugar-Glazed Salmon
As long as it could be seasoned so heavily that it no longer had any traces of nutritious value, Presley could and would eat it.
And how did one properly prepare the King’s salmon? They doused the majority of his salmon dishes in a brown-sugar glaze.
The combination of sweet and savory certainly sounded excellent. The King loved this taste-blending dish so much he even included it on his wedding menu.
Meatloaf
In fact, Elvis Presley loved a good meatloaf. Probably, one of his tamest food picks, Presley’s meatloaf was usually served on special occasions.
We can’t say if any veggies accompanied the meat dish, but we doubt it. In fact, the singer’s mother made a mean meatloaf for Sunday dinners.
It was featured in The Presley Family Cookbook. The dish had the basics — ground beef, garlic, onions, celery, and tomato juice.
Fried Chicken
So we know Elvis loved his southern foods. Something he loved in particular was the fried chicken. Elvis was crazy about fried chicken.
He ate it by the bucket. Before and after shows. Its hard to not like fried chicken. And being Elvis, he certainly knew how to indulge in it.
Fried chicken is always good when its made specifically with southern blends and spices. You can’t beat a chicken wing too!
Sweet Potato Pie
Now we keep talking about southern foods and you cannot forget dessert. Another favorite dessert of Elvis’s was the classic sweet potato pie.
Sweet potato pie is most typically eaten during the fall season as well as at Thanksgiving time. The King however felt it was an all-season food.
Sweet potato pie is best with some whipped cream. There are tons of good Thanksgiving desserts, this one is probably the best.
Late Night Snacking
This is hard for everyone. The King struggled with eating late at night in particular due to the lifestyle of a performer.
It meant late nights, and waking up late too. Lots of his meals were eaten late at night, some even say it was the majority.
He did love breakfast however which we will discuss. What people always remember though is his late night indulging.
Generous Portions
It goes without saying. The King ate in large portions. In many books written about Elvis, its noted multiple feats of his…Nothing to be proud of.
He engorged himself after shows, at breakfast tables, and on vacations in Hawaii. It was part of his lifestyle, and nothing was changing that.
Part of the greatness of the King was his “larger-then-life” stature, and the food portion of this was very apparent.
Chili Hobby
So one big hobby of the King’s when he wasn’t making hits, was making chili! Yup, Elvis was well-known for making an incredible pot of chili. He often served them at large gatherings.
The beauty of chili is always the mass crowds that it serves. The King loved it for that very reason. He was able to serve it to all of his friends and family.
Some people prefer a bowl of pasta, but there is nothing better out there then some chili with cheese and sour cream on top with some chopped green onion.
Holiday Eating
Holiday festivities were a favorite of the Kings. He loved the getting together, but of course more than anything he loved that food.
Holidays are a great time of year to make a whole mess of food. You can do cookies, big meat dishes, delectable sides, and tasty drinks to go with it.
Holiday eating was a great time for the King. There was nothing more exciting to him then a get together that revolved around food. Thats what the holidays are all about!
Fish? No Thank You
Fish was something that the King was just not able to get behind. He was not a fan of fish. Its been noted in books, interviews, and by friends/family that Elvis just wouldn’t eat it.
He was a notoriously picky eater, this meant that he did not always have the easiest times at meals. Sometimes his pickiness would turn into being “hangry”. Who doesn’t get that way?
Fish is beloved by many for not only its delicious taste but its nutrition too. The King didn’t see any reason to eat it, he believed in eating what he loved!
Lemonade
The King loved his soda, but another favorite of his was nice and cold lemonade. The refreshing beverage was constantly seen by his side as he would eat fried chicken or a burger.
Lemonade is so crispy and refreshing. It goes perfect with so many meals for that very reason. Its a classic southern beverage, and the King loved his southern comforts!
Everyone loves lemonade. Its best when it comes from a stand where kids make it from scratch! Lemonade is one of the more nostalgic drinks out there.
Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate was another drink favorite of the Kings. Covered in marshmallows and whipped cream, the King would constantly have hot cocoa, especially during the Holidays.
You cannot beat a delicious cup of hot cocoa. Especially when it gets cold out, all you want to do is feel cozy. Make a fire, get a blanket and a book, don’t forget the hot cocoa!
The king loved his sweets. He would drink hot cocoa in large quantities because of this sweet tooth. Multiple packets of hot chocolate powder most likely!
Picky Eater
Yep, Elvis was picky. Its sometimes funny seeing someone be so particular about food, but imagine seeing the King push a plate away.
He did it frequently. The King was a habitual eater and he did not break routine. This meant that if something was offered he wasn’t into, he wouldn’t indulge.
The King believed in enjoying his meals and the best way to do so was eating the same things! He didn’t really try a bunch of other foods. The King loved his American classics.
Army Habits
As many people know, the King served in the military as a young man. As you can assume, abroad especially back in the earlier days meant living out-of-the-norm.
Elvis being such a regimented figure made him a good and difficult figure in the army. He was likable and had leadership skills. He was also picky and could get “hangry”.
The United States Army has had some legendary figures. Elvis constantly gets brought up as one of the most infamous. Who would have thought?!
Eating Quickly
Eating quickly is never a good idea. The King unfortunately made a habit of this, eating food in what some would call “record time”. It was hard to get him to slow down.
The King in general moved quickly in life. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner were not spared in this respect. The King moved at a ridiculously fast pace.
You are not supposed to eat quickly. Its not good for you but also its not as enjoyable! Sit, relax, breath, enjoy your meals!
MILK!
Milk was another drink choice the King always went with. He drank it by the gallon. Pretty easy to do that when they come in gallon and half-gallon sizes!
Milk went well with all of the sweet treats that the King indulged in. No matter what it was that he consumed, he did so in excess.
Looking at his diet as a whole, if he maybe just ate in reasonable quantities he would have lived longer, but drinking a gallon of milk with bacon and eggs, not a recipe for success!
Repetitive Eater
It’s somewhat obvious, but the king loved nothing more than to eat his staples. Its pretty much how he lived his entire life. He just loved his favorites!
Whether it was a burger, some burnt bacon, or a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich, he would eat it on the daily.
That is part of the quirk with the King. He was odd in some ways like this. Even his wife Priscilla noted the extremeness of his repetitive eating.
Heavy Breakfasts
Yep, even though the King was a night-owl, when he woke up, he liked a nice and big breakfast. Filled with lots of bacon of course.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day — it probably wasn’t too great that he was eating these giant breakfasts every day.
Everything about the King was big. Especially his appetite. The breakfasts, fried foods, grilled delights, and sweet treats — he ate it all!
M&Ms
Angie Marchese, a Graceland archivist, told Express.co.uk that the famous mansion was always well-stocked with snacks. While they always changed up, there was one constant: M&Ms.
It makes total sense, too. M&Ms famously took off in the 1940s during World War Two. Everyone was eating them then.
By the time the 50s rolled around, they were so popular that they needed the “m” to distinguish them from copycats riding off the coattails of their success.
Mac n’ Cheese
Mac n’ cheese was one of Presley’s favorites, especially when served alongside some fried chicken. He was a big fan of his Southern staples.
He had a really close relationship with his mother, Gladys, who cooked all of his favorite Southern meals. Mac n’ cheese was almost always part of them.
So, when he ate mac n’ cheese, he was reminded of her, of home, and of the simple life he used to live.
Jelly Doughnuts
Elvis was a big fan of desserts and, as we mentioned earlier, he tended to eat his foods in large portions. That included jelly doughnuts.
Of course, we can’t blame him. Jelly doughnuts are so underrated. If you’re going to make a habit of eating doughnuts, do it with these.
Though he liked other sweets and was frequently seen snacking on them, nothing hit the spot quite like these doughnuts.
Bacon and Mustard Sandwich
As mentioned previously, Elvis loved his bacon. And he had lots of different ways of eating it, too, though all were pretty simple.
Much like his other burnt bacon sandwich, this only had two ingredients. For this, he swapped out the mayo for mustard.
This sounds pretty good. Maybe the next time we’re in need of a quick meal, we’ll try it out. How can you go wrong with bacon and mustard?
Honeydew Melons
Obviously, a ton of rumors circulated about Elvis. As the King of Rock n’ Roll, it was inevitable. A lot of the rumors specifically surrounded his diet.
One of these rumors surrounded honeydew melons. Apparently, Presley was believed to have eaten eight whole honeydew melons in one night.
We suppose that there are worse things to eat, but seriously, eight whole melons? In a single night? That can’t be good for you.
Ice Cream Bars
Speaking of rumors, Presley was said to have really loved his ice cream bars. After all, who doesn’t? Ice cream bars are a top-tier dessert.
We’re not sure we’d have as many as he did. That night he ate the melons, he apparently ate a hundred dollars’ worth of ice cream bars.
Hey, you can’t fault a guy for having late night cravings! He had the money to spend on them, too. Why not, right?
Yogurt
You thought we were done talking about that one night? Nope. In addition to the melons and the ice cream bars, Elvis also downed yogurt.
And no, we don’t mean just one cup. When he ate, he ate. The yogurt was no different. He ate 30 cups of yogurt that night.
We don’t know if he had a preferred flavor. It’s only a rumor, so he might not have even done it at all.
Chewing Gum
While we all like gum, Elvis was really particular with his. He had his favorite brands and flavors, and needed his pantry stocked with them 24/7.
So, what kind of gum did the King like to chew? Well, his top three were Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, and Doublemint. Not too bad.
If you didn’t know, all of these flavors belong to Wrigley’s which, if we’re being honest, is a top-notch brand. Elvis certainly had taste.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are a staple of every pantry, so it should come at no surprise that they were a part of Elvis’s, too.
While cookies are delicious, the story behind this is rather sad. He probably ate these throughout his life, but they’ve gone down in history for a different reason.
These were part of Presley’s final meal. Allegedly, he ate six chocolate chip cookies and four ice cream scoops before he died.
Milkshakes
Milkshakes are normal enough, right? Well, not when Elvis made them. We don’t know if he made this milkshake regularly, but he at least tried it once.
This shake was gross, to put it lightly. He put things in the blender that had absolutely no business being there.
The ingredients? Bacon, bacon fat, ice cream, peanut butter, bourbon, and bananas. Sorry to Elvis, but no thanks. Those foods are all best left separate.
