The Favorite Foods And Eating Habits Of Pope Leo XIV

You may be under the assumption that all popes throughout history are similar to one another. While they should all share a certain quality of holiness and goodness about them, they have all, in fact, been human and wholly unique. We don't have to look further than their meal and eating preferences to prove that uniqueness. While the dearly departed Pope Francis ate a limited menu of high quality ingredients, the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV has a taste for a wide range of dishes and beverages.

Born in Chicago and maintaining dual citizenship in Peru, Pope Leo XIV has worldly experience with food and the people who make and consume it. He has collected a number of favorite foods and eating rituals in a lifetime of working for the Catholic Church. The newest pope will reside in Vatican City and around Italy for the remainder of his life, and he'll hopefully eat his way through an amazing food culture there. It's important to note that the change in scenery and status may have an impact on Pope Leo XIV's eating habits, but here is what he has been known to have near his plate.

As a child, Pope Leo XIV played priest with the aid of a pack of Necco wafers and a clothed ironing board. His brother John Prevost, a retired Catholic school educator and principal, told Good Morning America this story, saying that his pope brother knew at a young age what his calling was. The candy that acted as communion wafers may have foreshadowed Pope Leo XIV's life path, but a lifetime later candy came back into the fray of his holy career when he needed it most.

Right before being named the new leader of the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV was a bundle of nervous energy. Next to him at the conclave was Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle with a pocket full of candy. Seeing the nervous energy, Tagle offered him a sweet, which Pope Leo XIV accepted. It wasn't but a few moments later when the final choice of the conclave was announced. We're not saying candy has done some serious pope magic on His Holiness, but we're also not discounting the power of a well-timed hard candy or a vintage Necco wafer.

Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago, a city known for their love of food and making it their own way. It shouldn't come as a shock that the Chicago-born pope likes classic Chicagoan food. From hot dogs to pizza, he appreciates the way Chicago does their food up and he eats out at local eateries.

According to Pope Leo XIV's brother Louis Prevost, His Holiness likes a Chicago-style hot dog. There's a lot of differences between a Chicago-style hot dog and a regular one, but the most glaring one is the lack of ketchup on the former. This lack of ketchup doesn't bother the new pope, as he prefers a dog without the tangy condiment.

Chicago pizza differs greatly from Italian pizza, but it's almost kismet that Pope Leo XIV is going from one pizza city to another. The two styles of pizza differ greatly, with Chicago pizza being a deep dish pie and Italy having a quite a few regional pizza styles. Pope Leo XIV would have had to likely trade his Chicago style for Italian with the move to Vatican City, except he seems to be familiar with Italian pizza already. He cooked the thin crusted pizza during his missionary trips for a large number of people. There seems to be no love lost for the pope from his home city, though, because one Chicago pizzeria named something on their menu after Pope Leo XIV.

It's not abnormal for people who are religious to fast or refrain from consuming certain foods. A lot of Catholics observe Lent, which is often followed by a period of fasting and forgoing meat that isn't fish on certain days. Some Catholics avoid most meats and eat fish on Fridays both during Lent and outside of the religious holiday. According to his brother, Pope Leo XIV is apparently one of these Catholics.

The home that the new pope and his brother grew up in was one that held Catholicism close to its center. Speaking with OSV News, Pope Leo's older brother Louis Prevost relayed that they were very much a family who enjoyed fish on Fridays. While the religious practice wasn't something Louis always enjoyed, his now pope brother was content with a seafood-driven menu on Fridays.

Fish on Fridays outside of Lent is not a Catholic requirement, even for the pope. We wouldn't be surprised if Pope Leo XIV still honors this tradition he was raised with, though, as it wouldn't be the first food habit he has maintained from his childhood.

Food from Chicago is, of course, important to Pope Leo XIV as it is his hometown. However, there is another location on the opposite hemisphere that holds a special place in the pope's heart as well. Peru is seemingly as much of a home to Pope Leo XIV as the city he was raised in. He has spent two stints in the South American country on missionary trips, which resulted in a naturalized citizenship for the pope.

Upon being named sovereign pontiff, Peru celebrated as though one of their own natives was made pope. Pope Leo XIV is beloved there, and he seems to feel at ease in the country, as evidenced by his enjoyment of the cultural food there. In total, Pope Leo XIV spent over 20 years both living and working in Peru. In that time, the food has likely become almost second nature, and he surely has his favorite meals. Ceviche and goat stew are among some of his favorite Peruvian meals.

Pope Leo XIV has been all over the world, eating with people of many different cultures. Depending on the dining etiquette of where you are in the world, eating everything on your plate can either be a positive or negative thing. Some believe eating everything on a plate is a sign the host did not serve enough, but others consider food left on a plate a statement that the meal was not enjoyed. No matter where he is, though, the new pope cleans his plate.

The habit of eating every bite he is served was not something learned from travel, but something he was raised with. Holiness was taught it was disrespectful to not eat everything offered to him. This eating habit seems to have stuck with him to this day, because Pope Leo XIV continues to never leave a bite on his plate.

The practice of cleaning one's plate, while not universal, seems to be a common one with older generations, particularly in households where food was scarce. Since Pope Leo XIV grew up on the Southside of Chicago in the 1960s, this approach to his plate makes sense.

As someone who has spent a lot of time in various countries, Pope Leo XIV has likely been exposed to a lot of dishes. A portion of these dishes are bound to be things that most Americans would turn their noses up at or find bizarre. This, combined with Pope Leo XIV's compulsion to finish everything on his plate, could lead to some sticky situations or some real food aversions. Luckily, Pope Leo XIV is an adventurous eater and doesn't balk at things he'd prefer not to eat. The freedom in which Pope Leo XIV dines with others and immerses himself in other cultures has opened him up to experiencing food that more squeamish eaters likely have not tried.

His brother Louis Prevost recalled a phone call he had with the newly appointed pope about a particularly interesting meal (via Catholic Review). The current pontiff spoke of food that was swallowed whole while it was still moving around the plate. The meal was in good company with leaders of an Asian country, and the experience certainly sounds like one of a culinary adventurer. There is no word whether or not Pope Leo XIV enjoyed the meal, but our research hasn't really uncovered any meal the pontiff has a distaste for.

While being the pope does come with some restrictions, like having to remain unmarried, alcohol is not one of them. This makes sense when you consider that wine has an important place in the Catholic Church. Sacramental wine is given during the Holy Eucharist, which is more commonly known as Holy Communion. While TikTok claims sacramental wine is just Franzia at a lot of churches, we suspect the Vatican does their communion up a little nicer. The new pope, at least, does enjoy a glass of higher brow wine.

According to Pope Leo XIV's former employee, André Ciszewski, in an interview with German newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, Pope Leo XIV enjoys good wine. "I'd say a good glass of wine is more likely to be served on the table than a Fanta," Ciszewski said when asked if the holy man has the same love of Fanta as his predecessor Pope Francis.

It's not just wine that Pope Leo XIV has consumed, as he has also been seen enjoying a beer. While you probably won't see the new pope out and about at your local bar (at least, not without his Swiss Guards), he has been pictured enjoying a beer with acquaintances.

The papacy in general is often known for being a highly charitable position, and Pope Leo XIV was elected to the honor in part due to his time as a missionary and charitable nature. In his efforts for the church, His Holiness has interacted with people from all over the world. He has had decadent meals with people in high places, and has also broken bread with many who eat much more humbly.

Reportedly, Pope Leo XIV was comfortable eating with villagers he has helped throughout his career. The holy man is known to enjoy village staple foods like potatoes, cheese, and sweet corn when visiting modest communities in the Andes mountains.

In addition to enjoying meals made from things on hand and available in remote villages, Pope Leo XIV enjoys a number of dishes that are popular throughout the world. Simply put, he seems to be happy to eat, no matter what it is. Those who speak of Pope Leo XIV make it seem as though he is content meeting and existing in different human experiences, which is the hallmark trait of a flexible eater.

When the world has a smorgasbord of issues perpetually occurring and you're the only person on Earth who holds the title of pope, any level of stability is necessary. It may seem small in the grand scheme of things, but stability in meals is one thing that is easy to control. Though he likes to try new things and doesn't shy away from cultural dishes, Pope Leo XIV likes to repeat meals as well.

When he lived in Peru, he would often go to the same little restaurant for meals and order a few of the same dishes depending on what time of day it was. No matter what time it was, meat was typically at the base of a dish, even if eating a light meal of chicken broth. When in Peru, the now pope also liked to sit in the same seat at his regular Peruvian restaurant, where he could see the cathedral.

Pope Leo XIV is far from a vegetarian, as we have well seen from his eating habits thus far. In addition to Chicago-style hot dogs and Peruvian chicken dishes, though, he enjoys dishes that employ somewhat uncommon meat types. Goat, for instance, is very much on the new pope's meal radar.

Goat is used as a meat source in a number of countries, and Pope Leo XIV has traveled a great deal in his missionary journeys. It is likely his long stints in Peru that put goat on his plate. He liked goat as an ingredient so much that he opted for it over other dishes, when eating out at restaurants in Peru. According to one of the waiters at Pope Leo XIV's frequently visited Peruvian restaurant, stewed goat was a semi-regular lunch order for the now world renowned Catholic.

Now that Pope Leo XIV will be living in Vatican City, he may be chowing down on other meat products. Goat isn't totally out of the question, though, as it is not unheard of to use goat as a source of protein in Italian dishes. Considering his apparent enjoyment of goat, the new pope may make some special requests to the Vatican kitchens for the meat.

For almost every person on Earth, the title of pope is far out of reach. But, eating (or drinking) like the pope is actually a much closer possibility than you think. In fact, you may already be doing breakfast just like His Holiness.

Pope Leo XIV seems to be quite the beverage guy, enjoying at least two drinks at once with certain meals. A cup of coffee paired with a glass of orange juice is reportedly something he orders when dining out at restaurants. One restaurant he frequented when doing missionary work in Chiclayo, Peru offered both beverages, and Pope Leo XIV often ordered this for breakfast. It's not clear how the pope likes to take his coffee, but his simplistic leaning tastes would suggest it's a black cup of coffee he enjoys.

He'd match his regular order or a coffee and orange juice with a dish called chicharron. Fried meat, usually pork, is the main component of the meal, which is an interesting choice for coffee and orange juice. At first thought, crispy pork belly may seem too heavy a meal for the drink pair, but it can easily be likened to eating bacon in the morning.

Before Pope Leo XIV was confirmed as the new pope, the Vatican held the papal conclave. During this time, over 100 cardinals were in the running for the position of honor. All of these cardinals, including our now pope, did have to adhere to restrictions on their diet. Traditionally, the would-be popes would have their food intake restricted to one meal a day at most.

Exact details of the conclave are not known to the public, and those who prepare the food take vows to not reveal much. Still, we know that old traditions die hard, and the modern conclave does keep things simple when it comes to meals. Humble meals (yes, plural) are provided each day to the pope-elects.

Fear of poison, tampering, or concealing hidden messages was ripe in previous conclaves, which led to certain foods being banned. For this reason, we know that Pope Leo XIV and all the cardinals that did not receive the big promotion weren't eating ravioli, whole chicken dinners, or really anything that could be stuffed.