As the First Lady of the United States, Jackie Kennedy was meticulous and careful of her image.
Jackie Kennedy was one of the youngest First Ladies of the United States in history. She entered the White House at the age of 31 in 1961.
Upon her rise to power and popularity, reports said that the public deemed her as an embodiment of the modern American woman. She was a “picture of poise and grace” and was very “particular” with her image.
Cheat Sheet recently reported that this was likely the very reason why the former First Lady did not like to eat in public. This comes after an insider previously claimed that Kennedy preferred to “indulge” in private.
Jackie Kennedy ate treats alone in the kitchen
Kathy McKeon, who was Jackie Kennedy’s former assistant, shared some of her experiences working for the former First Family. Writing in her book, Jackie’s Girl: My Life With The Kennedy Family, she revealed that her “madame” was not fond of eating in front of other people. She would instead enjoy her snacks “behind the scenes.”
The former staffer, then, recalled a moment when she caught the former First Lady, having some tasty treats alone in the kitchen. She shared that Jackie O would not turn on the lights because she did not want anyone to know that she was in there munching on some foods and treats.
How she maintained her image
Apart from not letting anyone see her eating, Jackie Kennedy also did several other things to protect her image. These include banning the release of her photos, wherein she was smoking, according to FirstLadies.org.
The publication noted that the former First Lady was a “heavy” cigarette smoker. While this was common knowledge, they ordered photographers from the White House to refrain from taking pictures of her while smoking. If in case some individuals accidentally captured her in the “act of puffing,” the materials would get banned from public release.
Jackie O had a “strict” diet
Jackie Kennedy always watched her figure. This was in part of her effort to maintain her image before the public.
Kathy McKeon released the details of the former First Lady’s diet in her piece. She described it as “strict,” adding that JFK’s wife ate “very little.”
She claimed that the then-international fashion icon would always have a boiled egg and cup of tea in the morning. For lunch, she had her cottage cheese and fresh fruit.
As for dinner, a bowl of steamed vegetables, alongside a poached chicken breast, would do. The former staffer, later on, said that Jackie Kennedy was fond of plain yogurt, as well, for her snacks.
Images courtesy of (1)manhhai/Flickr & (2)Natalia Sheppard/Flickr