People sometimes forget that billionaires are human just like us. Just because they make a substantial amount of money doesn’t change the fact that they need to eat, you know, just like the rest of us. However, with the world at their fingertips, what do these billionaires choose to eat on a daily basis? Do they go through a drive-thru or hire a personal chef? Here’s the scoop on what some of the world’s wealthiest people like to eat. It might surprise you.
Warren Buffett Heads for the Drive Thru. As unhealthy of a choice McDonald’s might be, Buffett, worth $82.7 billion, indulges in it when he’s feeling a certain way. “When I’m not feeling quite so prosperous, I might go with the $2.61, which is two sausage patties, and then I put them together and pour myself a Coke,” he revealed in the HBO documentary Becoming Warren Buffett.
Mark Cuban is a Cookie Monster. The billionaire owner of the NBA franchise Dallas Mavericks and known as one of the biggest sharks on Shark Tank, has an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion, as well as interesting taste when it comes to his breakfast. He likes to eat cookies with a cup of coffee. These Alyssa Cookies have a lot of benefits, however. I live on these cookies,” Cuban said. “They are 190 calories each—high protein, high fiber, low carbs. I eat two and have a cup of coffee. I loved them so much I invested in the company.”
Sara Blakely sips a Smoothie. The founder of Spanx, billionaire Sara Blakely likes to combine a lot of ingredients for her breakfast smoothie, which is probably one of the most energizing and healthiest breakfast options for people on-the-go. Blakely lists her ingredients as: “a chocolate protein powder pack, half an avocado, two dates (dates are the key—they add sweetness and make everything else tolerable), kale, a full lime juiced, chia seeds, frozen wild blueberries, four to five frozen dark cherries, two scoops of ice, cold water, basil, fresh mint leaves, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Walnuts on the top. Eat it with a spoon.”
Oprah goes back to Breakfast Basics. Even though Oprah stopped doing her talk show, she’s still a very busy woman with a net worth of $2.5 billion. Since those days, the mogul became a TV producer, investor, Weight Watchers spokesperson, and she’s back into acting. Even though she’s a multi-tasker, as far as food goes, she keeps it simple. “I do an egg, toast because I love bread, and maybe an eighth of an avocado. Instead of coffee, chai tea,” she says. Sounds like a well-portioned breakfast.
DVF gets a kick start from Fruit and Java. Have you ever wondered what someone who earned a net worth of over $1.2 billion from being a fashion designer likes to eat? Designer and philanthropist Diane Von Furstenberg spilled the coffee beans. “For breakfast, I eat fruit—pomegranates, kiwi, papaya—sometimes with yogurt and black coffee,” she says.
Queen Be and Jay Z go V. In the past couple of years, Beyonce and Jay-Z have become more public with the foods they eat. Late in 2018, both of them came forward to challenge people to try veganism. The couple, who have a net worth of $1.255 billion, want everyone to know about their plant-based manifesto. “We used to think of health as a diet—some worked for us, some didn’t, the couple wrote. “Once we looked at health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible.” They said once they started incorporating plant-based meals into their diet, it had a “profound impact” on their health.
Richard Branson spills the Tea. The founder of the Virgin Group, with an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion, has come to make tons of money in his lifetime, but he thinks that he wouldn’t be able to survive without a certain type of beverage in his life. “I’m not sure how I’d survive without English Breakfast tea,” Branson said to the Daily Mail in 2016. He says he drinks about 20 cups of the English Breakfast tea every day. Along with a strong cup of the black tea, Branson enjoys eating a fruit salad and muesli when he wakes up in the morning. For those who don’t know, muesli is basically oatmeal with Swiss German origins. Sometimes he’ll eat kipper too, which is a herring-like fish.
Bezos goes for the Unknown. As the richest man in the world with a net worth of $145.3 billion, Jeff Bezos has a little leverage when it comes to planning things in his life. The Founder, CEO, and President of Amazon likes to keep his mornings clear so he can have a healthy leisurely breakfast without having to settle on “fatty convenience foods” that so many others have to resort to when they’re short on time with a hungry belly.
Maybe this type of thinking helped propel him to the world’s richest. Whenever he see’s something on the menu that he doesn’t understand or he’s never had, he has to have it. He revealed this using an interesting metaphor while in a meeting describing why he chose the octopus. “You’re the octopus that I’m having for breakfast,” Bezos said. “When I look at the menu, you’re the thing I don’t understand, the thing I’ve never had. I must have the breakfast octopus.”
Bill Gates eats like a Kid. The second richest man in the United States (with a net worth of $98.3 billion) might have to change what he drinks if wishes to extend his lifespan. The Microsoft genius admitted that he loves Diet Coke. He loves it so much that he ends up drinking at least three to four cans a day. As if drinking four cans of Diet Coke a day wasn’t already bad enough, Bill Gates likes to add insult to injury when it comes to what he consumes. For breakfast, he likes Cocoa Puffs, but according to his wife, he skips that meal a lot. If you’re going to be in a meeting with Mr. Gates, you can expect a cheeseburger. “If you get the lunchtime slot with Bill, you’re eating burgers,” managing director at the Gates Foundation Joe Cerrell told the Telegraph in 2016. He says it doesn’t matter who you are.
Zuckerberg doesn’t like to waste time. We all have Mark Zuckerberg to thank for our addiction to Facebook. The billionaire, with a net worth of $61.2 billion, has a consistent strategy when it comes to selecting what to eat for breakfast. Zuckerberg isn’t picky at all when it comes to choosing his food as he wakes up in the morning. He will usually have whatever he’s feeling that day. He has this fixed attitude because he “doesn’t like to waste time on small decisions.”
Now you know what the richest eat for the most important meal of the day. Which do YOU choose to model yourself after?
—
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com