Did you guys know that Barack Obama hates ketchup? His hatred for the condiment has been documented for the past fifteen years. It feels nice to have this kind of low-stakes political scandal, right? “Donald Trump is a longtime associate of a convicted human trafficking rapist” versus “Obama has an abiding hatred for a popular condiment.” Back in 2011, Obama got in trouble (Obama-era trouble) for saying that no one should put ketchup on their hot dogs. He’s also anti-ketchup-on-eggs. But as Obama clarified in the recent interview on his wife’s podcast, he’s simply anti-ketchup for everything. He thinks the condiment is for children, and that adults should never willingly consume ketchup.
He knows it’s a controversial stance! Michelle even says that his age limit for “consuming ketchup” keeps getting lower. Now he feels like no one over the age of eight should use ketchup! The thing is, I agree with him slightly. I still like some ketchup on a hamburger, but that’s about it. Ketchup doesn’t go or shouldn’t go on hot dogs or French fries or eggs or whatever else. Plus, these days, there’s a whole big world full of amazing condiments. You know what I’ve been using more of as I get older? Garlic aioli. It goes with almost anything, you can use it as a dip or a sauce or a condiment. I also love tomatoes – instead of ketchup, just put actual tomatoes on whatever you were going to put ketchup on.
Screengrabs courtesy of IMO video.
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I strongly disagree with him on this one thing. I eat ketchup on my fries and that’s the best! I used to put it on steak but my boyfriend who is now my husband invited me to dinner at his house for a steak dinner. He told me don’t put ketchup on my steak because his father would bitch so I didn’t. I thought the steak would taste bad without it but the steak was so nicely seasoned so I didn’t miss it. My husband puts it on eggs and his grilled cheese which I think is gross but I don’t have to eat it lol. I put it on hamburgers, hotdogs and fries and I won’t stop doing it!
Salt and vinegar rules on fries.
There was a restaurant when I lived in VT that served them with salt and vinegar but I didn’t like it. They also served them with gravy which was really good.
A world without ketchup for adults or kids would be pretty boring. Ketchup on fries, ketchup in my burger please
I’m with you!
??? No ketchup on steak but ketchup on eggs & grilled cheese? Who have you married???
A crazy man with a weird taste for ketchup lol!! It was his father who didn’t like people putting ketchup on steak that he grilled but in all fairness his father seasoned those steaks really and there was really no need for ketchup.
I love ketchup!! My daughter hates it. One thing that is weird though is I can’t smell it after I eat it. It disgusts me. Same with pancake syrup and salsa. I’m sure everyone was dying to know this. lol
Comeback President Obama, we need your calm and respectful demeanor back in the White House
But not his catsup diss.
He’s taking the piss out of trump who famously drowns his well-done steaks in ketchup. But, trump is under the age of eight…
And trump is also known to fling ketchup laden food on the walls in anger. Like a 7 year old.
He started by saying: age 14. I think that’s reasonable— except maybe on a burger. Mixing mayo with A-1 sauce and adding a few capers or with dill pickles is the bomb tho! lol
I cracked up when they described food as being merely the delivery system for the ketchup. That is so true for many ketchup lovers. I watch, laugh, and cringe. I don’t even put ketchup on fries.
Mayo for the win!
That sounds like a really yummy sauce.
Kraft makes this chipotle mayo that I’m obsessed with. It’s great for fry-dipping and is good on everything from chicken salad to tacos.
It’s time for the Mayo Community to come out of the darkness–we’ve been shamed for far too long.
Y’all are cracking me up! A good friend from my school days always dipped her fries in mayo, just straight mayo. 🤷♀️. Give me ketchup for my fries any day of the week.
I gotta have ketchup on my French fries. Anything else, unnecessary.
I’m French so being anti-ketchup is pretty much in my DNA. I have deeply influenced my husband to the point where he *also* despises ketchup. And yes I do put mayonnaise on my fries but I prefer aioli. Hate me all you want but tomatoes and sugar is just a vile combination of ingredients.
I don’t mind ketchup, it has its place.
(On french fries and casual burgers)
But other than that I’m with you on tomatoes and sugar. Added sugar in tomato sauce or paste is an abomination IMO. My nonna taught me right … if your sauce needs a little more sweetness to round it out, just throw a carrot in the pot while it’s bubbling. I always check the ingredient label if I’m buying jarred sauce, if there’s added sugar or sweetener, I’m not buying it (and not just on principal … I don’t like the taste either)
I shred carrots into mine because it sweetens just enough. And more veggies is always a plus.
There’s no sugar in Trader Joe’s ketchup!!
I thought I’d lost the taste for ketchup til I tried a homemade one at the farmers market about 20 years ago. Changed the game. I really miss the Obama era.
I say let the ketchup lovers do their thing. We have so little to make us happy in this nightmare landscape. If that thing is ketchup then condiment away if you so desire.
He also doesn’t like ice cream. He’s a MONSTER
🤭 Bet he grew up on shaved ice, instead.
Man, ice cream vs. shaved ice…now there’s a tough call…😉
Now I’m imagining the absolutely ridiculous, heated debates he must have had with John Kerry, Mr Heinz himself, if he has an opinion like this, lol.
I’m not about condiment shaming people, but I also enjoy when someone’s conviction in a harmless unpopular opinion is so strong that it’s a hill they will die on, lol.
There’s nothing ketchup can do that barbecue sauce can’t do better.
In my state, we put ranch dressing on everything. From veggies to pizza, nothing is safe from ranch dressing. I personally do not like ranch dressing or ketchup. I make a delicious chipotle lime mayo for my dipping needs.
You’ll have to pry the Heinz out of my cold, dead hands. 😉
I really miss the Obamas. 😔 Most ketchup brands are pure sugar/chemically tasting and I can’t stand overly sweet or overly chemical tasting nowadays. I only like ketchup on fried potatoes (mixed with mustard) or French fries as an adult. (I am Southern. Fried potatoes and French fries are totally different. I swear. Lol.) I absolutely detest it on hamburgers and eggs. Try different mustards, salsas, spice blends and hot sauces instead.
I used to work with a girl, Dawn, and when we would go to lunch, she would only go to places that had ketchup.
I am a fan of ketchup for fries. though sometimes i enjoy ranch, or Cane’s sauce.
though to Pres Obama’s point, as a kid i LOVED ketchup on fish sticks, crab claws, pretty much any fried food.
I have to agree with him, I’ve never like tomato sauce/ketchup other than on a slice of battered fish whether it’s shop bought or from the chip shop.
However give me Nando’s Sweet Chili jam and Spicy Mayonaisse and I’ll be happy especially if it’s on a chicken burger with Nando’s on top and mayo on the bottom of the bun. It’s very very tasty!
Ah, but what about ketchup as a projectile weapon? As in the thing 47 loves to fling at walls.
No babies either, please 🌷
I need to send this to my brother. He’s despised ketchup and all things tomato his entire life. I used to eat ketchup sandwiches in his face just to gross him out. 😂
I, on the other hand, LOVE ketchup and slather it on heavily when I eat a burger and fries.
Ketchup if its the real one, tomato pulp, sugar, apple vinegar and spices is actually pretty healthy. It helps with digestion and the lycopene from the tomatoes is very healthy for the liver.
So I’m a fan of ketchup.
I buy only organic ones from small companies though.
Can’t eat the big brands. They taste awful. Cheap vinegar and way too much sugar or sweeteners.
Agreed—organic and some small-label ketchup is a lot less sugary and salt-ridden than the likes of Heinz. It’s amazing how much sugar is in mass market condiments anyway—salad dressing can be ridiculous even if it’s a vinaigrette… And sauces….🤮
Team Barack always and forever, and if he has one of his rare misses — well, to err…
No ketchup will ever cross the doorstep into our house.
Instead it’s e.g. Sriracha mayo, or the Spanish mojo picón or mojo verde sauces, mayo mixed with wasabi paste or soy and tamarind, or tzatziki, or all kinds of hot sauces, and I mean *really* hot.
I hate ketchup but love condiments and your list includes some of my favorites.. as for French Fries and hot dogs those were made for mustard.
Ugh, ketchup is so sugary sweet and it gets even grosser the longer you go between eating it. The only time I’ll eat it is when I’ve been served something else I don’t like and I’m trying to eat enough of it to be polite by coating it in sugar.
I use ketchup in my pulled pork recipe (actually I use turkey, I don’t eat pork, beef or lamb) (if I gave you the secret ingredients I’d have to kill you) and everyone raves about it. That’s about all I use it for.
I think, it depends on the brand. I only buy Heinz, I don’t like the taste of others. I don’t think I have ever eaten fries without it. They also do hot ketchup, which I am currently obsessed with.
I respectfully disagree with Obama, ketchup is for all ages.
I don’t hate ketchup, but I don’t love it except on fries and tots. I usually stick with mustard on hot dogs/sausages and typically don’t feel the need to put it on burgers. On eggs is a big no for me. I can also get on board with skipping ketchup on fries if there is malt vinegar around. The one thing I cannot stand is putting mayo on everything instead of ketchup (especially on french fries). I have a full blown mayo phobia (sorry Europe).
I don’t like ketchup on its own but I keep it on hand as an ingredient. I made baked tofu the other day. The glaze was made with ketchup, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, and garlic. Delicious!
Oh, Kaiser, Kaiser, Kaiser. 🙂↔️. I’m not putting tomatoes on my fries!!! Fries & ketchup are an unbeatable duo. Garlic aioli! Phfft!
I like ketchup on my hamburgers and hotdogs, but on eggs…gross, and I also don’t like dipping my hot fries/tater tots into cold ketchup.
No ketchup on fries. Ever. A law in our family for fifty years. It helps that my mother made the most fantastic fries in the world.
I love Obama and I do believe the world felt much calmer when he was president. However, his stance against ketchup and his belief that you can’t have pineapple on pizza is just wrong. Apologies to my fellow Celebitchies but, it’s a hill I’m prepared to fight on, and if I go down I’ll be taking a lot of you down with me. 😉 😆
I hate ketchup. I don’t put it on ANYTHING.
mayo on fries, mustard on hot dogs.