Willie Nelson’s Secret To Longevity Might Be That He Eats Waffles Almost Every Day: “I Never Met A Waffle I Didn’t Like”

Everyone is always asking the question, “How can Willie Nelson still be out on the road at 92-years-old?”

Well, the living country music legend’s secret might just come down to breakfast food. It’s been well documented that he likes to start out his day with oatmeal, and who can blame him? If you fix oatmeal up the right way (fruit, honey, cinnamon), it can act as tasty kickstarter to your day that’s both a great source of fiber and heart healthy. But there’s another breakfast staple that the Red-Headed Stranger can’t get enough of…

Waffles.

Country music fans got a look into Willie’s love for waffles in he and his wife’s new cookbook Willie & Annie Nelson’s Cannabis Cookbook. If you ask me, putting “Willie Nelson’s” in front of “Cannabis Cookbook” is a little redundant.. in a good way. The book offered up plenty of cannabis infused recipes, and also provided some interesting insights into Nelson’s favorite foods.

One of those just so happens to be the delicacy known as the waffle. Willie pointed out the versatility of the waffle, and also informed readers that he partakes in a waffle (thanks to his wife) on a daily basis:

“Annie makes me a waffle almost every day. I like ‘em with chicken-fried steak and gravy. I like ‘em with ice cream. I like ‘em with maple syrup. I never met a waffle I didn’t like.”

That’s something that myself and Willie Nelson have in common. I don’t think I’ve ever turned down a waffle. I like a fresh Waffle House waffle just as much as I like a complimentary hotel breakfast waffle.

As for Nelson, he has one particular waffle – or waffles – that have stood out in his life as the very best. While he was playing a gig in Belgium, the country music singer was brought the country’s famous Belgian waffles. Willie claims that there’s not a better waffle on planet Earth:

“The club owner sent a whole batch of waffles to our bus for two straight days. Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, they came with a heap of fresh berry preserves. Hands down, the world’s best waffles.”

Waffles never lead you wrong… especially a good ol’ Belgian waffle.

All in all, all of this waffle talk is just affirming my belief that food that you like is good for you, no matter the nutritional value. I try to eat as clean as I can, but sometimes I just want a syrup-soaked waffle, you know? There’s just something about eating comfort food that’s good for the soul, and know that I know Willie Nelson swears by the breakfast item – and is still going strong at 92-years-old – I’m gonna keep eating them.

And I really mean that Willie is going strong. Nelson just announced that he’s bringing his iconic 4th of July Picnic back to Texas this summer, and that’s on top of a tour (that I’ll get a little more into shortly) that he’s already laid out in 2025. Guess that means he’s gonna have to keep those waffles coming?

Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic and Fireworks is returning to Germania Insurance Amphitheater on July 4! Line-up includes Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, The Mavericks, Asleep At The Wheel and Tami Nelson. Tickets on sale Friday, March 7 at 10AM at… pic.twitter.com/MtlaE4BQ65

— Germania Insurance Amphitheater (@GermaniaAmp) March 3, 2025

Earlier this year, Nelson announced a tour that would be celebrating 10 years of the Outlaw Music Festival by going out on the road with a very talented group of artists with him, including Bob Dylan, Billy Strings, Turnpike Troubadours, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, The Red Clay Strays, Charles Wesley Godwin, Willow Avalon, Waylon Payne and many more.

The full lineup is listed below, along with the openers that will be at each stop.