Centenarian Foods: 17 Comfort Dishes People Who Lived Past 100 Loved, From Fish and Chips to Bacon

These centenarian foods are not fancy superfoods. They are the plain, cozy dishes that real people who reached 104, 110 and even 122 years old said they loved. When Owen Filer turned 107 in Wales this October, he did not name a supplement. He said he never had a secret and that he “lived on fish and chips.” He is far from the only one. A Brooklyn great-grandmother ate bacon every morning, a Spanish woman ate three yogurts a day, and a French woman who reached 122 loved chocolate. Genes, luck and a busy life matter more than any one food, and nobody here is promising a longer life. But every story is true, every dish is easy, and each one comes with a simple recipe so you can taste a little of their table at home..

Fish and Chips, the Supper Two Men Past 107 Loved

Owen Filer, a World War II veteran from Cwmbran, told reporters in Wales this month that there was no secret recipe, just a life of hard work. Then he added, “I lived on fish and chips,” cod or hake with a big scoop of chips. John Tinniswood of Liverpool, who was the world’s oldest man until he died in 2024 at 112, said the same kind of thing: luck, moderation and a fish and chip supper once a week, every Friday. Oven chips keep it lighter, and a squeeze of lemon makes it sing..

You will need: 4 cod or haddock fillets, 1 cup flour plus extra for dusting, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup cold sparkling water, 4 large potatoes cut into thick sticks, 3 tbsp oil, salt, lemon wedges, frozen peas and a knob of butter.

How to make it: 1. Toss the potato sticks with 2 tbsp oil and salt and bake at 425 F for 35 minutes, turning once. 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and the cold sparkling water into a smooth batter. 3. Pat the fish dry, dust it with flour and dip it in the batter. 4. Shallow fry in 1/2 inch of hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. 5. Simmer the peas, mash them with butter and salt. 6. Serve hot with lemon.

Centenarian Foods: Bacon and Eggs Like Miss Susie in Brooklyn

Susannah Mushatt Jones, known as Miss Susie, was the world’s oldest person when she turned 116 in Brooklyn in 2015. Her family and caregivers said she started every day the same way: four strips of bacon with her eggs, often with a side of grits. Of all the centenarian foods on this list, this breakfast is the one most of us already love, and it is perfect for a slow Saturday. How do you like your bacon: A) chewy, B) crispy or C) almost burnt?

You will need: 8 strips of thick-cut bacon, 4 eggs, 1 cup quick grits, 4 cups water, 2 tbsp butter, salt and pepper, a little shredded cheddar if you like.

How to make it: 1. Lay the bacon on a sheet pan and bake at 400 F for 15 to 18 minutes. 2. Bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil, whisk in the grits and cook 5 minutes, stirring. 3. Stir butter and cheese into the grits. 4. Fry or scramble the eggs gently in a little bacon fat. 5. Serve everything hot on one plate.

Baked Sweet Potatoes, the Food Lessie Brown’s Family Swore By

Lessie Brown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was the oldest person in the United States when she died in 2019 at 114. Her family said she ate sweet potatoes nearly every day until well after she turned 100, and they gave the credit to those sweet potatoes. Lessie herself was not so sure. “A lot of them say it’s because I ate a lot of sweet potatoes, but I don’t think that’s it,” she said. Either way, it is one of the most American centenarian foods, and the easiest side on your Thanksgiving table.

You will need: 4 medium sweet potatoes, 2 tbsp butter, salt, a pinch of cinnamon, 2 green onions sliced, a drizzle of maple syrup (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a pan with foil. 2. Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. 3. Bake 45 to 60 minutes until very soft. 4. Split them open and fluff the inside with a fork. 5. Add butter, salt and a pinch of cinnamon. 6. Top with green onions, or maple syrup for a sweeter version.

Centenarian Foods: Jessie Gallan’s Warm Bowl of Porridge

Jessie Gallan was Scotland’s oldest woman when she shared her tips at 109 in 2015. She said she made sure to eat a nice warm bowl of porridge every morning. Her other famous tip made people laugh around the world: she said her secret was staying away from men. She grew up on a farm, worked hard all her life and never married. Do you eat oatmeal plain, or does it need a pile of fruit on top?

You will need: 1 cup old-fashioned or Scottish oats, 2 cups water, 1 cup milk, a pinch of salt, berries, a drizzle of honey.

How to make it: 1. Bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil. 2. Stir in the oats and lower the heat. 3. Cook 5 minutes, stirring with a spoon. 4. Add the milk and cook 3 more minutes until creamy. 5. Rest 2 minutes off the heat. 6. Top with berries and honey and eat it warm.

Soft Boiled Eggs and Toast for Emma Morano

Emma Morano of Italy lived to 117 and was the last known person born in the 1800s when she died in 2017. For about 90 years she ate eggs every day, a habit a doctor suggested when she was young and weak after World War I. She ate them raw, which food safety experts do not advise today, so here is the cooked version. A soft boiled egg with buttered toast soldiers is the kind of breakfast grandma made when you were sick, and it still feels like a hug.

You will need: 4 eggs at room temperature, 4 slices of bread, 2 tbsp soft butter, salt and pepper, a pinch of chopped chives.

How to make it: 1. Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. 2. Lower the eggs in with a spoon. 3. Cook 6 to 7 minutes for a jammy yolk with a firm white. 4. Move them to cold water for 1 minute. 5. Toast and butter the bread and cut it into strips. 6. Set the eggs in cups, tap off the tops, season and dip.

Centenarian Foods: The Three Yogurts a Day of Maria Branyas

Maria Branyas was born in San Francisco in 1907 and lived most of her life in Catalonia, Spain. She was the world’s oldest person when she died in 2024 at 117. Reports about her life say she ate three plain yogurts a day, and scientists in Barcelona later studied her genes and gut to learn why she aged so well. They said genes played a big part. Her yogurt habit is still the simplest of these centenarian foods to copy.

You will need: 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 small banana sliced, a handful of blueberries, 2 tbsp crunchy cereal or granola, 1 tsp jam or honey, orange or pineapple pieces on the side.

How to make it: 1. Spoon the yogurt into a wide bowl. 2. Line up the banana slices and blueberries on top. 3. Add a stripe of cereal for crunch. 4. Add a spoon of jam or honey. 5. Serve with fresh fruit on the side. 6. Make it ahead in a jar and add the crunchy part just before eating.

Easy Chocolate Truffles for Jeanne Calment, Who Lived to 122

Jeanne Calment of Arles, France, holds the record for the longest human life ever confirmed: 122 years and 164 days. She rode a bike until she was 100. She was also famous for her sweet tooth, and reports say she ate close to two pounds of chocolate a week. Chocolate may be the sweetest of all centenarian foods. These three-ingredient truffles are a fun way to honor her. Would you give up chocolate to live longer? Tell us honestly.

You will need: 8 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate chopped, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp butter, cocoa powder or chopped nuts for rolling, mini paper cups.

How to make it: 1. Heat the cream until it just steams. 2. Pour it over the chocolate, wait 3 minutes, add the butter and stir until glossy. 3. Chill 2 hours until firm. 4. Scoop small balls with a teaspoon and roll them fast between your palms. 5. Roll in cocoa or nuts. 6. Set in paper cups and keep chilled.

Mackerel Sushi, Misao Okawa’s Favorite Treat

Misao Okawa of Osaka, Japan, was the world’s oldest person when she turned 117 in March 2015. Asked about her long life, she named good sleep and good food, and she especially loved sushi, with mackerel as a favorite. She also said, with a smile, that 117 years did not feel very long at all. Sushi shows up again and again in Japanese centenarian foods stories. This easy home version uses cured mackerel, so no raw fish is needed.

You will need: 2 cups cooked sushi rice, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 pack of ready-to-eat cured or smoked mackerel fillets, a little wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.

How to make it: 1. Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt and fold it into the warm rice. 2. Let the rice cool to room temperature. 3. Wet your hands and press small oval mounds of rice. 4. Add a dot of wasabi. 5. Lay a thin slice of mackerel on top and press gently. 6. Serve with soy sauce and ginger.

Centenarian Foods: Miso Soup and the Small Plate Rule of Jiroemon Kimura

Jiroemon Kimura of Kyotango, Japan, is the oldest man ever confirmed. He lived to 116 and died in 2013. He credited one simple habit: eating small portions, a Japanese idea called hara hachi bu, which means stop when you are about 80 percent full. His breakfasts were famously simple, with rice porridge and miso soup. Of all the centenarian foods here, his rule may be the most useful. A warm bowl of miso is the perfect small first course, and it takes ten minutes.

You will need: 4 cups water or dashi, 3 tbsp white or red miso paste, 1/2 block soft tofu cut in cubes, 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed, 2 green onions sliced.

How to make it: 1. Soak the wakame in warm water for 5 minutes and drain. 2. Heat the water or dashi until it simmers. 3. Add the tofu and wakame for 2 minutes. 4. Turn off the heat. 5. Mix the miso with a ladle of broth until smooth, then stir it into the pot (do not boil it). 6. Top with green onions.

Banana Bread for Tomiko Itooka, Who Loved Bananas

Tomiko Itooka of Ashiya, Japan, became the world’s oldest person in 2024 at 116 and died later that year. News reports at the time called her the woman who loved bananas, and she enjoyed a milky yogurt drink too. As a young woman she climbed one of Japan’s tall mountains twice. Bananas are the most humble of centenarian foods, and this one-bowl banana bread is the best way to use the spotty bananas on your counter.

You will need: 3 very ripe bananas, 1/3 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, a pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan. 2. Mash the bananas in a bowl. 3. Stir in the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. 4. Add the baking soda, salt and flour and stir just until mixed. 5. Fold in the walnuts and pour into the pan. 6. Bake 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Centenarian Foods: Peach Cobbler for Richard Overton

Richard Overton of Austin, Texas, was the oldest World War II veteran in the United States when he died in 2018 at 112. He was still driving his own truck at 109. Reporters who visited him said he ate ice cream and peach cobbler for dessert, a reminder that centenarian foods are not always healthy ones. This version has a crunchy crumb top and a few blackberries for color. Would you serve it with A) vanilla ice cream, B) whipped cream or C) nothing at all?

You will need: 6 cups sliced peaches (fresh or thawed frozen), 1 cup blackberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon. Topping: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup cold butter in cubes, 1/2 cup oats.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Toss the peaches and berries with sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon and spread in a baking dish. 3. Rub the flour, brown sugar, butter and oats together with your fingers until crumbly. 4. Scatter it over the fruit. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until bubbling and golden. 6. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Codfish With Creamy Corn, the Daily Dish of Emiliano Mercado del Toro

Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico was the world’s oldest man when he died in 2007 at 115. He worked in the sugar cane fields for much of his life. He credited bacalao con funche, a soft corn porridge with codfish and milk that he ate every day. It is cozy, cheap and very easy, and it tastes like a hug from an island kitchen.

You will need: 8 oz salt cod (soaked overnight, water changed twice), 1 cup fine cornmeal, 3 cups water, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp butter, 1 onion and 1 bell pepper sliced, 2 tomatoes chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil, cilantro.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the soaked cod 10 minutes, drain and flake it. 2. Cook the onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and cod and simmer 10 minutes. 3. Whisk the cornmeal into the water and milk in a pot. 4. Stir over low heat 10 to 15 minutes until thick and creamy, then add butter and salt. 5. Spoon the funche into bowls. 6. Top with the codfish and cilantro.

Centenarian Foods: Olive Oil Sponge Cake With a Glass of Milk

Francisco Nunez Olivera of Bienvenida, Spain, was called the world’s oldest man when he died in 2018 at 113. Every morning for breakfast he had a slice of sponge cake made with olive oil and a glass of milk, and he ate vegetables he grew on his own land. If you have never made a cake with olive oil, this one will surprise you. It stays moist for days and tastes lightly fruity. Ice it, or just dust it with sugar like a Spanish grandmother would.

You will need: 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup mild olive oil, 1/2 cup milk, zest of 1 lemon, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9-inch round pan. 2. Beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. 3. Beat in the olive oil, milk and lemon zest. 4. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. 5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden. 6. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar.

Three-Bean Chili for Dr. Ellsworth Wareham of Loma Linda

Ellsworth Wareham was a heart surgeon in Loma Linda, California, a town known for long-lived Seventh-day Adventists. He ate a plant-based diet for about half his life, helped in the operating room into his 90s and died in 2018 at 104. A big pot of bean chili fits his kind of table: cheap, filling and full of vegetables. If you love the idea of eating like this, our 17 everyday longevity foods from the world’s longest living kitchens are a great next read.

You will need: 1 can each kidney, black and pinto beans (drained), 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 1 cup corn, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 cup broth, 1 tbsp oil, avocado, cilantro and lime.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion and pepper in oil for 6 minutes. 2. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin for 1 minute. 3. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn and broth. 4. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring now and then. 5. Season with salt. 6. Serve topped with avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Centenarian Foods: Goya Champuru From Okinawa

Okinawa, Japan, has long been famous for having many people over 100, and this stir fry is on almost every family table there. Goya is bitter melon, a bumpy green vegetable that tastes a little bitter, a bit like dark greens. Okinawan grandmothers cook it with tofu and egg, and many of them follow the same eat-until-80-percent-full rule. Have you ever tried bitter melon? Tell us what you thought.

You will need: 1 bitter melon, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 block firm tofu, 2 eggs beaten, 4 oz thin pork belly or canned luncheon ham (optional), 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, a pinch of bonito flakes.

How to make it: 1. Cut the bitter melon in half, scoop out the seeds and slice it thin. 2. Rub it with salt, wait 10 minutes and rinse (this softens the bitterness). 3. Brown the tofu in oil and set it aside. 4. Cook the pork, then the bitter melon, for 3 minutes. 5. Return the tofu, pour in the eggs and stir until just set. 6. Season with soy sauce and top with bonito flakes.

Gallo Pinto, Breakfast in Nicoya, Costa Rica

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is one of the places researchers call Blue Zones, where many people live into their 90s and past 100. Almost every day there starts with gallo pinto, rice and black beans fried together with onion and peppers, often with fresh white cheese, corn tortillas and eggs. Like most centenarian foods from the Blue Zones, it is mostly beans and grains. It is a perfect way to use leftover rice, and it costs pennies a plate.

You will need: 2 cups cooked day-old rice, 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans with a little of their liquid, 1 small onion and 1/2 red pepper chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, a splash of Worcestershire-style sauce, fresh white cheese.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion, pepper and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add the beans and a splash of their liquid and simmer 3 minutes. 3. Stir in the rice and the sauce. 4. Fry 5 minutes, folding until the rice turns speckled. 5. Stir in the cilantro. 6. Serve with a slice of fresh cheese, eggs or tortillas.

Lemony Greens, the Everyday Side in Ikaria, Greece

On the Greek island of Ikaria, another Blue Zone, people famously forget to die, as the old joke goes. Among the centenarian foods of the Mediterranean, wild greens cooked simply with olive oil and lemon sit on the table almost every day, next to beans, bread and long talks with neighbors. Researchers point out that the slow pace, naps and close friends there may matter as much as the food. This side takes 10 minutes and works with spinach, chard or kale.

You will need: 2 big bunches of greens (spinach, chard or dandelion), 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 garlic cloves sliced, juice of 1 lemon, salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes.

How to make it: 1. Wash the greens well and cut off thick stems. 2. Warm the olive oil and garlic in a big pan for 1 minute. 3. Add the greens a handful at a time and toss. 4. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until just wilted. 5. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. 6. Finish with lemon juice and a drizzle of oil and serve warm or at room temperature.