Elon Musk, the billionaire innovator behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X Corp, is known for his relentless work ethic and ambitious vision to reshape the future. With a net worth exceeding $400 billion as of July 2025, Musk’s lifestyle is a subject of global fascination, extending even to his daily diet and eating habits. Contrary to expectations of exotic, high-end cuisine befitting the world’s richest man, Musk’s food choices are surprisingly relatable, blending indulgence with pragmatism. From his morning donuts to his love for Diet Coke, Musk’s diet reflects his utilitarian approach to life, prioritizing efficiency over nutrition. Meanwhile, glimpses into his family’s eating habits reveal a mix of tradition, creativity, and practicality shaped by their unique circumstances. This article delves into the culinary world of Elon Musk and his family, exploring how their meals fuel their extraordinary lives.
A Pragmatic Approach to Food
Elon Musk’s relationship with food is defined by his intense schedule, often involving 100-hour workweeks across multiple companies. As he once stated in Ashlee Vance’s 2015 biography, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, “If there was a way that I could not eat so I could work more, I would not eat.” This sentiment underscores his view of food as a means to an end—fuel to sustain his productivity rather than a source of pleasure or health focus.
Musk’s breakfast is a case in point. He frequently skips it, opting for a quick cup of coffee to kickstart his day. When he does eat, his choices are indulgent yet simple. In a 2024 post on X, Musk described his go-to breakfast as a “power-up” consisting of steak, eggs, and coffee, emphasizing high-protein foods to fuel his demanding mornings. However, he’s also notorious for starting his day with a donut, a habit he proudly defended in a 2023 X post, responding to a physician’s claim that sugar is poison with, “I eat a donut every morning. Still alive.” This indulgence, despite his mother Maye Musk being a registered dietitian, highlights his preference for tasty, quick options over health-conscious choices.
Lunch for Musk is often an afterthought, consumed in five-minute bursts during meetings. He has admitted to “inhaling” whatever his assistant brings, prioritizing work over savoring meals. His lunch choices lean toward fast food, with pizza, hamburgers, and French fries being favorites. Musk’s love for pineapple pizza, once a point of contention but now an embraced quirk, was famously discussed on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2020, where he ordered one mid-interview. Döner kebabs, particularly from Berlin, are another go-to, with Musk recalling “the most amazing kebab ever” in a 2022 X post.
Dinner is where Musk allows himself more freedom, often using it as a social or business occasion. He enjoys barbecue, French cuisine, and smoked meats like brisket, reflecting his South African roots where braai (barbecue) culture is prominent. His penchant for dry-aged beef with ssamjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) and sushi showcases a taste for bold, global flavors. However, Musk’s dinner habits are not without criticism. Nutritionists have noted that his irregular eating patterns and late-night meals, often paired with Diet Coke or whiskey, could disrupt sleep and metabolism.
The Role of Intermittent Fasting and Weight Management
Musk’s diet has evolved over time, particularly in response to public scrutiny and personal health goals. In 2022, after unflattering photos sparked discussions about his weight, Musk revealed he lost over 20 pounds through intermittent fasting and the use of Wegovy, a weight-loss drug. Posting on X in August 2022, he credited periodic fasting for making him feel healthier, recommending the Zero fasting app to followers. This regimen, cycling between periods of eating and fasting, aligns with his pragmatic approach, allowing him to manage weight without overhauling his indulgent food preferences.
Despite these efforts, Musk remains candid about his love for “tasty food,” famously stating on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2020, “I’d rather eat tasty food and live a shorter life.” His diet, heavy on meat and potatoes with minimal vegetables, has drawn concern from health experts, especially given its links to obesity and chronic diseases. Musk acknowledges the risks, noting in a 2020 podcast that “being overweight is a big deal” for immune health, yet his commitment to healthier eating remains inconsistent.
Beverages: The Diet Coke Obsession
Musk’s beverage choices are as distinctive as his food preferences. He is an unabashed fan of Diet Coke, particularly the caffeine-free version, once joking on X in 2022 that he has a “drinking problem” after sharing a photo of his nightstand cluttered with cans. At one point, he consumed up to eight cans daily, though he has since reduced this to one or two. Musk’s attachment to Diet Coke is so strong that he’s said he’s “okay if it lowers my life expectancy,” a stance that contrasts with his mother’s health-conscious background.
Coffee is another staple, fueling his long workdays, though he claims caffeine has little effect on him. Musk has mocked lattes as “an excuse for adults to order warm milk,” preferring straightforward black coffee. Socially, he enjoys red wine, whiskey, and occasionally his Tesla-branded Giga Beer, though alcohol consumption is moderate. His kombucha microdosing, reported in 2024, suggests an experimental nod to health trends, though it’s unclear how consistently he practices this.
The Musk Family Table
While Musk’s diet is well-documented through his social media and interviews, less is known about his family’s eating habits, given their privacy and diverse living arrangements. Musk has 14 children with four women—Justine Wilson, Grimes, Shivon Zilis, and Ashley St. Clair—spread across multiple households, which complicates a unified family dining experience. However, insights from Grimes and Maye Musk offer a glimpse into the culinary dynamics of the Musk clan.
Grimes, the mother of X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus, has shared that her children are exposed to a creative, plant-leaning diet. In a 2023 X post, she described preparing “vegan-ish” meals for the kids, incorporating colorful fruits, vegetables, and homemade smoothies to spark their interest. Exa, nicknamed “Y,” is particularly fond of berries and avocado toast, reflecting Grimes’s influence as a health-conscious co-parent. However, Grimes has noted that Musk occasionally introduces the children to his indulgent favorites, like pizza and donuts, during their time together, creating a balance between fun and nutrition.
Maye Musk, a dietitian and model, has likely influenced the family’s approach to food, though her son’s habits suggest he’s strayed from her guidance. In her 2019 memoir, A Woman Makes a Plan, Maye emphasizes balanced, nutrient-rich meals, advocating for whole grains, lean proteins, and vegetables. She has shared recipes for family staples like roasted chicken and vegetable soups, which she prepared for Elon and his siblings during their childhood in South Africa. These dishes occasionally appear at family gatherings, particularly when Maye hosts, though Musk’s busy schedule limits such occasions.
The children living with other mothers, such as Shivon Zilis’s twins Azure and Strider, are less documented, but Zilis has mentioned in a 2024 interview with Forbes that she prioritizes “simple, wholesome” meals for her kids, like oatmeal and fruit bowls, to accommodate their active lifestyles. Ashley St. Clair, mother to Seldon Lycurgus and Romulus, has not publicly detailed her children’s diets, but her social media suggests a preference for organic, home-cooked meals.
Cultural and Practical Influences
Musk’s South African upbringing plays a subtle role in his food preferences. His love for smoked meats and barbecue likely stems from the braai culture, a social tradition centered around grilling. His childhood also included frugal eating experiments, such as living on $1 a day during college, consuming hot dogs, pasta, and oranges—a stark contrast to his current access to any cuisine. This early resourcefulness may explain his nonchalant attitude toward food, viewing it as secondary to his goals.
The Musk family’s eating habits are also shaped by practicality. With Musk’s children spread across different households, meals are tailored to each mother’s preferences and the children’s needs. Family gatherings, when they occur, blend Musk’s indulgent tastes with healthier options from Grimes and Maye, creating a diverse table that reflects their eclectic dynamics.
A Relatable Yet Controversial Diet
Elon Musk’s diet, while relatable in its simplicity and indulgence, has sparked debate among nutritionists and fans alike. His reliance on fast food, sugary treats, and Diet Coke contrasts sharply with the health-conscious trends embraced by other tech moguls like Jeff Bezos. Critics argue that his choices set a poor example, especially given his influence, while supporters admire his unapologetic approach to enjoying life’s pleasures.
For the Musk family, food is a balancing act between Musk’s work-driven pragmatism, Grimes’s creative health focus, and Maye’s nutritional wisdom. Their meals, while not always cohesive, reflect the complexity of their lives—innovative, unconventional, and deeply human. As Musk continues to push the boundaries of technology and exploration, his diet remains a quirky, grounded reminder that even the world’s richest man finds comfort in a donut and a can of Diet Coke.
