Now Better Homes and Gardens is briefly departing from its traditional covers of stylish living rooms and rainbow-colored gardens to feature Obama on the front of its popular magazine. This will be the first time since 1963, when the publication featured actor Cliff Robertson, that a public figure has appeared on the magazine’s cover.

Two and a half years into the Obama administration, the first lady is a reader magnet for magazines, industry observers say.

“She’s a hot seller,” said Samir Husni, director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi. “You put her on any cover, and it will sell well.”

Vanity Fair also is working on a large piece about the first lady, a source told POLITICO. It’s unclear whether the magazine plans a cover story, but the Obama piece would follow Vanity Fair’s worst-selling issue in 12 years: a lipstick-covered Justin Bieber on its February cover. A spokesperson for Vanity Fair said the publication does not disclose upcoming stories.

The Better Homes and Gardens cover shows the first lady on a bench in her White House garden with tomato and carrot pickings, and the story focuses on her kitchen garden and the benefits of healthful eating. The issue will hit newsstands this week.

The first lady, who has made childhood obesity her cornerstone issue, has promoted exercise through her Let’s Move initiative and advocated a more nutritious diet through her kitchen garden. She had the 1,500-square-foot garden planted on the South Lawn to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables at a time when childhood obesity is rising. Obama also is writing a book about the garden to be published next year.

“The first lady is honored to be the first person in decades to appear on the cover of such a beloved magazine,” said Kristina Schake, Obama’s communications director. “She is thrilled to share the story of the White House kitchen garden and Let’s Move with the millions of Americans who read Better Homes and Gardens.”

Last summer, the magazine asked readers, “‘What would make 2011 their best year ever?’ And healthy eating emerged as a top interest,” said Kitty Morgan, the magazine’s executive editor.

“So we deliberately stepped [up] our coverage of healthy eating,” Morgan said. “As a magazine with the word ‘gardens’ in its title, we’d also been tracking the edible garden trend — interest in growing your own food, whether in a raised bed or mixed in to your front yard borders or in containers.”

Gayle Butler, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said the staff decided to feature the first lady because she has “provided inspiration and help to moms across the country.”

“We want to keep the conversation going about this important national cause,” Butler said.

The cover story comes as Obama faces some renewed criticism about her own eating. Earlier this week, she indulged in a meal at Shake Shack, a new eatery in Washington, where she ordered a burger, fries, a chocolate shake and a Diet Coke. Almost instantly, after the Drudge Report linked to a Washington Post story, she was labeled a hyprocrite on the Web and on social networking sites.

“Is it OK for Michelle Obama to eat a burger, fries and shake?” the Huffington Post asked readers.
Obama, who received similar criticism when she served burgers and hot dogs during a White House Super Bowl party, addressed the subject in her interview with Better Homes and Gardens.

“You can’t say to kids, you can never have a cookie — you can never have anything fun,” Obama told the magazine. “There’s a way to [promote a healthy life] and to do it in a way that is tasty and fun.”

Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, said the magazine is “clearly making a statement” by putting Obama on its cover since it has not had a prominent figure on its front for decades.

“This issue will probably sell more over-the-counter copies than one featuring their standard decorating motifs,” he said.

Husni agreed. “There’s still a certain fascination with the first lady,” he said. “This magazine will bring her into people’s living rooms and on their coffee tables.”

Julie Mason contributed to this report.