The countdown to the Royal Wedding is in the home stretch, but if you’re still struggling to finish off the menu for your viewing party, why not think about it as a themed party? These Meghan Markle-themed foods will give you all the inspiration you’ll need — and because they’re inspired by the bride herself, you can be sure that they’ll be on the mark.
Markle’s foodie nature has long been one of her defining features; from frequently chatting about restaurants she loves with interviewers to running her own lifestyle website with a heavy emphasis on recipes, she’s given us a wealth of information over the years about her favorite foods. As such, it’s no surprise that the wedding cake flavor she and Prince Harry chose for their nuptials bucks tradition: Kensington Palace announced back in March that a lemon elderflower cake baked by Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery would be on the menu. Of course, the rest of the menu has remained under wraps — but no doubt it will be an elaborate spread, indeed.
If you and your pals will be waking up at the crack of dawn on May 19 to watch Meghan and Harry tie the knot, you’re certainly going to need some sustenance to keep you going — so here are some ideas for your own menu that Markle would certainly approve of herself. Don’t forget the tea and champagne!
1Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes
I mean, if Meghan and Harry are serving lemon elderflower cake at their actual wedding, then the obvious pastry choice for a Royal Wedding viewing party is to serve lemon elderflower cupcakes. This recipe should stand you in good stead; pour some champagne cocktails with St. Germain on the side and you’re golden.
2Build-Your-Own Acai Bowls
The Royal Wedding will be happening at breakfast time (or, y’know, before breakfast time) for those of us across the pond, so having the fixings on hand to make a Markle-approved breakfast treat seems like a good idea. According to Eye Swoon, Markle’s own acai bowl recipe involves blending a frozen acai packet with almond milk, banana, and some berries; then she tops it off with coconut flakes, more berries and banana, honey, and bee pollen. The beauty of an acai bowl is that you can get creative with it, though, so feel free to bring more topping options to the (literal) table.
3Goat Cheese On Baguette Rounds
The ideal food day Markle detailed to The New Potato also featured goat cheese — specifically Grey Owl goat cheese — on baguette. Incidentally, goat cheese on baguette is a perfect party food: All you need to do is slice a baguette into rounds, put out some goat cheese and a cheese knife, and let people go to town with it. Yum.
4Watermelon
In 2012, Markle wrote a whole list of her favorite foods for TODAY, including a few ways she likes to eat watermelon. Plain is always an option, of course; just cut it into cubes and you’re good to go. You could also make it into a salad; according to Markle, it’s dynamite “diced up with feta and mint and tossed with a little olive oil,” Or, for something even more unexpected, add some cinnamon. “On set and at home,” she wrote, “I try to always have a container of watermelon sprinkled with cinnamon because it elevates the flavor just a notch, and makes it feel special.”
5Kale Chips
One of Markle’s favorite snack foods according to TODAY is easily made at home (try the Sun-Dried Tomato Cheesy Kale Chips recipe here) — but you can also just go ahead and fill a bowl with some store-bought kale chips if you’re not into the idea of rinsing and patting leaf after leaf dry before you bake them.
6Bagels
Feel free to reenact the infamous bagel-snatching scene from Suits while you’re at it. Mini bagels might be more party-friendly, but, I mean… the Royal Wedding is happening really early. Full-sized, breakfast-worthy bagels work, too. And if you’re feeling really ambitious — just like Rachel Zane — you could even try making your own bagels.
7Hummus, Veggies, And Crackers
A hummus plate always goes over well at a party — and incidentally, Markle likes to snack on hummus when she needs a boost between meals. To go full Markle, make sure you’ve got baby carrots and Mary’s Gone Crackers on hand.
8Tiny Chocolate Cakes
Markle’s lifestyle website The Tig may be no more — but if you get sneaky about it, you can still access a bunch of the recipes she posted on it. With the help of the Wayback Machine, I retrieved her recipe for Chocolate Petit Gateaux, because, I mean… tiny chocolate cakes. It doesn’t get more festive than that.
9A Taco Bar
Another one of Markle’s repeatedly-stated favorite foods is tacos — specifically fish tacos made with either salmon or a flaky white fish. Why not adapt that idea into a taco bar and have your guests serve themselves? Good Housekeeping has some excellent pointers for setting up a party-ready taco bar, so head over there for ideas.
10A Pasta Dish
In the mood for something more substantial? Markle has stated time and time again that she adores pasta — and what’s more, she’s name-dropped a variety of specific dishes over the years, so you’ve got options depending on how elaborate you want to get. In 2013, for example, Markle told The New Potato that her ideal food day includes “a leisurely dinner of seafood and pasta”; in 2016, she told Delish that slow-cooking zucchini yields an incredible pasta sauce (“The sauce gets so creamy you’d swear there’s tons of butter and oil in it, but it’s just zucchini, water, and a little bouillon,” she said); and if you want something simple, she’s a fan of cacio e pepe, which she told Eye Swoon in 2017 she can “make with her eyes closed.”
11Novelty Ice Cream Bars
My absolute favorite Royal Wedding food rumor has been, hands down, this hilarious item about ice cream vans surrounding the Royal Wedding venue during an alleged after-party that may or may not be happening. I don’t know if that’s actually going to be the case, but, I mean... go ahead and include ice cream in your Royal Wedding viewing party spread anyway, because this piece of inspiration is just too good to pass up. If you can find them, I would recommend stocking your freezer full of Cornettos; otherwise, though, Magnums will do.
12French Fries
Don’t stand on ceremony. Embrace Meghan Markle’s love of fries. Here are some recipes to get you started if you want to make your own; however, I don’t think anyone would fault you for hitting up your favorite local fast food joint, either.
The Royal Wedding kicks off bright and early on May 19, 2018; guests will begin arriving at the venue at 9 a.m. UK time, according to the Telegraph, which is about 4 a.m. ET and 1 a.m. PT. The ceremony will begin at noon in the UK.
