Royal Family's Food Restrictions
The Royal Family's Food and Drink Restrictions
Most people know that the royal family has to watch their manners when out in public. Most people don't know that the royals have to watch more than their manners. It is interesting to know that members of the royal family have to watch what they eat in public. They have very strict food and drink restrictions.
Why the Royal Family Has Restrictions
Everyone should be careful about eating certain foods while dining out, but the royal family seems to have more restrictions than regular people. The restrictions are preventative measures to keep them from getting sick. Not only will an illness be a terrible distraction, but it would interfere with the busy schedule the royals usually keep.
Food Restrictions
The royal family is not allowed to eat shellfish while dining out. That's because shellfish has a much higher risk of food poisoning than most other foods. It is not that the royal can't ever eat seafood, such as prawns and oysters at home, but they are restricted from eating them in public.
Besides shellfish, they have been told not to eat meat that is rare and no spicy foods. When traveling to foreign countries they are advised not to drink tap water.
Queen Elizabeth follows these restrictions to the letter, but the younger members of the royal family aren't always that careful.
What Queen Elizabeth Usually Eats
Queen Elizabeth is 92 years old and the longest serving British monarch. She has served her country for 65 years.
Special chefs prepare all her meals and she eats and drinks whatever she wants at home, but there are restrictions when she is out and about.
When she is at home, she usually follows the same routine. Twice a week, the head chef, Mark Flanagan, gives Queen Elizabeth a red leather-bound book of menu options. She checks what she wants to eat and crosses off what she doesn't want.
Many of the foods, especially vegetables and fruits, are grown on the premises except for the dark chocolate that she loves and eats daily.
Queen Elizabeth's Daily Eating Routine
At 7:30 a.m., the monarch has a pre-breakfast snack when she gets up. It consists of a few cookies and Earl Grey tea without milk or sugar.
At 8:30 a.m., she and the Duke of Edinburgh have breakfast together in the private first-floor dining room. Their meal includes cereal, yogurt, toast and maple syrup or light marmalade. The queen loves Special K cereal.
Sometimes the breakfast menu is changed to include scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and a grating of truffle. She eats only brown eggs because she says they taste much better than the white ones.
After a few hours of work, Queen Elizabeth enjoys a gin and Dubonnet with lemon and plenty of ice. She likes to eat lunch alone with a simple meal of fish with vegetables or grilled chicken with a salad. She typically stays away from potatoes, pasta, rice, and starches especially when she eats alone.
At 5 p.m., she is served tea with a selection of sandwiches without the crust, scones, a slice of pie or chocolate cake and McVitie’s Rich Tea biscuits. This time is referred to as high tea.
The queen's dinner is typically lamb, roast beef, mutton, grouse, or salmon. For dessert, she eats a slice of chocolate cake. She doesn't drink wine with dinner, but she might have a dry Martini. She enjoys a glass of champagne after dinner.
It can be said that the monarch eat meals fit for a queen.
Comments
Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA on September 25, 2017:
Thanks, Susan, for your comment. When I find out interesting things, I like to share with others. When you get a chance, check out some of my other articles with similar tidbits. I have been following you for a long time. I like your food articles, and I especially like your article about the tie twists.
Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on September 25, 2017:
Interesting. Have never really thought about what the "Royal Family" eats before now.
