As Ever’s Instagram posted a nice little video with the Duchess of Sussex on Sunday. As you can see, she’s giving advice for setting up a little breakfast station for guests and kids for the holidays – she recommends putting out items so people can build their own parfaits, and she recommends having a breakfast quiche too. She also puts out some small pancakes and says that people don’t have to even offer pancakes or make them from scratch, and that frozen pancakes are fine. As you can imagine, this was the Daily Mail headline: “Meghan Markle reveals a ‘favourite’ in her house that she makes using her own As Ever products… and suggests families buy frozen pancakes.” Give it two days and they’ll call this Frozen Pancake-gate!! Everything Meghan does or says is so scandalous to them. The Frozen Pancakes That Brought A Nation To Its Knees! Meanwhile, Meghan spoke to People Magazine exclusively last week to offer some holiday entertaining tips. I learned that Harry’s favorite part of Thanksgiving is the gravy!
Meghan Markle revealed the Thanksgiving staple that is at the top of Prince Harry’s list. In Thanksgiving tips shared with PEOPLE, the Duchess of Sussex and founder of the As ever lifestyle brand shared her hacks for hosting the holiday — including Harry’s must-have.
“Chop your veggies and herbs in advance to save time on the day, and also for those finishing touches, whether you’re serving homemade or store-bought dishes. Your kids can join in too! They can proudly say they helped,” says Meghan, who is mom to Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4. “Top tip on the carrots — keep the tops and blend them with parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts for a refreshing take on pesto to elevate your holiday spread,” she suggests. “Served with creamy mashed potatoes, a green salad speckled with flower sprinkles and rich gravy (my husband would never forgive me if I didn’t add that to the table), this is sure to please your entire gathering.”
To set the scene and the mood, Meghan recommends lighting lots of candles. “Light a few candles — choose scented ones to set the mood in the living areas and unscented for the kitchen (in those spaces, let the fragrance of the food shine). Welcome your guests as they arrive with drinks and have some easy appetizers ready to enjoy (think baked Brie with jam, perhaps?),” the Duchess of Sussex says.
“Set out a few ice breakers, like puzzles or board games, to spark conversation and help guests connect. Being a great host is all about anticipating your guests’ needs — something I learned working in restaurants and now love bringing into my own home. With a little thoughtful planning, you can make everyone feel comfortable and cared for,” she adds.
As for bringing it all together on the big day, Meghan recommends saying yes to support.
“When guests offer to help, say yes! You don’t get the gold star for doing everything. Whether someone wants to bring a pie, pick up a side dish, or provide the ice cream, letting your guests contribute lightens your load and creates a sense of shared celebration. Accepting support isn’t just practical; it makes everyone feel included and valued,” she says. “When I go to someone’s home, I like to bring a bottle of wine or bubbles or offer practical help like setting the table. If you have the time to make a family favorite to share, do it! A sentimental recipe makes you make you more than a part of the meal; it makes you part of the memory.”
“Other ways to be supportive? Help the host out the next morning with an easy breakfast offering,” she adds about how to help. “Bring a mason jar of homemade granola (simply toast oats with maple, cinnamon, a dash of ginger, and any other cozy autumnal flavors you love) with a container of yogurt and fruit preserves. You’ll make their day!”
For holidays, if you’re a guest, my recommendation is bringing dessert. Your host/hostess wants to cook everything for the meal their way, but there’s always gratitude if guests bring pies, ice cream, brownies, cakes, what have you. But I like that Meghan is now enough of a lifestyle influencer that People Magazine runs exclusives with her tips.
Photos courtesy of As Ever’s Instagram, Netflix.
This is good advice, because even if people are comfortable enough to stay at your place, a lot of people just don’t want to go into someone’s kitchen and start cooking a full meal. This is a nice way to make sure that your guests have something to eat, but you don’t have to be the one standing there making them food. And they can eat at their own schedule.
She’s saying use frozen or store-bought, because one of their initial complaints was how no one had enough time to do the stuff that she was suggesting. Now it’s this isn’t even real advice because you’re telling us to use store-bought stuff. Even though her entire point has always been that it doesn’t have to be fancy, it’s about the thought you put into the presentation that matters.
I’m curious but sceptical about the carrot leaf pesto!
I just love how warm and natural she makes it all seem. I absolutely love her intention to de-stress hosting.
The puzzle idea is great, my friends family did this when I dropped in on them over Christmas last year, was very fun for the group at times but was also great for people who wanted a small break from festivities and could happily just have some quiet focus time with it away from the conversations.
I love a little break from the lovely people gathered to have a quiet moment like that.
Going to thanksgiving at a friend’s, he has a small backyard pool and cabana, the cabana holds the soda and beer and comfy seating / and you can’t even see the house from inside it.
The gathering is always filled with enjoyable people, but that 10 minute break in the cabana, is an introvert’s dream.
I’ve made a carrot leaf pesto before and its not bad. I mean you add enough olive oil and parmesan and almost anything tastes good, lmao. The few times i’ve made it though I didn’t have enough of the carrot tops so also threw in some basil.
I agree that the puzzle idea is great. During the first lockdowns one of my elderly neighbours began to do jigsaw puzzles to help her sleep and it caught on in our bubble. Since then, I’ve always got at least one puzzle and some trays with sorted pieces on a side table in the main reception room, as well as a chess set (it’s antique and the pieces are heavy bronze, so it draws people to it like a magnet, tee hee). Visitors always begin to play around with one or the other, and there is a cabinet with old-fashioned collectible metal vehicles for the younger ones to help themselves if they just want to sit on the carpet and play with toys. It greatly relieves the stress when hosting, especially if people turn up to far ahead of time. They can help themselves to drinks and snacks and relax and talk out of my way while I put the finishing touches on things and arrange them just the way I want.
I love the reminder about doing things in advance as well: I do all my chopping and marinading and baking at least one day before, and I even make a couple of the casseroles and desserts and drinks the day before as well. Only the main meal is now made on the day as a rule, and perhaps a fresh salad. It took me years to perfect this technique, but once you get into it, you wonder why you spent so many years stressing about everything at the last minute.
Having numerous allergies, I discourage people from bringing prepared foods (but they are welcome to bring drinks or certain ingredients or even napkins if they offer – no pressure).
Me too! That doesn’t sound very “elevating” to me.
I love the idea of bringing the host/hostess something for breakfast the next morning. Something easy.
They’re tired.
I’m so excited for the holiday special.
I’ve done this before, and it’s always happily received.
Meghan is such a natural at this stuff.
I am not a fan of Turkey , but I bet that orange blossom honey would taste amazing on a ham and a chicken. Yes, I am sure on a Turkey too , but as I said , I don’t like turkey
I do thanksgiving at a friend’s house, but i always buy a little bit of honeybaked ham, just for me.
I will totally try it with some orange blossom honey on it.
That honey is so damn good.
I have picked up numerous tips from Meghan show and I now have put more thought into how I prepare breakfast the next morning for guests. Very good ideas and tips. When I go to others home I usually bring dessert (an apple pie) and wine. One couple actually asked me to bring ice cream and I bought both vanilla and chocolate. I must add, I prepare holiday meals at my home even when I am going to others to celebrate.
I prefer doing waffles over pancakes, it’s much easier to make a big batch as the waffle maker just beeps at you (so no standing over the stove as with pancakes!). I like the textured nature of waffles better too as they load up with toppings better 🙂
Quiche, strata, etc are all great also.
She’s given some good tips. Bringing something to drink is always my go to when I’m invited to someone’s home.
Salt Isle will nit pick this to death. It’s always nice when I have thanksgiving or Christmas if somebody offers to bring a dessert or a side dish. I will take all the help I can get lol.
They would always nitpick it because it’s Meghan, but the added fact that Harry enjoys celebrating Thanksgiving must be making them crazy, lol.
I generally do like it when someone puts me to work. It makes me feel helpful. So I like her advice of when someone asks if you need help say yes. My mom was really bad about that and we’ve had to force her to let us help. Frozen pancakes are not bad so this is not controversial imo.
Rather hilarious Oxford comma fail from People: . “Served with creamy mashed potatoes, a green salad speckled with flower sprinkles and rich gravy…”. Yuck!
Good tips. There’s so much expectations these days put on guests, especially at weddings. Good on her for reminding people that hosting is important and about responsibility.
My family is the kind that wanders around in pajamas all day and getting them to decide what they want is like herding cats. Setting up stations is ideal – they can pick from this and pick from that.
One of the reasons I liked Julia Child so much was because, even as she was showing you how to prepare multi-step dishes, she always reminded you that if you can’t find a fresh ingredient, then use frozen or use (gasp, DM jerks) the canned version. Because she was a real person who understood people’s lives. But if you’re a purist, then don’t and just go ahead and do things the way you want; what Meghan said wasn’t an edict, it was a suggestion.
Some great tips but I would recommend letting people know if you are bringing desert
This reminds me of when I was a kid, I was in charge of doing all the dishes after holiday meals and this was before dishwashers were common. I would kick everyone out of the kitchen, look at the mounds of pots, pans, flatware and dishes, form a plan and get started. I volunteered to do this as it gave me some time away from everyone and the noise, I could bring order to chaos and it was rather satisfying seeing the mounds slowly shrink and the kitchen put right again. I was a really odd child, but I enjoyed it!
I would do that as a kid, too! I’m not by nature an orderly person, but quietly doing the dishes was a way to relax and feel calm.
I do this as an adult!
Hosting advice I love! Also, anyone with kids, or who is traveling more than 30 minutes, doesn’t get asked to bring anything. I ask guests what they do and don’t like then edit the menu accordingly. And I buy anything I don’t feel like making if I can afford it. Making sure everyone has some task is so smart, because she’s right, people feel excluded otherwise.
Pippa Tips would never, you guys! Lol
Frozen pancakes are one of the worst breakfast items. Frozen veggies and fruits can save time or provide out of season offerings but I draw the line with preservatives and artificial flavors.
Homemade pancakes without the extra chemicals freeze very well too.