Here's What Dolly Parton Eats

Happy birthday, Dolly Parton! Today (Jan. 19), the country music legend celebrates her 71st birthday. And, in the Southern tradition, there's no better way to honor a person than by serving up a big ol' feast. In honor of the "Jolene" singer, we've gathered some of her favorite foods for you to indulge in (and then diet with).

Though she's known for her petite, hourglass frame (and is a frequent dieter), Parton's favorite foods actually harken back to her roots as a young girl growing up in the hills of Sevierville, Tennessee. She loves fried foods, fatty meats, and fast food, just like the rest of us. Want to learn how to eat like Dolly? Try out these five meals:

Cabbage Soup
The infamous cabbage soup diet — where you can eat unlimited amounts of cabbage "miracle soup" along with fruits, vegetables, and selected proteins over a one-week period — is also frequently called the "Dolly Parton diet." It's unclear whether Parton pioneered this diet herself or whether it's just named after her for her slim waistline, but she has certainly tried it.

For the Miracle Soup recipe, click here.

Chicken and Dumplings
When asked what her signature dish was in a 2011 interview with Parade, Parton had no hesitation: chicken and dumplings. It should be no surprise that this country gal is all about this traditionally Southern dish.

For the Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe, click here.

Clams Casino
Dolly Parton isn't one for fancy foods, but she can get down with a Clams Casino. In a classic New York Times interview, Parton ordered this old-school dish as her appetizer. Unlike most people, however, Parton orders her Clams Casino chopped up. She doesn't like the rubbery texture of the shellfish and enjoys how the breadcrumbs and seafood mix together.

For the Clams Casino recipe, click here.

Roast Pork
In the same NYT interview, Parton also revealed her favorite dishes to serve her guests: roast pork, green beans, and fried okra. The self-proclaimed "white trash" star even said she preferred the fatty cuts of pork, keeping things close to her roots.

For the Texas Spice-Rubber Pork recipe, click here.

Taco Bell
It may be hard to believe that the notoriously petite country music icon enjoys cheap tacos like the rest of us, but it's totally true. In a recent interview with Sirius XM, Parton revealed that on date nights, she and her husband, Carl Dean, like to eat cheap by taking their RV through the Taco Bell drive-thru. "I love their tacos. They also have little pizzas that I love." Parton and Dean rarely go out to eat at nice restaurants on date nights because "he's just a country boy and hates that stuff."