Children's palates may not be as defined as those you might see with food critics or Michelin-starred chefs, but that doesn't mean that kids don't enjoy their food. Yeah, from time to time, a toddler might refuse to eat his dinner, but that's only because he's a jerk who wants to get on your nerves, not because he doesn't like eating.
So, it's only natural that in our formative years, we all have a meal that we hold closest to our hearts. Mine was spaghetti hoops with cut up hot dogs in it and some cheese sprinkled on top of it. What was yours? Whatever it is, I don't care - we're here to talk about Meghan Markle's favourite childhood meal, actually.
While you can only imagine the kind of Prince George or Princess Charlotte refuse to eat in the royal household (because they're children, after all), Meghan Markle's upbringing was a lot more like that of the average person, and so too were her meals. Of course, she's come a long way since then, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten her roots.
That was apparent when she brought her mom, Doria Ragland, into the fold to help her launch her new cookbook, "Together: Our Community Cookbook", to help raise money for those who lost so much in the Grenfell Tower fire last year in London.
That was also apparent in the foreword of said cookbook, where Meghan Markle wrote about her fascination with the "power of a meal" (Meghan's a massive foodie so this is no surprise), and even revealed the meal she loved to eat when she was growing up. More interestingly, she also talked about why it was her favourite meal.
Okay, I've teased you long enough, Food Envy readers: here's Meghan Markle's favourite childhood food was. "One of my own favorite meals is collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread — a meal I would look forward to throughout my childhood," she said, but why did she look forward to that, instead of pizza, french fries or a hamburger?
"This was always eaten on New Year's Day, a tradition steeped in ancestral history in which each component has a meaning: the black-eyed peas for prosperity, the greens for wealth, the cornbread for health and nourishment. It wasn't a New Year's resolution; it was a wish. It wasn't simply a meal; it was a story."
Southern Living points out that this was a tradition borne out of the southeastern United States (think Mississippi, think Florida, think Alabama), but by the time Meghan Markle was growing up it had spread to the rest of the country, and makes for a pretty fitting New Year's meal, don't you think?
Now, I'm sure that the Royal Family probably have their own traditions for the holiday season, but I'm sure at some point on New Year's Eve, Meghan Markle will find some time to eat collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread.
