A month has already passed since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry walked down the aisle, an event that had more than 29 million people across the world watching to see the exact moment when an ex-American television star and all-around lifestyle icon became the Duchess of Sussex.
But before she became royalty, Markle had a passion for cooking and writing recipes on her now closed lifestyle website, The Tig, and could be found frequently sharing her tips for sticking to healthy diets.
It’s natural to wonder which advice Markle actually took for herself: What exactly does Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, eat every day? Which foods are Markle’s favorites—and why? Are there any tips and tricks we could learn from Meghan Markle?
We dug deep into Markle’s past appearances and interviews—including our own archive—to find which foods, snacks, and meals the duchess regularly eats throughout her day. There are lots of references to fresh, simple staples like rich smoothies and sushi bowls, as well as the fact that she reportedly followed a vegan diet during weekday shoots for her hit television show Suits. And we’re not too surprised that she has a few indulgent favorites of her own, like a hearty pasta “carbonara” and a side of salty french fries.
Here are Meghan Markle’s favorite foods and go-to meals that comprise this royal’s diet:
1) Hot Water & Lemon
In a lengthy interview with Delish, Markle said that her mornings often began quite early in order to make it on set, usually around 4:15 a.m. (a schedule that we’re betting she still maintains as a royal). Rather than reaching for a big cup of coffee, Markle’s first drink every morning is hot water with freshly squeezed lemon.
Enjoying a cup of hot water and lemon has been linked to better digestion throughout the course of the day, and drinking water in and of its own is a step towards weight loss.
2) Steel-Cut Oats With Bananas and Agave Syrup
Markle’s go-to breakfast comes together in a snap, and the healthiest way to cook steel-cut oats is also very easy for any home cook. Many tend to believe that agave-based sweeteners are better options than alternatives like maple syrup, but the key to enjoying these sweeteners is to watch how much your pour on. Agave syrup is innocent enough until you branch beyond an appropriate serving size.
3) Acai Bowls
As a breakfast alternative, sources told E! News that Markle frequently opted for freshly blended Acai bowls loaded with plenty of fresh sliced fruit and toppings, including bananas, chia seeds, and even hemp hearts. The Duchess of Sussex also gave lifestyle website EyeSwoon her favorite Acai bowl recipe, which you can find right here.
4) Daily Green Juice
In a similar fashion to Martha Stewart, Markle is a big fan of a blended green juices and often chooses to drink one, if not two, as a snack during the day. “Green juice is a food-as-medicine philosophy for me,” Markle tells Delish, likening her green juice to a late-afternoon cup of coffee.
In a separate video interview with Shape, Markle says she’s avoiding coffee on purpose, and frequently reaches for green juice (or kombucha) to get herself through long days. “I think trying to go for coffee or things like that only end up hurting you in the end,” she says. “[Green juice] is a really good natural source of energy… that gets right into your system as a nice pick-me-up.”
5) Grilled Fish Tacos
Markle tells TODAY that she’s loved “Baja-style food” since childhood, which makes perfect sense given that one of her favorite lunches is a fast, healthy grilled fish taco recipe. Markle’s preferred way of enjoying fish tacos includes a flaky white fish topped with grilled onions and peppers, and a dash of lime juice, such as these 20-minute tilapia tacos with cabbage slaw.
When she’s on the go, Markle also frequently enjoys fish-based meals, such as sashimi poké bowls and sushi rolls, for lunch.
6) Grilled Steak—With a Twist
There are plenty of interviews where Markle shares surprising tricks for pulling off everyday dishes in new ways. But when Markle chooses to enjoy a hearty steak, there’s a particularly shocking hack she uses to enhance any flavor profile you might be working with—a splash of lemon juice.
“Nobody tastes the lemon, but it really brings out the steak’s flavor,” she tells Delish. Markle adds the lemon right before serving the steak to guests.
7) Hearty (But Healthy) Pasta Dishes
When Markle tucks into a bowl of pasta, there’s a delicious way she makes the starchy meal healthier and more nutritionally redeeming than most. Her secret to a delicious (and easy) pasta sauce starts with slow-cooking a zucchini for up to five hours, which ends up as a thick sauce base that Markle calls “filthy, sexy mush.”
Adding a touch of water and a flavored bouillon of your choice, you can make Markle’s easy veggie-based “cream” sauce the next time you’re in the mood for whole-grain pasta.
8) Lots of Almonds
When it comes to snacktime, almonds and almond butter are Markle’s first choices, according to The Daily Meal. We’re already big fans of almonds and healthy almond butter given how many healthy fats and plant-based proteins are found in these better-for-you snacks.
But in addition to being good for your diet and waistline, almonds have also been linked to healthy, beautiful, and glowing skin. Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, says that nutrients naturally found in almonds can influence the state of your keratin levels, the protein that makes up the composition of your hair and nails. Could this snack be the key to achieving Markle’s signature complexion?
9) Roast Chicken
We all know roasted chicken is behind the story of how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got engaged, so it’s no surprise to hear that roasted chicken is one of Markle’s favorites. Markle told Good Housekeeping in 2016 that one of her favorite roast chicken recipes comes from none other than Ina Garten, but we’re thinking that she might want to switch it up with one of these 20 plus roasted chicken dinners, too.
10) And a Few Indulgent Treats Here and There
While all of the diet staples above are great, healthy choices for anyone looking to lead a balanced lifestyle, Markle is human just like the rest of us—and she enjoys an indulgent meal on weekends. A few of these include Annie’s boxed macaroni and cheese, french fries (including plates of poutine, which are fries served with heaping layers of gravy and gooey cheese), and of course, wine.